See No Evil, Hear No Evil & Haunted Honeymoon
Gene Wilder will always be remembered for the iconic characters he brought to life. Willy Wonka, Leo Bloom and Dr. Frederick Frankenstein just to name a few. These characters are iconic and well-earned additions to cinematic history. They stick out in Wilder’s career not just because of his unforgettable performance, but also because the films were critically acclaimed. Does it mean every bad film he was in had a bad performance from Wilder? Never.
Wilder’s talent is undeniable, regardless of how much of a dud the film as a whole turns out to be. His energy was contagious and you can always tell just how much fun he had playing every role. That gave him an effortless genuineness that he brought to every character, no matter how poorly written they may have been. It also made it easy for his various comedic partners, like Gilda Radner and Richard Pryor, to play off of his comedy. Whether he was playing a subtle character casually delivering punchlines or a more eccentric one screaming his humor, he was always authentic. He understood comedy and knew when to step back and support another character comedically, and when to take center stage.– Jon Espino
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