What is the greatest acting performance you have ever seen? What made it so great? I would be curious to hear from everybody what ranks highly on their lists. Several performances come to my mind, so I have decided to make a top 10 list. If you have 10, you can tell me 10. If you have 3, you can tell me 3. If they're not in order because you have a hard time ranking, just tell me performances that you love. Here is my list, from 10 down to 1
10. Cuba Gooding Jr. - Radio
9. Anthony Hopkins - Silence of the Lambs
8. Robert DeNiro - Awakenings
7. Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Capote
6. Sean Penn - I am Sam
5. Emily Watson - Breaking the Waves
4. Leonardo DiCaprio - What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
3. Ben Kingsley - House of Sand and Fog
2. Ellen Burstyn - Requiem for a Dream
1. Bjork - Dancer in the Dark
If you can pick up a theme, I have the potential to be greatly moved by somebody with a handicap (so does the American public). The only other major connection is that there are 2 of my top 5 performances that take place in a Lars Von Trier film. The highest ranked performance belongs to Bjork in her performance in Dancer in the Dark, which is the film we just recently watched at M.O.M. 2 of my top 3 performances came by supporting actors, isn't that a little weird?
So look at yourselves, what would you put on your list? I want to see some comments here, let's get some thought trains going as to what moves us and why.
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3 comments:
Ryan - I don't have an answer to your question at this time (I know I've had months to think it over, but somehow I continue to bump it lower on my priority list) but I had a comment.
I added Dancer in the Dark to my Netflix Queue and was telling a friend about it. He went off about Lars Von Trier & how evil he is, how badly he treats his actors, etc.
Is there any ethical conflict for you in watching films where the actress repeatedly ran off set to cry & regain her composure b/c the intensity was too much?
I'm feeling conflicted about it, and wonder if I should watch it without researching (& soul searching) to see if I think Bjork was actually mistreated and if Von Trier is actually evil, and then if the answer to both in my mind is yes, whether or not to watch or avoid it.
My Calvinist background wonders if I could find a way to redeem it through my Christian worldview....
I personally have never heard anything about Lars Von Trier being evil or mistreating anybody on the set. Do you happen to know if Bjork was upset b/c of abuse from the director or from the intensity of the role itself? The role she plays is extremely emotionally draining to observe, let alone perform.
Also, what do you mean when you say the word "evil" because it's possible we are operating under different definitions. It wouldn't do you much good to hear my opinion if you weren't viewing the word in the same lens. His films tend to be dark, and filled with difficult content. But I have never heard anything about his personal character that would lead me away from his films. If you have, I'd like to know what it is.
I'm just using the words my friend used...but I'll look more into it & get back to you. According to my friend, Von Trier treated actors/actresses badly - a big part of the abuse was in neglect, i.e. not letting them take breaks to nurture their spirits in the midst of such intensity. Evidently there are similar stories about Nicole Kidman in Dogville. I'll check my sources.
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