Jump to content

Match your top 5 favourite actors with John Williams


Thor

Recommended Posts

Just a breezy topic and something I occasionally think about. I've always loved to experience movies that - by coincidence - contain a meeting place between my favourites in different areas. And when you've been as prolific as Williams, there are lots of overlaps. So for me it would be:

 

1. Jack Nicholson - THE MISSOURI BREAKS, THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK

2. Anthony Hopkins - AMISTAD, NIXON

3. Ian Holm - Sadly none. :(

4. Gary Oldman - JFK, HARRY POTTER III

5. Jeff Goldblum - JURASSIC PARK, THE LOST WORLD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Antonb said:

Are you lot above kiddin! Harrison Ford has to be in there. Star wars. The indiana Jones movies, sabrina and Presumed Innocent

 

Well, it wasn't about which actor had the most or best John Williams-scored films. It was about which of your favourite five actors also appeared in movies with JW scores. Ford is a fine actor, but he's not in my top 5.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is quite long ago that I thought about, who is my favourite actor and never thought about a top five.

I have to pass here, I am afraid and apart from Nickolson none who comes to mind ever played in a movie scored by John Williams. Tobey Maguire, Brad Pitt, Harvey Keitel, Gene Hackman, Cary Grant, Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, Viincent Cassell etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

It is quite long ago that I thought about, who is my favourite actor and never thought about a top five.

I have to pass here, I am afraid and apart from Nickolson none who comes to mind ever played in a movie scored by John Williams. Tobey Maguire, Brad Pitt, Harvey Keitel, Gene Hackman, Cary Grant, Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, Viincent Cassell etc.

 

Well, for Brad Pitt you have SLEEPERS and SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET.

For Gene Hackman, you have THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE and SUPERMAN.

For Robert Redford, you the ALCOA episode "The Voice of Charlie Pont".

For Paul Newman, you have THE TOWERING INFERNO.

For Justin Theroux, you have THE LAST JEDI.

 

So not altogether bad! :)

 

But yes, I realize not everyone has a list favourite actors, perfectly ranked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lists are fun! Far more entertaining than what passes for messageboard 'discussions' these days. Let's hear your own favourite actors now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

Well, for Brad Pitt you have SLEEPERS and SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET.

For Gene Hackman, you have THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE and SUPERMAN.

For Robert Redford, you the ALCOA episode "The Voice of Charlie Pont".

For Paul Newman, you have THE TOWERING INFERNO.

For Justin Theroux, you have THE LAST JEDI.

 

So not altogether bad! :)

 

But yes, I realize not everyone has a list favourite actors, perfectly ranked.

You are right. I didn't properly think about it.:blush:

 

Yes, The Last Jedi, that great Justin Theroux movie. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Thor said:

Lists are fun! Far more entertaining than what passes for messageboard 'discussions' these days. Let's hear your own favourite actors now!

 

Jeff Goldblum for playing a version of himself no matter the role.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He wrote music for only 3 of my top 5 actors

  1. Brad Pitt - Seven Years in Tibet - Sleepers
  2. Denzel Washington - Sadly none
  3. Samuel L. Jackson - Jurassic Park - The Phantom Menace - Attack of the Clones - Revenge of the Sith
  4. Harisson Ford - Star Wars IV to VII - Indy I to V - Sabrina - Presumed Innocent
  5. Sigourney Weaver - Sadly none
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

My old-school answer...

 

Richard Attenborough

Peter Cushing

Alec Guinness

Christopher Lee

Frank Oz

 

 

Don't forget to note the Williams connections (although I suppose we all know what they are -- heavy on the STAR WARS, that)!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said:

I've never understood people who have to make lists of everything they like.

 

THANK YOU

 

 

1 hour ago, Thor said:

Lists are fun! Far more entertaining than what passes for messageboard 'discussions' these days

 

What

 

In what world is a numbered list better than sentences and explanations?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

Don't forget to note the Williams connections (although I suppose we all know what they are -- heavy on the STAR WARS, that)!

 

1) Richard Attenborough - Welcome...to the best JW impersonation!

2) Peter Cushing - A New Hope (for an old sod)

3) Alec Guinness - Benny without a theme

4) Christopher Lee - Darth Saruman

5) Frank Oz - in 8 out of 9 Star Wars films he did feature

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Jay said:

In what world is a numbered list better than sentences and explanations?

 

I take lists over spreadsheets, rants about missing music, shipping issues, speculations, STAR WARS minutia, superhero obsessions and sound quality techno talk any day of the week. Now what are some of your favourite actors?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anthony Hopkins and Ed Harris are amazing and made Westworld 10x better than it would have been without them

 

I feel like Woody Harrelson never phones it is and tends to make things he's in better (even though he sucked on SNL last week)

 

Christoph Walz blew me away in Inglorious Basterds and I wish he got more work since then, but he was an AMAZING villain in Pinocchio last year

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like lists, but I'm having a hard time with this one because I am not someone who really likes actors.  

 

I like performances, I suppose.  But although I love, say Harrison Ford in Indy and SW, I don't really think he's that great in other roles.

 

Then there are actors like Mark Hamill, who I like in Star Wars, and I think he's a genuinely good human being, but I don't really think he's that great in other roles.  (although I think he's underrated).  Or Christopher Reeve, who was great in Superman, but I didn't like him in anything else.

 

I also can't do this list, because the actors I do like are usually B Movie actors who put it all out there, and maybe should've had a career, but didn't. ie. Bruce Campbell, and most of them weren't scored by John Williams.  Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee I guess make my list, because they were Gods among men.

 

And so, I give you...

 

1. Candice Rialson.  B-Movie actress from the Corman/Dante school of acting, who had a bit part in The Eiger Sanction.

candicerialson.jpg

 

 

2. Christopher Lee Star Wars II and III 

lee.jpg

 

 

3. Peter Cushing Star Wars

da-dracula-a-frankenstein-10-film-horror-con-peter-cushing-620x350-1.jpg

 

 

4. Mark Hamill Star Wars

2874-1532336916.jpg

 

 

5. Harrison Ford Star Wars and Indiana Jones

harrison-ford-indiana-jones-112122-e944be2a94eb4d0684f70c8e060a59c2.jpg

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1/ John Hurt: INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.

 

2/ Jonathan Pryce: drawing a blank. Anyone?

 

3/ David Warner: STAR WARS: FORCE COMMANDER (Hey! It's Star Wars, ok, so shut yer pie-hole!).

 

4/ John Malkovich: EMPIRE OF THE SUN.

 

5/ Robert Redford: THE VOICE OF CHARLIE PONT (with continued appreciation to @Thor, for that one).

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

1/ John Hurt: INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.

 

He also played Olivander in Harry Potter 1 & 8

 

5 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

2/ Jonathan Pryce: drawing a blank. Anyone?

 

Pryce was never in anything JW scored

 

5 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

4/ John Malkovich: EMPIRE OF THE SUN.

 

Malkovich also was an exec producer on The Accidental Tourist somehow

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Meryl Streep - A.I, The Post

Tom Hanks - Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, The Post

Michael Caine - none! 

Anthony Hopkins - Nixon, Amistad 

Jim Carrey - none

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I would need to rate my favourite actor performance in a Williams scored picture I would probably chose Henry Thomas in E.T.

I am always so impressed, when I see the movie and wonder what an actors career he would have had, if he had continued acting. I guess he would be something on par with Leo DiCaprio or something similar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

If I would need to rate my favourite actor performance in a Williams scored picture I would probably chose Henry Thomas in E.T.

I am always so impressed, when I see the movie and wonder what an actors career he would have had, if he had continued acting. I guess he would be something on par with Leo DiCaprio or something similar.

 

Henry Thomas did continue acting, and has made a career in a lot of horror films, in particular. He was in DOCTOR SLEEP, the SHINING sequel, for example, and was also good in another King adaptation, GERALD'S GAME in 2017. Or TV things like MIDNIGHT MASS and THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR. But whenever I see him in something new, I always find it weird to reconcile that with this young, wide-eyed kid in E.T.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Does JAWS: THE REVENGE count (probably not, but I thought I would ask, anyway)?

 

I suppose if SOLO counts for Harrelson, then JAWS: THE REVENGE would count for Caine. Just the one theme for both, although one was originally composed for it and the other reused.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

You always were a cunning linguist.

 

Well, I’ll tell you what. You make it through tomorrow without killing anybody, especially me, or yourself, then I’ll start trusting you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, rough cut said:

This is what I read, until I looked closer.

:)

 

Congratulations ... that is exactly what they were trying to achieve with that line when they used it in "Goldeneye"...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

As has been said, lists are fun (for me at least). This took some consideration. Williams has worked on a lot of A+ films with A+ people.

 

In no particular order:

 

Tom Hanks (SPR, The Terminal, Catch Me if you Can)

Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones, Star Wars)

Alec Guinness (Star Wars)

Zhang Ziyi (Memoirs of a Geisha)

Andy Serkis (TinTin)

 

Close, but no cigar to Richard Dreyfuss, Sean Connery, Marlon Brando, Robert Shaw, Amy Adams, and Tom Cruise

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I move on to actresses, it's more difficult. I don't have the passion for those as I do male actors, sorry.

 

But attempting a top 5, it could possibly be something like this:

 

1. Kathy Bates - Sadly none. :(

2. Meryl Streep - A.I., THE POST

3. Jodie Foster - TOM SAWYER

4. Natalie Portman - STAR WARS prequels

5. Cate Blanchett - INDY IV

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Helen Mirren...

 

Glenda Jackson... STEVIE - hey, you said "John Williams". You didn't say which John Williams :lol:

 

Miranda Otto... WAR OF THE WORLDS 

 

Kathleen Turner... THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST

 

 

 

aaaaand, back to actors:

 

Philip Seymour Hoffman...

 

Dustin Hoffman... HOOK 

 

Ben Affleck...

 

Bob Hopkins... HOOK 

 

Christopher Reeve... SUPERMAN 

 

Robert Vaughn... THE TOWERING INFERNO 

 

Robert Pugh... 

 

William Devane... FAMILY PLOT 

 

KEVIN BACON... SLEEPERS

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, ConorPower said:

@Naïve Old Fart Bacon is in Sleepers! And absolutely terrifying in it. 

Thank you for that.

I have amended the post.

Yes you're right. Bacon was a complete bastard, and he deserved everything that he got.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.