Actor/Actress With an Impressive Body of Work

[katyseagull]

I give you Michael Douglas!

While searching for expressive faces last night, I found myself looking at Michael Douglas’s body of work. I’d forgotten how many cool films he’s made. Personally, I love his choice of roles and think a lot of them are classics. Imagine my surprise to find out that Borodog and a few others think he is quite overrated [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Gah!

Could I be wrong about his talent? Anyone else out there like his roles besides me? Maybe I should go back and watch some of these flicks. It’s been awhile since I've actually seen them.


Here are some I consider to be standouts. Would you agree/disagree?

The China Syndrome (1979)
Romancing the Stone (1984)
Fatal Attraction (1987)
Wall Street (1987)
War of the Roses (1989)
Basic Instinct (1992)
Falling Down (1993)
Disclosure (1994)
The American President (1995)
The Game (1997)
Wonder Boys (2000)
Traffic (2000)






Anyway, was wondering which actors you like for their impressive body of work? By impressive I’m looking for variety in roles as well as compelling acting. (lol. Now that I think about it I’m coming up with a few actors right off the bat that might just blow my pick away, but oh well, we’ll see who you guys select. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img])

Keep in mind that Michael Douglas had a string of back-to-back quality hits in a row (though I’m not sure one could claim he had as many as 4 in sequence). So in addition to the above question, can you think of any actor who has done 4 excellent movies in a row?

Remember, I’m looking for variety. If all you give me is a guy with multiple kung fu flicks then I am not going to be very impressed! Ok, let’s hear who you’ve got.

[diebitter]

Wow 4 in a row is tough. I thought immediately of Kevin Spacey when he seemed to do LA Confidential, Seven, American Beauty and Usual Suspects all onr after another, but I checked...there's some much lesser films between them.

Then I thought Jack Nicholson...nope. Then I thought Tom Hanks...nope. Then Eastwood...nope.


Anyway, here's the only one I could definitelt find 4 in a row: Harrison Ford:

Empire Strikes Back
Raiders
Blade Runner
Return of the Jedi

[Mrs. Utah]

First person that comes to mind for me is Meryl Streep

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000658/awards

[Stagger_Lee]

Paul Newman has had an impressive career spanning decades - from the 1950's to date.

I don't know about 4 in a row - but if you look at

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
The Hustler
Hud
Cool hand Luke

for starters - this is before

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid
Judge Roy Bean
The Sting

and we are only up to 1973. He fits the criteria of impressive body of work.

[fyodor]

Dustin Hofman
Here are a few of the better films he's been in:
Straw Dogs
Midnight Cowboy
The Graduate
All The President's Men
Papillon
Lenny
Marathon Man
Rainman
Ishtar [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] - hey I actually liked it although it wasn't great

imdb

[katyseagull]

[ QUOTE ]
Dustin Hofman
Here are a few of the better films he's been in:
Straw Dogs
Midnight Cowboy
The Graduate
All The President's Men
Papillon
Lenny
Marathon Man
Rainman
Ishtar [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] - hey I actually liked it although it wasn't great

imdb

[/ QUOTE ]


Strong choice here. What I like about this guy is his variety. He has had some memorable roles that's for sure. (Although I do feel that we have to subtract major points for his participation in Ishtar. Just sayin.)

And I'm very proud to say that I've seen Straw Dogs! Yay.



[img]http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_Rtm3EjpGCBsBvR.jzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTA4NDgyNWN 0BHNlYwNwcm9m/SIG=12mjgh4g6/EXP=1178297399/**http%3A//www.moviesection.de/v3/img/datenbank/1078439217rainman3.jpg[/img] [img]http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_Rq2CFTpGekwBYoGjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTA4NDgyNWN 0BHNlYwNwcm9m/SIG=12qpi4bi7/EXP=1178298114/**http%3A//img.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/030321/143543__straw-dogs_l.jpg[/img]

[Wynton]

[ QUOTE ]
Wow 4 in a row is tough.

Then I thought Jack Nicholson...nope.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nicholso did not have 4 great films exactly in a row, but it's close:

Carnal Knowledge (1971)
The Last Detail (1973)
Chinatown (1974)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Not to mention:

Five Easy Pieces (1970)
Easy Rider (1969)

He later goes through a good streak again:

Prizzi's Honor (1985)
Terms of Endearment (1983)
Reds (1981)
The Shining (1980)

And this just represents the cluster years of great films. He has other that come up periodically.

[MrMon]

William Holden at his peak:

Executive Suite
Sabrina
The Country Girl
The Bridges At Toko-Ri
Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing
Picnic

All Oscar nominated. And that's just 1954-55! And those aren't even his best pictures, which include:

Our Town
Sunset Boulevard
Born Yesterday
Stalag 17
Bridge On The River Kwai
Network

[KDawg]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Wow 4 in a row is tough.

Then I thought Jack Nicholson...nope.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nicholso did not have 4 great films exactly in a row, but it's close:

carnal knowledge (1971)
The Last Detail (1973)
Chinatown (1974)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
the passenger (1975)

Not to mention:

Five Easy Pieces (1970)
Easy Rider (1969)

He later goes through a good streak again:

Prizzi's Honor (1985)
Terms of Endearment (1983)
Reds (1981)
The Shining (1980)

And this just represents the cluster years of great films. He has other that come up periodically.

[/ QUOTE ]


FYP, cause Jack's role in the passenger kicks ass. Granted, he didn't have that big of a role in Tommy, so it can't be included. Overall though, I don't think many actors can compete with Jack's run from easy rider to the postman always rings twice. The amount of great jobs he put in would be enough for one person's career alone

[katyseagull]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Wow 4 in a row is tough.

Then I thought Jack Nicholson...nope.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nicholso did not have 4 great films exactly in a row, but it's close:

Carnal Knowledge (1971)
The Last Detail (1973)
Chinatown (1974)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Not to mention:

Five Easy Pieces (1970)
Easy Rider (1969)

He later goes through a good streak again:

Prizzi's Honor (1985)
Terms of Endearment (1983)
Reds (1981)
The Shining (1980)

And this just represents the cluster years of great films. He has other that come up periodically.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wynton/Kdawg,

For some reason I was shrugging off Jack Nicholson, I guess because I haven't watched many of his films in recent years, and the ones I have seen (The Departed, Something's Gotta Give, and Anger Management) really didn't leave much of a big impression on me as far as his acting skills. But glancing at your list, and checking out imdb, wow, I am reminded what wonderful roles he's had! Jesus he has made a lot of movies.

And now I'm remembering how good his performance was in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, as well as Carnal Knowledge, Chinatown, and As Good As It Gets (love that one!).

I'm sure there are multiple strings of 4 excellent JN films in a row. There has to be.


btw, I just finished reading a review of Carnal Knowledge. I'm really surprised that some people call it a comedy. I thought it was kind of bleak myself! I saw this movie when I was around 18 and didn't like it too much. Well, I liked the first half but I thought the second half was kind of depressing. Jack Nicholson was really good in it though. Curious if anyone else has had a chance to see it? I think the casting was cool - Art Garfunkel, Candice Bergen and Ann-Margret. If you're interested in what Jack Nicholson was like in his younger years you might want to check this one out.

lol, excerpts from two reviews:

[ QUOTE ]
This is narcissism and '70's nihilism at its zenith. The film does deliver strong performances , but the subject matter and the spiraling negativism is a little hard to endure. One of the main draws of this movie is Ann-Margret who looks fantastic, it's worth a viewing just for her.

[/ QUOTE ]


[ QUOTE ]
It's noteworthy that "Carnal Knowledge" was released just as the nascent feminist movement began to have some voice in real American life. The language was deemed too strong by many critics, and the film was so controversial that it was argued all the way to the Supreme Court. In 1974, the Court ruled that the movie is not obscene.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's pretty funny

Now I'm in the mood to watch a Jack Nicholson film! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]