A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
|
|
|
World of Westfahl |
Encyclopedia Introduction |
All Entries |
Acknowledgements
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
|
STEWART, PATRICK (1940– ). British actor.
Provided
voice for animated films: The Pagemaster (Maurice Hunt and Joe JOHNSTON
1994); "Homer the Great" (1995), episode of The Simpsons; The Prince
of Egypt (Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, and Simon Wells 1998); Animal
Farm (tv movie) (John Stephenson 1999); Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
(John A. Davis 2001).
Directed:
"In Theory" (1991), "Hero Worship," "A Fistful of Datas" (1992), "Phantasms"
(1993), "Preemptive Strike" (1994), episodes of Star Trek: The Next
Generation.
As evidence to support the theory that America actually lost the Revolutionary
War, consider the fact that Gene RODDENBERRY,
absolutely determined to cast a Frenchman to play the captain of his
second Star Trek series, nevertheless succumbed to Stewart's
icy charm. But how could he resist? Here was an actor with a British
accent, for heaven's sake, even an actor who had performed Shakespeare
on English stages and on television; for an insecure producer, desperately
anxious to elevate and validate a science fiction series that the
film industry had long sneered at, no other choice was possible.
Once installed as Jean-Luc Picard in command of the new Enterprise,
Stewart developed the innovative persona of a starship captain who
regarded the business of gadding about in outer space, seeking out
new life and all that, only as an annoying affront to his sense of
dignity. Thus, instead of sitting in the captain's chair, staring
at that television screen with those disconcerting stars whizzing
by, Stewart's Picard preferred to retreat to the newly-created "Ready
Room," where he could sit behind a desk, with no stars in sight, and
carry on as the Federation's Assistant Vice President for Interstellar
Affairs, conferring with higher-ups via teleconferencing, barking
orders at subordinates, and refining new policy initiatives. Granted,
it grew tiresome to observe William SHATNER's
Captain Kirk relate to alien life in the universe by punching out
the bad ones and seducing the pretty ones; however, when Captain Picard
contrives to thwart an alien race by intently studying and restudying
the million-word treaty they signed until he locates exactly the right
subclause to justify his demands, matters have been taken to an opposite,
and even more distasteful, extreme. It was only fitting that Stewart's
most striking performance as Picard came in the two-part episode "The
Best of Both Worlds," when he is placed under the control of the Borg
and ordered to destroy the Enterprise, an assignment which
he undertakes without altering his style of acting in the slightest;
for, dampening and destroying the spirit of adventure and excitement
that should animate all stories of space travel was in fact Stewart's
mission throughout the series' seven-year run. Star Trek: The Next
Generation thrived only to the extent that it managed to marginalize
Picard and put the spotlight on its other regulars.
Stewart
did share one trait with Shatner—an inability to direct as well as his
on-screen assistant, in this case Jonathan FRAKES—but he at least had enough
sense to stay in front of the camera when his series ended. If the Star Trek
film franchise has steadily declined in popularity since the Next Generation
crew took over, that is surely because the format of the feature films, unlike
individual episodes of the series, demands that the dull, irritable Picard
constantly be the center of attention, or inattention, to be more precise. Only
Frakes's Star Trek: First Contact overcame the problem of Picard by
isolating him and the series' other ill-conceived regular (Brent SPINER's
annoyingly self-involved Data) in a stultifying soap opera with the Borg Queen
while Frakes's Riker led the rest of the cast in the rousing adventure of
helping an charming rogue build Earth's first interstellar spacecraft. And, if
you're looking for fresh evidence that everybody in Hollywood is an idiot,
consider the pitch session that led to the greenlighting of Star Trek:
Nemesis: "To revive this franchise, let's give them not one Captain
Picard, but two of them! That'll pack 'em in!" Now, following that
film's inevitable and spectacular failure, one hopes that heads will roll, and
that no one will ever put two Captain Picards, or even one of them, on the
silver screen again.
Having
almost single‑handedly killed off the Star Trek film franchise,
Stewart would seem to face an uncertain future outside of its confines. He
certainly has little aptitude for comedy, as evidenced by his cameo appearance
in Robin Hood: Men in Tights, his single appearance as a host of Saturday
Night Live, and the robotic bonhomie of his Canterville Ghost.
Still, experienced actors with British accents will never be unemployed in
class-obsessed Hollywood, and Stewart could probably support himself
indefinitely simply by accepting a steady stream of assignments to do voices
for animated films. So, he should be admired for his willingness to continue
searching for unusual assignments in between Star Trek movies, at times
garnering good reviews for his roles outside the genre. And he is occasionally
capable of surprising jaded viewers: when I went to see X‑Men,
with the obvious stunt‑casting of a bald science fiction veteran to play
the bald Dr. Xavier, I was fully prepared to be appalled once again by his
lifeless machinations. However, as if recognizing that there was no prestige to
be gained from appearing in a comic-book adaptation in any event, and realizing
that this razzle-dazzle film desperately needed someone to provide some genuine
warmth, Stewart unexpectedly abandoned all his affectations and instead strived
very hard to be simple, straightforward, and emotionally unguarded in
portraying a father figure to his band of mutants and a regretful former friend
to Magneto. Amidst a gaudy procession of computer-enhanced superheroes, Stewart
somehow managed for the first time to appear human. But hopes for some lasting
change were dashed by the sequel X2: X‑Men United, where he was
given less to do and did it far less well, reverting to icy dullness and
seeming far less sympathetic than the purportedly villainous Magneto, portrayed
by the vastly more capable Ian MCKELLEN. Perhaps, as long as Stewart can earn
fat paychecks for mechanical portrayals like that, he will never have any
incentive to evolve into an actor, and not simply a performer.
|
|||||||
To contact us about encyclopedia matters, send an email to Gary Westfahl. Hosted & Designed By:
If you find any Web site errors, typos or other stuff worth mentioning,
please send it to our Webmaster.
Copyright © 1999–2008 Gary Westfahl All Rights Reserved Worldwide
