Over the last couple of years I've watched and read about quite a lot of Woody Allen's work, and have kept being surprised and amused to spot famous actors I'd never have expected to see in his films - actors who would've have been starting out in their careers back then, but are famous for other things now. [1] Helena Bonham Carter - Mighty Aphrodite (1995)
Perhaps most famous now for her regular appearances in Tim Burton's films, as well as her work in period films, in this Manhattan tale with a Greek chorus twist, Bonham-Carter plays Allen's on-screen wife Amanda - and gives a wonderfully subtle and believable performance.
Well-known now for his silly comedies and great dramatic performances in films like Chicago, you can spot a very young John C Reilly - this is his fifth credit as an actor on IMDb - in this black and white thriller as a cop in a police station. You have to watch careful though, as its easy to miss it! [3] Liam Neeson - Husbands and Wives (1992)
Liam Neeson seems to have recently gained a reputation as an action star and general badass thanks to the film Taken - which is why its so amusing to see actor play a romantic lover in this documentary-style comedy about marriage. And no, don't expect that phone scene in this movie... [4] Mayim Bialik - Don't Drink the Water (1994)
Mayim Bialik is of course most famous for playing Amy, the geeky girlfriend of Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory. But as a young actress she also in this television movie based on Allen's play, alongside geek icon Michael J Fox aka Marty McFly! [5] Anthony Head, Alexander Armstrong and Charles Dance - Scoop (2006)
This fun crime caper comedy set in England is a lighthearted Allen gem, that I'm sad more people haven't seen - partly because a load of British actors manage to turn up in a variety of small and major roles throughout. However, my favourite cameos came from these three actors. In one scene, and only one scene we have Anthony Head, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and comedian Alexander Armstrong, from Pointless, playing a bobby and a detective. Then there's also Charles Dance, who is currently playing Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones of course, who turns up as practical newspaper editor.
I have noticed recently that, so far, I have been concentrating on the film industry on this blog. So, I'm going to try and include some more variety. After all this blog is meant to include film, television and audio.
Out of those three I think radio gets most overlooked, especially radio drama. Which is why I am going to mention the excellent production company Big Finish, who produce CDs, downloads and books, and who's new website went live a few days ago - check it out here: Big Finish
I came across them through my interest in the BBC drama/sci-fi series Doctor Who, which is included in their range. Their audio dramas are new epsidoes, or plays, and spin-offs of sci-fi series, most of which went off air some time ago, using original actors from the shows.
Their range includes Doctor Who and its spin-offs, Blake's 7, their own version of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Highlander, Sapphire and Steel, Stargate, the recent BBC series of Robin Hood and a range of audio books.
Their range also includes an old series that might become big again soon - the supernatural soap-opera Dark Shadows. They have been doing audio books and full cast dramas set in the Dark Shadows world a while, and now a new Dark Shadows film by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp is coming out.
This is what I like about Big Finish, they have given several series new life and new scope, so fans have had the opportunity to listen to new adventures of finished series, with the original actors playing their original parts. They also come across as fans of the programmes themselves, and you feel that the shows are in good hands. If you like sci-fi then I recommend you check them out!
