Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1994: Michael Wincott in The Crow

Michael Wincott did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Top Dollar in The Crow.

I had a few choices to fill the last spot, but decided to use it to the highlight the memorable character actor Michael Wincott. Michael Wincott, with perhaps one of the all time greatest cinematic voices, well at the very least one of the most underrated. A off-beat character actor, who for me, is always a welcome presence to any film that dares to include his raspy gravitas. Wincott, as is often the case for the character actor, is usually regulated to a thankless role. Often times the secondary or bit part villain to be unceremoniously killed off before moving on to the main boss. The Crow is an exception as he gets to be the big boss, which I think makes me lament a bit about the current mainstream quality of a the modern superhero films. Although the Crow is rough around the edges to be sure, I love that it has such a memorable case of diverse character actors to be found, who would never be found in the modern day superhero. I mean we have the man who should've been Black Mask, not that prancing around Ewan McGregor, this with Wincott bringing a steely gaze and all the more cutting voice. Now Top Dollar isn't a great villain as written, has some random pseudo philosophic monologues, and we wait around before Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) finally get to them. Well that is enough for Wincott, who brings the right sort presence in the quietly gleeful killer that he makes Top Dollar. This in making those pseudo philosophic monologues sing, thanks to his one of a kind voice delivering them with the right sort of darkly quiet menace. Wincott brings a nice style to his crime boss, who seems to control all crime in the town, along with his wannabe sorceress girlfriend. Wincott having this ease in his manner, but also the shameless in his blithe delivery of dismissing deaths of lowly henchmen. Wincott creates a casual manner that sort of owns the style the film is going through, while having the right amount of a fun with it as well. This when he threatens a slimy pawn shop owner for information, Wincott carries his menace with a light effective touch, in just showing the darkly vicious quality in glimpses in his eyes, but also finding a bit of comedy in just how relaxed he is about killing. Wincott actually finds a way of making the part work by kind of doing almost a hypocritical performance. This as he's both underplaying his scenes while also still being over the top in a way. This as he never overdoes Top Dollar's devious speeches, but still with his sneer and pompous demeanor doesn't at all hide the villainy of the character. This perhaps best exemplified by his final scene with Draven. This as Wincott's delivery of admitting to putting out the hit that killed Draven and his girlfriend is with a calm, even comical, admittance, almost like he's talking to a friend. His followup emphasizes this all the more as noting the smile on his face for the fight that Draven brought to him, but Wincott still has that captivating presence that wholly keeps the menace intact even with this approach. In many ways this is still a limited role, but an example of Wincott plying his trade. Taking what's there, and bringing his unique presence to make something out of it.