Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Daniel Day-Lewis as Abe Lincoln

This is topic Daniel Day-Lewis as Abe Lincoln in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Clint Koch (Member # 1179) on 11-30-2011, 07:33 PM:

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/the-projector/daniel-day-lewis-great-honest-abe-beard-going-234516174.html

Just saw this and was amazed at how much he looks like Abe.

Hope I attached the link properly.

Article...

It was just over a year ago that it was announced that Daniel Day-Lewis would be the star of Steven Spielberg's Abraham Lincoln film. There's no question that the two-time Oscar-winner is an astonishingly gifted actor, but when you're playing a revered American president there will always be questions about whether you can do justice to a mythic figure in U.S. history -- especially when some people refuse to accept Day-Lewis in the role since he's English. But we think most folks will be willing to look past such minor issues after checking out this first photo of Day-Lewis sporting his beard for "Lincoln." You have to admit, the resemblance is pretty striking -- and rather presidential.

The photo (the first we've seen of the actor as Lincoln) was snapped by Michael Phillips (via Badass Digest), who took the picture presumably while Day-Lewis was enjoying a lunch break during the filming of "Lincoln" in Virginia. While a lot of unofficial on-set photos capture stars at their most unflattering, this casual shot actually gives Day-Lewis a regal, dignified air that's synonymous with most people's impressions of our 16th president. Even in repose, the guy just exudes rugged authenticity.

"Lincoln," which is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals," is said to follow Lincoln during the final months of his life when the Civil War was coming to a close. The film won't open until December 2012, but it already has to be considered an Oscar front-runner simply because of the pedigree of the material, the director and the star -- and that it's not even mentioning the rest of the cast, which includes Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael Stuhlbarg, David Strathairn and Hal Holbrook. Spielberg has two movies coming next month -- "The Adventures of Tintin" and "War Horse" -- but after seeing this Day-Lewis photo it's hard not to focus on what the director has coming our way next year. We always knew Day-Lewis could play the part. Today, we learned he definitely looks the part, too.

Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 11-30-2011, 07:48 PM:

quote: Clint Koch
especially when some people refuse to accept Day-Lewis in the role since he's English

Yeah I know thats what I'm thinkiing when I watch him in such great American classics like Last of the Mohicans, Gangs of New York, and There Will Be Blood [Roll Eyes]

I do find it ironic, though, that he will now play the part of a man he lampooned in Gangs , as well as threw tomatoes at a character who represented Lincoln in one of the particular scenes of that film.

Things that make you go hmmmmm . . .

Posted by David M. Leugers (Member # 2968) on 11-30-2011, 09:09 PM:

Probably better that a foreigner plays Lincoln. Might make it easier for the audience to believe Lincoln was the traitor he was. Read Thomas Delorenzo's well documented books on Lincoln, then do yourself a favor and visit your local public library like I did and read the local newspapers from the Civil War to see for yourself.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-30-2011, 09:46 PM:

Yeah, slavery forever!

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 11-30-2011, 09:54 PM:

Hmm. Any bets on how far this continues before the thread is locked?
[Razz]

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 12-01-2011, 12:37 AM:

This remind me of when I worked in Seattle and this regular of ours who was from the South (either NC or GA, I think) and he saw I was about to put a $50 in my drop box the previous customer gave me.

He then asked me to let him make change to get that bill. He said that nothing would to make him happier than to have that in his wallet with President Grant sitting under his ass. I guess facesitting dead presidents was all the rage at the time or something.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 12-01-2011, 12:41 AM:

I've heard of that. Talk about living in the past. All of those people who love nothing more than to do Civil War battle re-enactments make me scratch my head as well. And they only ever re-enact the Civil War. Never the Revolutionary or anything else. Maybe they can change the past?

Posted by David M. Leugers (Member # 2968) on 12-01-2011, 12:49 AM:

Joe, is it possible for someone to say anything negative about Abe Lincoln without being labeled a racist in favor of slavery? I only ask that those who are interested in the truth to read the books and check out your local papers from the time of Lincoln's presidency. I know that would take all the fun out of worshiping at the altar of the great man... but it might start you asking why we have been sold such a pack of lies. I sense this coming film will be some more selling...

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 12-01-2011, 09:44 AM:

David, political discussions are off limits here in the Film-Tech forums. Opinions pro/con regarding Abe Lincoln are arguably crossing the line into political discussion.

It's fair to discuss what bits of history a movie about Lincoln includes or omits as well as how good/bad Daniel Day Lewis performs the part. But just talking about Lincoln himself, particularly in a controversial tone, is getting into very iffy territory.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 12-01-2011, 09:45 AM:

While I think everyone knows there's more to this war than slavery... it's against the rules to have the discussion to begin with...

And on reenactments, there actually are people that reenact the Revolutionary War.

Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 12-01-2011, 10:08 AM:

Absolutely. Here in western Pennsylvania we have French & Indian War, Revolutionary War, and Civil War re-enactors. Hell, some of the festivals we have will feature one weekend as an F&I theme and the next weekend a Revolutionary theme.

I dont know anyone from my area who has not made a pilgrimage to Gettysburg. Some of my neighbors go as frequently as some other people go to amusement parks.

Posted by David M. Leugers (Member # 2968) on 12-01-2011, 12:00 PM:

OK, I respect the policy on no politics. I was only thinking in terms of historical accuracy and not politics.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 12-01-2011, 12:34 PM:

quote:
Yeah, slavery forever!

HeHe....I used to have concubines in China, then when I came back to the states, I went out with a black girl a few times (Whitney Houston look alike). She might have well have been my (sex)slave [Razz]

Rick (Massa)

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 12-01-2011, 01:00 PM:

My ancestors fought for the Confederacy and had their asses handed back to them about 150 years ago.
One of my relatives discovered this when she was researching our genealogy. I found this fascinating and disturbing.
I do not share the same world-view as my ancestors.
Daniel Day Lewis? Lincoln?
I can see that.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 12-02-2011, 12:25 AM:

Lets not let this thread get out of hand please.

Personally I don't see what the big deal is. It will be another movie where Daniel Day-Lewis overacts like he always does.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 12-02-2011, 04:17 AM:

There are some people out there who consider Daniel Day Lewis the greatest actor alive, bettered only by the rotting corpse of Marlon Brando. Science has proven all of these people to be crackheads, however.

Trivia: Daniel Day Lewis prefers to be called "The Day" by those who know him. When he enters a room and asks "What day is it?" everyone is expected to jubilantly respond "It's Day time!" Also, schedules had to be readjusted so that Lincoln's death scene was shot last as The Day could not portray Lincoln if he was "dead."