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In Reply to: RE: Best post-Brando generation actor? posted by tinear on December 14, 2008 at 09:11:59
Brando was to a large degree unique: tranformative, sexy, groundbreaking, iconic...but he's nowhere near my favorite star or actor, even among his generation. I was too young, I think, to get the full impact.
There aren't many thespians around with his combo of star power, sex appeal and talent, although there are lots of very fine - perhaps even better *film* - actors working today. But I don't think there is anyone comparable that I can think of in the last 20 years that had Brando's unique chemistry or that had a generational impact the way he did.
You'll get no argument from me about Michael Caine's wonderfulness - a great and versatile actor, a working class hero whose early success marked a real breakthrough in GB for actors not of the "veddy British", upper crust stage tradition. Some of my favoriote Caine roles in films not mentioned include Zulu, Mona Lisa, California Suite, Hannah and Her Sisters, A Shock To The System, The Fourth Protocol, Cider House Rules, Last Orders, Little Voice, The Quiet American and Children Of Men. Yes, he made his share of mediocre and bad films but the good stuff more than makes ammends, and Caine is always good, even in bad pictures. Most of the great actors oif the post-Brando generations have made their fair share of "pay the bills" movies. It just goes with the territory. Unless, of course, you're Daniel day Lewis and you only work once every 5 years.
So who's a movie star and a great actor?
Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall don't have the sexy thing going for them now (if they ever did), but their CVs as actors are as impressive as any American actor working toda. Each has both range and stature. Both men were outstanding and memorable film actors even in the earliest movie roles.
Hackman is somone who makes it look soooo easy - he's just so damn good, But he seldom has roles worthy of his talent lately. A look at his career confirms his achievements: Bonnie & Clyde, I Never Sang For My Father, The Conversation, The French Connection, Young Frankenstein, Under Fire, Night Moves, Hoosiers, Reds, No Way Out, Unforgiven, Get Shorty, Royal Tenebaums etc. He would be in my personal Hall Of Fame for his performance as Harry Caul in The Conversation even if he had made no other films.
Robert Duvall is Hackman's equal, perhaps with a slightly better movie list (although he got off to a slower start): To Kill A Mockingbird, True Grit, MASH, The Godfathers I & II, THX 1138, Network, Apocalypse Now, The Great Santini, Tender Mercies, Lonesome Dove, The Apostle etc.
I'm surprised - but kinda glad - no one's mentioned Jack Nicholson. Oh well, too much scenery chewing over the years I suppose.
Apparently no one is going to type the name Sean Connery either. He's not the best or most versatile actor in the world. But he is/was gorgeous, sexy, and a movie star through and through. Forget about the Bond films, and forget about stuff like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Zardoz (please). The man redeemed himself with The Man Who Would Be King, The Untouchables, The Name of The Rose.
Speaking of scenery chewing, I'm surprised no one's mentioned Al Pacino. But more especially, I'm shocked no one has popped out with Robert DeNiro's name. I know the last few years haven't been filled with impressive movies but consider this list: Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Godfather II, The Deerhunter, The Mission, Brazil, Angel Heart, Raging Bull, The Untouchables, Goodfellas, This Boy's Life, Casino, Awakenings, Wag The Dog, Jackie Brown...the mind boggles. So you can't forgive Meet The Fockers and Hide & Seek? You guys are hard! I guess Harvey Keitel isn't sexy enough and Chris Walken is too weird?
The British...Daniel Day Lewis is one of the most brilliant, authoratative actors to ever play in front of a camera. But DAMN - the man works so seldom. Rafe Fiennes looked like he was going to THE Brit actor of his generation. He certainly has the intensity, talent and respect - his performance in Schindler's List is amazing - but he hasn't *quite* broken through in the way you'd expect in terms of "star" power. I thought perhaps The Constant Gardner would build some heat for him in a way The English Patient didn't, and God knows Fiennes was a scream as the gangster in In Bruges. He still has time and appears to be on a bit of a roll- see his nasty turn as the cold Duke Of Devonshire in The Duchess, plus The Reader is out soon. It wouldn't shock me if Fienne's got a BSA nom for any of these roles.
Jeremy Irons isn't talked about much these days - too bad. I have a soft spot for him: I will always love him for his superb early TV roles in The Pallisers and Bridehead Revisited, as well as Love For Lydia. Then there's the movies: The Mission, Reversal Of Fortune, Dead Ringers, Stealing Beauty, Damage....a long drought of first rate roles...then Inland Empire and finally a nice supporting role this year as the baddie in Appaloosa. Ian McKellen is the greatest British stage actor currently appearing in films - but his best role remains Gods & Monsters (a cryin'shame Oscar snubbed him) and he started in movies very late. X-Men and LOTR have certainly made him a beloved star, however, and I'm sure Sir Ian's retirement fund is...well padded, shall we say.
I'll grant you Anthony Hopkins is brilliant...in Magic, Silence Of The Lambs, Remains of The Day, Howards End, Titus, Nixon et al. But he's also guilty of his fair share of scenery chewing, so he gets a a few black marks from me. Higher in my book would be the less famous Albert Finney (also someone who can be a scenery chewer if not reined in): Tom Jones, Two For The Road, Shoot The Moon, The Duellists, Under The Volcano, The Dresser, Miller's Crossing, Erin Brokovich, Traffic. I love the fabulous John Hurt but he's a character actor, not a star. Ditto Ian Holmes, whose been terrific in many movies but whose greatness in The Sweet Hereafter is one for the ages.
Among current actors I adore, Chris Cooper is right near the top - Matewan, Lonesome Dove, Adaptation, Lone Star, October Sky, American Beauty, Sea Biscuit...next to appear as Antonio (!) in Julie Taymor's film of The Tempest. A great American actor. But is he a movie star?
I also confess a soft spot for Robert Downey Jr, whose great roles can be counted on fewer than the fingers of one hand, but who is phenomenally talented.
I also have a jones for Jeff Bridges, who seems sadly underrated to me these days. A risk taker as an actor, and just as appealing to me as he ever was - Heaven's Gate, The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Fisher King, Fearless, The Big Lebowski - somebody give him a great role...PLEASE.
Daniel Craig is one to watch. It will be interesting to see how he spends his Bond capital.
Follow Ups:
BBT (Billy Bob).
Enough already.
...but it's a useful jumping off point to discuss some favorite actors and their roles.
Better move on to great neglected performances above. That post is looking lonely.
in a whole bunch of great roles and films."Heist" should be added to the Hackman list. "Young Frankenstein" too!
Duvall in "Tomorrow".
William Hurt and John Malkovich belong in there somewhere amongst the 'mericans and Bob Hoskins and Ben Kingsley among the Brits.
"...You're all welcome to stay for the next set...we're going to play all the same tunes, but in different keys..." -Count Basie
Edits: 12/15/08
Nicely done.
I have many differences but yours are well put and well-defined.
Bravo.
The one I most disagree with is Duvall. But I just fine him unconvincing, always. I just see the schtick. Maybe it's me, maybe it's not. He just seems to always be winking at the audience for some approval. I sense a weakness there, even in his most macho roles. He never scared me, especially as Santini.
Bridges also was fine in "Jagged Edge," "White Squall," and "Wild Bill." The last two weren't the greatest of films but his performances were transcendent.
How about Morgan Freeman?
Denzel?
Or...... Tom Hanks?
..white, English speaking males. I'm not familiar enough with stars of other nations to evaluate their star power, except perhaps for Gerard Depardieu, to say one Euro great who would be both a contender for "best" and is assuredly a "star".
Javier Bardem would be at the forefront of any internationl group of accomplished, charismatic internationl stars - he's got stature,a good internatinal CV and acting chops - I think it's fair to say that Anton Chigurh is surely one of the most chilly, memorable characters in movies.
Mea culpa for neglecting our great actors of color, however.
So - Denzel Washington, agree, absolutely a movie star, talented and very VERY sexy. Agreed. Much more versatile than his recent movie roles. I wish he'd do something really great, unusual and scary. (Training Day ain't it, good as Denzel was in it.) But I can't begrudge the guy making a little money. Maybe the remake of Pelham 1-2-3 will be better than I think it's gonna be. So we'll all remember Glory, Devil In Blueand the great roles he had in Spike movies - Mo Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, Inside man -
Morgan Freeman is a very powerful actor, and we all wish we knew someone in real life like the characters he plays. One also wishes he had something more to do in movies than be the wise and kindly uncle, grandfather, sidekick, best friend etc. For heaven's sake someone give the man a lead and let him stretch. And may I never see Bucket List again as long as I live. (Back in the day, Freeman was a pretty good classical actor, let him play some villains at least.) MF was just as good in Unforgiven as Hackman and Eastwood. He's a big part of what made Shawshank Redeption so popular and enduring. Glory, Lean On Me, Million Dollar Baby...yup.
Danny Glover is far more talented than a lot of his recent movies as well. He was stunning in To Sleep With Anger, Places In The Heart...and didn't you love to hate him in The Color Purple? Lonsome Dove, Silverado, a looooong drought and then Royal Tenebaums....Saw (ARGH)...back to form in Sayle's Honeydripper. He's been busy lately, and I missed him in Gondry's Be Kind Rewind.
Chiwetel Ejiofor is someone I feel is a tremendously potent and capable actor. A star on British stage before he hit the movies, I think he could do almost anything. A chameleon, but a strong presence when called for. Love Actually, Dirty Pretty Things, Children Of Men, Inside Man, Talk To Me, Serenity...and he was a hoot in Kinky Boots. I loved the cop buddy bit he and Denzel had going in Inside Man - hope he's back for the sequel.I look forward to watching him in future, although apparently he's off making a disaster flick with John Cusack.
Don Cheadle is another young actor with tremendous talent. I saw him in Devil In A Blue Dress way back but really noticed him in Boogie Nights. He's been excellent in the Ocean's movies and broke through in a big way in Hotel Rwanda. He has that rare ability to be "believable" in a wide variety of roles, always authentic, no actor-y tics yet.
But I guess my fave nom for best African-American actor would be an underdog and outsider - Forrest Whitaker, because when he's good, he's so powerful he blows me away. Whitaker's certainly not had that many great roles in prestige movies. He's a character actor and not a "movie star", and his true calling may actually end up being behind the camera. But Whitaker is in my great actor hierarchy for three performances in three very different indie films: Bird, The Crying Game and Ghost Dog/Way Of The Samurai. Three monumentally moving performances, and the one in Crying Game is actually quite short (though pivotal). I didn't think his Oscar winning performance in Last King Of Scotland was actually his best, although it sure was scary. I was thrilled to see him recognized. Hope that Oscar gets him another fat, juicy, odd part to sink his teeth into. And yes, I know he has a droopy eye.
Hanks...what a nice guy and appealing actor - how can you NOT like him? No denying he's a star and beloved of audiences. Some of my friends met him when he was in Evansville, IN, making A League of Their Own, and they all adored him.
So...how good is he anyway? I'm probably not the best person to ask. I hated The DaVinci Code, hated Philadelphia, HATED Forrest Gump, HATED Cast Away. Not his fault the movies sucked. Just like Oscar to reward adequate performances in puffed up, mediocre movies.
I think Hanks doesn't get enough credit for his comedy and light romantic roles. There's a reason Sleepless In Seattle was huge, and it wasn't just because of Meg Ryan. I have a fondness for Big, which I suspect, despite Hanks easy charm and boyish looks, was harder to bring off than anyone knows. He's quite good in League Of Their Own, which is fun if not great cinema, and he's good in Appollo 13. I adore Hanks in Road To Perdition, which most folks do not...I like this second effort from Mendes far better than the more celebrated American Beauty and found Hanks quite believable. (That movie had great peformances from Paul Newman and Daniel Craig too._) I think Spielberg, with all the best intentions in the world, ultimately failed Hanks in Saving Private Ryan, in which he gave a fine performance, but which just misses the payoff. Hanks is in good form in The Green Mile, and pretty restrained, where the tone coud've gone out of whack at any number of points in that film. He was unrestrained and unbelievable in The Lady Killers, for which I blame the Coens equally. But he was terrific in Catch Me If You Can and Charlie Wilsons War.
I guess this must mean I like Tom Hanks, but I do rank him below Hackman, Caine, Fiennes, et al for sheer actorly fire power. Hanks is good, he just doesn't have as many colors on hie palette IMO.
And I confess The Money Pit is a guilty pleasure of mine - for the last 25 years I have lived *in* a money pit. Selling the sucker as is, I give up.
really mean among ANY actors; I only mention color because of the topic.
I agree about Morgan: why couldn't he just portray a family guy or some other ordinary Joe? I think as powerful a performance as ever he gave was in "Se7en."
Daniel Auteil may be a strong French contender.
There are several Japanese and Korean actors that I think deserve mention, though I won't bother because I'd have to look up the names (I never have cause to mention them in conversation so their names haven't stuck).
At some point, I'll go through my records of favorite films and see if I've left anyone out.
...Unbreakable, The Caveman's Valentine, Shaft, Jackie Brown, Pulp Fiction, Red Violin, Eves Bayou. Drug addict roles can be a cliche, but Sam L is one of the scariest, saddest things I've ever seen on the screen in Jungle Fever.
I wish it weren't so, but Se7en creeps me out. I won't watch it, despite the performances and technical sheen.
Jeffrey Wright is coming on strong.
"The man is only half himself, the other half is his expression." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
...which I haven't seen yet. But I will, soon.
I remember him from Angels In America on TV and (I think) Casino Royale.
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