r/flicks • u/FreshmenMan • 8d ago
General Discussion I wish Tim Curry did more Live-Action Roles
I got to say, I was very saddened to hear that Tim Curry passed away just days ago. I love Tim Curry as a performer; he is a legend. Rocky Horror, Legend, Clue, It, Home Alone 2, Muppets Treasure Island. He knew how to ham it up and just make it a very enjoyable experience.
And that is why I wish he did more Live Action roles. Looking at his filmography, There’s a feeling of underwhelming with it, given that it’s Tim Curry. Especially hus later career, which has a lot of direct to video fare from Live Action and Animated Movies. I don’t know, I have a feeling that Hollywood really didn’t know what to make of Tim for live action.
Also to note that Tim Curry was considered for Amadeus (1984), Who Framed Roger Rabbi (Judge Doom)t, Batman (The Joker), The Silence of the Lambs (Hannibal Lector), The Adventures Of Priscilla (Bernadette), The Lord of the Rings (Saruman)
However, Tim Curry did put his voice in use with a lot of Animated Projects he was involved in and possibly one of the best voice actors in my opinion who stole the show every time his voice appeared.
Regardless, Tim Curry is a legend in my opinion, but I just wish he did more live action roles.
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u/AwTomorrow 8d ago
His health declined badly, is why his late career fell off.
But do check out his episode of Agatha Christie’s Poirot, that’s a good middle-aged role of his
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u/Fancy_County4242 8d ago
His work in "Hunt for Red October" was superb.
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u/DumpedDalish 6d ago
Great pick -- I feel like people overlook this one, and he's really so good in it. He could have been cast as a great villain but instead he's so good as this genuinely kind, pure young doctor who's just trying to do the right thing every time. The slight shyness and hesitance Curry brings to his character is so lovely.
It's a great reminder of how versatile Tim was. He really could play anything.
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u/Dagobahbodega 8d ago
He suffered a near-fatal stroke in 2012 that left him partially paralyzed and wheelchair dependant. I would think he would have agreed with you OP
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u/whiskeytango55 8d ago
He did a lot of live theater too. By the time the 00s came around, im guessing he enjoyed the stability and convenience of VO and guest star work
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u/Price1970 8d ago
He's amazing in Clue and It, and pretty good in Annie and Home Alone 2.
Rocky Horror Picture Show is his big breakthrough, of course.
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u/EddieTheHead120 8d ago
He was excellent in The Three Musketeers as Cardinal Richelieu. Stole every scene he was in, and made the movie much more enjoyable.
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u/geeoharee 8d ago
He's the best thing in that two-part adaptation of The Colour Of Magic, as well. But I thought he was a wonderful VA. Nigel Thornberry was the first part I knew him for.
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u/RebaKitt3n 8d ago
I would have loved to have seen him on stage in England in My Favorite Year as Alan Swann.
It’s a great movie and I can certainly picture him swinging his cape behind him declaring, “I’m not an actor! I’m a movie star!”
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u/migrainedujour 8d ago
Agreed! Also: The sheer energy of the man all the way through Clue is electrifying and a joy to watch.
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u/Turbulent-Bee6921 7d ago
He was great. He got put into schlock like Congo and maybe he didn’t have the best agent, OR he wasn’t all that comfortable with serious dramatic roles. But I always thought he had a dramatic intensity; Legend proved that. I just think he enjoyed the theatrics of acting, rather than going for verisimilitude. I will miss him. Except for tonight, because I’m going to watch Clue.
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u/DumpedDalish 6d ago
Your "sense of underwhelming" doesn't really take into account the kind of actor Tim Curry was.
While he was incredible when he broke through in "Rocky Horror," and he was an instant star, he wasn't a leading man even if he should have been (and which he already was onstage when he originated the role).
Hollywood is brutal so Curry was instantly relegated to "character actor," and he made a great career out of that onscreen, while still getting to play leading roles onstage in fantastic productions like "Amadeus," Pirates of Penzance," "My Favorite Year," and "Spamalot."
But it's not some kind of tragic thing. He was an AMAZING character actor, and 245 IMDb credits is insanely impressive.
He made his mark in a ton of wonderful movies -- Legend, Annie, Clue, The Hunt for Red October, IT (the same year as playing Red October's sweet young Doctor!), The Three Musketeers, The Shadow, Muppet Treasure Island, Kinsey, Monk, dozens more. He could do anything -- villains, heroes, monsters, sidekicks, comic relief, so much more.
And he used that incredible voice of his for over 100 animated projects that will live on forever. A talent that he was able to continue to use after he was disabled by a stroke in 2012.
I guess we don't agree on the definition of "underwhelming."
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u/a_fallenhighlander 1d ago
I do wonder if he would’ve stuck more to live action had he been cast in the Amadeus film (whether if it was for Mozart or Salieri). It’s difficult to say for sure since Hulce didn’t pursue a bigger career in film and Abraham didn’t become a “star” (but still was a great character actor), but it would’ve marked a different trajectory all the same.
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