Sir Alec Guinness Dies 210
Gord writes: "The BBC is reporting (at least on the radio, can't see it on the Web site yet), that Sir Alec Guinness passed away Saturday night (9:50pm GMT) after been taken to hospital last Thursday.
He will be most remembered by me as Obi-Wan in the original Star Wars movies, but he also acted in many other movies and he will be sorely missed." Update: 08/07 11:26 AM by E : Here's the story from BBC online.
Re:Mr. Guinness' Autobiography (Score:1)
Guinness: "Can you make me a promise?"
child: "YES!" (glad to help out Obi Wan)
Guinness: "Can you promise me that you will never again watch that film?"
The parent of the child apparently didn't appreciate this.
Oliver Twist (Score:2)
Thanks for putting your all into entertaining us.
Re:Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi W (Score:1)
Tim
Respect (Score:1)
Before the trolls go completely ape-shit I hope there's some recognition that the man deserves better than to be mocked at death and tied to a role he wanted to forget.
....
Fine, but why here? (Score:1)
Most of the on-topic posts here can be summed up as one of:
1) This is sad.
2) Obi Wan was struck down, and has become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.
3) He hated Star Wars, stop calling him Obi Wan!
4) He also acted in Bridge on the River Kwai.
5) This isn't News for Nerds, Stuff That Matters.
Just the kind of crap you'd expect from
He just has too little relevance to the general population of
Besides, it's not as if we wouldn't have heard of this except on
In summary: lousy discussion topic, news we heard anyway. What makes a worse
---
Despite rumors to the contrary, I am not a turnip.
The Last Two Words (Score:1)
Those who have seen Bridge on the River Kwai will know that the last two words are perhaps among the greatest film endings ever. (Those who haven't seen will just have to ponder why.)
Another one bites the dust (Score:2)
"Tho I Pass this way only once,
Let my deeds be such that I am remembered for all time."
Sir Alec Guinness (whether he liked it or not) introduced me to a philosophy that the world can learn a lot from. He succeeded in leaving behind a legacy which gives him the closest thing we can currently call immortality.
Vale Sir Alec. Good show old man..
Now you have discovered the truth and have passed on to a greater stage, keep up the good work.
Re:I don't like /. for putting Alec under Starwars (Score:1)
--
Without Star Wars, would it make /.? (Score:2)
BZZZZZT! WRONG!! (Score:1)
Bridge on the River Kwai (Score:1)
ok...how bout Kind Hearts and Coronets (Score:1)
Besides being an absolutely hilarious black comedy that plays off serial murder with English manners, Sir Alec turns in an amazing performance in which he plays eight different characters.
Rent it, you'll laugh.
Re:Without Star Wars, would it make /.? (Score:1)
Every /. story in placed in a category. That's just the way the system works. If your preferences are set to display the logos, you'll see them next to every story. (Otherwise you'll see a text label like "Star Wars Prequels.)
It's the fact that Sir Guinness played Obi Wan that makes this "News for Nerds." That doesn't mean that we should regard him as only "the guy who played Obi Wan".
Sir Alec Hated Being Obi-Wan? (Score:1)
Re:Some of his work other than Star Wars (Score:1)
Lawrence of Arabia was O'Toole's movie. The rest of the cast was very good, but O'Toole stole the show.
The mini-series Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is also definitely worth watching if you like spy and intrigue stories. Maybe my local PBS will rebroadcast this.
Re:Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi W (Score:1)
Tim
What really happened (Score:1)
Re:Relevance (Score:2)
I think that the passing of the actor who portrayed Obi-Wan something that I'd want to know about; that's why I read /. in the first place :-)
------
Some of his work other than Star Wars (Score:3)
If you haven't seen them, do yourself a favor and check those two movies out. Of course, Sir Alec was also a prominent stage actor as well, but you can't go back and look at those performances unless someone filmed or videotaped them. The movies will likely be his most lasting legacy.
Re:May the force be with him... (Score:1)
"What is a magician but a practising theorist?"
-- Obi-Wan Kenobi
Spooky. I don't remember that line though.
Re:Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi W (Score:1)
I promise not to mention the "Genuine Class" anagram.
Re:Very Sorry to hear that (Score:1)
Re:Relevance (Score:1)
I believe that /. is, uh...
"News for Nerds. Stuff that matters."
It matters that Alec Guniess is dead. Sir Guniess was among the most prolific and talented (quantity AND quality) actors of the twentieth century. Not to mention that he was Obi Wan, something that /.ers seem to find very important.
Re:Why'd he hate Star Wars? (Score:1)
Re:Try "Tinker Tailor .." and "Smiley's People" (Score:1)
Fond days indeed.
Re:Irony (Score:1)
Did he also say why he did them, all 3, even though he disliked it so much?
Guinness' Best Role (Score:1)
As an aside, Bridge on the River Kwai is one of my favourite movies. I strongly suggest anyone who hasn't seen it to rent it At the earliest opportunity. Although Sir Alec won the Best Actor Academy Award ('57), which was likely a big contribution to the movie's success, Bridge also won another six Oscars that year and had a nomination for an eighth award (Sessue Hayakawa - Best Supporting Actor).
In all, Bridge won: Best Actor, Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Colour Cinematography, Director, Editing, and Original Score, and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, as well as numerous non-U.S. awards.
He has been struck down (Score:1)
Re:Well FUCK. (Score:1)
Links (Score:1)
I'm majorly bummed over this. But, you can find news on it:
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
Re:He will be missed (Score:1)
Re:Not just Obi-Wan (Score:1)
--- Never hold a dustbuster and a cat at the same time ---
Re:No. It's still a URL. (Score:1)
I don't really care one way or the other about scores. Certainly, not about the difference between Score:1 and Score:2. And since I need to deliberately reduce the score, I don't usually bother. (Just for you, I'll do it this time :)
Opinion: If they're going to implement the bonus at all then it ought to be elective. I should have to think enough of my own post to motivated to select the bonus. Not the other way around.
--
Re:I can't remember... (Score:1)
--- Never hold a dustbuster and a cat at the same time ---
Re:Relevance (Score:1)
People whine way too much about what is or is not appropriate for Slashdot. For heaven's sake, don't read it if you disagree with it.
Re:No. It's still a URL. (Score:1)
Re:Bah to SW. (Score:1)
The actor who played Obi-Wan Kenobi, reguardless of whether or not he liked his role, embodies a character that (IMHO) was the most noble, selfless character in the starwars series. We are sad at his passing, not only because of his 'higher works', but because of the character that he played in Star Wars. For most of us, the two are intertwined. If we are not to tie him with Obi-Wan Kenobi, then he is just another faceless actor to us.
Like it or not, he will be remembered (fondly) as Ben Kenobi.
--
No. That's a URL (Score:2)
--
Here's the link (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
I wholeheartedly agree! (Score:2)
THAT is a movie!
Ladykillers (Score:1)
-fff-
why did he do Star Wars? (Score:1)
This does on the other hand mean... (Score:1)
[Disclaimer] Not for the easily offended. [/Disclaimer]
--
"I'm surfin the dead zone
Re:How many times will this be posted... (Score:1)
And I'm damned proud of mine!
Hmm, perhaps I could sell it on ebay...
Re:Truth about Alec Guiness (Score:1)
Re:Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi W (Score:1)
the fact that he got it is probably the main reason he took the
role. It is also a tacit admission on the part of the production
as to how much they needed an actor of his stature to put across
that dialogue.
As for "dissing" it later, he assuredly never volunteered
anything about it. Imagine an interview with 15 consecutive
"Star Wars" questions, when you could be talking about
acting in John Gielgud's "Hamlet". Aargh.
Re:Irony (Link to Link) (Score:1)
Moderate that up! (Score:1)
Re:Alec Guinness' hacker film (Score:1)
Sounds like the invention of open source...
- Management figures out if they open source their project it will suck ass like netscape and will not make them money.
- programmers figure out that no one will pay for them to code if someone will do it for free
This has the potential to destroy civilization as we know it.
The CNN Story (Score:1)
roles (Score:1)
Re:Question: (Score:1)
Yes. Alec, myself and Guiness breweries are inexplicably linked in that I have enjoyed said beer and have seen Alec Guiness in a few movies. I would even venture to say that I have sampled the beer while watching a movie that Alec Guiness acted in. Further more, I would think it very probable that Alec has also sampled Guiness (the beer) given that it is known to be a quality stout. Surely, Alec has pondered the mundane coincidence that his name is the same as the beer. Let me also tell you that, despite the name (again, the same as the beer), Alec did not author the amusing almanac 'The Guiness Book of World Records'. Nevertheless, I am firm in my belief that Mr. Guiness has fanned the pages of that book as I have.
I hope that answers your question.
A sad day... (Score:1)
Re:Another one bites the dust (Score:1)
Umm not thats not it. I seem to recall it is on a bronze plaque, on a building in North Terrace, In Adelaide, South Australia.
Which is some 3000 Kilomtres away now
Aristocrat watches you (Score:1)
Re:Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi W (Score:1)
Re:He will be missed (Score:1)
Re:Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi W (Score:1)
Now, I'm not sure how you meant this, but I think he thought enough of the saleablility of the property, not neccessarily the quality. (since the two are not related, and usually diametrically opposed)
A great loss for everyone (Score:2)
Maybe they should take a couple of his cells and clone him... At least we could get a couple more SW movies out of him *8^)
"Minds are like parachutes: most people use them only as a last resort."
- Ben Ostrowsky
Why do I keep getting lameness filter? (Score:1)
I have to put this part here to get past these lame lameness filters
Re:He will be missed (Score:1)
Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957)
Our Man in Havana (1960)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Fall of the Roman Empire, The (1964)
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
Murder by Death (1976)
"Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" (1980) (mini) TV Series
Passage to India, A (1984)
(thanks to http://www.imdb.com )
Re:Relevance (Score:1)
Bridge on the River Kwai and Scrooge.
His mark is Obi Wan (Score:1)
He played a number of very good roles and he played them very well. However, no one would have know who this guy is unless he was Obi Wan. Again, I know Alec would not like to here this, but he made alot of money as Obi Wan that let him play the art'sy roles. He sold out for one (or 3) role(s), then took the art'sy roles, and lived well.
Art'sy crap only gets so much food on the table.
Anyways, my other non-Obi Wan files I like are:
The Bridge on the River Kwai [imdb.com] (really good!)
Hitler: The Last Ten Days [imdb.com]
Raise the Titanic [imdb.com] (This must be a sell out role)
A Passage to India [imdb.com]
Re:May the force be with him... (Score:1)
Yes, mumsy?
Release the attack corgis!
Re:Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi W (Score:2)
Rubbish. He was an actor, not a critic. I assume he gave the role of Obi Wan his best effort. And he did a damn fine job.
I was a very young kid when Star Wars came out. There was a lot to love about the movie. Special effects, Darth Vader, Han Solo. That's to be expected. But even at that age I knew that Obi Wan made that movie work.
I also liked Alec in Bride Over the River Kwai. Fine movie. But I'm not going to remember him as Colonel whatshisname.
RIP Alec.
Truth about Alec Guiness (Score:3)
Re:Irony - But see this... (Score:1)
He will be missed (Score:1)
In a sidenote, with Sir Alec we've lost the last of a generation of great thespians; first Olivier in '89, and Gielgud and Guiness this year. Where, I wonder, are the great actors to replace them?
-Wombat
http://yourpants.net [yourpants.net]
Content. What content?
Ben Kenobi (Score:1)
Re:Not only Obi Wan (Score:2)
You have to remember that a good many people who were at the orignal release of Star Wars (back in '77) were kids who didn't even have the slightest idea who Alec Guinness was.
Yes. It's sad in a way to be so pigeon-holed. But how many people outside of the Trek continuum have roles that are so fondly remembered, and so deeply imbedded into modern culture as Sir Alec's role of Obi Wan?
Through his work, he's become, effectively immortal. So yes, he's become more powerful than even Obi Wan could possibly imagine. =)
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
ObiWan Holmes (Score:2)
But this sort of public display of arrogance and disdain-for-that-which-brings-you-fame-and-fortun
Re:I agree. (Score:5)
Well, I don't agree. Remembering someone's life upon occasion of their death is hardly "wallowing." If it seems that way to you then I have to wonder just how much meaning life has for you.
When someone famous dies, it is an opportunity for us to reflect on our own accomplishments and mortality. From such reflection derives wisdom. If you don't know or care enough about Alec Guinness' life to reflect on where it touches you own, that's fine. Just show a bit of respect for those of us who do.
Sir Alec earned his fame, and you might find it worthwhile someday to investigate how and why. Until then, leave those who wish to celebrate and memorialize his life and its connection to our own lives free to do so without your churlish comments.
I don't. (Score:2)
Being famous just means that lots of people pester you, 24/7, for autographs, interviews, photographs, etc. Sure, some people like it, but I can't imagine Alec Guiness did. His love was in acting. Being a one-man freak-show (which is all being famous is) just doesn't fit him at all.
As for being the Immortal Overlord of the Universe, that's one hell of a responsibility. I'd rather stick to something I can manage. Besides, as Doctor Who pointed out, immortality is a curse, not a blessing. (5 Doctors.)
Ok, so why should this death matter more than any other? First, that presumes that a person's life is unimportant. IMHO, ALL life is important. Second, it also assumes that being mentioned has a higher status than not. When you pick a representitive, it's not because they are "superior" to those who they represent, it's because it would be a bloody mess, otherwise. Alec Guiness, to me, is a representitive of a kind of quiet nobleness that can also do what it takes to get things done. Therefore, to me, he represents ALL such people who have lived, live now, or ever will live, who have such a trait. That doesn't make AG any more "special" than the rest, but to list the rest would detract from the specialness of ALL of them, through simply drowning out the REAL signal in all the noise.
I agree. (Score:4)
There are a lot of good stories that get passed up, but this one goes up so we can wallow in the death of a stranger? Now that makes me sad.
---
Despite rumors to the contrary, I am not a turnip.
Re:Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi W (Score:3)
He was never made wealthy by all the famous roles, like in Lawrence of Arabia and Zhivago. Playing Obi-Wan gave him a lot more remuneration than he was accustomed to, and a certain amount of financial independence.
Anyway, he describes all this in detail in his wonderful autobiography, Blessings in Disguise.
"When I'm singing a ballad and a pair of underwear lands on my head, I hate that. It really kills the mood."
Alec Guinness' hacker film (Score:3)
If you haven't seen it, seek out his classic "The Man In The White Suit". For those who have not seen it, Guinness plays a scientist who invents the ultimate textile - a thread that will never wear out. His bosses oppose his experimenting and the money he's wasting, but he's driven. Not to spoil the film, but he creates enough thread to weave a suit. It's bright white, as it is impervious to dye. It never gets dirty and has to be cut with a blow-torch.
How does everyone react to this wonderful invention? They all hate him! Management figures out (eventually) that they'll sell everyone one suit of clothes and then they're out of business. Labor figures out that they'll make that one suit, and then they'll be out of a job. This wonderful invention has the potential to destroy civilization as we know it.
Sound like anything you know?
Re:Irony (Score:2)
I read something to the opposite effect. That he threatened to quit when Lucas decided to kill him off halfway through the first film. Guess that's why these things are called rumors.
Re:Doyle (Score:2)
Ahh! Now that you mention it, I do seem to recall reading something about that... Whoops. :D
A Poem for Sir Alec (Score:3)
To the world he made his final bow
The world remembers what he was
The great man who drew our applause
The enigma that he held
His great fire still not quelled
His gifts forever we'll remember
His life will burn a lasting ember
Let us not forget this day
For a great man has faded away
-KillerPenguin
Re:Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi W (Score:4)
The fact remains, however, that he was indeed a great actor and he made a conversation about the Clone Wars sound as believable and exciting as anything he and Omar Sharif discussed. For that, Star Wars fans remember him the way he deserves...as a great actor who was a big part of what we know as a great film.
Martin
Re:I agree. (Score:2)
I don't think its possible to mourn someone you've never personally met, your really mourning characters or what you think Alec would be like.
How many times will this be posted... (Score:3)
- Joe
Re:Irony (Score:2)
The telenews just showed a clip of AG talking about how hard it is for an older guy to get a part, compared to a young guy.
Also, FWIW, he supposedly signed on for a percentage rather than a fee, which surely paid off when SW became so popular.
--
Re:Like what? (Score:2)
I'm not sure that's all of it. We have a very shallow cultural memory. Remember last year when everyone was publishing the "100 Best {books, films, recordings, etc.}" of the 20th Century - most of them were heavily weighted toward more recent works (with some nice exceptions, though).
Partly it's a matter of most of us being unfamiliar with what went on before we were born, and part of it is undoubtedly because of longer term drift in tastes and improvements in technology... but mostly, I think hype and commercialism have created a disposable culture, where new stuff is supposed to supercede the old rather than accumulate with it.
--
CNN Article... (Score:2)
Re:the most ironic thing of all... (Score:2)
I agree. topic=movies would be a better fit. If Harrison Ford died tomorrow, would the headline say 'Han Solo actor dies.'? I doubt it.
---
Re:Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi W (Score:2)
I don't like /. for putting Alec under Starwars (Score:2)
Try "Tinker Tailor .." and "Smiley's People" (Score:2)
For those of you who have reasonable attention spans... try the following 2 BBC miniseries if you can get your hands on them.
"Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy."
"Smiley's People".
They are based on John Le Carre's books, and are somewhat Cerebral, but for those who like that sort of thing, they are the best in the genre. Alec guinness has done an amazing job playing George Smiley.
Another film that moved me powerfully, was "The bridge on the river Kwai". Guinness is scarily good in that one as well.
Hari.
Not just Obi-Wan (Score:2)
I love Star Wars, he was great as Obi-Wan, but he wasn't just great as Obi-Wan, he was great in just about everything I've ever seen him in.
That being said it is a very sad day that the world should lose such a great actor since there aren't any left. If you want to see what acting is all about, you won't find out from watching a George Clooney or Nicholas Cage film, you will however get an idea of the art of acting by watching some of Alec Guinness's older work.
The Horse's Mouth (Score:2)
Even worse if you're outside of the US (Score:2)
They're more expensive.
Sometimes they are available, but you cannot switch off the bloody subtitles (for legal reasons, whatever that means). IMHO that's annoying.
Sometimes they leave out the English audio track. In an American film. What the fuck?!
So, I'm kinda pissed by the whole DVD thing. They try everything to scare away potential buyers. Unfortunately, they have one hell of a monopoly.
Irony (Score:5)
He thought it was rubbish (and I'm talking about the ones he was in, not Episode 1) and said such whenever asked about it.
Re:Irony (Link to Link) (Score:3)
Oh yeah, Harrison Ford didn't like it either (though it made him who he is today.)
Someone else can respond to the idea that he never would have been Indy had he not been Han.
--
Re:Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi W (Score:2)
Disclaimer: I can't substantiate this, but I have no doubt in my mind that Hollywood is accustomed to heavy handing and scapegoating. I have no reason to believe that Guinness was heavy-handed into Star Wars, but it is a possibility that we must accept. In all likelyhood however, Guinness took the part because he was initially interested in it, and later discovered his animosity.
Re:I can't remember... (Score:2)
Only now, at the end, do I understand... (Score:5)
I felt like the best way to celebrate his life would be to rent many of the previous movies that Alec Guinness had been in that people here found so wonderful. It seemed his wish was not to be remembered as Obi Wan, so the least I could do is watch a number of his other movies.
That's when I found out that almost NOTHING he has been in is out on DVD (Oliver Twist to be exact), with two more on the way.
But, if you look at any site that sells UK DVD's, you'll see pretty much the whole set of Guinness movies - almost any movie he's ever done, including the Ladykillers (which I was particularilly interested in). Never have I seen such a clear example of how stupid the whole region encoding thing is.
Now I have to buy a region free capable player, and replace the controlled one I own now. That is the least I can do as a tribute to Alec Guinness.
Guinness didn't want to be remembered for Obi Wan (Score:5)
Sir Alec Guinness revealed in an interview [space.com] last year that he hated the Star Wars movies (the dialogue, in particular), and actually wanted the character killed off.
Guinness did so much more [imdb.com] than just Obi Wan. Please, let's remember him the way he deserves -- and would have wanted -- to be remembered.
--
He will be missed (Score:4)
For those who want to see "the guy who played Obi-Wan" at his best, check out the following movies if you can.
The Ladykillers
Kind Hearts and Coronets (where he plays 8 characters. Suck on that Murphy.)
The Man in the White Suit
All of these are classics British movies from the 50's (Well Kind Hearts was shortly before.) The Ladykillers in particular is, in my humble opinion, a classic.
You will be missed Alec.
---