Core Post #3- Madeline Virga

For this week's core post I want to focus on the Dyer reading on the stars performance, and its relation to Marlon Brando. Dyer begins his arguments by setting up acting as a "study of character," then proceeding to describe the various art forms and the acting techniques that coincide. The parts I will be focusing on is film and method acting.

Dyer describes this technique as, "the performer feeling his/her way into a role from the inside, temporarily identifying with the character, or ... actually becoming the character while playing him/her" (141).  Many actors have used and still use this style. Today the most well-known method actors are Daniel Day-Lewis and Christian Bale, but perhaps the most well-known method actor was Marlon Brando.  From the beginning Brando was lauded as being able to portray his character fully, this can be seen in his films such as A Street Car Named Desire, On the Waterfront, and The Godfather. In this article, Dyer focuses on Brando's performance in A Street Car Named Desire. Dyer's analysis states that Brando did not do much to get fully into character, but rather strip it down to "basic psychology," "redundant performance signs," and the emphasis on raw and violent emotions. Continuing, he states that for this role Brando mostly channels an animal aggressiveness which is most evident when he is  "pawing" through Blanche's trunk. Ending his thoughts, Dyer states that method acting is adaptable for actors who are "essentially the same in every film."

Though I have not seen every Brando film, there is one thing that is evident he can embody each character, and make them their own. What may make it seem as though Brando is playing the same person is the similarities between the characters he plays, but fundamentally they are different. Take Stanley Kowalski in Street Car Named Desire and compare him to Vito Corleone in The Godfather, these two men share a violent personality but other than that they are complete opposites. Vito is methodical about everything he does from taking a sip of water to which place he walks into. In Brando's performance of Vito, the thought he puts into everything is visible through the long pauses in speech or the pacing nature of his walk.  As for Stanley, he is more brash and impulsive, not contemplating how his actions affect those around him. Although Brando could show versatility his type of role didn't vary much throughout his career, as he mostly played an alpha male who was more than likely in a position of power. This could be attributed to Brando's masculine persona, and look.