A Streetcar Named Desire

“I don’t want realism. I want magic!” so declares Blanche du Bois, the tragic heroine who meets her nemesis in the brute force of her sister’s husband, Stanley Kowalski, in Tennessee Williams’ great play. First staged on Broadway by director Elia Kazan in 1947, with Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden and Jessica Tandy as Blanche, the production was a sensation, and the film version is a vital record of this turning point in theatre history. Kazan studied under Lee Strasberg at the Group Theatre, and was a central figure in the Actors Studio, informed by the teachings of the Russian Konstantin Stanislavski. The greater realism personified by Brando in his breakout rule helped break down the Production Code and inspired generations of young actors. Ironically, while all four actors were nominated for Academy Awards, Brando was the only one who missed out.

Special Panel: June 28, 7:00 pm

Actor, filmmaker and acting teacher Ben Immanuel will lead a panel discussion with working film and TV actors on the legacy of The Method today. This conversation is set to explore the basic precepts of Stanislavski’s technique as it were taught at the Actors Studio, what distinguished it from other acting schools, the impact of celebrated practitioners like Marlon Brando, James Dean and Paul Newman in films by Elia Kazan and others… And most importantly, we will be examining how/if these techniques are actually applied to the work they do.

If you would like to attend this panel before the June 28 screening, select the add-on option available.

Jun 25: Intro by filmmaker and educator, Professor Harry Killas

Jun 28: Panel discussion before the screening; add-on tickets available

You could make a good case that no performance had more influence on modern film acting styles than Brando’s work as Stanley Kowalski. Before this role, there was usually a certain restraint in American movie performances. Actors would portray violent emotions, but you could always sense to some degree a certain modesty that prevented them from displaying their feelings in raw nakedness. Brando held nothing back, and within a few years his was the style that dominated Hollywood movie acting. This movie led directly to work by Brando’s heirs such as Montgomery Clift, James Dean, Jack Nicholson and Sean Penn.

Roger Ebert

Harry Killas is Professor and Assistant Dean in the Film + Screen Arts program at Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver. His most recent documentary films include COLLECTIVE AGENCY, about a group of seniors who became photo-artists in late life, and GREEK TO ME, an autobiographical documentary about his family and ethnic identity. His research/ filmmaking theme areas include education, the arts, and social, political and other histories. As a curator, Killas programmed seven seasons of the series THE IMAGE BEFORE US: A HISTORY OF FILM IN BRITISH COLUMBIA at The Cinematheque.

Ben Immanuel is a multiple award-winning actor and filmmaker. He has written, directed and produced 3 award-winning, theatrically released feature films; Moving Malcolm, Down River and most recently Are We Done Now?, which screened at VIFF Centre. Ben has amassed well over 100 film and TV acting credits, including lead roles in feature films that have played at prestigious festivals such as TIFF, Sundance, and Berlinale. He started his teaching career in 1995, under the mentorship of Ivana Chubbuck (author, The Power of the Actor). He has also studied with and been greatly influenced by Larry Moss (author, The Intent to Live), Patsy Rodenburg (author, The Second Circle), and Canada’s Mel Tuck. Having taught acting in Vancouver, Los Angeles and across Canada, Ben established Haven Acting Studio in Vancouver in 2002 where he and his team continue to offer extremely in-demand classes to both professional actors and ambitious up-and-comers.