tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post773518838659671782..comments2024-03-13T06:28:44.715-04:00Comments on And So It Begins...: My Top 10 Male Performances of All TimeAlex Withrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-30379423397235873482015-03-31T13:28:48.975-04:002015-03-31T13:28:48.975-04:00How the hell did this guy never win an Emmy? One o...How the hell did this guy never win an Emmy? One of the finest performances I've ever seen. "NOW. Fucking Go. Faster."Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-30685950774343458212015-03-29T20:34:03.232-04:002015-03-29T20:34:03.232-04:00I know Deadwood is a TV series, but Ian McShane...I know Deadwood is a TV series, but Ian McShane's Al Swearengen is more impressive than all of these performances combined. And he did it for 36 episodes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-27221075810161659392013-11-26T14:14:33.322-05:002013-11-26T14:14:33.322-05:00Thanks man. I love Shaw in Jaws, but yeah... some ...Thanks man. I love Shaw in Jaws, but yeah... some many great performances, such little space.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-69666429661287178712013-11-25T00:08:35.843-05:002013-11-25T00:08:35.843-05:00Nice list. I still got to see a lot of these (so m...Nice list. I still got to see a lot of these (so many films, so little time) although I am surprised by the lack of Robert Shaw in Jaws.Nick9000https://www.blogger.com/profile/04850668284839130387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-73307340419074784882013-09-07T22:33:37.782-04:002013-09-07T22:33:37.782-04:00Walken in The Deer Hunter is the reason why that m...Walken in The Deer Hunter is the reason why that movie is the most disturbing film I've ever seen. The first time I watched that, I didn't like the movie at all. (I was <i>very</i> young.) But it never left my mind. I revisited it about a year later and wow. Just... wow.<br /><br />Of your two Bogie performances, I like the Madre one more, if ever so slightly. As for Clift in Sun... that one nails me almost as much as Walken in The Deer Hunter. I fucking love Monty Clift. In everything.<br /><br />Thanks for reading and commenting on these older posts!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-44211426356143083782013-09-07T20:53:53.348-04:002013-09-07T20:53:53.348-04:00Funnily enough, my favourite performance on this l...Funnily enough, my favourite performance on this list is Christopher Walken's in The Deer Hunter. His character... that ending... the beautiful guitar music during the credits... those three aspects absolutely devastated me. I'd put it up there with the greatest performances of all time. <br /><br />The only one I disagree with is Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun... I think I'll have to give that film another watch. I'd put Humphrey Bogart on here for Casablanca (the most powerful display of love, sensitivity and vulnerability in such an old film), or even Bogart for Treasure of the Sierra Madre (where he played a man that delves into the depths of madness, just as much as Norman Bates in Psycho). <br /><br />I just loved your list though. Very different! :) Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13187577008022989336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-41292954927467620002013-05-29T10:17:16.271-04:002013-05-29T10:17:16.271-04:00It will get me mad?! Oh shit, I need to be all ove...It will get me mad?! Oh shit, I need to be all over this ASAP.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-13234625628776155322013-05-29T08:41:39.463-04:002013-05-29T08:41:39.463-04:00Definitely let me know what you think of it (if yo...Definitely let me know what you think of it (if you don't end up writing a review or whatever, I know you're a really busy guy) man! It's definitely a movie that will get you mad while watching it. maskofgojirahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18305737005899440472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-48182490111682364782013-05-28T11:05:55.919-04:002013-05-28T11:05:55.919-04:00Hey man, please feel free to ramble here anytime. ...Hey man, please feel free to ramble here anytime. I'm just thankful that you comment at all!<br /><br />You know, I still haven't seen The Hunt, because I haven't been able to find it. But I really, really, really, need to track that one down, because I love Mikkelsen's work.<br /><br />Thanks for the reminder though, I'm really gonna to seek it out now.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-18093813445693340242013-05-28T01:49:01.521-04:002013-05-28T01:49:01.521-04:00Once again, I feel that I have not seen enough mov...Once again, I feel that I have not seen enough movies to truly create a top 10 favorite performances from men/women but I recently watched Thomas Vinterberg's Jagten (The Hunt) again and man o man I would definitely have to throw Mads Mikkelsen's portrayal of Lucas into that list. I recommend it to everyone I can (fav. movie of 2012 for me) even though it's an extremely tough film to watch, and even like, but Mikkelsen's performance is just a true powerhouse. The way he acts is just so authentic I felt as though I was watching a documentary (which may be more due to Vinterberg's direction and Charlotte Bruus Christensen's cinematography - and that last shot, damn, goosebumps whenever I even think about it) but it was just one of those performances that has stayed with me ever since I first saw it. He is truly one of the best actors working today (imo) and I think it's great that he won the best actor award at Canne. <br />Sorry for rambling by the way. maskofgojirahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18305737005899440472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-61578332698311236342012-10-18T09:30:47.252-04:002012-10-18T09:30:47.252-04:00Thanks! It's those eyes, man. Those cold, dead...Thanks! It's those eyes, man. Those cold, dead eyes.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-58655901230807822152012-10-18T08:41:27.228-04:002012-10-18T08:41:27.228-04:00Great list! Walken in The Deer Hunter is just so a...Great list! Walken in The Deer Hunter is just so achingly brilliant! Hard to beat!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10622456195892684575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-46165835969775492982012-10-08T10:57:04.552-04:002012-10-08T10:57:04.552-04:00Hell yeah, indeed. Glad you like both of those per...Hell yeah, indeed. Glad you like both of those performances. Walken's face in that film is something that will be seared into my brain always and forever.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-45068989921670292382012-10-06T23:23:20.360-04:002012-10-06T23:23:20.360-04:00Christopher Walken's performance in The Deer H...Christopher Walken's performance in The Deer Hunter is devastating,the Russian Roulette scenes wouldn't look so horrible without his "war face".<br /><br />And the prison scene in Raging Bull,hell yeah.Davidhttp://www.tasteofcinema.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-25463883312995296942012-10-05T17:22:38.166-04:002012-10-05T17:22:38.166-04:00Denzel first: No, I still cannot believe that he l...Denzel first: No, I still cannot believe that he lost that Oscar. That was HIS Oscar. By now, it seems pretty clear that Pacino's win was a consolation prize for decades of good work, nothing more.<br /><br />Thorough breakdown of your thoughts on De Niro and Scorsese's careers. Mean Streets is bloody fucking fantastic, I love everything about that flick. Same with King of Comedy, which contains arguably the most criminally overlooked performance of Bobby D's career. I get where you're coming from with Raging Bull, and that's all good. One thing though, De Niro kind of started the whole weight gain/loss bit for a movie role. He wasn't the first to do it, but that performance definitely popularized it. I'm not a fan of it today (I feel like many actors do it as a way to gain free creditability) but what he did with it blew my damn mind.<br /><br />Thanks for leaving such an insightful comment!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-60798679922112434502012-10-05T16:57:38.386-04:002012-10-05T16:57:38.386-04:00Raging Bull is a curious one for me. DeNiro is my ...Raging Bull is a curious one for me. DeNiro is my favorite actor of all-time, hands down...but I don't think his Jake LeMotta would even be in my top 5 performances from him! Now that may just be because he's been in so many great films, but honestly I feel like he's not even the best performance in Raging Bull(Joe Pesci is a real powerhouse with the right material). And I'm not that impressed with actors gaining/losing a lot of weight. The wall-punching scene is fantastic, though. And I'll admit, my Scorsese taste are at a little at odds from the consensus. I think Mean Streets is the rawest, leanest, greatest film he's ever done, outpacing Taxi Driver(which is fantastic, 'cept for that terrible ending) and Goodfellas(is there a more entertaining film then this one, I haven't seen it). And honestly, I do prefer King of Comedy to Raging Bull; now there's a film that's pretty underrated. Rupert Pupkin is like that scene where the camera moves away from Travis' socially-awkward phone call, but it keeps the camera on him the entire film.<br /><br />Ya know Denzel Washington didn't win Best Actor for Malcolm X, right? Doesn't that fact completely blow your damn mind!? How about the fact that gave it to Al Pacino in another post-Scarface overblown Pacino performance, nowhere NEAR his 70s peak? Isn't that completely insane!?Jeremyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12219137212221355997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-51561676067372284312012-10-01T10:19:48.603-04:002012-10-01T10:19:48.603-04:00Hhaha my pleasure!
You know, I've never been ...Hhaha my pleasure!<br /><br />You know, I've never been the biggest fan of Scarface. I appreciate that it's a good slice of pulp cinema, but I definitely don't think it's a masterpiece or anything. Likewise Pacino's role in it, which I think is fun but nowhere near the work he cooked up for the Godfathers or Dog Day. But either way, I wish Pacino today would do SOMETHING that was remotely close to the great work in did in all of those films!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-90916747533188588912012-10-01T10:17:24.654-04:002012-10-01T10:17:24.654-04:00Thanks Sati! Glad you dig the choices. Pacino in D...Thanks Sati! Glad you dig the choices. Pacino in Dog Day is just perfect. That man hit a crazy good streak in the '70s, but that one always stands out for me. Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-2145565258085490692012-10-01T10:16:38.458-04:002012-10-01T10:16:38.458-04:00Thanks man. DDL as Plainview is a haunting force o...Thanks man. DDL as Plainview is a haunting force of nature. I didn't know that was your fave of all time... which is awesome.<br /><br />I definitely hold Streetcar, Place in the Sun and Luke to the highest esteem!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-55124986142365712632012-10-01T10:15:15.892-04:002012-10-01T10:15:15.892-04:00Hey man, thanks so much for stopping by and leavin...Hey man, thanks so much for stopping by and leaving such kind, insightful comments!<br /><br />I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Fass ends up being hailed as the Brando of his generation. I don't think that is undeserved hyperbolic praised at all. I love that man's power.<br /><br />Cool Hand Luke and A Place in the Sun are awesome flicks. Two movies that bucked the censors and went all in. Can't wait to hear what you think of them!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-72415143152640792902012-09-29T13:07:09.863-04:002012-09-29T13:07:09.863-04:00Loving the lists Alex- I realized I saw more of th...Loving the lists Alex- I realized I saw more of the male performances than the female ones, so now I have to add more films to my list! thanks :P<br />I completely agree and am happy to see Marlon Brando, Daniel Day Lewis and Michael Fassbender on the list, those roles were memorable. Although I am happy to see Al Pacino there, I would have thought you would have chosen Godfather or Scarface or something, but I am sure this movie is great,too. Dianahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18333927581755884053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-5611067171984005622012-09-28T20:11:56.973-04:002012-09-28T20:11:56.973-04:00These are all such great choices - especially Paci...These are all such great choices - especially Pacino for Dog Day Afternoon - this guy has so many flawless performances but this one will always be my favorite. And it's great to see Fassbender in your list, would definetly feature him on mine as well.s.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13987831438787776712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-80992221431185004252012-09-28T19:49:42.619-04:002012-09-28T19:49:42.619-04:00I actually haven't seen three of these perform...I actually haven't seen three of these performances - Brando, Clift and Newman - but I have heard they are fantastic. Great to see DDL and Fassbender included (I think DDL is my fav. performance of all time) and its pretty hard to ignore a Pacino and DeNiro performance in a list like this. Great choices there, too.Andy Bucklehttp://thefilmemporium.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-37548191348179809442012-09-28T17:30:44.365-04:002012-09-28T17:30:44.365-04:00I have to give you credit for including Michael Fa...I have to give you credit for including Michael Fassbender's incredible performance in Shame. I too would have picked him as one of my top 10 best male performances ever. You also do a great job in describing his character by saying: "We’ve all seen addiction on film countless times, but I’ve certainly never seen it played with as much restrained furor as Fassbender does here." I couldn't have said it better myself. <br />This is why I can't wait to see where Fassbender will take us next. He's one to look for, his talent is immense. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being the Brando of his generation. <br /><br />As for the rest of the performances, there's a couple I haven't had the pleasure to see, namely Paul Newman's in Cool Hand Luke and Montgomery Clift's in A Place in the Sun. I will get to both soon I promise. <br /><br />As for the rest of your choices, I can't say I disagree with the praise you distill on all of them. They're all among the best I've seen as well. Having said that, my own list would probably only intersect with yours with Michael Fassbender and Daniel Day Lewis' awesome portrayal of Daniel Plainview. <br /><br />Great post!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-5464512206909370592012-09-28T15:24:37.309-04:002012-09-28T15:24:37.309-04:00Thanks so much for saying that, Ethan!
Travis Bic...Thanks so much for saying that, Ethan!<br /><br />Travis Bickle is my favorite movie character of all time. No question. But when I'm forced to chose, I do think the "better" acted of those two De Niro characters goes to his LaMotta. But really, impossible to say for sure.<br /><br />Fass in Hunger and Ledger in Brokeback were on the shortlist. Both damn near made the cut. I LOVE PSH, and although I'm not the biggest fan of that flick, I can't deny his power in it.<br /><br />Bale in American Psycho is fuckin' gold. "Don't just stare at it. EAT IT!"Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.com