Death of Terence Stamp, unforgettable Zod de Superman and Priscilla, crazy of the desert
The British actor had won both in author’s cinema and in blockbusters, from Billy Budd to Superman via Star Wars. He died at 87.
British cinema loses one of its most singular figures. Terence Stampmagnetic actor revealed in the 1960s and unforgettable general zod of films Supermandied Sunday at the age of 87, confirmed his family to Reuters.
“He leaves behind an extraordinary work, both as an actor and as a writer, who will continue to touch and inspire for the coming years”wrote his family in a press release.
Appointed to the Oscar from its first role in Billy Budd (1962) of Peter UstinovStamp had immediately struck by its mixture of angelic beauty and dramatic intensity. THE New York Times then described it as “An English actor with a nervous and juvenile body, with the face of an angel of Botticelli”.
After this shattering entry, he won the interpretation price in Cannes in 1965 for The obsessed of William Wylerwhere he embodies a sickly and disturbing young man, obsessed with a woman whom he sequests. The following year, he played alongside Monica saw In Modesty Blaise and marks the spirits as a brutal officer in Far from the unleashed crowd (1967) by John Schlesinger. The same year, he was also at the heart of the social indictment of Ken Loach, No tears for Joy.
Always attracted by daring cinema, Terence Stamp Then run in Extraordinary stories (1968), under the direction of Felliniand especially in Theorem of Pasolinisulphurous masterpiece where he embodies a mysterious visitor who upsets an Italian bourgeois family. Icon of the Sixties, he then shares the life of Julie Christie, Brigitte Bardot and the model Jean Shrimpton.
The 1970s are more discreet, the actor even living for a time in an Ashram in India.
But he returned in force in 1978 with a stealthy but marking role in Superman. Its general Zod becomes the main antagonist of Superman II (1980), imposing a charismatic and icy threat which remains engraved in pop culture.
The success of films Superman Then attracts Hollywood’s attention, and the 1980s opened a new phase for him. In The Hit (1984) of Stephen Frearshe delivers a fascinating interpretation of a former betrayed mafia, condemned to death, but who accepts his fate with disconcerting serenity while subtly handling his kidnappers, embodied by John Hurt and Tim Roth. We then find him in the romantic comedy with a big budget The Chelsea affair (1986), alongside Robert Redford, then in Wall Street (1987) d’Oliver Stonewhere he camp an incorruptible finance magnate, moral counterpoint to the excesses of Gordon Gekko.
He continues with the generational western Young Guns (1988), then plays the villain in the science fiction film Alien Nation (1988), facing James Caan and Mandy Patinkin. In 1994, he created a surprise by playing a trans woman in the Australian film cult Priscilla, Folle du DÉctmentbringing overwhelming humanity to a role that destabilized as much as he marked the public. Three years later, he still surprised a sexologist with unorthodox methods in Bliss (1997).
But it was in 1999 that Stamp undoubtedly reached his highest profile, with three very different films: he is Chancellor Valorum in Star Wars: Episode I – The ghost threatthe spiritual leader of a Hollywood sect in comedy Bowfingerand especially the aging hero and avenger of the twilight thriller of Steven Soderbergh, English – A role that earned him late but radiant critical recognition.
He then pursued an eclectic career, going from science fiction (Red planet, The agency), au blockbuster (Wanted, Walk, Max threat), to the Disney universe (The haunted manor and the 999 ghosts), without forgetting his role of merciless art criticism in Big Eyes from Tim Burton (2014). Its ultimate appearance in the cinema will remain a cameo in Last Night in Soho (2021) by Edgar Wright, before appearing in the series At the crossroads.
Of young first bright to embody evil, Terence Stamp was able to cross the eras with panache. He leaves behind a cheating filmography, as confusing as it is fascinating.
