10. Vincent Price - Witchfinder General - Price gives an interesting performance attempting to bring complexity to his morally compromised inquisitor, unfortunately the film decides to use him just as a one note villain.
Best Scene: Being convinced to give a reprieve.
9. Jean-Louis Trintignant in The Great Silence - Trintignant gives a good performance as he brings the steely gaze needed for his swift killer, along with a bit of pathos within his silence alluding to his motivations though he is a tad overshadowed by his more maniacal co-star.
Best Scene: Silence remembers.
8. Malcolm McDowell in If.... in McDowell gives a good performance as he portrays the gradual breakdown of a student into essentially a psychopath even though if it might feel like a warm up to his more renowned turn as a juvenile killer.
Best Scene: Killing spree
7. Burt Lancaster in The Scalphunters - Lancaster gives an enjoyable turn portraying the right comical frustrations within his more typical western hero, along with striking the right endearing chemistry with his co-star.
Best Scene: The final fight.
6. Lee Marvin in Hell in the Pacific - Marvin gives a memorable one man show as a man slowly losing his mind as well as a memorable two man show in realizing a most unique yet believable chemistry with Toshiro Mifune.
Best Scene: The curious showdown.
5. Ossie Davis in The Scalphunters - Davis gives a very entertaining portrayal of his outgoing yet quietly cunning character, and again has great chemistry with his co-star Lancaster.
Best Scene: The final fight.
4. Toshiro Mifune in Hell in the Pacific - Shares his scenes so well with Marvin, as well as stands out well with his own one man show as the refined soldier struggling through his ordeal.
Best Scene: Finding the magazine.
3. Max von Sydow in Shame - von Sydow as per usual creates such a convincing relationship with Liv Ullmann which is especially pivotal here as the two together offer such a natural and harrowing depiction of a married couple dealing with and being changed by war.
Best Scene: Killing a man.
2. Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in the West - Bronson more than fulfills the role of the badass gunslinger, he goes further though creating such an endearing and humorous chemistry with his co-star Jason Robards, then goes even further in offering such an underlying emotional poignancy to the film through his performance.
Best Scene: The final duel.
1. Burt Lancaster in The Swimmer - This one for the overall came down two rather different performances though by both masterful in their separate intentions. Bronson being such a brilliant minimalist performance, and Lancaster being such a brilliant expressive tour de force. Both have their unique challenges and match every one of them. Lancaster's task is different. Bronson is an essential part to an amazing film. Lancaster though is the factor that makes his film work at all offering a reality and heartbreaking humanity to such a surreal concept. Once Upon a Time in the West would have probably still have been great with a lesser lead, but not as great. The Swimmer would probably have been a failure without what Lancaster does. Even with that somewhat flimsy reasoning though this is still sort of a toss up as I love both performances, but I have to choose one.
Best Scene: "This is my wagon"
Updated Overall
Next Year: 1968 Supporting
30 comments:
Knew Lancaster would take the overall.
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the rest of the lead performances you saw, as well as the cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
And your Female top tens with ratings and 4+ honourable mentions.
Curtis
Kinski
Savalas
Howard
Holm or Courtenay
Ian Holm - The Bofors Gun
Klaus Kinski - The Great Silence
Tom Courtenay - A Dandy In Aspic
Trevor Howard - The Charge of the Light Brigade
Tony Curtis - The Boston Strangler
Arkin in need of a BIG rewrite :)
Louis: A little rewrite I think, I think O Toole and Bates were way way better still.
Just visit the overall and realize Fonda just dissapear from the list! What happen there Louis =]]
also:
Donald Sutherland, Joanna
Leo McKern, The Shoes of the Fisherman
Ngoc Toan Nguyen: Louis decided that Fonda is supporting on this watch.
Also, Howard and Savalas are my only recommendations for supporting.
Tahmeed: The Supporting Overall should be interesting, Robards Vs. Fonda.
Luke: It'll certainly be extremely close, but I guess Robards shall remain Louis's win, or we might also get our first tie in supporting between the both of them :).
Louis: Is Nakadai still a 4.5 for Kill!.
Tahmeed: He was 4th before then down to 5th so he should still be a 4.5.
I'll watch The Swimmer tonight, Lancaster winning the overall over Bronson and O'Toole is enough reason to.
Louis: Your updated top 10 male leading performances from the 60s.
Louis: Your thoughts on the Hardhome massacre scene.
Louis: your thoughts on the 'American Made' trailer?
And R.I.P. Peter Sallis.
RIP Peter Sallis. A part of my childhood is gone. :(
Ian Holm - The Bofors Gun
Klaus Kinski - The Great Silence
Tom Courtenay - A Dandy In Aspic
Tony Curtis - The Boston Strangler
Trevor Howard - The Charge of the Light Brigade
I knew it would be close between Lancaster and Bronson. And i feel Robards is keeping supporting.
The Boston Strangler seems to be an interesting film.
Louis: Your rating and thoughts on:
Peter Sellers in The Party
Clint Eastwood in Hang Em High
Rod Steiger in The Sergeant
Frank Sinatra in The Detective
Marlon Brando in The Night of the Following Day
Omar Sharif in Funny Girl
Keir Dullae and William Sylvester in 2001: A Space Odyssey
Luke:
Shaw - 4.5(It is interesting to compare this film to the other Pinter adaptation The Homecoming a few years later, as this is the stronger film due to William Friedkin's more dynamic direction even though this film also is all basically set in within one room. The role itself gives Shaw a chance a different role as even though he often plays emotional character they do have some sort of control, it is often about those characters losing their control. Here though Shaw plays a man without any control over his life it seems and he is just destined to his uncertain fate. Shaw excels here just as does in those more commanding roles though here though in creating the core of his performance almost around the idea of attempting to fantasize that he has any control. Shaw makes his character Stanley rightly a complete mess where there is just some faint hints of a man trying to keep himself together yet in every such attempt there is such severe desperation particularly in his repeated pleas that it is not his birthday. Stanley can't even get that accepted though and Shaw is incredibly effective in revealing that desperation grow into a sort of madness as the man falls apart even more the longer his odd situation continues.)
Perkins - 4.5(This is a very interesting performance to see Perkins take on, even if it did apparently and unfortunately cement his typecasting. In that here he plays another "psycho" though this one is far more self-aware of his predicament. Perkins is very good in the role though in offering the off-beat edge to the character in such earnest fashion that initially does not even seem overly problematic, just a part of who his character is. Furthermore when bad things happen because of his behavior, though not directly, Perkins is quite affecting in revealing the guilt over what has happened because of him and manages to create quite the sympathetic portrayal of the deeply troubled yet not evil man.)
Quinn - 4.5(The film itself I thought was a little strange in that an intelligent edit of the film would make it such a stronger film since it gets so bogged down by subplots and overly extended sequences depicting ceremony. The main drama though is quite effective though and well anchored by Quinn's performance. He manages to capture the right dignity and grace but never becomes bland because of it. He captures well the passion within the stoicism and also manages to find a bit of his past suffering as a constant within his eyes. It's a powerful portrayal that is only muted a bit by the film's use of it, and not even misuse just the film should have narrowed its focus only on his scenes.)
Ustinov - 4(This is just Ustinov having a blast in role. He's incredibly fun to watch and really makes the whole film through his hilarious and purposefully absurd work as his rather affable black beard)
Eastwood - 4(Solid Eastwood as a per usual mostly standard but strong work from him. He though does offer a bit more in his initial scenes by creating the right striking intensity in his character's initial anguish from his lynching.)
Leaud - 4(I must say it is rather strange as the film stands as a sequel to 400 Blows given this is such lighter subject matter and Leaud here gives almost an entirely comedic performance in his continuation of the troubled boy from that earlier film. Leaud though is quite successful in this differing approach that suits the material well at hand, and is consistently enjoyable in portraying his endearing if rather hapless private detective. It's just a fun performance and even works as continuation just as if the boy's life just got a lot easier to digest.)
Stamp - 3.5(The performance is obviously all physical due to dubbing but his character doesn't speak all that much to begin with. Stamp's work though is effective in capturing this sort of allure that works for anyone or really anything. Stamp creates the sense of the man who seems to wish to appeal all, while still having this almost other worldly detachment which makes sense for the mysterious nature of the man.)
Sellers - 3.5(I did not love the film as a comedy by any measure but I did laugh a few times because of Sellers's performance. The man's comic timing and charm was rarely not evident. He goes about selling every scene and even the ones that fell flat fall less so due to his duteous effort.)
Steiger - 3.5(This is an interesting performance but one that seems a bit restricted by the film. The film doesn't quite go far enough in portraying the homosexual Sergeant as it never quite offers the sympathy for the character, nor does it fully reject him. It doesn't quite make a choice. Steiger to his credit goes for broke in giving a three dimensional character, but perhaps tries to hard. His later scenes are too overcooked for the low key style of the film but he does have some strong moments in there particularly the quiet scenes of the lonely man reaching out. There Steiger finds the right underlying sensitivity, as the jerk Sergeant though he goes a bit too far too often. The part should be "big" but Steiger goes too big.)
Sinatra - 3(This is a film that falters because the tail wags the dog as it decides to use its subtext basically as the main text and falls into too much specifying. Bullitt did a much better job with a similair idea. Sintra's performance struggles through the film's problems with this as it forces him to be big all the time, and Sinatra shines when he actually downplays a role. Here though it forces those big moments which he struggles, with there are subtle ones in there which excels with, but not enough. In the end the character feels more like an representation of an idea than a real person.)
van Dyke - 2.5(Though I'd need to see again to be sure I'm quite sure he begins with an English accent but forgets it about five minutes in. Anyway though past that it is van Dyke doing his usual thing. He's fine as usual but a little of it goes a long way.)
Jones - 2.5(Jones on his own is a bit corny but also mildly charming. He's wholly overshadowed by Ustinov though.)
Brando - 2.5(These later Brando performance often feel very similair as there are moments where you can see the classic Brando there but only a for a few seconds. Too often he often just gives these vague performances where he never really defines the character, that's the case here.)
Sharif - 2.5(Sharif's mildly charming at times but it's not really his best side in such a slight role that is basically meant to be overshadowed. He's okay but he seems a better fit for roles with more substance to them.)
Ogilvy - 2(Very bland lead.)
Hill - 2.5(Mildly amusing at times but feels a bit wasted in that he's mostly there just to be there.)
Howes - 2.5(Discount Julie Andrews perhaps is a bit unfair. She's just okay though. Mildly charming but nothing more than that.)
Helpmann - 3(He is quite creepy, a one note way, but nonetheless effectively so.)
Lead:
1. Katherine Hepburn - Lion in Winter
2. Liv Ullmann - Shame
3. Joanne Woodward - Rachel Rachel
4. Lynn Carlin - Faces
5. Sondra Locke - The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
6. Liv Ullmann - Hour of the Wolf
7. Patricia Neal - The Subject Was Roses
8. Claudia Cardinale - Once Upon a time in the West
9. Tuesday Weld - Pretty Poison - 4.5
10. Olivia Hussey - Romeo and Juliet
And:
Barbara Streisand - Funny Girl - 4
Jeanne Moreau - The Bride Wore Black
Gena Rowlands - Faces
Supporting:
1. Shelley Winters - The Scalphunters
2. Ruth Gordon - Rosemary's Baby
3. Rita Moreno - The Night of the Following Day - 4.5
4. Dandy Nichols - The Birthday Party - 4
5. Ingrid Thulin - Hour of the Wolf
6. Shani Wallis - Oliver!
7. Pamela Franklin - The Night of the Following Day - 4
8. Pat Heywood - Romeo and Juliet
9. Kim Hunter - Planet of the Apes
10. Elizabeth Hartman - The Fixer
The execution of that scene is downright brilliant in every regard as it somehow sets up even our one off characters to be surprisingly compelling even for a few minutes, but I also love the sheer surprise of it as it just happens. It then proceeds to actually bring some real horror to zombies in offering such terror of the mass horde. In that it is a compelling pseudo battle as in every moment there is a certain desperation as though they are only not losing less at every point. It's incredible the scale though they achieve in this, yet also offer such notable single sequence in Snow vs Ice. Its climax though is the highlight as it is so eerie in just how low key the quiet end is.
Calvin:
Hated the cinematography. Otherwise though I liked though I'll be curious if they can balance the tone in sort of a Goodfellas, Wolf of Wall Street way, as that seems to be the tone they are going for. From the trailer it looks like they could. Cruise looks like he could be great, and Domhnall Gleeson also looks promising.
Anonymous:
Dullae - 3(All the performances in the film, sans Douglas Rain, are all kept at a distance and are rather bland. A curious choice that I don't think makes 2001 a stronger film. Dullae's the best of the bland though just largely by offering some visceral intensity in his work through the disabling Hal sequence and the final sequence.)
Sylvester - 2(As with all of the co-stars a bland often lifeless performance. He's not quite robotic but there is nothing engaging about what he does making his whole sequence feel all the more pointless.)
Louis: Ratings/Thoughts on Woodward, Locke, Cardinale, Weld, Hussey, Streisand, Moreau, Moreno, Nichols, Wallis, Franklin, Heywood and Hunter.
Will you be re-watching Rosemary's Baby during Supporting.
Louis: And your top 10 male lead of 60's.
Louis: Who do you think would have been better choices for the role of Sinatra in The Detective?
Luke:
Woodward - (Woodward's performance is an outstanding piece of work as she offers first the setup of the nervous school teacher. She then provides such a powerful insight though into the woman in portraying such a palatable distress that so effectively reflects her past and current difficulties. Her work has the right modesty but also intensity in creating the idea behind her horrible state but never making it melodramatic. She sets the right unease that is a constant but shows also the way she does find ways to rationalize in order to get by day by day. As the film progresses Woodward makes Rachel's progression such a natural one in that she never makes it easy or overly overt. The slow breaks out are awkward but moving, and all the more heartbreaking when she suffers a set back. She absolutely earns the transition as it is a gradual one and in the end Woodward makes it a major one in spirit but properly quiet in terms of expression as that is still natural to her Rachel.)
Cardinale - (Although perhaps somewhat overshadowed by the large personalities around her she stands well in her own right within the film. Cardinale has such wonderfully expressive eyes which offer a real haunting quality within her portrayal of Jill's emotional distress and confusion as she deals with the strange situation around her. She makes herself never just a plot point by providing an inner strength in her work even when she is often being pushed around. She manages to even channel this even in her most desperate moments and is particularly good in the way she shows Jill owns herself.)
Weld - (Where Perkins was the humane "psycho" Weld is just the psycho psycho. Weld is quite chilling in the role as she maintains such a schoolgirl optimism and spirit even as she goes about murdering. When she murders Weld always brings this real spunk to it that would be endearing if it were not so horrifying. In addition to that she's quite good in portraying this clever manipulation in her character in her cheeriness provides the right facade that allows her direct to more violent ends in such a unassuming fashion.)
Hussey - (Juliet is limited in many ways yet she excels with every moment she is given. Her chemistry with Whiting works as that intense, though perhaps somewhat surface, lust though with a sweetness within that. Hussey though does well though in offering the fall of Juliet by properly making it something so direct and so extremely emotional. There is not an overabundance of logic, Hussey correctly portrays Juliet as being overly defined by her emotion.)
Streisand - (Although Streisand is not a favorite performer of mind I'll give credit where it's due. On the musical end of things she throws herself right into it and certainly delivers that larger than life performance to lead such a overproduced film. In addition though her performance does also work in terms of a representation of Fanny Brice. She does a terrific realization of her mannerisms in a way that always feels natural and she channels it well into her overarching musical "tour de force".)
Moreau - (The film I felt was most curious with Truffaut doing a pseudo-Hitchcock, but here we follow the killer and there's no wrong man. It's a strange film as we essential watch a serial killer killing. Moreau's performance though is effective though in portraying this emotional vapidness that she makes as this end result of an emotional devastation. She's effective in realizing the unsparing killer though by portraying just the bits of humanity that don't causes any reprieves rather just encourage the executions.)
Moreno - (The film itself is not very good but Moreno's performance works in its own little shell. She gives a properly devastating portrayal of her character's erratic behavior due to her drug addiction. She offers the needed intensity in her portrayal of her breakdown throughout the film and quite frankly the film would have been much better if it had merely been about her character's struggle. Moreno realizes that terrible state so well, even if it seems too good for the film at times.)
Nichols - (A good example of sort of the overly nosy landlady. In that she makes something particularly off-putting in her sunny disposition without becoming a parody. She makes you just at unease in the right way but Nichols effectively never plays it as intentional. She shows her as genuine nosy landlady who gets under the skin purely by accident.)
Wallis - (She absolutely delivers the fun and entertainment into every one of her musical scenes. She enlivens every scene she in the right cheerful prostitute sort of way. She manages to bridge this well though in creating an honesty in her terrible dependent relationship with Reed's Sykes, portraying the right need for any acceptance for him in a moving fashion.)
Franklin - (Basically used as a prop but Franklin manages to make quite the moving presence out of such a thankless role.)
Heywood - (Exactly as you'd expect the nurse should be. She's rightly comedic though with the right undercurrent of warmth within her sort of humorous asides.)
Hunter - (Kudos to being able to act through the makeup to begin with as she offers the right, well, humanity in her eyes as one of the few non-cold apes. In addition though she does provide the right curiosity and concern in her interactions with Heston.)
I feel that I've covered Locke before. I already re-watched it.
Charles:
1. Peter O'Toole - Lawrence of Arabia
2. Laurence Olivier - The Entertainer
3. Eli Wallach - The Good The Bad and the Ugly
4. Tatsuya Nakadai - The Sword of Doom
5. Robert Blake - In Cold Blood
6. James Mason - Lolita
7. Burt Lancaster - The Swimmer
8. Toshiro Mifune - Yojimbo
9. Charles Bronson - Once Upon A Time in the West
10. Richard Attenborough - Guns At Batasi
Anonymous:
The problem really isn't Sintra, it's all the speechifying he's given, but technically Kirk Douglas managed to give a better performance in the Detective Story which in regards to his character had a similair problem.
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