Silence speaks volumes in Oscar-nominated movies
23.05.12
A hush has fallen over the Oscar race.
Not that there hasnât been the usual cacophony of media chatter over the ups and downs of each nomineeâs chances before the winners are announced Feb. 26.
But vocal dexterity has taken a back seat to quiet eloquence among many of the contenders, including performances from Max von Sydowâs mute Dresden-bombing survivor in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close to Rooney Maraâs seething-on-the-inside rebel hacker in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. It says a lot when the most expressive emoting in Steven Spielbergâs War Horse is delivered not by the talking humans in the World War I tale but by the silent steeds as they strike noble poses upon the battlefield.
âTo paraphrase an old saying, a look can be worth a thousand words,â says film historian and critic Leonard Maltin. âAn actorâs expressive face or the timing of a scene that leads up to dialogue can have far greater impact than the dialogue itself. Just as sometimes the absence of music can be as powerful as music itself.â
Source: Vancouver Sun