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

[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

[M.B.E.]

John Cazale:

The Godfather
The Conversation
The Godfather: Part II
Dog Day Afternoon
The Deer Hunter

[Borodog]

Michael Douglas is not even in the same league as the greats mentioned in this thread (also not a fan of Streep, though).

However, Falling Down was an excellent film and he did a fantastic job in it. Easily my favorite film by him.

I think part of my problem with him is that I can't help but compare him to Kirk. I feel the same way about Kiefer Sutherland vs. Donald Sutherland.

[Borodog]

Oh, and my nomination for impressive body of work, as always: