Johnny Depp as Gene Smith in upcoming movie

[Contarama]

JD has lived quite a life. WES lived the life that made JD possible.

 

[Brian Atherton]

From the first time I saw W Eugene Smith’s ‘Country Doctor’ photos they have made an abiding, profound and lasting impression on me, and later, his ‘Minamata’ work has resonated in the same way. To me the photographs have an etherial, unworldly quality quite unlike anything from the other great photographers of the time. W Eugene Smith’s body of work is incomparable.

 

[Keith]

Depp is very high on my list of Hollywood actors ... and was from the moment I saw Edward Scissor Hands. The list of movies I've seen and enjoyed is endless ... What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Benny and Joon, Dead Man etc etc. I think the only movie that realy disappointed me was Chocolat and that was because I'd read the book and really didn't like the way Hollywood screwed with the plot .... surprise surprise!

He's complex and self destructive as many of those Hollywood stars are ... I read an article about him in Roling Stone that painted a very grim picture of his life style.

 

[xayraa33]

Quick -- buy a vintage Minolta on Ebay before they skyrocket in price!

I remember when one of the Kardashians was on a talk show with a Contax and Ebay went crazy that night!

I think Gene Smith used any camera he could get his hands on.. besides the Minolta SRTs of Minamata fame. Might as well buy some Leica LTM cameras and some Canon VTs too and that weird looking German made box like medium format SLR, whose name escapes me.

I heard he would pawn them when he was short on money.

 

[Austintatious]

For anyone that may be interested, this movie, Minamata, is now streaming on Hulu. I did watch it and while I don't care for the man, Johnny Depp did a pretty good job of acting as Gene Smith. Perhaps a story that should be revisited and worth the time, for me at least. YMMV

 

[valdas]

I'm not a huge fan of American movies, & avoided the "Pirates of the Caribbean." But I enjoyed Johnny D in the movie "Chocolat." He does play guitar in real life. I'm willing to bet he'll do a passable job as Wm Eugene Smith. Looking forward to seeing the movie.

And to me the real Johny D is in Arizona Dream. I do not really evaluate him based on Pirates.

 

[agentlossing]

Minolta was overdue for a spike in value due to some pop culture association with their SLRs!

I really am not a fan of Depp, like several others here. His 'quirky' characters just never are believable, and kind of ruin the suspension of disbelief for me. But he did a really good job in Finding Neverland, and I'd love to see that version of him again in something new.