SirMasterSteven
Body acting
The essence of good body acting is its ability to portray a message. Good body actors are limited, one of the first being Charlie Chaplin who’s best example of body acting was in The Circus (1928). This seen is brilliantly played by Chaplin, who’s excellent use of body language (face and upper body) makes the audience aware of his intended actions before he carries them out.
“Out of prison and starving, he wanders onto circus grounds and sees a father carrying his baby who’s holding a huge hot dog, from which he takes a bite. The father turns quickly; Charlie immediately stops chewing and makes sweet faces. When the father turns back, Charlie takes another bite. The father turns around again, suspecting something. Charlie stops chewing and makes wonderful faces at the baby.” (O’Malley 2011)
Matt Lucas who played Vicky Pollard, in “Little Britain” makes good use of body language portraying attitude and defiance in the school girl as she stands hand on hip avoiding eye contact as the teacher looks down at her with a stern expression on his face. (BBC Drama – Focus on Body Language). The curled lip and finger gesture clearly portrays the message of disdain that Vicky wants to pass on to the teacher. Equally the hand on hip stance with tilted hip and refusal to face the teacher, in the second picture, emphasises her feeling that whatever the teacher is trying to say is not worthy of her attention.
Reference List / Bibliography
BBC Drama – Focus on Body Language (Archived). Available from:
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/drama/responding/bodyl... [Accessed Tuesday 28th October 2014].
Body Language (No Date). BBC Drama - Focus On Body Language. [Online Image] [Photograph] Available from:
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/drama/responding/bodyl... [Accessed Thursday 30th October 2014].
Finbow, Alex (September 2007). ShutUp! [Online Image] [Photograph]Available from:
www.bbc.co.uk/suffolk/content/articles/2005/12/06/little_... [Accessed Thursday 30th October2014].
O’Malley, Sheila (December 2011). Why actors still talk about Charlie Chaplin, and what he teaches them about not acting funny. Availabe from:
www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2011/12/4726463/wh... [Accessed Tuesday 28th October 2014].
The Circus (No Date). Vintage-Dame.Tumblr. [Online Image] [Photograph] Available from:
www.pinterest.com/pin/548594798328820099/ [Accesses Thursday 30th October 2014].
The Circus Trailer. Available from: www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0mfJ0RXvV0
Body acting
The essence of good body acting is its ability to portray a message. Good body actors are limited, one of the first being Charlie Chaplin who’s best example of body acting was in The Circus (1928). This seen is brilliantly played by Chaplin, who’s excellent use of body language (face and upper body) makes the audience aware of his intended actions before he carries them out.
“Out of prison and starving, he wanders onto circus grounds and sees a father carrying his baby who’s holding a huge hot dog, from which he takes a bite. The father turns quickly; Charlie immediately stops chewing and makes sweet faces. When the father turns back, Charlie takes another bite. The father turns around again, suspecting something. Charlie stops chewing and makes wonderful faces at the baby.” (O’Malley 2011)
Matt Lucas who played Vicky Pollard, in “Little Britain” makes good use of body language portraying attitude and defiance in the school girl as she stands hand on hip avoiding eye contact as the teacher looks down at her with a stern expression on his face. (BBC Drama – Focus on Body Language). The curled lip and finger gesture clearly portrays the message of disdain that Vicky wants to pass on to the teacher. Equally the hand on hip stance with tilted hip and refusal to face the teacher, in the second picture, emphasises her feeling that whatever the teacher is trying to say is not worthy of her attention.
Reference List / Bibliography
BBC Drama – Focus on Body Language (Archived). Available from:
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/drama/responding/bodyl... [Accessed Tuesday 28th October 2014].
Body Language (No Date). BBC Drama - Focus On Body Language. [Online Image] [Photograph] Available from:
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/drama/responding/bodyl... [Accessed Thursday 30th October 2014].
Finbow, Alex (September 2007). ShutUp! [Online Image] [Photograph]Available from:
www.bbc.co.uk/suffolk/content/articles/2005/12/06/little_... [Accessed Thursday 30th October2014].
O’Malley, Sheila (December 2011). Why actors still talk about Charlie Chaplin, and what he teaches them about not acting funny. Availabe from:
www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2011/12/4726463/wh... [Accessed Tuesday 28th October 2014].
The Circus (No Date). Vintage-Dame.Tumblr. [Online Image] [Photograph] Available from:
www.pinterest.com/pin/548594798328820099/ [Accesses Thursday 30th October 2014].
The Circus Trailer. Available from: www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0mfJ0RXvV0