Harrison Ford
As amusing as this selection of clips may be they are still useful for examining star/performance issues on Harrison Ford - the repetition associated with his screen persona in similar film genres and and the meanings that he brings to the roles. Just as John Wayne used to furrow his forehead before expressing his anger in his films, there is also the trade-mark look of angry surprise on Harrison's face across a range of films. It is shots like these that audiences "expect" and "want" , whether they are always conscious of them or not, because they often derive pleasure from them. And, yes, Ford seems to be forever saving his wife! (Not withstanding Indiana Jones films in which he saves women who, had he married, could have been his wife).
An important aspect of Harrison Ford's persona and one worth exploring, is Ford's representation of masculinity - in this instance, the protective husband. Some modern US critics and writers bemoan younger American heroes who lack the assured masculinity that the now ageing Ford and Clint Eastwood, exude with ease.
For performance consider Harrison Ford's
- Voice, intonation, accent, pitch
- Facial gestures and movement
- body movement and the idiosyncrasies he displays as a performer
- use of space and his phsyical presence and room he takes up in frames
- how all of the above represent his masculinity and the persona he projects on screen.
Any aspect of the above can create meaning from performance as they can show his character's feelings about other characters. These elements can affect how audiences react to Ford at various points in a film's narrative.
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