My gym mates and I were on the vigorous, treadmill trail the other day and our favorite movies of our favorite actors came up in conversation. Someone mentioned Terence Stamp, and what can I say? I went to town, reminiscing on his vast resume. (One of the ladies suggested I document my top choices for Bizarrechats, and since I already outlined the matter in casual conversation, I decided to fulfill the favor.)
Now, the top two picks do hold their precise ranking, but the others could be shuffled about. Still, here they are, with the first being (drum roll, please) ...
1) The Collector: This 1965, William Wyler/Stanley Man/John Kohn adaptation of John Fowles novel is an amazing tour de force for both Stamp and his fetching costar, the late Samantha Eggar. Stamp's Frederick Clegg is as quirky and obsessive as one gets, cut from the Norman Bates cloth, though without the deep-rooted, mother fixation. (The Collector is, as a result, one of those movies that could be called a Psycho companion piece, and while some would sooner choose the sappy ol' Sunset Boulevard for that categorization, it's got nothin' on The Collector.) Stamp's performance left an indelible impression on me when I was a kid, and if I got excited about his casting in the Superman saga, it was because of his complex Clegg.
2) Superman: The Movie/Superman II: One can't have one without the other, and Stamp's portrayal of General Zod is one of the most villainous ever to rule celluloid. In my estimation, the cold-hearted dictator (abetted by his companions, Sarah Douglas' Ursa and Jack O'Halloran's Non) surpasses Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Darth Vader, Ming the Merciless and Killer Kane combined.
3) Billy Budd: Peter Ustinov's 1962 adaptation of Herman Melville's allegorical classic is, without any debate, one of the best seafaring spectacles ever produced. Stamp's Budd is inspiring and moving, working in uncanny unison with Robert Ryan's stubborn John Claggart, and contrary to one popular theory regarding the fable's meaning, Budd is a Christ-like figure, and it's because of his purity that he's persecuted and nothing more. Stamp conveys this without making it obvious.
4) Far from the Madding Crowd: John Schlessinger/Frederic Raphael's 1967 adaptation of Thomas Hardy's novel gives Stamp much to chew on, as he (along with Peter Finch and Alan Bates' competing suiters) pursues Julie Christie's lovely yet liberated Bathsheba. Stamp's Sgt. Frank Troy is every ounce the heedless, charismatic rogue, in a performance that inspired Adam Ant to "Stand and Deliver," as one pivotal scene demonstrates.
5) The Limey: Stephen Soderbergh/Lem Dobbs' 1999, revenge opus, in which Stamp portrays an English criminal determined to avenge his daughter's death by administering justice to Peter Fonda's Terry Valentine, a corrupt, music producer. Stamp reigns supreme as he devours the scenes, never over-the-top, but rather stoic to perfection. He should have earned an Oscar nod for The Limey, but alas, such wasn't to be. Hollywood be damned!
6) Spirits of the Dead (Tales of Mystery and Imagination): An Edgar Allan Poe, arthouse anthology, with Stamp in the titular role of Federico Fellini's mod take on "Never Bet the Devil Your Head." As Dammit, Stamp is mesmerizing as a beleaguered and inebriated actor who's set to star in a western retelling of Jesus, but spirals toward a surreal and deadly conclusion that pulls from Mario Bava's Kill, Baby, Kill and would later influence Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ. Be sure to view the English-track edition of "Dammit" to get the most from Stamp's performance. He still shines in the French-dubbed edition, but not to quite the same, complete, true-to-form degree.
Well, there's my list, and believe me, there are many more I could (and probably should) add, in particular Stamp's deceiving William Harcourt in Alien Nation and his disoriented, man-child in The Mind of Mr. Soames. He's also impressive in his smaller roles, including Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho and the Eddie Murphy vehicles, The Haunted Mansion and Bowfinger. Truly, it's hard to dismiss these fine entries, for they more than hold their own.
Without question, Stamp gave us a fabulous queue to enjoy, and the fact that he surfaced in conversation, eclipsing any number of other thespians, speaks volumes. Long live his memory! Long live his work!
