Benedict Cumberbatch, movies' man of 2012? (Adelaide Now)

by: Vicky Roach

• From: National Features

Major Stewart (Benedict Cumberbatch) is featured in this scene from DreamWorks Pictures' film 'War Horse'. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

BENEDICT Cumberbatch was practically a horse riding novice when he signed on for Steven Spielberg's epic World War I drama War Horse.   

"I'd had maybe three lessons when I was a kid," says the fast-rising British actor, best known for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the BBC's update of the crime classic.

"It's one of those things - like tap dancing - that are considered useful for children.

"I was a very outward bound and very gregarious young boy and I think it was just another activity that could stop me from getting into trouble."

In the splendidly-named Cumberbatch's case, the plan wasn't entirely successful.

"I used to slide off their necks when they grazed," he recalls. "I used to know they weren't listening to me and I would transfer that lack of power to the animal. If you do that with a horse, they know."

Clearly, Spielberg didn't hire Cumberbatch for his horsemanship. But after six weeks taking lessons from some of the best horsemen in the business, the 35-year-old was able to wear the uniform of a cavalry officer with confidence.

"It was a huge learning curve for me," he says. "You do it in gradual stages."

By the time Spielberg called action on one of War Horse's climactic charge sequences, in which the British cavalry launches a dawn attack on the Germans, Cumberbatch and his mount were one.

"I cannot describe the feeling of riding that day. A jockey can tell you what it's like to gallop the final furlong, when you know you are coming in to win, but there is no other place on Earth for you to ride with 80 men and 80 horses. It was a real privilege to have been trained up to that level."

Cumberbatch's profile has been steadily building since his breakthrough performance as Stephen Hawking in a 2004 BBC TV drama.

Standout film roles include the 2006 historical anti-slave drama Amazing Grace and his creepy turn as a family friend in 2007's Atonement. But by all accounts, 2012 is shaping up as his year.

As well as the second series of Sherlock, Cumberbatch plays a key role in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy, the acclaimed John Le Carre spy story starring Gary Oldman, John Hurt and Colin Firth. "It's a really grown-up film - a modern classic. I have to pinch myself to realise I have been involved with a cast of that calibre," he enthuses.

His horse skills also came in handy on the set of his latest project, Parade's End - Tom Stoppard's five-part adaptation of Ford Maddox Ford's novels, co-starring Rebecca Hall and Adelaide Clemens. "I'm completely in love with the world of it. It's an epic story spanning 10 years, through World War I and beyond," Cumberbatch says.

"There's a parallel between (Parade's End) and War Horse, between the fox hunting set and the cavalry set."

Next month, Cumberbatch heads to New Zealand to start work on The Hobbit.

The theatre-trained thespian has been cast as the dragon Smaug in Peter Jackson's return to the world of J.R.R. Tolkein - which coincidentally features Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes co-star Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins.

"It's different to anything I have ever done," Cumberbatch says of the two-part blockbuster. "I mean, I've never played a reptile before."

It shouldn't be too much of a stretch after Danny Boyle's triumphant London stage production of Frankenstein, in which Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller alternated playing Frankenstein and the creature. "That was very much a full-on physical performance," Cumberbatch says.

"It's not something I shy away from, but I guess I am seen as more of a brain than brawn. It's getting to the point now, though, where I can have a bit of choice in the matter."

SEE War Horse is now showing. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy opens Jan 19


http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/movies-man-of-2012/story-fn6ci0vj-1226231956536

Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln

Author : "Caffeinated" Clint (Thursday, December 1st, 2011 at 3:30 am)

 

Thank God Double D lent his John Hancock to “Lincoln”!

Hey, as disappointing as it was that after umpteen years attached to play the part Liam Neeson ultimately had to nix Spielberg’s “Lincoln” project (Neeson, of course, fronted Spielbuster’s “Schindler’s List”), you can’t bring out the whine card when it comes to the choice of his replacement – Daniel Day Lewis. Forget about replacement, the man’s just as good an actor as you’ll find. Full stop. In any film. Maybe even on the credit roll of “E-Street”. Even “Son of Mask 2″ would probably be worth a watch if Day Lewis was in it. Which he isn’t.

All jokes aside, Day Lewis is going to do magic with such Lincoln bites as “Allow the president to invade a neighboring nation, whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such a purpose – and you allow him to make war at pleasure”, no!?

Giddy.
The “My Left Foot” and “There Will Be Blood” showpony has gone all out for the role of the assassinated prez in Spielberg’s long-gestating biopic. In addition to growing a gnarly Lincoln beard (seen in the pic below), he’s also said to have been “in character” since the first half-of-the-year – meaning he’ll only answer to Mr Lincoln (on the call sheet, you’ll find no sign of Day Lewis’s name, only Lincoln’s) and, like most actors do after a while, is probably starting to believe he actually is the president of the United States. Heck, don’t be surprised to hear Day Lewis is sharing a doona with Sally Field (playing Mary Todd in the film) each night; research being research and all.

Sounds nutty, but we’ll be the ones rewarded when we see just how far Day Lewis hits it out of the park in a year or so when we catch his sure-to-be-stunning performance. Roll out the red carpet…
I’ve been impressed by quite a few other actor’s takes on Lincoln over the years – namely John Carradine in “Of Human Hearts” (1939), Jason Robards in “The Perfect Tribute” (1991), Hal Halbrook in “North and South” (1985), and who can forget Robert V.Barron’s take in “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” (1991)? – but I’m betting Day Lewis will flatten the competition. He nails it every time. Even in his lesser efforts, like “Nine” and “Eversmile, New Jersey”, he’s great (and I know many would consider Day Lewis’s participation in Martin Scorsese’s “Age of Innocence” to be a career blunder, but I actually think that’s a terrific film, highly underrated, and yes, Day Lewis is stupendous in it).

Michael Phillips Tweeted this first-look pic of Day Lewis with newly-gained Lincoln chin-fluff this morning – - and yep, my eyes popped out of my head too!
No, he’s not in the full Lincoln get-up… but you get the gist…


Here’s a look at a few other Lincoln’s of the big screen from over the years :
Here’s Hal Holbrook in “North & South” (remember the mini-series with Patrick Swayze?!)

And here’s “Aliens” alum Lance Henriksen in “The Day Lincoln Was Shot”

And the late, great Henry Fonda in “The Young Mr Lincoln”

And who can forget the banana sucker playing Abraham in “Planet of the Apes”!!?


“Lincoln”, currently lensing in the windy city, also stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“The Dark Knight Rises”) as Robert Todd Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones (“Men in Black 3″) as Thaddeus Stevens, James Spader (“Boston Legal”) as WN Bilbo, Lee Pace (“Pushing Daisies”) as Fernardo Wood, Jackie Earle Haley (“All The King’s Men”) as Alexander Stephens, John Hawkes (“Winter’s Bone”) as Robert Latham, David Strathairn (“Goodnight and Good Luck”) as Secretary of State William Seward, Tim Blake Nelson (“The Incredible Hulk”) as Richard Schell, Walter Goggins (“Justified”) as Wells A.Hutchins, and Bruce McGill (“Cinderella Man”) as Edwin Stanton. If I recall correctly, even ex-Lincoln Hal Holbrook has a part in the film.

Tags: Bruce McGill, Daniel Day-Lewis, David Stratharin, Jackie Earle Haley, James Spader, John Hawkes, John Logan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lee Pace, Liam Neeson, Lincoln, Sally Field, Steven Spielberg, Tim Blake Nelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Walter Goggins

MH