Wednesday, July 22, 2009

"Come and Kneel Before Zod!"

Turning 70 is something everyone (who doesn't die first) will do. Hitting your 47th year as a consistently employed screen actor is not something many actors can do. So here's to longevity and to silver fox Terence Stamp on his 70th birthday. Whether you primarily think of him as The Limey, "Bernadette" in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, "General Zod" in Superman II or Billy Budd himself, I hope that you occasionally think of him.

Stamp in 1967

Those eyes!

Few peepers can rival his in the icy blue hypnotic gaze department. Except for maybe Ralph Fiennes' (Paul Newman is in a class of his own since his ice can also emanate real warmth. How is this even possible? A topic for another day)

While we're celebrating Stamp here's the actor talking about beauty in the 60s and the trailer to Billy Budd, the film that made him a star and brought him his one and only Oscar nomination (it's a shame he didn't receive another for Priscilla if you ask me).



They don't name check gossip columnists in movie trailers anymore, do they?

More Terence?
Here's a fan site if you want to see more pics, a rumor about a sequel to The Limey, and I heartily recommend Dan Callahan's great piece on the actor from earlier this year. Which begins, memorably, like so
"What do you feel about your penis?” asks Terence Stamp, in his almost comically deep baritone voice...
read the rest at The House Next Door Online.
*

15 comments:

adelutza said...

Well, believe it or not I mostly remember him from The Thief of Baghdad. I saw a theatrical release of this made for TV film and, my very young self ,was really impressed with the wazir I read about in A Thousand And One Nights.

cal roth said...

Teorema and The Collector. Period.

Alison Flynn said...

He and Gene Hackman were the best things in Superman II (and of course Gene Hackman ruled in the first one).

Lex Luthor, greatest criminal mind.

Alison Flynn said...

Also, that pic of him in 1967 is amazing.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert is my fave movie of his I think.

mrripley said...

hes still sexy at 70 wow and nay yes it is a shame the academy couldn't recognise him in 94 for priscilla but is was a still good line up except hanks.

David Coley said...

No love for his role as Chancellor Valorum in The Phantom Menace? Anyone? Anyone?

FranklinBluth said...

He looks incredible for 70. INCREDIBLE!!!

My love is going out to Bernadette,

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: No more fucking ABBA!"

TheatreMad87 said...

"Come to me, Son of Jor-El!" I love Gen. Zod. I love Priscilla, too, but it's been years since I last saw it. Happy birthday Mr Stamp!

Wayne B said...

I love the pic of Mr. Stamp! It reminds me of this one picture I saw of him and Julie Christie together, when they were in a relationship. Man that was a gorgeous couple!

chris na Taraja said...

Wow, I had not even put together that Billy Bud, Bernadette, and Zod were the same actor. All great work.

nothingiswritten said...

Stamp was great as the ultimate cad Frank Troy in Far from the Madding Crowd (same year as that gorgeous photo, 1967). What a cast, with Julie Christie, Stamp, Alan Bates, and Peter Finch. He needs to make more movies!

Boyd said...

I second Cal: Teorema!!!

reassurance said...

Teorema. That's all I need to say.

Jeanette said...

Didn't he use to date the divine miss Christie?

Christine said...

Yay! Terence Stamp! Also, nobody has mentioned "Poor Cow" yet?