Kingsley said in interview that Sexy Beast was only film he ever made where not a single word of script dialogue was changed during filming. Brilliant writing.
You can look at the script on line and he's not wrong. Everything is in there, down to all the Cockney abbreviations. So instead of a line reading, '...it's very', it will just read, '....'svery'.
One of THE most underrated films ever. Ben Kingsley’s jarring performance reminds everyone of the worst person they ever met, and how helpless they made us feel.
This film is class and the acting top notch. However....have a look at the scenes in the kitchen....the mic is either is shot or its shadow is cast over Ray winstones face..... it's still a 10/10 film....and these errors just reinforce how small the budget and tight the schedule was.... I'm sure they'd have takes without these errors and opted for these ages based on how good the performances where. Ben kingselys part in this has now become the template that others try to copy.
If you think this film is underrated you should check out "Gangster No.1", which came out around the same time and for my money sits alongside Sexy Beast as the best UK crime film ever made. The protagonist is a complete psychopath like Kingsley here, but perhaps even scarier because he's more deranged.
The utter balls of casting Sir Ben as a heavy intimidating Ray Winstone was a masterstroke. Remember reading about this film before it came out and thinking they'd got the casting mixed up.
There’s almost a pleading desperation in his laugh. His joke at Gal’s expense hides a genuine yearning for Gal to return. Idk whether it’s romantic or fraternal, but Logan has a genuine affection for Gal and is scared of his running away again, so he couches his request in intimidation and insults
If you told me Ben Kingsley was playing a terrifying, evil gangster I would have laughed in your face. Then I saw this film. Masterful acting. Absolutely incredible.
I love how Glazer managed to capture that dead heat feeling the Spanish sunshine has. I feel my skin getting parched when I watch this film! I'm boiling, baking, sweltering.....
@@ylilycam ah man, it's beautiful. I love that dry, parched, middle of the day feeling in Spain. Depending on where you are, everyone is having their siesta. The sun is beating down and all you can hear are crickets and grasshoppers.
I agree, just watching this scene makes me want to jump in a pool. There's an old war time classic called Ice Cold in Alex, (it has the infamous Carlsberg scene at the end) I always felt that film portrayed the heat well too, I find myself gasping for extra fluids when watching that.
Mr Kingsley said that that's the only film he was in in which the script was kept completely intact. "I'm just going to have to turn this opportunity down.." - "no, you're just going to have to turn this opportunity YES!" .. so coldblooded.
@@bedford4383 ha! you and me both! Don has a quote for all occasions I find, except maybe visits to your gran. I don't think it's appropriate to call an old lady a 'c*nt'!
I wrote wrong info...yes, he should've won, he was nominated for best Supporting and Broadent won Broadbent probably won because of previous performances not really being recognized (especially his Mike Leigh films) but Kingsley may have been passed over
As brilliant, and scary, as Ben Kingsley is the real terrifying villain is Ian McShane’s Teddy Bass. Barely speaks a word but conveys sheer menace in every look and stare.
Can be a bit "whatever" that strong silent stereotype however he did make Gal feel awkward with his silence in the Porsche when Gal was struggling to find some change.......
Not sure whether there’s a Sexy Beast 2 that you’re taking about because Ian McShane’s performance was distinctly underwhelming, particularly in comparison to Kingsley.
both are brilliant...i am a Kraut who lived 5 years in Crawley...all these fantastic Brit movies helped me to increase my english... thanx to England and the english for the best time of my life...
Ray has to be one of the all time greats. I love his work. Sexy Beast Is the greatest films Iv watched. Ray can bring a kind of vulnerability, transparency, and insight to his character that people generally do not show in our daily lives yet they do it in a way that doesn’t interrupt the believability of the performance. That’s a hard thing to articulate. Every moment, every gesture, every syllable spoken by this character is endlessly watchable, over and over. Ray & Ben deliver their lines with precision in this scene, well timed and beautifully inflected. But they also listen to everything that's being said and calculate their reactions accordingly. Top film.
The scene with him eating breakfast when Ian McShane first confronts him about Kingsley being missing is a perfect example of your summation. He portrays absolute terror while keeping a straight face
Ben brought such depth to Don Logan's character. Apparently Ben himself decided that Don was a sociopath who was abused as a child, and is why the way he acts. Therefore Ben deeply sympathized/empathized with him. Incredible performance. Ray Winstone kills it too! You can sense the sheer tension of this scene before he says "C'mon Don."
I was blown away by this when it came out. On one hand Ben Kingsley delivers a terrifying performance but it is also to a large degree convincing because of the great acting of how Ray Winstone REACTS to him. The sense of fear in those around Kingsley's character, who is so unnerving.
Ray winstone is absolutely fantastic in this movie. He perfectly rides the line of submission to avoid conflict, without letting himself be too much of a pushover to completely exploit. Imo his best ever performance.
I saw this when it was first released. The aura in the theater whenever he was on screen was eye opening. Academy Award written all over it for Ben Kingsley and to a lesser degree, Ray Winstone. I can't recall a time when an antagonist (save Denzel Washington/Training Day) absolutely murdered their role. No redeeming values what-so-ever, yet, you can't take your eye off them. Thanks for sharing.
There are lots of great antagonists. Anton Chigurh, Bill "The Butcher" Cutting, Hannibal Lecter. I've never seen this movie. It looks good, I need to see it.
Found this little gem in a bargain bin at my local music/video retail/rental many years ago, I don’t think the chain even exists anymore. I was already a huge fan of both Winstone and Kingsley and found this film just amazing. Still do. Beautiful location/house shots add a lot to the incredible atmosphere.
@@turningmememachine7256 go read about Ghandi, people would gift him their children. If you think he was just holding hands with those kids think again lol
"im just going to have to turn this oppertunity down" "no you're just going to have to turn this oppertunity yes!" i like how what he says dont even make sense, thats the exact sort of thing a crank like him would say.
Sexy Beast is one of my favorite movies. Ben Kingsley's performance is one of the most terrifying I've ever experienced. Amazing. Amazing acting all around. What a wonderful film.
It just proves why Kingsley is in that elite tier of actor so few are. He can play a tough-as-nails, terrifying cockney gangster here, but then also play Hamlet...or Ghandi!
Ray Winstone told the story that he was eagerly awaiting to meet and work with Ben Kingsley who had been delayed in arriving on the movie set, due to completing a part in a prior movie. As Winstone tells it, when Kingsley finally did arrive, Ben was completely in character, no "Nice to meet you" or How do you do?" He was Don Logan from the very beginning.
I was astounded when I first watched this film. It was on a long haul flight and I rewatched it another two times. Still one of my favourite movies,....,,the acting performances, the screenplay, the script, the settings, the story all top notch!!
the real genius of don is how unstable he is, kingsley gives such an explosive and volotile performance and his character literally cant be forgotten or leave the film even before he arrives and after he's killed he jus cant be forgotten
Yeah, the scene where he's talking to himself in the bathroom mirror, and you realize just how genuinely unhinged he is, not just tough boy front. O__O ANGRY little man - turned up to 12 **shudder**
@@zetetick395 "What does he think you're a cunt? I'll sort him out for you shall I it's not a problem...can't have that.".....pause.... (slams razor down and storms into their bedroom)
@@DeepScreenAnalysis Yes, good comparison. Characters like this are frightening because they're psychopaths who essentially do not care. There's no filter, and no regard for consequences, therefore no safety margin.
Kingsley as Don reminds me of a guy I worked with in construction. He was released on permanent parole after doing an 18year stretch. That jerky, unpredictable way, that insane laugh. I won't mention names in case he ends up on my doorstep like Don ended up on Ray Winstone's door. 🥺😀
Ben Kingsley as Don Logan and David Proval as Ritchie Aprile in the Sopranos are two of the most genuinely unhinged lunatics on screen. They make you forget you are watching actors. Proper characters. It's also great how they aren't main characters, just enough, never too much.
This was a brilliant film and the many dialogues between Sir Ben Kingsley and Ray Winston reminded me of watching a Harold Pinter Play. It was just like watching live tennis with each other bouncing off each other!
Loved when Ben said a monkey can do it thats why I thought of you. Then without missing a beat he retorted "cheers Don" So brilliant. Freakin love this movie.
For me this is the greatest performance ever! The fact he’s a true thespian and the least intimidating human on Earth, yet Don Logan is maybe the scariest human ever to live! Incredible…
Clever touch by the director /producer when aitch and jackie ask gal if he is definitely retired cos they got a phone call, and gal laughs it off and says yes. But as soon as she says it was Don Logan, Gal and Deedee look sick to their stomach. Immediately the audience think "this don logan guy must be serious"
Begby wins, because he is the dumb uncontrolled violence type of psychopath. You never see Don Logan really get physically violent. It is all verbal and psychological intimidation and manipulation. Don Logan is an insecure little man, a blustering bully, not actually that powerful - why Teddy doesn't give a fuck what happened to him.
When I first watched this back in the day when they're in the restaurant I thought.. ok this Don bloke is coming over and Ray Winstone will bash him up with a couple of pool balls in a sock or something and that'll be that.. Don is definitely one of the best nut case villains ever, I don't even think Gary Oldman could get near Ben Kingsley on this part..
Don Logan is the best most realistic scary baddie of any gangster movie in my opinion (in fact probably any genre). Better than Scarface, better than anyone in Godfather, better than BrickTop, better than Joe Pesci in Goodfellas. The laugh at 0:18 is brilliant and the fact the same guy played Gandhi is incredible.
I met Ben Kingsley in the street a few years ago. Such a nice guy, we had a little chat about he's films and sexy beast come up as one of my favourites.
It because he never blinks when on screen. I have watched this film loads of times and I don't see McShane blink once! I may be wrong, but in two critical scenes, the first when he visits Gal at breakfast and the second when he kills tha banker in his home, Teddy doesn't blink.
@@floppabingussled There is not a weak performance in the entire film. Even the young spanish kid is believable. What I think is hilarious is th assortment of thieves they managed to cast. I recognise some of the faces from other movies and shows, but it must have been a lark casting the gang carrying out the raid. Every one of them looks like they have done porridge, as the Brits say!
To go from Ghandi to NO NO NO NO NO NO NO and do them both so bloody brilliantly is incredible 👍 such a shame that with legends like this as examples we are living in the age of mediocrity 😩
I saw this when it came out (on VHS) and I couldn't get into it. Now I watch it and it looks like a masterpiece at every turn. I honestly think it was just too ahead of it's time
I always wanted a spin off movie after seeing this gem, just called 'Don Logan'. A prequel of sorts. I just wanted to see more of Kingsley's character up on screen I suppose.
When Ray Winstone is the second most scary man in a scene you know that this film is something special and that Ben Kingsley is a man not to be trifled with
The brilliance of this movie is you think Don is evil only to find later that Teddy Bas is another level Evil beyond all expectations, Teddy is pure bad. Phenomenal writing, directing, casting and acting just fantastic
I remember laughing at this when i was younger but was a nervous terrified laugh coz u had no idea what ben kingsley would do next he was brilliant init
My absolute top dog British crime movie. I remember looking at the video cover forever without choosing it. None of my friends knew it. Finally, when out of choices I rented it. Holy cr*p what a hidden gem. It's gained some love since then but no where near enough. What an underrated work. I try not to watch it for 2-3 years and then treat myself again. They're all good but Winstone and Kingsley are incredible. I ran with some guys and there was a tiny demon amongst us. He used to intimidate any dissent just the way Kingsley's character did. A scary little package that had the ability to back it up with anyone. I guess that's why I believed Kingsley's character was so perfect. I'd seen it.
