In twelfth-century England, “Robin Longstride” (Russell Crowe) and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power. “Marion Loxley” (Cate Blanchett) soon is involved with the man who becomes known as ROBIN HOOD. Max von Sydow plays Marion’s blind father, “Sir Walter Loxley.”
Russell Crowe and Max von Sydow in ROBIN HOOD
Ridley Scott directed this 2010 film. Marc Streitenfeld’s score was released by Varese Sarabande.
In STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, Max von Sydow plays legendary traveler and explorer, “Lor San Tekka.” He is a longtime ally of the New Republic and the Resistance. After the Battle of Endor, San Tekka helped Luke Skywalker recover secret Jedi lore that the Empire had tried to erase, and “Leia Organa” (Carrie Fisher) hopes the old scout can now help find her brother.
Max von Sydow in STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
Max von Sydow was the only member of the new cast to have been acting when the original STAR WARS came out in 1977, let alone to have been born. Gary Oldman also auditioned for the role of Lor San Tekka. J.J. Abrams directed the 2015 film. John Williams’ score was released by Walt Disney Records.
In the sixth season (2016) of the HBO series “Game of Thrones”, Max von Sydow had a three-episode arc as "The Three-Eyed Raven", better known in George R.R. Martin’s books as "Lord Bloodraven.” Most of the character’s backstory regarding the Targaryens is never mentioned in the series, and it is suggested that the Three-Eyed Raven had been "sitting in a cave looking through time" for "thousands of years".
Isaac Hempstead Wright and Max von Sydow in “Game of Thrones”
Ramin Djawadi’s music from Season 6 of the series was released by Watertower Music in the U.S. and Sony Classical in the EU.
In a career that spanned seven decades, Max von Sydow become one of Sweden's most admired and professional actors and is the only male Swedish actor to receive an Oscar nomination. Von Sydow was nominated twice: for Best Actor in PELLE THE CONQUEROR (1987) and for Best Supporting Actor in EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE (2011).
Sydow received two Emmy nominations: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for RED KING, WHITE KNIGHT (1989) and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for “Game of Thrones” (2016).
His two Golden Globe nominations were for Best Actor - Drama in HAWAII (1966) and Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture in THE EXORCIST.
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association gave Max von Sydow its Career Achievement Award in 2018, and the Stockholm Film Festival gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
Sydow once said: “Many persons believe that an actor must identify himself with his role. I do not do that, although I do become involved with my parts while I play them. But I find it a virtue to do things which are not of myself. This is the Swedish concept of an actor.”
“Acting is such a weird profession. It's such a futile thing. Even when it's there on film, there's nothing really to it. It is not like making a piece of furniture or writing a book.”
Intangible though they may be, Max von Sydow’s performances have kept audiences in their seats for generations, and will continue to do so long into the future.
Can't have a Max von Sydow retrospective without Death...
Bob, one small correction: I'm pretty sure Hannah and Her Sisters takes place over three Thanksgivings. The first is the "God, she's beautiful", which opens the film. The second is Elliot and Lee arguing and ending their affair, and the third is the film's final scene, in which Lee is now happily married.
Bob, one small correction: I'm pretty sure Hannah and Her Sisters takes place over three Thanksgivings. The first is the "God, she's beautiful", which opens the film. The second is Elliot and Lee arguing and ending their affair, and the third is the film's final scene, in which Lee is now happily married.
I agree. You can blame my poor wording for the confusion: "between two Thanksgivings two years apart." That would include the third Thanksgiving in the middle. "Over three Thanksgivings" is the better phrasing.
Years ago, von Sydow remarked that "People seem to think I'm a very religious person, very serious, that I'm an old man by now - and that I play a great deal of chess. ... I'm not as serious as they think I am - I don't even play chess."
One other performance certainly deserves mention. The Best Intentions/Den goda viljan (1992) is in effect a kind of sequel to Fanny and Alexander. It was written by Ingmar Bergman, who chose Bille August to direct his tale based on the lives of Bergman's own father and mother. Von Sydow plays Bergman's maternal grandfather. It's a very good film that deserves to be better known. Palme d'Or at Cannes and best actress for Pernilla August, who was cast by Bergman himself to play his mother. The theatrical version seen in the USA ran 181 minutes. There was also a 325-minute television version that I've not seen.
