Saturday 24 March 2012

The Ten Best Actors of All Time: Relay Race


The baton has been passed.  Thanks to Scott from Front Room Cinema, it is my turn to add and replace an actor on the list that has been doing the rounds since it was started by Nostra at My Filmviews.  Check here for The Focused Filmographer's update who then passed it to Scott and now here we are!  What silly decision am I going to make?  Read on to find out!  Here's the deal:

"So what’s the idea behind the relay? I’ve created a list of what I think are the best actors. At the end of the post I, just like in a real relay race, hand over the baton to another blogger who will write his own post. This blogger will have to remove one actor (that is an obligation) and add his own choice and describe why he/she did this. At the end the blogger chooses another blogger to do the same. The idea is to make this a long race, so that enough bloggers get a chance to remove and add an actor. We will end up with a list (not ranked in order) which represents a common agreement of the best actors"

So here's the list and who I've added and replaced is at the bottom!  Long may this series continue!

Here we go…

Robert De Niro

robert Thursday List   The Ten: Best Actors of All Time   Relay Race
Although he may not have had any roles that stood out in the last couple of years, he has proven what an amazing actor he is. Just think of his roles in Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Godfather: Part II, Goodfellas, The Untouchables, Heat and Cape Fear.

Daniel Day Lewis

daniel day lewis 6 Thursday List   The Ten: Best Actors of All Time   Relay Race
Although he might not have appeared in as many movies as some of the other actors in this list he makes up for it in the amazing performances he gives. He really disappears in his roles. Some of his best work includes My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood, Gangs of New York, In the Name of the Father and Last of the Mohicans.

Charlie Chaplin

charlie chaplin1 Thursday List   The Ten: Best Actors of All Time   Relay Race
Now this might not be someone you’d immediately think of, but when it comes to comedy and silent movies he was perfect, funny and knew exactly how to make his audience care about the character he played. Some of his best work can be enjoyed in The Kid, City Lights, The Great Dictator and Modern Times.

Gary Oldman

garyoldman e1331475012125 Thursday List   The Ten: Best Actors of All Time   Relay Race
He has proven that he is a true chameleon, with a very distinct look in every movie he appears in. His acting is always a joy to watch. Some of his best known work is that in the Harry Potter series, Leon, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, the latest Batman movies and Dracula.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

psm Thursday List   The Ten: Best Actors of All Time   Relay Race
He started acting in 1991 and really has had a very versatile career appearing in movies that are loved in art houses, but in mainstream movies as well. His movies include The Ides of March, Synecdoche, New York, Charlie Wilson’s War, Capote and Magnolia.

Marlon Brando

marlon brando Thursday List   The Ten: Best Actors of All Time   Relay Race
Now I must admit that I haven’t seen many of his movies, but he was stunning in his most famous role in The Godfather, but also roles in Apocalypse Now, On The Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire he wowed audiences.

Robert Duvall

robert duvall Thursday List   The Ten: Best Actors of All Time   Relay Race
Robert Duvall has had an amazing career as well. I don’t know much about his early work, but I always enjoy to see him on the screen. His characters always are injected with something that grounds them into reality. He appeared in movies like Get Low, The Godfather, Colors, Apocalypse Now and THX1138.

Christian Bale

christian bale Thursday List   The Ten: Best Actors of All Time   Relay Race
With quite the diverse range in roles, Oscar-winner Christian Bale goes to great lengths for many of his roles. From losing weight to almost unhealthy standards twice (The Machinist, The Fighter) to taking dance and martial arts lessons for 10 weeks for Newsies (a film which he dislikes), Bale consistently goes to incredible lengths to bring a role to life. Other examples of his great work include: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Prestige, Empire of the Sun, Equilibrium, and 3:10 to Yuma.

Paul Giamatti

slice paul giamatti 01 Thursday List   The Ten: Best Actors of All Time   Relay Race
This is a guy who can do anything. He is the everyman of actors. From insane villains to hen-pecked husbands on the brink of depression. He has great comedic timing as well as some fantastic dramatic chops. From Win Win to Barney’s Version to Ides of March (which he owned) to Sideways. I could watch this guy paint walls and still be enthralled.

My Choice

Edward Norton


The star of one of the greatest films of all time; David Fincher's Fight Club.  He has made a career out of playing characters with two sides to their personalities.  From an 'innocent' abused choirboy with a dark side in Primal Fear right up to his turn as The Incredible Hulk, Norton does Dr Jekyll and Mr Nutcase Hyde better than anybody!  American History X and Fight Club are the standout performances of his career and though he might not have a huge filmography, his casting with Brando and De Niro in The Score was a significant baton-passing to the best actor of a new generation.

Who I Replaced

Samuel L Jackson

samuel l jackson e1331474564981 Thursday List   The Ten: Best Actors of All Time   Relay Race
He may well be one of the hardest working actors around, with 139 roles to his name, but I really don't think he stretches himself too much. Yes I loved him in Pulp Fiction but other than that I can't think of a role where I'd say 'damn that Samuel L. Mother Humping Jackson is a fine actor!'

I'm terribly sorry to get rid of the only black guy on the list and then replace him with a guy who played a neo-nazi.  I promise there is no hidden agenda here!  I just hope somebody puts a Poitier or Freeman or Washington on this list soon so I can relieve some sense of guilt! 

 So, to who do I bestow the baton?  I think I'm going to go with Ruth from FlixChatter.  Let's see which actor she will replace and who will be added in the next lap of this relay!  Good luck Ruth!

24 comments:

  1. Nice selection Pete, I like how selective Norton is with the roles he takes on. A few other actors on this list should take some notes. Say did you see Samuel L in Jackie Brown? I thouht he was pretty solid in that.

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    1. Yes I hope to never see Norton in the kind of crap that some of these guys have stooped to. And yeah SLJ was good in Jackie Brown but again, not even close to my favourite performances!

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  2. What a cool idea, Pete! I'm actually with you on your change - I think Edward Norton is excellent. I thought he was fantastic in Fight Club, and I enjoyed him in The Incredible Hulk and The Italian Job too. Looking forward to seeing how far the race goes!

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    1. Thanks Kristin! Hope it gets round to you soon!

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  3. Oooh, removing Samuel L. Jackson...controversial one Pete! He might not be an actor who is as big a star as the other one, but the fact that he is so versatile is the reason for me to have included it initially. I would never remove him personally. But there's nothing I can say anymore (just that I hope anyone will put him back in ;))

    I can't fault you for adding Mr. Norton though as I did consider him for inclusion initially when I was writing the list.

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    1. haha it's always going to be controversial, you made a mighty fine list to begin with! Glad you approve of Norton though.

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    2. Thanks, it's hard though picking out only 10. I could have easily picked out 10 others, which of course makes it so interesting to see what others do with it. Expect a "Actress relay race" to start pretty soon as well.

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  4. Nice list of actors Pete although it seems the best actors are almost exclusively concentrated in the past two or three decades ;)

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    1. That's true! I have to come right out and admit I much prefer modern cinema and modern actors. Hopefully this list will get round to someone who has a different point of view!

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  5. THat's a nice choice and a great list! I don't think Christian Bale is "there" yet, though, I'd include someone like Sam Rockwell.

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    1. Awesome choice! I hope the baton comes your way soon!

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  6. HAHA Brilliant.

    I like your choice. I am hoping it is going to be Norton's year this year. He needs a good film or two to bring him back into the fold!!

    Now I wonder who Ruth will replace and who she will add???? Hmmm The Add isn't that harder a guess ahahaha

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    1. Defintely Scott, it's been too long since he's blown my mind but I'll never forget some of his performances in the past!

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    2. Ahah you guys are too funny!! Actually I didn't think of my beloved GP right away but since you mentioned it... he..he..

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  7. Norton! A great choice! Nice pick.

    I had a feeling Samuel L. would be leaving soon. But that's okay. And as far as him being the only black guy on the list, don't worry, I'm sure Morgan Freeman and a few others may make it onto the list eventually!

    and Team Batman continues on!

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    1. Yeah I hope Freeman might snag a place soon! I take it Team Batman is Bale and Oldman?

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  8. I didn't think Jackson would be sticking around for long. I really respect him as an actor - he's just so damn versatile!

    While I think Norton's good actor and his performance in American History X is among my favourite all time roles and I love that he's uber selective with his roles, I just don't think he's quite there. I've never been looking forward to a film for Edward Norton.

    Looking forward to seeing where Ruth takes the relay race :)

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    1. Good point! I don't think I've ever looked forward to a film just cause it's Norton but I always suspect it's a sign of quality if he has taken the role.

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  9. Paul Giamatti is a good actor but he's only good at playing one kind of character, at least that's my opinion. The rest of the list is spot on though.

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    1. Giamatti has played a good range of characters I think. I see him a lot as uptight, often villains, but there's much more to him than that.

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  10. Oooh, GREAT choice. I like Sam Jackson but Ed Norton is definitely the better actor of the two, hands down.

    Yikes, you passed the baton to me... THANK YOU but oh dear, dear, dear... how am I supposed to take out any of those 10 left up there??! All of them are GREAT actors... taking one of 'em out is bound to be very controversial :D

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    1. It HAS to be controversial, that's the fun of it! Look forward to seeing what you do with it!

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  11. Hi. New reader! As I would definitely replace Sam L. I don't know if I would include Norton on the best actors of all time. Maybe five years ago I would have said he was on his way; he started off very strong early in his career but lately I think his performances have been lackluster and forgettable. I would include Leo Dicaprio before Norton; he is someone I think has gotten better with time.

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    1. I actually completely agree with you Shala. Norton has lost it a bit and Leo was my other choice for this list. I just know someone else will add Leo though so I thought I'd sneak Norton on because he blew me away at the start of his career. Thanks for commenting!

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