MovieChat Forums > The Brood (1979) Discussion > Some of the acting sucked, but some of t...

Some of the acting sucked, but some of the acting was SUPERB!

posted 18 years ago by clearbluepeace
34 replies | jump to latest

I bought The Brood on DVD from the cheapo bin at walmart and watched it last night. Wow. Kinda weird, not quite scary enough for me, but still a decent watch.

I couldn't help but be struck by just how bad the acting was by the Dr. and Nola. The father's acting was alright, I guess, but I REALLY ENJOYED the performance by Robert Silverberg, who played the man with the lymphatic cancer tumors on his neck. Man, talk about a guy who really knows how to play a semi-sane person! Remember him as the reclusive artist/scanner in Scanners? His performance in that was pretty hammy, yes, but in The Brood, he was masterful!

I also thought that the guy with the red hair and big bushy beard gave an excellent performance, too. Very convincing when he was utterly distraught, crying, etc. What do you think?

-Jeffrey

[–] filmbuff1974 16 years ago

"....but I REALLY ENJOYED the performance by Robert Silverberg, who played the man with the lymphatic cancer tumors on his neck. Man, talk about a guy who really knows how to play a semi-sane person! "

I thought the acting all around was decent. I am a big Oliver Reed fan. As for Robert Silverberg, I wonder is that is the science fiction/ fantasy writer Robert Silverberg?

Are you sure you don't mean Robert Silverman?

Live Long and Prosper!

[–] melsen 16 years ago

Eggar and Beckman gave incredible performances, the rest were hum-hum.

[–] gottfrid 11 years ago

to me reed was a natural and it shows.

"It doesn't matter what Bram Stoker has told you... dead people don't come back from their graves"

[–] psychocosmic-1 11 years ago

It seems that Cronenberg in his films always have a boyfriend/husband/male "lead" who is rather weak, mild and bland. Check Rabid and Scanners- Stephen "Lack" even has a name for it. I think Cronenberg designed this to create a world where the traditionally "strong" male character in a movie has to step back for us to see the horrible powers of the horrors in his films. Ive read two books about/by Cronenberg, and he seems to be the most intellectual, intelligent, warm and deep director in the business. He thinks of everything. He is, when his budget allows a perfectionist.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kurt7825 10 years ago

unless you are an actor or teach acting you have no idea what you are talking about

[–] mick79 10 years ago

Cronenberg can on occasion put in a decent acting performance himself check out Night Breed.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] TeaBunny 10 years ago

"Remember him as the reclusive artist/scanner in Scanners?"

AH HA! I just made that connection. Yes, he is amazing!

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"Love means never having to say you're ugly." - the Abominable Dr. Phibes

[–] Druff 9 years ago

I REALLY ENJOYED the performance by Robert Silverberg, who played the man with the lymphatic cancer tumors on his neck. Man, talk about a guy who really knows how to play a semi-sane person! Remember him as the reclusive artist/scanner in Scanners? His performance in that was pretty hammy, yes, but in The Brood, he was masterful!

Hmm, I just posted this in another thread:

The performance of the guy with the throat tumor seemed way over the top compared to everyone else. Stuck out like a sore thumb, I wondered if maybe the actor was drunk or doped up. I wouldn't call it "dreadful" though. I enjoyed his scenes.

I don't remember his scenes in Scanners, but if they were even hammier than this... hoo boy!