when the dad is calling the landlord, his voice starts sounding like a bad impersonation of christopher walken...you know, kinda gruff and loud? yeah, it really only works for one person, and that person isn't the guy playing the creepy/preverted father haha
shareActually that is how John Savage sounds, so...He and Walken were in movies around the same time in the 70s so maybe they both rubbed off on one another. Both are kind of quirky too and play weird characters all the time.
shareYes, John Savage talks like that, and he and Christopher Walken go back decades – to much better films than this, actually.
shareI love John Savage! I remember loving The Amateur and also that movie he did with Diana Scarwid about the same time frame (1980-81) - I believe he was a disabled war veteran. Good actor!
shareThat movie with Diana Scarwid is "Inside Moves," and it's fantastic. I still haven't seen "The Amateur," but I'm seeking it out. He's also excellent in "The Deer Hunter," "Salvador," "The Onion Field" and "The Killing Kind." He's incredibly prolific, but unfortunately he doesn't get high-profile roles he deserves.
shareLove The Onion Field (Rutger Hauer is in that too btw! He is so young!) and of course Deer Hunter is a classic. Thank you for reminding me of the name Inside Moves. I screamed YES when I read your post. I have been trying to remember all day. I always remember the basketball scene for some reason. He is just great!
share(I had to change that "crappy christopher walken voice" subject of this thread because I found it annoying. Hope you don't mind!)
I need to watch "Inside Moves" again one of these days. I rented that film in the '90s and bought a copy on VHS a few years ago. Too bad it's rather obscure. A few years ago I also found the soundtrack on vinyl, which has hits by the Eagles and Boz Scaggs as well as parts of John Barry's score.
John Savage is one of the greats who came of age with a lot of talented men and women in the '70s. Unfortunately, he often seems to be mixed up with actors of a similar age — often with similar names, like John Heard and Jon Voight.
Love the new subject line! John Savage did come up at a time where there was a certain look and feel to the actors. There were intense and talented people - actors with longer, bushy hair who always seemed to wear army jackets; actresses with long, straight hair, very skinny with a lot of pant suits or long skirts. heehe
Savage had some of the qualities that Voight embodied in Coming Home and Midnight Cowboy, and a little bit later, Craig Wasson was somewhat popular and he reminded me a lot of Savage. So did Robert Ginty ("The Exterminator!").
But Savage set himself apart at that time for his roles and his ability to not go too over the top or too wacko. (Walken, who was brilliant in the 70s and now delights in being a hilarious caricature of his early days, was more methody and quirky; Martin Sheen was intense and brought a different edge; Dustin Hoffman was difficult but just so good at everything; Robert Redford and Paul Newman were great, though seemingly known more for their looks than their incredible talent - they also had an easier style - a vulnerability as opposed to a hard edge). John Heard is so good at times, but he can be sooooooo hammy. Just see the movie Deceived for that!
Savage had a combination rough and raw edge, but was also handsome and vulnerable too. He had a likable quality back then that translated well on screen. It is a real shame we don't see him now really, and I wish it wasn't in a Lifetime type movie (no disrespect to Lifetime movies!). He deserves more!
That an excellent summation of the actors of Savage's ilk. Of the ones you mentioned, I'd say John Savage has gotten the shorter end of the stick in terms of his career options after a very strong start, though probably a lot of it has to do with some unfortunate choices or lack of options. I'd say this film falls under both categories.
I have indeed seen John Heard in "Deceived," and it's not one of his better films. If you're able to seek it out and interested, I'd highly recommend "Chilly Scenes of Winter," aka "Head Over Heels," one of the finest and most overlooked films of the '80s.
Unfortunately, the nature of filmmaking in general and acting in particular has changed, and not for the better in my opinion. There don't seem to be as many opportunities for young actors (and actresses) to prove themselves strictly on their chops. Instead, opportunities seem to be based on more elusive factors such as looks or charisma. It's still possible for talents like Ryan Gosling to become stars, but he seems to be lost in a field of mediocrity. That's a sweeping generalization, of course, but I'm just finding it hard to get excited about most films and actors these days.
Yeah, man, they go wayyy back. Both were awesome and still are.
"I am the ultimate badass, you do not wanna `*beep*` wit me!"- Hudson in Aliens.
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Savage was in The Deer Hunter with Walken.
I'm happiest...in the saddle.
I did notice how his voice got gruff,lol.
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