Cinema v. Theater - Transcripts
Kataleifos Interview - Clip 8: Acting in the cinema as opposed to theater
Kataleifos:
The big difference between theater and film is of course the fact that a theater role is played in continuous time. You have all the continuity of a role from the beginning to the end. In film, however, the scenes are broken up and thus there’s a great difficulty, because in a single location you can be filming a scene and then on the same day you may have to play a scene that takes place a year later or may have a completely different mood than the previous scene. In Stone Years, mentioned before, in a single day, one had to play a scene where he’s 25 and one where he’s 40. That is, because of the location, the scenes were filmed on the same day. Film has these difficulties. But on the other side, it is very pleasant to change locations. You are a bit like a nomad in film, which is very pleasing. You change locations and lighting. The theater has the daily routine with which one contends. One has to keep something vibrant and real every day for months. Additionally the theater has the advantage that you can correct a lot of your mistakes from the previous nights. But in film, whatever happens, stays. Also in film there is terrific significance in the montage and the stage production because a good interpretation can be made better by a good montage and stage production, and vice versa. That is, I believe the actor in the theater is more independent, he is more accountable. In film, the first roles are held by the film maker and the editor, in my opinion. They determine the outcome. Not that the actor can't make a good interpretation, but it really depends on all the technicalities, that is, more than just on himself.
The big difference between theater and film is of course the fact that a theater role is played in continuous time. You have all the continuity of a role from the beginning to the end. In film, however, the scenes are broken up and thus there’s a great difficulty, because in a single location you can be filming a scene and then on the same day you may have to play a scene that takes place a year later or may have a completely different mood than the previous scene. In Stone Years, mentioned before, in a single day, one had to play a scene where he’s 25 and one where he’s 40. That is, because of the location, the scenes were filmed on the same day. Film has these difficulties. But on the other side, it is very pleasant to change locations. You are a bit like a nomad in film, which is very pleasing. You change locations and lighting. The theater has the daily routine with which one contends. One has to keep something vibrant and real every day for months. Additionally the theater has the advantage that you can correct a lot of your mistakes from the previous nights. But in film, whatever happens, stays. Also in film there is terrific significance in the montage and the stage production because a good interpretation can be made better by a good montage and stage production, and vice versa. That is, I believe the actor in the theater is more independent, he is more accountable. In film, the first roles are held by the film maker and the editor, in my opinion. They determine the outcome. Not that the actor can't make a good interpretation, but it really depends on all the technicalities, that is, more than just on himself.
Kataleifos Interview - Clip 9: Preparation for roles
Kataleifos:
For this we have to give great thanks to the USA, because excellent books have come out on acting, based either on the Actors Studio or on Uta Hagen, all relying extensively on Stanislavski’s system, which is the foundation of acting from the 20th century onwards. I admit that what motivates me very much in working on a role is to imagine the life of the main characters beyond the scenes of the play. That is, how is their life beyond the screen or the stage. This entails a lot of imagination and writing. I like is to take some notebooks and to write about the life of these characters beyond what is said or shown by the author or the screen play writer. It is nice to imagine the entire past of a character, not just the scenes in which he’s seen by the audience. Thus, gradually and subtly, a sensibility is generated, from the subconscious, that creates the background of the character. That is how I like to prepare. I like to write a lot about the roles. I also very much like to improvise. It depends every time on one’s collegial relationships, and on how much freedom is given to the actors to engage in all those pleasant games, that can’t appear overly earnest.
For this we have to give great thanks to the USA, because excellent books have come out on acting, based either on the Actors Studio or on Uta Hagen, all relying extensively on Stanislavski’s system, which is the foundation of acting from the 20th century onwards. I admit that what motivates me very much in working on a role is to imagine the life of the main characters beyond the scenes of the play. That is, how is their life beyond the screen or the stage. This entails a lot of imagination and writing. I like is to take some notebooks and to write about the life of these characters beyond what is said or shown by the author or the screen play writer. It is nice to imagine the entire past of a character, not just the scenes in which he’s seen by the audience. Thus, gradually and subtly, a sensibility is generated, from the subconscious, that creates the background of the character. That is how I like to prepare. I like to write a lot about the roles. I also very much like to improvise. It depends every time on one’s collegial relationships, and on how much freedom is given to the actors to engage in all those pleasant games, that can’t appear overly earnest.
Kataleifos Interview - Clip 10: Lead role in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Kataleifos:
What you always take with you after a performance ends, if you feel good about it, is very pleasant. Your fatigue disappears, the tension releases, and everything else. The thing is, when you do not feel good about a performance, then you leave the theater a little tired and feeling bad. In that play (Virginia Woolf), I had loved the role very much, which was one of the hardest roles I have ever rehearsed. Since finally, I was somewhat successful in the role, I used to leave very satisfied after the performance, in spite of the play’s tension, which lasted for three hours and had continuous fights and confrontations with Martha, the heroine of the play. George in Virginia Woolf was one of the hardest roles I have ever assumed.
What you always take with you after a performance ends, if you feel good about it, is very pleasant. Your fatigue disappears, the tension releases, and everything else. The thing is, when you do not feel good about a performance, then you leave the theater a little tired and feeling bad. In that play (Virginia Woolf), I had loved the role very much, which was one of the hardest roles I have ever rehearsed. Since finally, I was somewhat successful in the role, I used to leave very satisfied after the performance, in spite of the play’s tension, which lasted for three hours and had continuous fights and confrontations with Martha, the heroine of the play. George in Virginia Woolf was one of the hardest roles I have ever assumed.
Kataleifos Interview - Clip 11: Effect of acting a role upon one's own personality during the run-time of a play
Kataleifos:
I think that the reason someone becomes an actor is exactly because of this aspect, which is his alter ego, his hidden self. One becomes unrecognizable when located in the space where one is acting. That is, you change a lot then and also in your daily life; for example, I haven't seen our mutual friend in many days, because with the rehearsals you can't -- and often you don't want to -- see anyone, as you are devoting yourself to something terribly demanding. Of course, once the performances begin, you return somewhat to a more regular life. But as you are preparing for a role, the process is very demanding and requires isolation -- I am convinced of this.
I think that the reason someone becomes an actor is exactly because of this aspect, which is his alter ego, his hidden self. One becomes unrecognizable when located in the space where one is acting. That is, you change a lot then and also in your daily life; for example, I haven't seen our mutual friend in many days, because with the rehearsals you can't -- and often you don't want to -- see anyone, as you are devoting yourself to something terribly demanding. Of course, once the performances begin, you return somewhat to a more regular life. But as you are preparing for a role, the process is very demanding and requires isolation -- I am convinced of this.
Kataleifos Interview - Clip 12: Views on Greek cinema
Kataleifos:
Even though things are changing so rapidly in our times, there are certain films that may be concerned with older subjects, but that tell a lot about Greece -- her history, the older decades... For me, some of the best films made in Greece are: Alexis Damianos' Evdokia, Nikos Koundouros' Ogre, some older Greek comedies...The 'New Greek Cinema', despite its great attempts to distance itself from the previous decades, when chiefly commercial films reigned, with native star actors, the screenplays were not good -- I believe that the screenplay is the Greek Cinema's 'Achilles' heel'. The screenplay appears as the weak point of most Greek films, expressly or not. In any case, I believe that in regard to the screenplay, since there wasn't..., rather now I think there is a related University Dept. in Thessaloniki, screenplay writing isn't taught, and it's seventy percent of a film. Well, if not seventy percent, the screenplay is sixty percent of a film, in my opinion. So in this aspect the Greek Cinema is lacking to a large degree, even though good films, successful enterprises, have been produced. I believe that we (in Greece) are not at the level of some American and English filmmakers, such as Mike Leigh, or other great filmmakers, such as (Pedro) Almodovar in Spain. Namely, I believe that film 'geniuses', such as in other European countries and America, are lacking in Greece. Some films of Voulgaris and of Angelopoulos are very interesting, now there exists a new upswing, with Lanthimos who filmed Dogtooth, a very interesting movie. Recently there is also Economides, who filmed Matchbox and Knifer. There are young filmmakers, from a much younger generation than Voulgaris or Angelopoulos who propose things that are bolder and more representative of current Greece. I have had the misfortune to belong to the Cinema of earlier decades, in which times (to speak as a harsh critic) the biggest problem was the screenplay. Although in technical aspects (photography and sound production) much progress had taken place, the screenplay, was always an issue. Now, things are better.
Even though things are changing so rapidly in our times, there are certain films that may be concerned with older subjects, but that tell a lot about Greece -- her history, the older decades... For me, some of the best films made in Greece are: Alexis Damianos' Evdokia, Nikos Koundouros' Ogre, some older Greek comedies...The 'New Greek Cinema', despite its great attempts to distance itself from the previous decades, when chiefly commercial films reigned, with native star actors, the screenplays were not good -- I believe that the screenplay is the Greek Cinema's 'Achilles' heel'. The screenplay appears as the weak point of most Greek films, expressly or not. In any case, I believe that in regard to the screenplay, since there wasn't..., rather now I think there is a related University Dept. in Thessaloniki, screenplay writing isn't taught, and it's seventy percent of a film. Well, if not seventy percent, the screenplay is sixty percent of a film, in my opinion. So in this aspect the Greek Cinema is lacking to a large degree, even though good films, successful enterprises, have been produced. I believe that we (in Greece) are not at the level of some American and English filmmakers, such as Mike Leigh, or other great filmmakers, such as (Pedro) Almodovar in Spain. Namely, I believe that film 'geniuses', such as in other European countries and America, are lacking in Greece. Some films of Voulgaris and of Angelopoulos are very interesting, now there exists a new upswing, with Lanthimos who filmed Dogtooth, a very interesting movie. Recently there is also Economides, who filmed Matchbox and Knifer. There are young filmmakers, from a much younger generation than Voulgaris or Angelopoulos who propose things that are bolder and more representative of current Greece. I have had the misfortune to belong to the Cinema of earlier decades, in which times (to speak as a harsh critic) the biggest problem was the screenplay. Although in technical aspects (photography and sound production) much progress had taken place, the screenplay, was always an issue. Now, things are better.
Kataleifos Interview - Clip 13: On acting out a scene during the interview
Kataleifos:
This is a very difficult request. I don’t recall anything from those (past) roles. No, I can’t improvise – at this moment. We’re still doing live readings (of the current play). I just can’t (act out a scene now). Not even from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf -- I don’t recall the lines. I’m shy; I need the stage, the lights; I can’t just act out a scene like this. Let it go. It’s difficult. An actor has to be in the theater, on stage with his fellow actors. It’s bizarre to try to act here and now; I can't do it.
This is a very difficult request. I don’t recall anything from those (past) roles. No, I can’t improvise – at this moment. We’re still doing live readings (of the current play). I just can’t (act out a scene now). Not even from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf -- I don’t recall the lines. I’m shy; I need the stage, the lights; I can’t just act out a scene like this. Let it go. It’s difficult. An actor has to be in the theater, on stage with his fellow actors. It’s bizarre to try to act here and now; I can't do it.