Actor’s silent performance speaks volumes in ‘Extremely Loud …’
NEW YORK – With silent movies getting a boost from the success of “The Artist,” Frenchman Michel Hazanavicius’ affectionate tribute, another talking picture now in theaters features a silent performance that would do the early cinema pioneers proud.
In “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” the iconic 82-year-old Swedish actor Max von Sydow delivers a potent, emotional and totally wordless performance as The Renter, a mute boarder who accompanies the story’s young protagonist on a spiritual quest around New York City in the wake of 9/11. This week, he received an Oscar nomination for the role as Best Supporting Actor.
“The Renter is like everybody else, he communicates but he communicates in his own way. He speaks, but he doesn’t talk,” von Sydow said during a pre-release press conference presented by Warner Bros. “(The role) is an interesting variety. It’s not that different from any normal part. I enjoyed it very much. It’s a challenge in a way, but, what do you do as an actor? You try to imagine what is going on in this person’s mind and you react to what is going on around you.
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