Only a few weeks ago, another little rumor ended up getting on the internet and getting too big for its britches, fooling millions (including me) that the legendary Jack Nicholson would be retiring from acting after a fifty-year career. The Jack Nicholson retirement rumor claimed that the 76-year-old was suffering from memory issues that prevented him from memorizing scripts the way that he used to. Thankfully for cinephiles around the world, the upstart rumor was quickly refuted by the man himself who laughed it off as only he could.
“I’ve got a mathematician’s brain,” Nicholson joked to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Despite the Jack Nicholson retirement rumor being false, he hasn’t appeared in a film since 2010’s How Do You Know?, and that’s one of only three films he’s made in the mast seven years, the others being The Bucket List and The Departed. This decreased output has raised questions about just how active he’ll be in the future.
Nicholson explained his reasoning to SMH.
I’m not going to work until the day I die, that’s not why I started this. I mean, I’m not driven. I was driven – but I’m not, I don’t have to be out there any more. In fact, there’s part of me that never really liked being out there… You get older, you change. The movie business is the greatest business but I only want to do films that move people, films about emotions and people. I had the most chilling thought that maybe people in their twenties and thirties don’t actually want to be moved anymore. They may want just to see more bombs, more explosions, because that is what they have grown up with. And I’ll never do that type of movie.”
This provides a very different look at the iconic actor, one that’s more vulnerable, very human. From what he said here, it seems he still cares about what he produces, and his focus is on providing more art than just mere entertainment. I’ve always respected Jack Nicholson for his ability and versatile talent, but now I have a whole different appreciation for him. While we may miss seeing him in movies all the time, we should be glad that he won’t be doing crap like Jack & Jill.
What do you think about what Jack had to say? Do you think his plan is a good use of his talents? Why don’t you just tell us what you think in the comments below?
Source: /Film
