Great to read the thoughts of a true lover of the genre. And you are so right in that, when you peel back the covers, this was an A team in every sense of the word. The comment about casting director is so apposite. Conversely, some of the films that I most enjoy are when you see actors playing some distance away from their 'standard acting role'.... this may be a better way of counterpointing your 'cattle' comment. I'm thinking of Pitt in Twelve Monkeys, Ford in Frantic, Cruise in Collateral, Williams in One Hour Photo, Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon....but not Brody in Predators - that was shocking!
And, like bands, most actors have only one 'good' outing in them, be it an album or a movie. Something that defines them forever. Of course this only applies to the mainstream, which is why the true cognoscenti find more intellectual nourishment in the fringes and the true greats often try to get back into the fringe. Radiohead are probably the best example of that in music. I think someone like Samantha Morton fits the bill in acting terms. I suspect she may nut you if she ever catches you calling her 'cattle'!
Reply With Quote