Re: Sean P. Flanery DUSTS River Pheonix - here's why!

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Posted by Mikal C Johnson (KtE Cym SOCAE) from spider-wk012.proxy.aol.com on July 28, 1999 at 06:03:33:

In Reply to: Sean P. Flanery DUSTS River Pheonix - here's why! posted by Galacter Tiga (you know who) on July 28, 1999 at 03:12:04:

I agree. I really liked hearing that SFP spent hours studying Harrison's movements and expressions.
Did you know that the horse he rides in the Jackall story is the same horse from Raiders?

Oh, and besides, I just never liked River Phoenix. His death was a shame and all... but he was a twit.

: When I first read unconfirmed rumors in ENT. WEEKLY about a YOUNG INDY tv series, I could hardly believe it. Considering the amount of Young INdy material out at the time (the junior novels, and even the Rob MacGregor books nicked him as 'Young Indiana Jones') it seemed impossible that the article could not be true.

:
: When I happened on set coverage by ET, I was in shock. Still I was skeptical, what few shots they showed of SPF had no resemblance to H-Ford,, much less Riv. Pheonix.

: Then came the TV Guide articles, with photos. I could only think "What the F*CK is George Lucas thinking?" SPF looked WAY too soft to play Indy.

: As I pondered, it came - he was thinking in terms of story over quality.

: That proved to be true by the second epsiode of YIJC entitled "London 1916". The first episode, YIJ a.t. CURSE OF THE JACKAL was a letdown - strenuously trying to be educational and a crowd pleaser w/ action. Let's face it - it bored people to death and put them off from watching the much better next episode, being the London one (Lucas shoulda' scrapped the eight-year old segement and launched with the Pancho Villa episode as a one-hour premier - THAT would have hooked people!)

: With the London episode, I noticed things about Sean Patrick Flaney - he was a warm and skilled dramatic actor, bringing humanity and depth to the characte while STILL managing a dead on Harrison Ford impersonation. At the time, I didn;'t think he had the hard ship level to uproot River from natural selection, but by this time River was dead of his own stupidity anyway.

: The final clue came from THE CONGO episodes - here is where SPF gets to show off his intensely physical and dramatic skills all at once, to a level we have not seen since H.Ford played the part in his prime, which is to say, RAIDERS of the LOST ARK. FInally, a TRUE and AWESOME representation of the character, unlike the actual theatrical sequels
: (for as much as I like Temple of Doom, HF is just way too relaxed into the roll in most of it's scenes - shouldn't he have been more intense considering it was a prequel, and far, far, far ditto for Last Crusade - suddenly, our favorite fallen hero is a saint! What the hell?).

: River did a servicable job, but all he did was IMITATE H. Ford to perfection. SPF did that in his sleep, while still managing to expand and alliviate the character of the age managed in those films, exploding him into a reality we had not witinessed since those scene in RAIDERS at the classroom.

: I cant wait for the new vid releases so that people can endlessly re-assert and re-evaluate Flanery's performances. Admit it, he DUSTED River Pheoneix!

: G.




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