What are you reading tonight?

[thebish]

I thought he played him very well tbh honest

He played an action hero well enough, but a lot of people wanted to see Reacher brought to life on the screen and he was nothing like. I guess the internals Child mentioned had something to do with $$$$.

aye - maybe.. but childs definitely said that he knew of no decent actors with the bulk/height to do justice to his own vision of Reacher... so it wasn't worth trying if all you'd get was still a falling-short of his size...

(or did you really want "Peter Crouch IS Jack Reacher!")

[TANGODANCER]

I saw Lee Childs interviewed on the telly this morning hile I was doing my elliptical trainer machine exercise...

on the issue of a dwarf playing Jack Reacher - he said - there aren't any actors who are huge (his word) - none of them would match his idea of the sheer size Jack Reacher - none of them - so he was content that they pick someone like Tom Cruise who (Childs' words) "could do the internals".

Dolph Lundgre. 6-5" martial arts specialist and actor. He's 56 now, but we're talking actors, so. he's the man for Reacher, for me.

[boltonboris]

Except he can't act... Not does he have the slightest whiff of charm and charisma

[thebish]

Dolph Lundgre. 6-5" martial arts specialist and actor. He's 56 now, but we're talking actors, so. he's the man for Reacher, for me.

really?? seriously??? I guess that's the beauty of books - you invent your own version of the character! apart from perhaps his height - Lundgren is a million miles from the character I imagine Reacher to be!! I would be staggered if Lungren could recreate anything like the character of Reacher from the books...

[TANGODANCER]

Why so surprised? His description reads:

Reacher is 6'5" tall (1.96 m) with a 50-inch chest, and weighing between 220 and 250 pounds (100–115 kg). He has ice-blue eyes and dirty blond hair. He has very little body fat, and his muscular physique is completely natural (he reveals in Persuader, he has never been an exercise enthusiast). He is exceptionally strong, has a high stamina, but is not a good runner.[16] He also has a broken nose.

What's your idea of the ideal Reacher?

[Prufrock]

Does the next bit say 'wooden as fcuk and couldn't act to save his life'?

[TANGODANCER]

Does the next bit say 'wooden as fcuk and couldn't act to save his life'?

No, I don't think so, but your opinion is noted by the casting department.

[bobo the clown]

Meanwhile, away from Pseuds Corner

I've just taken delivery of Bruce Robinson's Lever End recommended 'The Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman'. A book that promises the story of a dysfunctional family, about a boy and his grandpa, life and death, sex and hate, dog's meat and cancer, about pornography, enemas, Morse codes, puberty, secrets, God and loathing. It also purports to be about love.

I'm looking forward to reading it

Bruce feeling no hey-look-at-me-aren't-I-erudite compunction whatsoever.

and quite right too! read whatever the feck you find interesting and enjoyable. Even if it were a "comic novel" - there'd be absolutely nowt wrong and nowt to look down on about that...

Bollox. You should be ashamed of yourself man.

What self respecting citizen wouldn't wish to buy a pile if books drawn up by a bunch of experts which then sit on your shelf for12 months largely unopened let alone read, only moving to make room for next years pile ?

So, bobo, what are you reading at the mo?

I didn't know what someone was reading, as opposed to buying & then largely leaving alone in the warmth of the intellectual glow of buying books which are approved of, was a pissing contest.

Nowt much. Actually re-reading something from decades ago; "The Mists of Avalon" by Marion Bradley. The Arthurian tale told from the perspective of the female characters.

I hope that's OK ?

[thebish]

Why so surprised? His description reads:

Reacher is 6'5" tall (1.96 m) with a 50-inch chest, and weighing between 220 and 250 pounds (100–115 kg). He has ice-blue eyes and dirty blond hair. He has very little body fat, and his muscular physique is completely natural (he reveals in Persuader, he has never been an exercise enthusiast). He is exceptionally strong, has a high stamina, but is not a good runner.[16] He also has a broken nose.

What's your idea of the ideal Reacher?

Reacher is more than his size and shape. You may think that Lundgren could get close to being the Reacher you imagine from the books - but I'd be staggered if he came anywhere even close to being able to act the character that i imagine when i read the books.

but as I said - we all get different ideas of what a character is like when we read books. In my mind, Reacher is nothing like Lundgren! If the kind of character Lundgren is capable of playing is YOUR idea of Jack Reacher - then I guess you are seeing a much woodener and shallower Reacher than I am! - which is fine!

[TANGODANCER]

Why so surprised? His description reads:

Reacher is 6'5" tall (1.96 m) with a 50-inch chest, and weighing between 220 and 250 pounds (100–115 kg). He has ice-blue eyes and dirty blond hair. He has very little body fat, and his muscular physique is completely natural (he reveals in Persuader, he has never been an exercise enthusiast). He is exceptionally strong, has a high stamina, but is not a good runner.[16] He also has a broken nose.

What's your idea of the ideal Reacher?

Reacher is more than his size and shape. You may think that Lundgren could get close to being the Reacher you imagine from the books - but I'd be staggered if he came anywhere even close to being able to act the character that i imagine when i read the books.

but as I said - we all get different ideas of what a character is like when we read books. In my mind, Reacher is nothing like Lundgren! If the kind of character Lundgren is capable of playing is YOUR idea of Jack Reacher - then I guess you are seeing a much woodener and shallower Reacher than I am! - which is fine!

Kind of you. I've read all the Reacher books except the one that's just come out. How many have you read? Again, which actor is your idea of Reacher?

[thebish]

Kind of you. I've read all the Reacher books except the one that's just come out. How many have you read? Again, which actor is your idea of Reacher?

nowhere have i even hinted at any doubt you have read all the books! (not sure what your problem is here!)

i cannot think of an ideal actor to match the character I imagine in the books. neither can the author of the books himself - he said so - I heard him! but that doesn't trouble me. books and films are different things - films of books are (of necessity) different things - i don't expect them to match exactly - else what's the point?

you can - Lundgren - so i am pleased for you! well done! (but Lundgren doesn't even come close for me - i don't imagine Reacher to be a wooden lumbering oaf!)

I have read loads of the books (to answer your question) - but haven't kept a log - and not in strict order! I may have read some of them twice and missed some! is it some kind of competition??

[thebish]

just for interest's sake - here's the author's view on Tom Cruise in the role... he doesn't seem that concerned...

(maybe he hasn't read them all?? )

Interviewer: There’s been a little bit of griping that Tom Cruise isn’t exactly the right actor to play Jack Reacher, partly because of height. Jack Reacher is 6’5’’ and Tom Cruise is not known for being tall.

Lee Child: Cruise is a character actor. He really gets into a role. He can understand the role. He can project the vibe. But the only real answer is go see the movie. I guarantee you will come out of it and you will think, “What was I worried about?”

[TANGODANCER]

just for interest's sake - here's the author's view on Tom Cruise in the role... he doesn't seem that concerned...

(maybe he hasn't read them all?? )

Interviewer: There’s been a little bit of griping that Tom Cruise isn’t exactly the right actor to play Jack Reacher, partly because of height. Jack Reacher is 6’5’’ and Tom Cruise is not known for being tall.

Lee Child: Cruise is a character actor. He really gets into a role. He can understand the role. He can project the vibe. But the only real answer is go see the movie. I guarantee you will come out of it and you will think, “What was I worried about?”

Not that I blame Lee Child for grabbing the main chance, well done for that, but maybe the fact that Tom Cruise has bought the rights to all (17 at the time) Reacher novels might just have been a factor.

[LeverEnd]

I guarantee you will come out of it and you will think, “What was I worried about?”

Not that I blame Lee Child for grabbing the main chance, well done for that, but maybe the fact that Tom Cruise has bought the rights to all (17 at the time) Reacher novels might just have been a factor.[/quote]

I'm afraid Child's guarantee was bollocks. I came out thinking it was a decent action film that told the story well, but that it was a Tom Cruise film, not a Jack Reacher film.
I've read every book, and Child makes regular reference to his size and stature. It's an integral part of how he describes the character.
He got made a big offer by Cruise and a studio and made up some bullshit to suit. Fair play to him but to pretend it's anything other than a financially motivated compromise is nonsense. It's a sound business decision.

I'd have gone for Ray Stevenson, good actor, right age and brick shithouse!

[LeverEnd]

I guarantee you will come out of it and you will think, “What was I worried about?”

Not that I blame Lee Child for grabbing the main chance, well done for that, but maybe the fact that Tom Cruise has bought the rights to all (17 at the time) Reacher novels might just have been a factor.

I'm afraid Child's guarantee was bollocks. I came out thinking it was a decent action film that told the story well, but that it was a Tom Cruise film, not a Jack Reacher film.
I've read every book, and Child makes regular reference to his size and stature. It's an integral part of how he describes the character.
He got made a big offer by Cruise and a studio and made up some bullshit to suit. Fair play to him but to pretend it's anything other than a financially motivated compromise is nonsense. It's a sound business decision.

I'd have gone for Ray Stevenson, good actor, right age and brick shithouse!

[boltonboris]

Only person I can think of who could pass for him in terms of appearance and can act (a little bit), is the guy from Thor..

He'd need a haircut mind

[TANGODANCER]

Only person I can think of who could pass for him in terms of appearance and can act (a little bit), is the guy from Thor..

He'd need a haircut mind

Aye, he would do the job.

[Gary the Enfield]

Only person I can think of who could pass for him in terms of appearance and can act (a little bit), is the guy from Thor..

He'd need a haircut mind

Aye, he would do the job.

I've never read the books but based on the (brief) description herein I would say Chris Hemsworth (Thor) too. Don't think Hugh Jackman would be too far off and possibly Chris Evans (Captain America)

[thebish]

I've never read the books but based on the (brief) description herein I would say Chris Hemsworth (Thor) too. Don't think Hugh Jackman would be too far off and possibly Chris Evans...

yep - he does it for me!

[TANGODANCER]

Here you go. The official view:

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