The best Brendan Gleeson’s documentary movies
Brendan Gleeson is an Irish actor. His best-known films include the Harry Potter films, Braveheart, Gangs of New York, 28 Days Later, and the role of Michael Collins in The Treaty. He won an Emmy award in 2009 for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the film Into the Storm.
Gleeson was born in Dublin, Ireland and has described himself as having been an avid reader as a child. After leaving school for a short while, he worked for two years in an office with a health board. He then graduated from University College Dublin and went on to Drama School in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Just after completing the 3 Year Acting Drama Course at RADA, Gleeson built a very respectable CV at the Royal National Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon. Gleeson became known for his tremedous stage presence, particularly while performing in such works of William Shakespeare as King Lear, Richard III, and Hamlet.
Gleeson started his film career at the age of 34. He first came to prominence in Ireland for his role as Michael Collins in The Treaty a television film broadcast on RTÉ One, and for which he won a Jacob's Award in 1992. Gleeson has subsequently acted in more than 60 films including Braveheart, I Went Down, Michael Collins, Gangs of New York, Cold Mountain, 28 Days Later, Troy, Kingdom of Heaven, Lake Placid, Artificial Intelligence: AI and The Village. He won critical acclaim for his performance as Irish gangster Martin Cahill in John Boorman's 1998 film The General.
Gleeson lives in Malahide, County Dublin. He is a talented fiddle player, with an interest in Irish folklore. He can be found from time to time playing at traditional music seisiúins in Hughes' pub in Chancery Street in Dublin 7. His brother, Barry Gleeson, is a well-known singer in An Góilín traditional singers' club, and his son Domhnall is an actor. Gleeson is known for his love of football and recounts tales of attempting to get a clear radio reception so he could listen to how his team, Aston Villa, were faring on a Saturday.
Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 6: Magical Effects
7.9/10
One from a series of documentaries on the making of the Harry Potter cinematic universe.
The Path to Redemption
8/10
From pre-production to release, we are given an exclusive look into the making of Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven (2005). Interviews with the cast and crew members take up the bulk of this film, but are accompanied by plenty of on-set footage. We are also given a glimpse at a lot of the deleted material, much of which will be in the director's cut.
Deconstructing 'The Village'
6.3/10
In this making-of documentary, we see movie snippets, shots from the set, and interviews. We get notes from the crew and cast. We learn about the movie's genesis and development, the choice of time period and setting, finding a location and creating the sets, the flick's visual design and cinematography, working with the actors and bonding on the set, the costumes, problems with the weather, shooting in the woods, casting, the actors' "boot camp", editing and storyboards, audio design, the score, and the movie's creatures.
Braveheart: A Look Back
A three-part retrospective that aims to capture what it is that made Braveheart a success. Part one features behind-the-scenes stills and clips from the film, all intertwined with interview pieces with cast and crew that recount the construction of the story, the purpose behind telling it, the scope of the production, the challenge of putting it all together, the difficulties of the shoot, and much more. Part two focuses primarily on Mel Gibson's prowess as a director but also recounts some lighthearted moments from the set, looks at Mel Gibson's makeup, and more. The third part examines the process of editing the film together, shooting the battle scenes, the film's emotional core, its staying power, and more.
Love Lies Bleeding
8.4/10
Conn is an IRA murderer serving a life sentence in an Irish prison. He is given a 24 hour home leave during which he goes from point to point in Belfast looking to revenge his lover's murder.
