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Old 11-19-02, 01:19 PM
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All Time Greatest Performance By An Actor/ Actress

Here's a question that will raise many different oppinions. What is the best perfromance ever given by an actor/actress.

Here's a few for the actors

1. Denzel Washington- Malcolm X (you can almost insert any one of his performances such as The Hurricane & Remember The Titans)
2. Joe Pesci - Goodfellas
3. Tom Hanks - Forrest Gump & Philadelphia
4. Russell Crowe - A Beautiful Mind
5. Jack Nicklaus - As Good As It Gets
Old 11-19-02, 01:39 PM
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1. Peter O'Toole - Lawrence of Arabia
2. Richard Dreyfuss - Close Encounters
3. Sidney Poitier - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
4. Laurence Olivier - King Henry V
5. Catherine Deneuve - Belle du Jour
6. Peter Mullan - My Name is Joe
7. Takeshi Kitano- Sonatine
8. Benicio Del Toro - Traffic
Old 11-19-02, 02:32 PM
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Ben Kingsley - Gandhi

just recently saw it, and thought it was marvelous.
Old 11-19-02, 02:38 PM
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Re: All Time Greatest Performance By An Actor/ Actress

Originally posted by gmal2003

5. Jack Nicklaus - As Good As It Gets
i didnt know jack nicklaus was an actor :wink: i think you mean jack nickolson. you meantioned the golfer
Old 11-19-02, 02:42 PM
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DISCLAIMER: This does not reflect my own personal opinion, it is merely an observation.

Haven't critics said that Maria Falconetti in Le Passion de Jeanne d'Arc delivered the best performance (both male and female)?
Old 11-19-02, 02:55 PM
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No you stand corrected rypro, Jack Nicklaus the golfer had a walk in role in As Good as it Gets as a customer outside of the gas station. They way in which he held that bag of Dorritos was simply astonishing. J/K, I just left the Sports forum and thus put that there, (Yes, I meant Jack NICKOLSON.
Old 11-19-02, 03:20 PM
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My top 10 list of greatest performances by an actor

1.Denzel Washington-Malcolm X
2.Al Pacino-Scent of a Woman
3.Ben Kingsley-Ghandhi
4.Tom Hanks-Forrest Gump
5.Peter O'Toole-Lawrence of Arabia
6.Denzel Washington-The Hurricane
7.F. Murray Abraham-Scarface.Just kidding Amadeus
8.Joe Pesci-Goodfellas
9.Russell Crowe-Gladiator
10.Tom Hulce-Amadeus
Old 11-19-02, 03:27 PM
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Ben Kinglsey in Schindler's List
Jack Lemmon in Glengarry GlenRoss
Sean Penn in Carlito's Way
Sean Connery in The Untouchables
Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction
George C Scott in Patton
Ed Norton in American History X
Willam Dafoe in The Last Temptation of Christ

SPY
Old 11-19-02, 03:29 PM
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Ah yes. The "Best Performance by an actor of all time" thread where we name movies that are no more than 10 years old.

My choices:
Kevin Costner - Dances With Wolves
Kurt Russel - Backdraft
Russell Crow - Gladiator
Warren Beaty- Dick Tracy
Jack Nicholson - Batman (this one's 13 years old. Does it qualify?)

Old 11-19-02, 03:35 PM
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Now for some real choices:

Buster Keaton - Sherlock Jr.
Paul Robeson - Show Boat
Toshiro Mifune - Red Beard
Alan Arkin - Glenngarry Glen Ross (a vital character who's never given any credit)
Humphrey Bogart - The Big Sleep
Liv Ulmann - Persona

and a personal guilty pleasure Robert Stack - Writen on the Wind
Old 11-19-02, 03:41 PM
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Some of my favorite performances by an actor:

Orson Welles - Citizen Kane
Kirk Douglas - Paths of Glory
Max Von Sydow - The Seventh Seal
Malcolm McDowell - A Clockwork Orange
George C. Scott - Dr. Strangelove
Kevin Spacey - American Beauty
Jürgen Prochnow - Das Boot
Old 11-19-02, 03:57 PM
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No need for smart alecky remarks. These are the oppinions of EACH INDIVIDUAL, so regardless to how old or new a movie is, its our choices. (Granted, I'm rather young (17) and have not seen as many movies as some, but as far as the movies that I have see, those were my choices.
(Naming a bunch of old or obscure movies in no way makes you an intelligent observer of cinema)
Old 11-19-02, 04:11 PM
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A lot of good answers given already...here are a few of my favorites.

Paul Muni - I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Burt Lancaster - Sweet Smell of Success
Orson Welles - Citizen Kane
Peter O'Toole - Lawrence of Arabia
Martin Sheen - Apocalypse Now
Peter Sellers - Being There
Jack Lemmon - The Apartment
Gary Cooper - High Noon
Gloria Swanson - Sunset Blvd.
Jack Nicholson - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Marlon Brando - On the Waterfront
Robert Mitchum - Night of the Hunter
Shelley Winters - A Place in the Sun
John Wayne - The Quiet Man
William Powell - The Thin Man
Buster Keaton - The General (or just about anything else)
Old 11-19-02, 04:14 PM
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Originally posted by gmal2003
No need for smart alecky remarks. These are the oppinions of EACH INDIVIDUAL, so regardless to how old or new a movie is, its our choices. (Granted, I'm rather young (17) and have not seen as many movies as some, but as far as the movies that I have see, those were my choices.
(Naming a bunch of old or obscure movies in no way makes you an intelligent observer of cinema)
I agree, these performances are subjective to our taste in movies, yet your last comment comes across as rather a snide brash remark on those of us who have had the chance to see and experience many films from different eras and countries. Take it as a suggestion and not as a insult to the movies that you have not personally seen.
Old 11-19-02, 04:32 PM
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Al Pacino - Serpico
Orson Welles - Citizen Kane
Robert DeNiro - Raging Bull
Klaus Kinski - Nosferatu
Jack Nicholson - The Shining

Perhaps the greatest performance I've ever seen however is Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange.
Old 11-19-02, 04:41 PM
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A few that spring to mind instantly for me are...


F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus

Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream

Naomi Watts in Mulholland Dr.
Old 11-19-02, 04:52 PM
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I thought this was already discussed and decided on these boards...
Willem Dafoe in Spider-Man.

My second pick goes to Elizabeth "I'm not a whore, I'm a dancer!" Berkley in Showgirls.

*puts serious hat back on*
How can anyone compare can contrast the performances of - oh, I dunno- Orson Welles in The Third Man, Julianne Moore in Safe, Audrey Tautou in Amelie, Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet, Charlie Chaplin in City Lights, Bruce Campbell in the Evil Dead, Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven, Gene Kelly in Singing in the Rain, Bill Pullman in Zero Effect and Peter Boyle in Young Frankstein and actually come up with "the best" performance among them? Each performer brought exactly what was needed for their role, no more, no less. So was Dennis Hopper better at being Frank Booth, than Charlie Chaplin was a being the little tramp?
Old 11-19-02, 05:45 PM
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Robert De Niro Raging Bull (everything he's in)
Tom Hanks Cast/Away
Mel Gibson Braveheart, We Were Soldiers
Al Pacino Dog Day Afternoon
Nicolas Cage Leaving Las Vegas
Russell Crowe L.A. Confidential
Ellen Burstyn Requiem For a Dream
Meryl Streep Sophie's Choice (everything she's in)
Jodie Foster Silence of the Lambs
Sharon Stone Casino
Old 11-19-02, 05:53 PM
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I guess women don't act much anymore

Angelina - Gia
Jodie -Silence O the Lambs
Julia - Steel Mags
Franka Potente- Lola rennt (Run Lola Run)
Jen Connelly - Beautiful Mind, Req for a Dream
Sally Field - Gump
Gwyneth Paltrow - alomst anything, namely Shakes in Love
(sue me, I like her )
Old 11-19-02, 05:55 PM
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Originally posted by Pants
Liv Ulmann - Persona
Nuh, uh.

Her vote is for Scenes From A Marriage.

Other choices:

Ian Holm in The Sweet Hereafter
Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces
Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, Streetcar Named Desire, or Last Tango in Paris (take your pick)
Steve McQueen in Bullitt
Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke
Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate
Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver
Kevin Spacey in American Beauty (yes)
Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon
Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove
James Mason in Lolita
Ian McKellan in Gods and Monsters
Gene Hackman in The Royal Tenenbaums
Billy Bob Thornton in Sling Blade

Bjork in Dancer in the Dark
Bette Davis in Of Human Bondage
Glenda Jackson in Sunday, Bloody, Sunday
Ingrid Bergman in Cactus Flower (yes)
Jane Fonda in They Shoot Horses Don't They?
Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice
Diane Keaton in Looking For Mr. Goodbar
Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge!
Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich (yes)
Lily Tomlin in Nashville (just saw and great.)



Best performance of all time, IMO?

Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris
Old 11-19-02, 06:00 PM
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Newer ones:
Ellen Burstyn - Requiem For a Dream
Bjork - Dancer in the Dark
Edward Norton - American History X

Going back a bit:
DeNiro - Raging Bull
Malcolm McDowell - A Clockwork Orange

Going back much farther:
Peter Sellers - Dr. Strangelove
Orson Wells - Citizen Kane

I'm sure I'm leaving out some of my favorites - that's just what came right to mind.
Old 11-19-02, 06:04 PM
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Originally posted by gmal2003
No need for smart alecky remarks. These are the oppinions of EACH INDIVIDUAL, so regardless to how old or new a movie is, its our choices. (Granted, I'm rather young (17) and have not seen as many movies as some, but as far as the movies that I have see, those were my choices.
(Naming a bunch of old or obscure movies in no way makes you an intelligent observer of cinema)
Great to see someone stand up for themselves.

This forum is filled with those kind of people who bash others for liking newer films over older ones. People who probably have never seen any film before 1990.

They believe they will fall in with the "in crowd" on this forum if they shout a few off the wall classics.

On the other hand, there are some that truly do love classic films. And those are the cool people.

You won't be able to pick out the real ones from the fakes, so watch out.

Old 11-19-02, 06:14 PM
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Originally posted by gmal2003
No need for smart alecky remarks. These are the oppinions of EACH INDIVIDUAL, so regardless to how old or new a movie is, its our choices. (Granted, I'm rather young (17) and have not seen as many movies as some, but as far as the movies that I have see, those were my choices.
(Naming a bunch of old or obscure movies in no way makes you an intelligent observer of cinema)


Who are you kidding here buddy? If the movie isn't at least 52 years old, its not worth mention in this thread. Also the actor/actress has to be dead to even count.
Old 11-19-02, 06:31 PM
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Originally posted by Goat3001


Who are you kidding here buddy? If the movie isn't at least 52 years old, its not worth mention in this thread. Also the actor/actress has to be dead to even count.
In that case, my vote goes to the late Wallace Shawn's performance as the cunning Sicilian Vizzini in Reiner's evocative La Princesse Bride.
Old 11-19-02, 06:55 PM
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Originally posted by Goat3001


Who are you kidding here buddy? If the movie isn't at least 52 years old, its not worth mention in this thread. Also the actor/actress has to be dead to even count.
What'd I tell ya.....

Even though he/she is probably joking.....


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