Donald Pleasence's performance in this film was extraordinary and I truly think it deserved greater recognition. The scene following the night hunt where he is intoxicated, rambling about Socrates and tossing chairs around was made ever so engrossing by Pleasence's amazing portrayal alone. Gripping.
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Agreed. My only prior exposure was the Halloween films; he was perfectly fine in those, but this performance was stunning.
"...if only you could see what I've seen with your eyes!" Roy Batty
What I liked best about Pleasence's performance is that it captured both aspects of his personality: his past as an educated and refined man, and his present as a debauched and violent degenerate.
Roles like Doc in Wake in Fright, as well as his performances in films like The Great Escape, Cul de Sac, etc, show that Pleasence was much more talented and versatile an actor than the sort of roles he was typecast in (following Halloween) would suggest.
Well summed up Edward de Vere. Totally agree.
shareI agree with you, his performance was brilliant. I never thought of him as a versatile actor until I watched this film today, his performance is completely unlike anything he has ever done. I can't believe that he performed those stunts, there was a lot of physical exertion in some of those scenes, and there he is, rolling around in the dirt. Amazing.
shareI concur. Pleasance is outstanding in this film. I love how he plays Doc Tyson as this intellectual who has fallen from grace and gone native in the worst most primitive manner possible.
I've been chasing grace/ But grace ain't easy to find
Donald Pleasence was superb here, but he was never less than superb. He was a very powerful actor always willing to take chances and explore difficult terrain.
shareA superb portrayal of an intelligent, cultured man gone mad. He is scarily believable. Pleasence was always a strong, compelling actor but I doubt he ever topped this performance.
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