Shadowman: John Keizer
Representative works: "The Godfather", "Hot Day Afternoon", "Deer Hunter"
Broken: The 40th anniversary of his death
John Keizer died of lung cancer on March 12, 1978, at the age of 42.
He is the second brother in "The Godfather" who thinks he is smarter than his younger brother but has achieved nothing.
He is the assistant in "The Great Conspiracy of Eavesdropping" who is dissatisfied with his boss but can only hide his feelings.
He is the simple stupid but fantasy robber in "Hot Afternoon".
He is also a sensitive and fragile but enthusiastic small-town youth in "Deer Hunter".
He didn't wait for "The Deer Hunter" to be released, counting "The Godfather 2", and left us with only five film works.
Before filming "The Godfather", Coppola was stuck looking for the actor of "Fredo" and could not find a suitable candidate.
This made him extremely anxious.
Coppola confessed: This role is afraid that I really can't find anyone.
In performance, in general, vulnerability is especially difficult to perform.
Many actors perform in a showy way, not natural enough to penetrate deep into the heart of the character.
So the role of Fredo is far more difficult than Sonny and Mike.
By chance, Coppola watched a play performance.
Kaiser played a small role in it.
At the first sight of Keizer, Coppola decided that he was Fredo, only him.
Keizer has played supporting roles all his life, as well as in The Godfather. Whenever the group play, he will always be the most inconspicuous one in the shadows.
In the stills, in the drama era, Keizer is not the one who appears in the center of the stage.
But without his presence, Vito's composure, Sonny's recklessness, Mike's wit, all lack contrast, appearing not plump and three-dimensional.
Mike can go deep into the enemy camp and rely on a gun hidden in the toilet to do the uncooperative big brother.
In the face of the assassination of the old godfather Victor, Fredo even dropped the gun in his hand.
Victor was seriously injured, and if it was Mike, he would have taken his father to the hospital as soon as possible.
Fredo didn't, he just stood next to Victor, crying like a child.
At that moment, he was so helpless.
Just like the mundane majority in life.
In The Godfather 2, Fredo betrays the family and has nothing.
Mike asks Fredo to take his kids fishing in the lake.
Fredo told His son that when he was young, his father would always take him and his brothers fishing, but only he could fall into the big fish.
The secret is that he will silently say in his heart every time before he gets off the bar: "Blessed Maria." ”
The director filmed their backs, and Fredo bowed his head and leaned sideways to speak to the child.
As if to imply through fishing, once, I was stronger than other brothers, and it was not my intention to fall into the way I am now.
Maybe that's the calm before the storm.
At that moment, the supporting character Fredo suddenly came alive.
The fragile character is even more endearing, and Fredo is subsequently assassinated by Mike, causing sympathy for him.
By "Hot Day Afternoon", Kazer once again became Pacino's partner.
At the beginning of "Hot Afternoon", I wanted to find a 19-year-old actor.
However, Al Pacino recommended Keizer to Lumet and told Lumet that as long as Kazer was there, he could play extraordinarily well.
Lumet had seen Kaiser's performance in The Godfather and decided to give it a try.
For Kaiser's appearance, Lumet was initially reluctant to be the boss
Later, Lumet admitted that without Keizer, this movie would not be "Hot Day Afternoon".
The reason is that Kaiser can often surprise directors.
Like Brando in The Godfather, Keizer designed the form himself.
So everyone was stunned by Keizer's hairstyle, but everyone was surprised to think that it was especially suitable for this film.
In "Hot Afternoon", Keizer's look surprised everyone.
The most interesting scene in the film also comes from Kaiser's improvisational performance.
Sonny, played by Pacino, told Celeller, played by Kaiser, that they would not return after fleeing abroad.
He asked Thaler, "Which country would you most like to go to?" ”
Sonny was stunned for a moment and said solemnly, "Wyoming is not a country. ”
Sonny didn't laugh and said, "Haha, Wyoming is not a country. ”
So you'll feel funny and sad for the person Celeste.
He is no longer a simple robber, or perhaps someone around you whose life is unpleasant and expects to change.
In the performance, there is nothing but good or bad.
In this era, the names of more than a dozen protagonists appear on movie posters.
Four lead actors, one special cast, and five lead actors.
In fact, why do you need so many protagonists, a good supporting role, enough to leave a name in history.
There is no shortage of glorious supporting roles in film history, and they have surpassed supporting roles through their own efforts.
Some of them are still Keizer's die-hard fans.
Like Steve Bussimi
At the mention of Keizer, Bussimi's eyes widened and he looked radiant.
It is also like Katsuhisa Ikuse, Walter Matthew, ChiakiShi, Daisuke Katon, Ji Chunhua, Zou Zhaolong and so on.
Humans often have several feelings at the same time, and Keizer can express the feelings of coexistence to the fullest.
In The Great Conspiracy of Eavesdropping, Keizer plays Stan, a subordinate of Kaul, played by Gene Hackman.
Kaul often asks Stan to do work outside of work, much to Stan's displeasure.
So he often showed such an expression.
It's like, "Okay, I'll do it, so what?" ”
Dissatisfied, but helpless.
In Keizer's posthumous work The Deer Hunter, he incarnates as a small-town youth.
When I go out hunting, I forget my shoes.
As always, he would design the small details himself.
While everyone was dancing in a group dance, he went to check whether the zipper of his pants was pulled up.
During the filming of Deer Hunter, he and Meryl Streep fell in love and got engaged, while Keizer was in the advanced stages of cancer.
Merrill cared for the seriously ill Kaiser for three years, until he closed his eyes forever in his hospital bed.
Pacino said: "Keizer is warm, loving, and always attracts beautiful girls.