Al Pacino voted Greatest Film Star of All Time. (1 Viewer)

[JohnRice]

And Steve, since you brought Reese Witherspoon into it. We would be lucky if all big name "celebrity" film actors were as truly talented as she.



Say anything bad about her again and I may have to hurt you.

 

[Jim Peavy]

Give me a BIG break.

 

[Steve Christou]

Eeeek! those top 5 actors touched a raw nerve, Pacino, De Niro, Hanks, Spacey, Ford, 'orrible choices eh? Where's big John Wayne when you need 'im?

John, yep theatre is the thing, must visit the theatre again, it's been 20 years after all, must have moved on beyond fake rats pulled by wires and old Drac dropping thru a trap door and disappearing.

Say anything bad about her again and I may have to hurt you

I liked Reese in Legally Blonde, watched it on Sky recently with she-who-is-also-blonde-and-must-be-obeyed-or-else by my side, it was a watch it once and bin it sort of film.

 

[Martice]

And not even a honerable mention for Denzel Washington? It amazes me how he continues to be missed by hollywoods radar when acting acknowedgements are handed out.



Link to Denzel's Filmography if you must be reminded

Is he the greatest of all time? No way. However, he should have been mentioned in this thread a few times already.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Denzel Washington? It amazes me how he continues to be missed by hollywoods radar when acting acknowedgements are handed out.

Last year's Oscar doesn't count?

M.

 

[Dennis]

Martice, I hope you're not surprised. Since when does being an excellent actor warrant such recognition?

You forgot to mention an actor, who in my opinion is an even better actor than Denzel, Morgan Freeman, I don't see him getting the same recognition. Samuel L. Jackson was on the list, but then again he was in a couple of Star Wars films, plus he's in like 20 movies a year, I guess he's the "black actor du jour".

Besides, the thread was "greatest film star", therefore Will Smith would probably rate ahead and up until a few years ago, so would Eddie Murphy.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Many of the stars mentioned in this thread were in the list - it was a top 100, not 20.

It's just a poll of public opinion and is no more valid than the opinion of the board of old farts who vote for the Oscars each year.

 

[Michael Reuben]

the board of old farts who vote for the Oscars each year

Like the old farts who gave an Oscar to Eminem?

M.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Rob,
Which old farts are you talking about in regard to Oscars? The ones that vote in fan polls or the actual Academy voters? If it's the latter then I disagree with you as to the validity of their votes, at least as it pertains to the film industry and historical significance.




Crawdaddy

 

[Steve Christou]

Oh yes Denzel Washington is a superb actor, watched Training Day again recently, the film was ok, but you can't keep your eyes off Washington, a powerful performance in a less than great film.

But back to Pacino for a moment, he and De Niro are probably the greatest actors of their generation, and both deserve to be at the top of the list IMO. But I am a little surprised Pacino was chosen over De Niro, while I personally like Pacino more than De Niro, I'd have thought my fellow Brits would have picked De Niro as greatest ever.
He was the Taxi Driver after all, and Jake La Motta, Vito Corleone etc. So I'm surprised and happy with the results.

I find it fascinating that Pacino played 4 distinctly different gangsters, all brilliantly acted and sympathetic...

Michael Corleone - The Godfather Trilogy
Tony Montana - Scarface
Carlito Brigante - Carlito's Way
Lefty Ruggiero - Donnie Brasco

He does have a tendency to shout in some films, but his versatility matches De Niro's my opinion.
De Niro isn't nearly as sympathetic on screen and comes across as unhinged in most of his films, even when he's playing normal characters.

And that was my little tribute to Aaaaal Pacino.... Attica! Attica! Attica!

 

[Martice]

Last year's Oscar doesn't count?

I think you really meant to say

'Last years Oscar doesn't count because it seemed like a make up Oscar even though he was excellent in Training Day. Now if hollywood was on the job they would have given him the nod in Malcom X or The Hurricane in addition to the one he won last year.'

That is what you meant to say isn't it?

 

[Michael Reuben]

That is what you meant to say isn't it?

No, what I meant to say was that it sounds pretty ridiculous to claim (as you did) that Denzel Washington "continues to be missed by hollywoods radar when acting acknowedgements are handed out" when the man has just won his second Oscar.

M.

 

[Martice]

when the man has just won his second Oscar.

What were those oscar's for and then look at the body of his most impressive work and then you may agree with me and if not, at least understand why I have the opinion that I have.

Then again, if you don't that's OK too.

 

[Michael Reuben]

I understand you just fine. But this discussion is off-topic and should end now.

M.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Well to be fair to Steve, it is true that much acing before live audiences is of necessity exaggerated, as there is no camera to bring to the audiences attention some subtleties that we take for granted in film. Tbis, on the stage is simply not possible.

On the other hand, Steve might like to add to his film viewing list, A Streetcar Named Desire, which has one of the most over-the-top acting jobs by one of the most honored actors of all time, Marlon Brando. Now I do not expect that he would like this (based on the preferences stated) but it is a good thing to be aware that this performance in particular is recognized as paving the way for ‘naturalistic’ (as I understand Steve to mean it) and also of breaking the mold for film acting which came before.

I’m sure that none of us needed Steve’s statement as to not particularly liking the theatre when we add the comments on ‘quoting Shakespeare’ to ‘prancing around’.

BTW, Steve the classic brooder (on which all others are modeled) is Hamlet.

 

[JohnRice]

Good points, Lew.


Of course, Al Pacino would never be exaggerated or theatrical in his movies.


[c]





[/c]



Quoting Shakespeare is a pretty good thing, in my book.

 

[Steve Christou]

[holds up skull] Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest...

I didn't like 'A Streetcar Named Desire' Lew, [rant]"Stellaaaaa!"[/rant] but I did enjoy Anthony Schaffer's 'Sleuth', turned into a great movie by 'Cleopatra' director Joe Mankiewicz, it's one of my all time favorite films, so there is hope for me after all, eh what? No? ok...

 

[JohnRice]

Freaky, Steve. On Saturday I picked up a used collection, in very good condition of The Complete Oxford Shakespeare (for a whopping $18) and while I was checking it out, I instantly opened the Tragedies book to exactly that quote. You actually got it right instead of the often misguoted version Alas poor Yorick, I knew him well.


Admit it. You looked it up.......

 

[Michael Reuben]

Well to be fair to Steve, it is true that much acing before live audiences is of necessity exaggerated, as there is no camera to bring to the audiences attention some subtleties that we take for granted in film. Tbis, on the stage is simply not possible.

I agree with you about the technical differences, but that doesn't preclude subtlety on stage. It just changes the mechanics of subtlety.

M.

 

[Steve Christou]

John you're going the right way for a smacked bottom, when it comes to Shakespeare no one can touch me and me mate google.