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joshsquash729 said:
I sorta agree, but this is another area that just varies so wildly. I know some people think that Tom Cruise is a cool, charismatic guy, but I don't much care for him. There's just something there I don't vibe with- a (perhaps) false sense of importance, a complete unwillingness to look uncool, etc., I'm not sure. I gauge charisma by how much I'd want to hang out with the person. Tom Cruise? Dwayne Johnson? Leo? Eh, I wouldn't wanna hang out with them because I feel like the conversation would mostly just be about them, you know? (and Leo wouldn't want to hang out with me because I'm over 18 anyway) Same with actors like Jared Leto, Daniel Day Lewis, etc.- I feel like they'd feel they were too good to converse with you, or even worse, they'd talk to you in character. I try not to judge anyone's process- I certainly have my weird acting quirks, but I do think there's a line. Samuel L. Jackson? Matthew Lillard? Brendan Fraser? Keanu? I feel like you'd have an interesting discussion on anything. Meryl Streep? Robert Pattinson? Heath Ledger (RIP)? I feel like you'd have fascinating discussions on the craft, on life, etc. Then again, I've always been drawn to the "weirdos", or the ones willing to stand out, but I know plenty of folks who find some of those actors offputting.
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Oh sure, charisma is subjective too. And I think the movie star charisma tends to have less appeal to anybody who makes stuff themselves.

From what his collaborators and costars say, a very consistent part of Cruise's interactions with other people is being able to lock in and make them feel like they're the only person in the room. I imagine, for someone like him, that's a huge part of how he's able to navigate Hollywood the way he does. Like, I'd love to say this is just fluff, but *many* of his collaborators and even people with incidental interactions have talked about it. Apparently he gives full attention to you in a sort of intense way.

There's definitely at least two types of charisma. One is the kind where someone wows you and gets you to buy they are one of the most interesting people in the world, and then there's the other kind where they make you feel like *you* are one of the most interesting people in the world.
AceofKnaves said:
Maybe the fact that he is the face man for a pervasive, destructive cult and his wives/girlfriends have been low-key trafficked for him?
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In fact, you might say that hyperfocus on other folks in conversation that I mention is a sort of cult-y trait. Or at least, cult adjacent.
 
I assume that for most actors, that part of the success is good casting people putting them in positions to succeed where their natural personalities merge with the role's need. And the ones that become STARS are the ones that have the natural charisma to draw attention to themselves in those leading roles - the old-fashioned "one half wants to see me, the other half wants to be me" type of star.

I will say that both DiCaprio and Cruise started out lowkey in the background and were noticed for good early performances - DiCaprio became a STAR due to the success and his characters story in Titanic, as that generation of teen and young adult women fell hard for Jack, but he was respected for Gilbert Grape and I liked him from The Quick and the Dead before that. And Cruise was more grounded and didn't become CRUISE until Top Gun and Cocktail, after getting attention in films geared more to the teen/young adult audience (Taps, Risky Business, All the Right Moves).
 
JakeEkiss said:
There's definitely at least two types of charisma. One is the kind where someone wows you and gets you to buy they are one of the most interesting people in the world, and then there's the other kind where they make you feel like *you* are one of the most interesting people in the world.
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Agreed.
And I find the former absolutely disingenuous: literally has the opposite effect on me. I have absolutely no gene to appreciate whatever “cool” is.

And the latter? Well, I know from first-hand experience how dangerous that is: tools of narcissistic behavior for sure.
 
JakeEkiss said:
From what his collaborators and costars say, a very consistent part of Cruise's interactions with other people is being able to lock in and make them feel like they're the only person in the room. I imagine, for someone like him, that's a huge part of how he's able to navigate Hollywood the way he does. Like, I'd love to say this is just fluff, but *many* of his collaborators and even people with incidental interactions have talked about it. Apparently he gives full attention to you in a sort of intense way.
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And it is possible that is sincere as well, he really is that focused and connects with others that are and values their input - and that is a good trait for someone at his level of influence if it is real.
 
AceofKnaves said:
Agreed.
And I find the former absolutely disingenuous: literally has the opposite effect on me. I have absolutely no gene to appreciate whatever “cool” is.

And the latter? Well, I know from first-hand experience how dangerous that is: tools of narcissistic behavior for sure.
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I do think there are genuine versions of both. The former can happen in a sort of self-effacing, 'these are things that happened to me and they just happen to be really cool' kind of way. The latter can also be a sincere attempt to center someone else.

Of course, anyone who is good with people can use that power for good or for ill. All power is abusable.

fac said:
And it is possible that is sincere as well, he really is that focused and connects with others that are and values their input - and that is a good trait for someone at his level of influence if it is real.
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Yeah. It's absolutely possible that's just who he is, and the cult stuff simply jives well with it. I have no doubt the group he's associated with values that skillset, genuine or cultivated.
 
AceofKnaves said:
Knowing what I know about Scientology, it’s hard not to see pretty much everything Cruise does as sinister.
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Yeah regardless of who he was before, and who he might be in a vacuum as an artist in Hollywood, he's deeply compromised by his associations with them.

I tend not to talk about it in these conversations because generally I'm just using him as a modern example of the movie star archetype, but yeah...
 
JakeEkiss said:
I tend not to talk about it in these conversations because generally I'm just using him as a modern example of the movie star archetype, but yeah...
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This is why I don’t want to be engaged with public-facing artists’ personal lives, and why I desperately try to avoid parasocial relationships (and also because parasocial relationships are 100% unhealthy), because once I know something like that I can’t un-know it, and if it’s something truly foul like being MAGA or a Scientology bigwig it kills any admiration I ever had for their work. It’s like Sydney Sweeney refusing to publicly disavow white supremacy: once I know something like that, it’s hard for me to want to ever engage with a performer on any level again.
 
Phenomena

A film where Jennifer Connolly goes to school in Switzerland, sleepwalks a lot, and talks to bugs.

Man, this was some sub-Darkplace level bollocks, I'm kinda thinking Dario Argento might be a pretty rubbish director guys. Bangin' soundtrack though, and I did like the weirdness of Donald Pleasence doing a Scots accent, rambling about insects, and having an ape(!) bestie. Also, the final two minutes may actually be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen, I had a full hysterical cackling breakdown that left me considering it might almost redeem the film.
 
Revox said:
I'm kinda thinking Dario Argento might be a pretty rubbish director guys.
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

. . . okay yeah he’s an acquired taste and also definitely NOT all his films are bangers.
Looking at you, “Argento’s Dracula” and “Argento’s Phantom of the Opera”.
 
Revox said:
I'm kinda thinking Dario Argento might be a pretty rubbish director guys.
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I'll lose all street cred in some people's eyes, but I watched Suspiria and was like "Yeah, this one ain't for me." I get what it's doing, I respect it, just not my cup of tea.
 
Yeah, I usually recommend Bava over Argento if folks want more artistic “style” and consistent filmmaking.

OR Fulci if they really want to go more hardcore with gore and fantastical zombie stuff.
 
Recent trailer for creepy Luc’s Dracula looks better. I mean absolutely fuck the whole “I’ve crossed oceans of time to find you” bullshit, but so it goes.
 
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