Post: #1

Considering previous threads, such as

"Obsession over Six-Pack Abs"
/thread-38722.html

"Why is America obsessed with being huge?"
/thread-28092.html

I thought that this was an interesting article:
Men's Journal: Building a Bigger Action Hero - Inside Hollywood's Muscle Factory

Quote:For much of Hollywood history, only women's bodies were objectified to such absurd degrees. Now objectification makes no gender distinctions: Male actors' bare asses are more likely to be shot in sex scenes; their vacation guts and poolside man boobs are as likely to command a sneering full-page photo in a celebrity weekly's worst-bodies feature, or go viral as a source of Web ridicule. A sharply defined inguinal crease – the twin ligaments hovering above the hips that point toward a man's junk – is as coveted as double-D cleavage. Muscle matters more than ever, as comic-book franchises swallow up the box office, in the increasingly critical global market. (Hot bodies and explosions don't need subtitles.) Thor-like biceps and Captain America pecs are simply a job requirement; even "serious" actors who never aspired to mega-stardom are being told they need a global franchise to prove their bankability and land Oscar-caliber parts.

"If I wasn't playing some young hero who can swing a sword, I wouldn't care what my upper body looked like," says Kit Harington, who wields heavy metal in both Game of Thrones and the new Pompeii, roles he prepped for with twice-daily training sessions and "stupid amounts of protein." Says Harington: "Playing these hard warriors, it would be a mistake to not look muscle-y."

Even the type of muscle has changed. "In the Eighties, it was the bigger, the better," says director Tim Burton. "Think of that shot from Rambo of Sly holding the machine gun and the veins in his forearms bulging." Actors rarely bulk up like that anymore; they're all trying to be Tyler Durden.
Every trainer interviewed for this story cited Brad Pitt's ripped physique in 1999's Fight Club as an inspiration. Previously known for his lush, golden hair, the girls' guy Pitt was reborn as Durden, a sinewy, predatory man's man. "Brad Pitt in Fight Club is the reference for 300," says Mark Twight, who trained the cast for 300. "Everyone thought he was huge, but he was, like, 155 pounds. If you strip away fat and get guys to 3, 4 percent body fat, they look huge without necessarily being huge."

To get that hungry look, trainers stress calorie-conscious diets and exercises that pump up fat-burning metabolism. No actor can gain 10 pounds of muscle in a six-week period, but he can lean down to reveal the muscle underneath. Trainers talk about the "lean out" – the final, preshoot crash period when actors drop their BMI (body-mass index) to its bare minimum and unveil muscle definition.

But maintaining extremely low body fat for the duration of a multimonth shoot is nearly impossible and often dangerous: The stress can make an actor ill, damage internal organs, and make him susceptible to other injuries. Matt Damon, who dropped 40 pounds without supervision for 1996's Courage Under Fire, got so sick that he was beset by dizzy spells on set, impairing his adrenal gland and nearly doing serious damage to his heart. Even in the best-case scenario, calorie deprivation can exhaust an actor, making him light-headed, distracted, and fatigued.

Since 5 percent body fat is nobody's natural condition, fitness plans are geared to peak on the days of the sex scenes or shirtless moments. To prep for these days, trainers will dehydrate a client like a boxing manager sweats a fighter down to weight. They often switch him to a low- or no-sodium diet three or four days in advance, fade out the carbohydrates, brew up diuretics like herbal teas, and then push cardio to sweat out water – all to accentuate muscle definition for the key scenes.

The last-minute pump comes right before the cameras roll. Philip Winchester, the hero of Cinemax's action series Strike Back, recalls seeing the technique for the first time on the set of Snatch: "Hundreds of extras were standing around," he recalls, "and Brad Pitt would drop down and do 25 push-ups before each scene. I thought, 'Why is he showing off?' " Then Winchester figured it out. "I realized he was just jacking himself up: getting blood flowing to the muscles. I'd always wondered, 'How do actors look so jacked all the time?' Well, they don't. Now we ask: Is it a push-up scene? When I shot that Strike Back poster, I was doing push-ups like a madman, saying, 'Take the picture now! Take it now!' "

Lot's of little nuggets in there about the tricks used to make guys look even bigger than they really are.

Post: #2

The funny thing is that even though actors are in much better shape today, actual acting ability has taken a complete nosedive.

Dudes like Geoffrey Rush and Michael Caine might not look great with their shirts off, but can they act? Fuck yes.

Style and no substance. An all-too-common theme nowadays.

Post: #3

(08-01-2014 10:39 AM)Cunnilinguist Wrote:  The funny thing is that even though actors are in much better shape today, actual acting ability has taken a complete nosedive.

Dudes like Geoffrey Rush and Michael Caine might not look great with their shirts off, but can they act? Fuck yes.

Style and no substance. An all-too-common theme nowadays.

I watched Get Carter for the first time the other day. Caine's performance in that movie was simply excellent. Very manly movie.

Post: #4

It seems like the physical attributes of masculinity are being used to compensate for the fact most men lack the spiritual ones.

See also: beards on hipsters.

Post: #5

I rather choose a small gut then hearth damage thank you very much.

Post: #6

(08-01-2014 10:55 AM)Glaucon Wrote:  I rather choose a small gut then hearth damage thank you very much.

And by both I mean lack of gut and and good heart health lol.

Post: #7

The author is a complete fraud for dissmissing steroids. MikeCF expertly shredded this guy months ago. For fuck's sake the dude starts his article with a series of claims that are impossible to verify (Brando never did crunches).

Post: #8

That article is full of lies and misinformation. Pure blue pill. Check out:

Building a Bigger Action Hero – The Truth About Steroids in Hollywood

Post: #9

(08-01-2014 10:39 AM)Cunnilinguist Wrote:  The funny thing is that even though actors are in much better shape today, actual acting ability has taken a complete nosedive.

Dudes like Geoffrey Rush and Michael Caine might not look great with their shirts off, but can they act? Fuck yes.

Style and no substance. An all-too-common theme nowadays.

I watched the new Superman last night. Apparently they trained the guy for a year for his shirtless scenes. Yet he couldn't act for shit, and was another Millenial Dude who doesn't smile normally; looks as uncomfortable as Kristen Steward at every media function, with an almost visible box of awkward personal space around him; and generated absolutely zero heat with his co-star because of the wall of discomfort between the two of them.

The whole movie is a fascinating study in social-awkwardness, but I bet the studio still wonders why the movie bombed: you can't create charisma where it doesn't exist, particularly when your lead is obviously-gay.

Classic Millenial 'Walking void' inability to smile genuinely:



If the studios are trying to make male stars, they need to send them not only to personal trainers, but charisma trainers. Could be a good side business for guys like Mike or McQueen.

Post: #10

I thought Henry Cavill did a good job as Albert Mondego in the 2002 Count of Monte Cristo. Obviously not a huge role, but he sold it well, and there was plenty of emotion there. So apparently he could act 12-13 years ago. I haven't seen any other films/shows he was in; I don't know if he just lost his ability to act or if he was simply doing what the director wanted him to do.

And yeah, I thought this article was ridiculous for ignoring steroids as well.

Post: #11

Superman is just a lame ass character.

Post: #12

^ AB, you're absolutely right. The lack of charisma is so evident among today's Hollywood male "leads".

Imagine Ryan Gosling and Robert Pattinson in the same room as these guys:

Post: #13

Jacked Hollywood actors... whatever sells tickets and makes the lizard gina tingles

Post: #14

(08-01-2014 04:44 PM)Cunnilinguist Wrote:  Imagine Ryan Gosling and Robert Pattinson in the same room as these guys:

who?

Post: #15

(08-01-2014 05:33 PM)Wreckingball Wrote:  

(08-01-2014 04:44 PM)Cunnilinguist Wrote:  Imagine Ryan Gosling and Robert Pattinson in the same room as these guys:

who?

For you young ones, remove 3/4 of the charisma and confidence of the originals, then think this:

Top left - George Clooney (the smiling rogue)
Top right - Ryan Gosling (the confident pretty boy)
Bottom left - Hugh Jackman (the gritty tough guy)
Bottom right - Tom Hiddleston (the charming psychopath)

Post: #16

Millenials are more buttoned up because of PC culture and easy lives.

As one I tend to hang out with characters that can fly off the handle and take risks.

I agree Paul Newman, Jack Nicholson, Eastwood, Burt Reynolds, Sean Connery etc.. all had a heavy handed manly charm that was fun but had power behind it.

Ryan Reynolds?
Ashton Kustcher?
Leo DiCaprio?
Bradley Cooper?

The charm is girly, frantic, and weak in comparison.

Christian Bale and at times Gosling are the only ones that come to mind that have that power behind their charm.

Post: #17

I haven't seen him in anything other than There Will Be Blood, but Paul Dano might be someone to look out for. He was phenomenal in that movie.



Another person I can't quite figure out is James Franco. He's really flaky. Sometimes, he's right on (I thought his performance in Spring Breakers was captivating), at other times, he's way off the mark. It's rumoured that he is going to direct Blood Meridian, which is a movie I would love to see made, but hope they never make simply because they won't make it anywhere near the standard of the book or audiences would lose their shit (e.g. the scene where one guy smashes babies' heads).

Travesty: I'd put Ed Norton in there too. I think he's one of the greats of his generation. He came out punching, too, with Primal Fear. I think there are quite a few very good actors of that generation, but they're rarely given big parts to show off their talents. I'm thinking of Eric Bana, Sam Rockwell and Idris Elba.

Post: #18

Speaking of There Will Be Blood: Daniel Day-Lewis. That guy can act. I don't know of anyone alive who can top him.

Post: #19

(08-01-2014 04:44 PM)Cunnilinguist Wrote:  ^ AB, you're absolutely right. The lack of charisma is so evident among today's Hollywood male "leads".

Imagine Ryan Gosling and Robert Pattinson in the same room as these guys:

I am young, I want to watch films with these masculine guys in it. who are these actors. I know bottom left is Clint Eastwood.

Post: #20

Paul Newman (top right) would probably be the best to start with. That man had a tremendous influence in my formative years.

Start with: Cool Hand Luke, HUD, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Classics. And his game/frame would still stand the test of time and work on modern day sluts.

Edit: Top right is Clark Gable and bottom right is Anthony Robbins. Brilliant performers.

Post: #21

I feel like everytime I watch production from the olden days of Hollywood, it gives me a sensation of "Oh my, I want to grow up to have as 1/3 of charisma of Mr. Brando." or "Man, I hope that one day, I can become 1 tenth as strong as Mr. Governator."

Currently, every time I put on some "blockbuster hit" of the modernize era, I find myself constantly saying "Man, this really sucks to be in this guy's position. I mean his wife cheated on him, constantly being a bitch, only use him for her gain, and yet our "protagonist" here is STILL being written to continuing pursuing her? Oh my, it really sucks to be in his shoes, I don't ever want to be in his position."

I think there is a severe epidemic or should I say drought on the silver screen to feature men of dignity and forte. And this is truly affecting the youth of today to not have proper role models to aspire.

Post: #22

(08-01-2014 09:59 PM)Lucario Wrote:  

(08-01-2014 04:44 PM)Cunnilinguist Wrote:  ^ AB, you're absolutely right. The lack of charisma is so evident among today's Hollywood male "leads".

Imagine Ryan Gosling and Robert Pattinson in the same room as these guys:

I am young, I want to watch films with these masculine guys in it. who are these actors. I know bottom left is Clint Eastwood.

Black cape: Clark Gable
Blue shirt and cigarette: Paul Newman
Hat: Clint Eastwood
Black and white photo: Anthony Hopkins

Post: #23

(08-01-2014 06:08 PM)Travesty444 Wrote:  Millenials are more buttoned up because of PC culture and easy lives.

As one I tend to hang out with characters that can fly off the handle and take risks.

I agree Paul Newman, Jack Nicholson, Eastwood, Burt Reynolds, Sean Connery etc.. all had a heavy handed manly charm that was fun but had power behind it.

Ryan Reynolds?
Ashton Kustcher?
Leo DiCaprio?
Bradley Cooper?

The charm is girly, frantic, and weak in comparison.

Christian Bale and at times Gosling are the only ones that come to mind that have that power behind their charm.

Michael Fassbender is pretty good.

Post: #24

If guys in Hollywood are becoming more jacked, it's for the same reason that many regular guys are: it's one of the last ways in our society that a man can make a public and unapologetic expression of masculinity.

In those old movies, men were able to act like men. If a man's woman got out of line, he slapped her, he didn't submit to her tirade. If he got into some trouble, he gritted his teeth and found a way out, he didn't sit down and have a good cry. If he wanted to relax, he would have a cigarette and a strong drink at the bar with other men, he didn't sit on the couch and play Xbox by himself.

It is no longer acceptable for men to behave in traditionally masculine ways on film, so it is much more difficult to convey the fact that a character is, in fact, masculine and worthy of hero status and our adoration. So how do you get around this? Simple. Give your hero a lot of muscle. There, done. He's obviously masculine from his appearance, so even though most of his character and personal traits are those of a blubbering mangina, our minds at least continue to view him as masculine on the surface level.

The modern jacked-up Hollywood star is like the inverse of one of those super feminine looking transgenders who would fool 99% of guys until you felt between the legs: by all appearances he is extremely masculine, but the moment he opens his mouth or does anything, we remember he's just another millenial-era bitch man.

Post: #25

Extreme musculature has now become something of a substitute for real masculinity.

I certainly think men should lift weights and stay in shape. I do it myself. But that is not enough. Muscles themselves confer no automatic claim to masculinity. That prize must be earned. And re-earned.

If the outward expression of male power--hyper-musculature--is not backed up by real behavior, then all you have is a well-muscled wuss. Of which there are many, as most of us have observed. There is such a thing as a pussy-whipped, blue pill weightlifter.

I suppose we can't blame them, since they are only products of their environment. They are what they have to be to achieve success in the mainstream.

On another note: speaking of Hollywood leading men with potential, there doesn't seem at present to be anyone in the Cloonster's league. The only guy who comes to mind as someone who has underdeveloped potential is Mark Ruffalo. He seems to have the screen presence and rugged appearance that could be very appealing, but he doesn't seem to get the big roles.