worlds greatest actor (ch4, sunday 9pm-1am) - your thoughts?

[Balbi]

He hasn't been in that much and there have been quite a lot of his films that haven't done well at the US box office. They probably didn't cost much, but the following did poorly:

Arizona Dream
Nick of Time
Astronaut's Wife
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Ninth Gate
Libertine
Man Who Cried
Cry Baby

I haven't seen any of these, however, a quick review of one film guide suggests that I haven't missed much.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is Depps finest work.

Watch it

 

[electrogirl]

The 1960 version.

aaaah, cheers.

 

[Balbi]

The 1960 version.

Albeit briefly as a masochistic dental patient

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Lawrence Olivier is the best actor out of that lot, imo.

 

[foo]

Good to see Judi Dench, Bette Davis and Bogey quite high on that list...

also good to see Keanu Reeves didnt make it.

i think Johnny Depp's unbelievably gorgeous, beautiful etc. etc. but i don't think he's a great actor. am i the only one?

 

[Kaka Tim]

to be added -

Clint
Jodie Foster
Terrance Stamp
Michael Caine
Denholm Elliot


Suprised to see Depp so high up the list - he is very good but didn't realise how well he is regarded in light of his relative youth.

Also its hard to tell exactly whats being gauged - technical acting ability or charsima and pesence on the screen - i.e Clint will never play the dane but very few have his sheer power on the big screen (think close up on clints features as he spits out a few tough and uncompromising monosylables - does anyone do it better?).

Hopkins and Oliver too high up the list IMHO - Olivier in particualar I find hammy and arrogant in pretty much everything hes done - 'feel the force, sheer authority and archness of my declamation'.

 

[Flashman]

From the old school I liked Michael Redgrave and Ralph Richardson a lot, for character actors Dennis Price, Freddy Jones, James Villiers.

 

[Bonfirelight]

Ben Kingsley? Peter O'Toole? The guy who played Dr Truman in Eastenders?

 

[Termite Man]

Peter sellers should have been number 1

 

[Termite Man]

and where was Corey Feldman

 

[Flashman]

and where was Corey Feldman

Rehab?

 

[on_the_fly]

wow

No Morgan Freeman ! <shocked big time>

 

[dlx1]

GOOD GOD NO
should never be in the list:

 

[Cid]

Good to see Judi Dench, Bette Davis and Bogey quite high on that list...

also good to see Keanu Reeves didnt make it.

i think Johnny Depp's unbelievably gorgeous, beautiful etc. etc. but i don't think he's a great actor. am i the only one?

Depp is a technically brilliant actor, absolutely superb at adapting himself to a role. I mean he's been in some poor films, but most of the greats have too when they felt a need to bump their bank balance a little... He only really began to be respected as an actor after Edward Scissorhands in 1990, the first of his more 'edgy' films. His other films around this period are not exactly great, I suppose in many ways he's still 'finding' himself as an actor - remember he started off as a sort of teen heartthrob soap actor, moving away from the easy money and stardom took some time. Around '93 we get 'Ed Wood' and 'What's eating Gilbert Grape', which start to show a bit more of his range... He goes for edgy again with 'Dead Man', it's these roles that really start to bring out his his adaptability.

Then he does 'Donnie Brasco' and 'Fear and Loathing' and you suddenly find yourself think what the fuck? . Most actors seem to go through phases of playing a certain character type. Depp just doesn't, he is able to completely immerse himself in a role and then leave it for a totally different one. It's a bit strange, because every few years he appears in somthing pretty bad, although his acting is generally good it's certainly not great. It's the interesting roles with good directors that really showcase his ability - he's one of those actors that will become a character, rather than being a persona with a character written on it (something that's been letting down Pacino, De Neiro, Nicholson etc recently). Great actor imo, maybe not my number 2... Certainly number 1 of his generation, but possibly slightly edged by a few others from the past. Brando being one - good choice for top spot.

 

[onenameshelley]

Brian Blessed is delightfully mad, isn't he?

I wanted Brian Blessed to be my dad when i was little, just so he could read stories to me

 

[on_the_fly]

Have you noticed you never see Brian Blessed and Dave Lee Travis together...


hmmm same person ?

 

[trashpony]

Now you're just making me look silly like you did with trashy!

I'm going to be her best friend forever now

( )

*saves post *

 

[Nine Bob Note]

Brian Blessed scares me - all the more for watching that

 

[onenameshelley]

Brian Blessed scares me - all the more for watching that

nah he is great then again i wanted noddy holder to be my grandad when i was little too. Brian blessed used to do the storytellers i listened too as a kid and i would just get swept away by that great big booming voice to lands far away sinbad and all sorts of stories. The man is the shit

 

[London_Calling]

FOG CUTS OFF CONTINENT!


Who knew about 48 of the 50 greatest actors of all time were white, Anglo-Saxon, and prob 47 of 'em British or American?

 

[spanglechick]

FOG CUTS OFF CONTINENT!


Who knew about 48 of the 50 greatest actors of all time were white, Anglo-Saxon, and prob 47 of 'em British or American?

or that only eleven were female.

 

[ZWord]

Johnny Depp and Marlon Brando were in a film together called Don Juan de Marco, I think.. Any of you seen it.?

 

[spanglechick]

Johnny Depp and Marlon Brando were in a film together called Don Juan de Marco, I think.. Any of you seen it.?

yup - forgettable.

 

[ZWord]

I just found it quite funny to find these two as number 1 and 2 as I've watched that film 3 times already this year. I thought it was brilliant as it happens.

 

[Groucho]

Johnny Depp and Marlon Brando were in a film together called Don Juan de Marco, I think.. Any of you seen it.?

Oh yes I'd forgotten about that one.

yup - forgettable.

Nothing to add...

 

[Winston Legthigh]

Just noticed Depps pencilled in for The Rum Diaries - another H.S Thompson piece

Just to warn you: Do not get excited about this
Sorry to be a bringer of bad news, but I've been excited about this for years in which time cast lists have gone up and down (at one point including Del Toro to co-star/direct) and its likelihood of getting made seems to be reducing.

I dearly hope it happens, but the fact that HST was pressing for it years before his death and it still never happened hardly looks good. There's a fax somewhere on the net that I saw, dated 2001, where HST is telling the studio that Depp, Del Toro, Brad Pitt and Nick Nolte all want to be in it, if only then can get the backing.....

 

[Nine Bob Note]

After thinking about it a while, my notable absentees would be...

Morgan Freeman
Sir Iain McKellan
Bill Murray
Jodie Foster

And where, may I ask, is Grace Jones??!!

 

[Termite Man]

And where, may I ask, is Grace Jones??!!

Rehab with corey Feldman ?