These People Were Nominated???

I was recently perusing the list of past Oscar nominees. These are the ones that made me do a double-take. Numerous reasons why...maybe I couldn't believe they were nominated, maybe I just wouldn't have guessed it, or maybe they deserve to be remembered in truly great roles. Here are the ones that jumped out at me:

Janet Leigh -- Psycho {"Marion Crane"} 1960 - Supporting Actress
Mary Badham -- To Kill a Mockingbird {"Scout Finch"} 1962 - Supporting Actress
Peter Sellers -- Dr. Strangelove {"Group Captain Lionel Moondrake/President Muffley/Dr. Strangelove"} 1964 - Actor
Michael J. Pollard -- Bonnie and Clyde {"C.W. Moss"} 1967 - Supporting Actor
Jack Nicholson -- Easy Rider {"George Hanson"} 1969 - Supporting Actor
Chief Dan George -- Little Big Man {"Old Lodge Skins"} 1970 - Supporting Actor
Jeff Bridges -- The Last Picture Show {"Duane Jackson"} 1971 - Supporting Actor
James Caan -- The Godfather {"Sonny Corleone"} 1972 - Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall -- The Godfather {"Tom Hagen"} 1972 - Supporting Actor
Al Pacino -- The Godfather {"Michael Corleone"} 1972 - Supporting Actor
Jason Miller -- The Exorcist {"Father Damian Karras"} 1973 - Supporting Actor
Candy Clark -- American Graffiti {"Debbie"} 1973 - Supporting Actress
Madeline Kahn -- Blazing Saddles {"Lili Von Shtupp"} 1974 - Supporting Actress
Chris Sarandon -- Dog Day Afternoon {"Leon"} 1975 - Supporting Actor
Burt Young -- Rocky {"Paulie"} 1976 - Supporting Actor
Sissy Spacek -- Carrie {"Carrie White"} 1976 - Actress
John Travolta -- Saturday Night Fever {"Tony Manero"} 1977 - Actor
Alec Guinness -- Star Wars {"Ben 'Obi-Wan' Kenobi"} 1977 - Supporting Actor
Melinda Dillon -- Close Encounters of the Third Kind {"Jillian Guiler"} 1977 - Supporting Actress
Robert Duvall -- Apocalypse Now {"Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore"} 1979 - Supporting Actor
Goldie Hawn -- Private Benjamin {"Judy Benjamin"} 1980 - Actress
Teri Garr -- Tootsie {"Sandy Lester"} 1982 - Supporting Actress
Jeff Bridges -- Starman {"Starman"} 1984 - Actor
Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita -- The Karate Kid {"Miyagi"} 1984 - Supporting Actress
Eric Roberts -- Runaway Train {"Buck"} 1985 - Supporting Actor
Oprah Winfrey -- The Color Purple {"Sofia"} 1985 - Supporting Actress
Sigourney Weaver -- Aliens {"Ripley"} 1986 - Actress
Anne Ramsey -- Throw Momma from the Train {"Momma"} 1987 - Supporting Actress
Dan Aykroyd -- Driving Miss Daisy {"Boolie Werthan"} 1989 - Supporting Actor
Al Pacino -- Dick Tracy {"Big Boy Caprice"} 1990 - Supporting Actor
John Malkovich -- In the Line of Fire {"Mitch Leary"} 1993 - Supporting Actor
Edward Norton -- Primal Fear {"Aaron Stampler"} 1996 - Supporting Actor
Billy Bob Thornton -- A Simple Plan {"Jacob"} 1998 - Supporting Actor
Haley Joel Osment -- The Sixth Sense {"Cole Sear"} 1999 - Supporting Actor
Sean Penn -- I Am Sam {"Sam Dawson"} 2001 - Actor
Johnny Depp -- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl {"Jack Sparrow"} 2003 - Actor

At Home Film Fest: "Little Movies by Big Directors"

The first at home film fest ends with Ridley Scott's THE DUELLISTS (1977).

Will's Take - It's a shame that the setting and topic of this film may turn some people off because I thought it was really well made. The story is set in Napoleonic era France and concerns itself with two life long feuding duelists played by Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine. The root cause of their feud is inconsequential, but the way it defines their life is all encompassing. Basically, they meet again every five to ten years or so to valiantly put an end to each other once and for all. Whether it be swords or pistols, on each occasion, they duel to a draw with both living to fight another duel on another day. As a Ridley Scott film, one of the the first things I noticed is that the film's cinematography and set design is very beautifully crafted. From the foggy countryside duels to the authentic cobblestone towns to the dramatic cliff overhangs at the film's climax, everything looks perfect and authentic. Also, the interior scenes lit by candlelight set the mood and bring you in this world. The acting is good too. Keitel is excellent as the hot headed Feraud, a fierce man that spends most of his life bent on disposing of the more level headed D'Hubert, played by Keith Carridine. It's cool to see Carradine in his younger days, as my only real experience is seeing him as retired Agent Frank Lundy on Showtime's Dexter. His portrayal makes me want to look a bit closer at Carradine's career as his portrayal of the measured soldier that has to choose normal life and the responsibility of honor in the face of absurdity is excellent. Keitel is pretty much one note in his dogged chase of D'Hubert over the years, but this is what the character calls for as well. My only real problem with the film is that the plot early on is somewhat confusing. This was mainly because D'Hubert's beautiful love interest Laura looks too much like Feraud's girl and then later too much like Adele, the woman that he marries. I couldn't keep them apart and it was confusing. An interesting side note, it seems Carradine had a long term off screen relationship with Cristina Raines, who played Adele. There is a reliance on a narrator here too, which Scott has used in some of his films to lend some clarity and could be seen as a bit of a crutch. This is one of those movies that looks boring on the surface, but if you give it a chance, it pays off. I am glad I saw it.

Micah's Take - First of all, the movie looks beautiful. Scott is clearly a master at framing and composing shots, and it's evident this far back. Numerous times I had the impression of looking at a painting rather than film. Along with that, the sets and scenery are pretty incredible. Whether it's interiors like the enormous (and cold looking) estates and palaces to the ruins of a French countryside, it all looked fantastic. Story? It's simple but really enjoyable and very watchable. Surprisingly (considering the setting and length and author, etc.) you can pretty much sum up the plot in a sentence. "Two dudes hold flimsy grudges against each other and continue to meet throughout their lives to fight to the death, but they keep failing to get the job done." (Yes, they both do their share of continuing the feud.) I like it. I like the episodic nature of the storytelling as well. We don't linger longer than we need to, I don't think. We skip ahead 5 years, 8 years, or whatever and don't really lose anything in terms of character building (well, sort of...hang on for that). I am tempted to say that I think it would have been interesting to see these guys get really old and still attempt to finish their duel, but that probably would have been silly. And depressing too. As it stands now, Keith Carradine's character is still able to enjoy his life at film's end. The specter of Harvey Keitel's character isn't hanging over him anymore. The acting was solid. I'm glad there was no over-the-top attempt to speak in French accents or anything like that. Both leads were engaging and interesting to watch. And I thought Keitel's changing band of friends were also really good. Lots of really cool faces and small acting gems. Of special note are two specific sequences: the horrible Russian winter and the final countryside duel. They were just awesome to watch. Scott's talents here are superb. Complaints? I thought the music was a bit much in some places, but what are you going to do? It's a classical period set to classical music. Can't nitpick that I guess. Finally, throughout the movie I liked that we never spent any real alone time with Keitel's character. We only saw him in sparse moments. I thought it worked. It allowed me as a viewer to speculate on and try to diagnose his insanity, rather than having it spoon-fed to me. However, the final scene of the movie with Keitel ruminating at the top of the hill made me suddenly wish that I had gotten to know him more. But I think that strange feeling only made me like the movie more, so I guess it's not a real complaint. GRADE: A-

Previously: Eastwoods's THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES

At Home Film Fest: "Little Movies by Big Directors"

Next up is Clint Eastwood's THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (1976).

Lori's Take - I haven't seen many Western movies, but my stereotype of what they're like would include: long shots of scenery, repeated ambushes and gunfights, and little interpersonal drama or dialogue. So this movie fit my stereotype, but I was more interested in the character of Josey than I expected to be. I found it surprisingly compelling to watch Clint Eastwood brooding and holding himself apart from the rest. I actually liked the scene where he meets Ten Bears and they recognize one another as warriors with iron wills who can make a blood pact that is more reliable than hypocritical government agreements. I thought Josey and his makeshift family were going to succeed in living among the Comanches. But after that there were a couple more attacks and I lost track of the parties of bad guys. I didn't quite understand the agreement at the end or where Josey was going to go. Overall the movie gave me a good feeling, but I wonder if there was more to it than I understood. Grade C.

Bill's Take - Revision western? Predictable but still interesting for me, I do like the telling of the Indian story. I enjoyed the Chief (liked him almost as much as in Little Big Man) and his relationship with Josie. Clint was good, typical over the top shoot-up scenes, I even liked Sondra Locke. I guess the story had some parallels to civil war's Cantrell's Raiders, I never heard of the Red Legs. All in all very watchable story for me. Grade: B-

Lisa's Take - Didn't care for it. Wasn't my type of movie and couldn't stay focused with it. Sorry, although I did find Clint Eastwood very handsome. GRADE: D

Micah's Take - Clint has said that this is his favorite movie he's made (and Johnny Carson called it the "greatest western of all time"!!!) but unfortunately I thought it was just another ho-hum cowboys and injuns movie. The simple story was fine. Keep it simple. We got the last holdout in the south who won't surrender because his family was killed by some northern bastards. Great. Get some revenge and I'll go along for the ride. Speaking in these broad strokes, the movie could have worked well. The downfall however is in the details. Too many small, ridiculous plot points piled up and my judgment went from good to bad. Cartoony Indians spout wise old words...should I listen with regret and sympathy or yawn and roll my eyes like Clint's character does? How many times can I laugh at the tobacco spitting gag? I think 5 was my limit. Why even delve into the Indian story at all? You already have a group of villains and there is no "Indians to the rescue" payoff at the end...just seemed like a huge, pointless sidetrack dealing with the Indian chief(s). Sondra Locke's character is ultimately pointless. I thought for a minute that Clint was looking at her as a surrogate child rather than a love interest - why else hint that she may be slow (retarded even?) - but that thought went away as soon as they sacked up. Speaking of surrogate kids, the Sam Bottoms character sucked. Bad acting. Meh, I won't go on. I'm tempted to tear apart the TERRIBLE gunfight scenes, but it's pointless. Compared to this, Eastwood's TRUE revisionist western UNFORGIVEN is a masterpiece. GRADE: C-

Will's Take - In the Outlaw Josey Wales, Clint Eastwood looks to be at his most iconic as a western warrior. Scarred, craggy face, uncorny cowboy hat, and awesome pistols are enough by themselves to build a movie on, which is pretty much what they did in this for this film. Josey doesn't talk much, saying more with a perfectly timed spit of tobacco than any words could. The story is pretty simple. Josey's idyllic civil war era homestead is ravaged by a group of pillaging union soldiers and his wife and son are murdered. Josey then transforms into an army of one, hellbent on revenge against the crooked "red legs" soldiers and pretty much anybody else that gets in his way. We know where this film is headed from the get go. Obviously there will be a showdown at the end where Josey takes out the baddie leader of the cruel bunch of union soldiers. That's not really the point though. The film is more about who he joins up with along the way. His main ally is an Indian, Lone Watie, who helps him out of more than a couple close scrapes and is the voice of the mistreated Indian people...and weirdly, the comic relief in the film. Watie's narration get's a bit preachy and boring at times...even for Josey, who falls asleep on him at one point. One thing that irks me about these earlier westerns is that the Indians seem to be always presented as speaking perfect English, even the headdress wearing tribe leader late in the film. I know this is a movie, but it really makes it less realistic and pulls me out of the film. Which brings me to one of my complaints. The film is hard to swallow at times as far as how realistic it is. More than once I yelled out to one character or another, "Just shoot him!" But instead they stupidly give Josey a chance to blow them away. Also, more than a couple of times, Josey is able to ride on up to a group of armed and dangerous bad guys and kill them all with four pistols...crazy stupid. I'm glad that in the last 30 years, there has been a trend for action movies to become more realistic. Another character Josey hooks up with is his real life girlfriend Sondra Locke. She is less annoying in this film than in some others I've seen her in with Clint...she doesn't have many lines here though. The story of their off screen relationship is pretty stormy, according to this wikipedia article on her. A weird fact, apparently she has been married to the same gay man her whole life, but had a long time relationship with Clint in the 70s and 80s. In the end there is a moral point that they try to hammer home, something about stopping fighting and killing and just live together peacefully. That point didn't really work for me. Also, there is this reoccurring theme about the importance of "having an edge," which I really didn't understand either. In all, I liked it a bit more than I thought I would. Clint is cool, but the moral message and the clunky side characters bring it down a bit. I say B-.

Next up: Ridley Scott's THE DUELLISTS
Previously: Scorsese's AMERICAN BOY

At Home Film Fest: "Little Movies by Big Directors"

Next up is Martin Scorsese's AMERICAN BOY: A PROFILE OF: STEVEN PRINCE (1978).

Bill's Take - Better late then never, I did not enjoy this doc. A few semi interesting tales, I was turned off by the underlying drug vibe. Felt like I was looking into a coke party, and the stories must have been funnier or interesting to those present. I think it was a waste of film. Grade: D

Lisa's Take - This was the worst...could hardly keep my eyes open. I must have missed something. GRADE: F

Micah's Take - I have a feeling I'm going to be alone on this one. I guess one would have to ask themselves "Who cares?" about the subject matter. We don't know this guy, why should we care to listen to his stories? Admittedly they start off weak. They aren't even full stories...some just jokes. But to me, the guy is intriguing. I like his voice, I like his nervous shaking hands, and I like the atmosphere that's created. Scorsese must have known this guy was a oddball storyteller and maybe was fun to listen to at parties or something, and decided to just run the camera on him all night. Like an experiment. Some of it doesn't work, but I like it when it does. And it seems seedy there in that house. Steven claims to be off drugs, but you have to wonder if these people (Scorsese included) were not all high themselves. Basically it gets better as it goes, with the best stories coming at the end. Tarantino borrowed (ripped off?) one clearly for PULP FICTION and another story sounded familiar. I wish Scorsese wasn't as visible as he was, but I wonder if that was the cameraman's fault. Also the other guy at the house that talks (the fat guy) got pretty annoying...putting himself into the action too much. But when the camera lingered on Steven and made him the sole focal point, it worked great. I especially liked the last seemingly inconsequential tidbit about Steven talking to his parents and telling them that he was happy. Pretty interesting that Scorsese left in the three versions of it, as if to show that maybe this whole thing isn't so honest and off-the-cuff. Scorsese is pulling the words out of him (yeah, it was probably early in the morning and everybody was exhausted) to get what he wanted. You could tell that Steven was hip to this and it became an act at the very end. Makes me wonder about the rest of it then. Maybe the guy isn't so genuine. I was with it all the way! And what a friggin' crazy entrance he makes! GRADE: B+

Next up: Eastwood's THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES
Previously: Coppola's ONE FROM THE HEART

At Home Film Fest: "Little Movies by Big Directors"

Next up is Francis Ford Coppola's ONE FROM THE HEART (1982).

Lori's Take - Sounded promising, an early Coppola movie that he co-wrote with lots of famous actors. Started good, lots of atmosphere in the scenes of Frannie and Hank coming home and colliding. Some interesting flavor in the scenes of the two of them working behind the scenes in Las Vegas and their respective (strange, selfish) buddies. I can't even remember when the exaggerated pageantry and neon glow of the sets turned surreal, but there was waaay too much dreamlike roaming around for me. For me there was not a viable transition from the realistic to the hallucinatory. There are films that do that, but for some reason it never worked in this film: I kept thinking, Wait, is this real or is it fantasy? And the story line is extremely unsatisfying. I cannot understand why Frannie would go back to Hank. When she declared herself and dressed and acted like an independent gal she was very believable, whereas Hank was just a loser from beginning to end. Then he just leaves Nastassia Kinski in the car with no attempt to show why?) Yuck. The two of them reuniting with no motivation is not what I was looking for based on the beginning breakup and adventures with dream lovers. Despite all this, I appreciated the artistry -- but much more at the beginning than at the end.

Will's Take - Well, this was a weird one. I liked the set up. I liked the way their arguments evolved. Frannie is more sympathetic than Hank. I could see her viewpoint much easier than Hank's as he just seemed like a schlub. I really liked the way the neon signage was used outside of every window and the way the character's settings and moods were overlayed upon each other. The music was good too, and makes me want to find some more Tom Waits. Then, it basically made this crazy left turn for the worse where it gets all abstract and over the top. The worst moment is when hank touches a neon sign and his hair shockingly stands on end. Lori moans, "What is this?". I say, "they must have run out of story and decided to take some drugs to finish it." The supporting cast is wasted too. When i first see Harry Dean Stanton, i got my hopes up, but he basically does nothing but become a chauffeur. Raul Julia is cool as Frannie's temptation, but i needed more. Is he for real, or just a fake. Why hank dumps cute Leila, i dunno. What does she sees in him? Another mystery. Seems like they just piled some characters on and had them dance around in the the neon light. Also, the end is out of left field too, but i did feel a little something at their final embrace. Oh, and Milner's piss yellow car is in it, during a dance number, so that's kinda cool. GRADE: C+

Micah's Take - Clearly the story behind the scenes is probably more interesting than this movie, but even that story is one that seems played out as well...the big-headed director who lets his artistic ambitions get the better of him. What's unfortunate is that I'm all for Coppola getting crazy with his budget and going for this ultra-stylized vision. But what about the damn script? This story was TERRIBLE! I had no interest or connection to either of the leads and couldn't care less about them getting together. In fact, their two side flings (Raul Julia & Nastassja Kinski) were so much more interesting I couldn't imagine that Hank & Frannie would even WANT to get together. Ugh. All of this glitzy set direction and cool, smokey, bluesy music wrapped around a turd of a story. Too bad. Too bad that this sent Coppola into a tailspin that some would say he never got out of...even today. GRADE: D

Lisa's Take - Storyline of movie not that interesting but I did like the set of props of Las Vegas and even more so that it wasn't even shot in Las Vegas. Starred a young Teri Garr and surprised that she exposed so much :). Interesting cameos of Rebeccca DeMornay and Coppola's parents. I liked the music throughout the film. Reminded me a little of Leaving Las Vegas with the music. GRADE: C

Bill's Take - I have mixed emotions about this film. I did enjoy the effort set decoration, music etc.....I remember that Coppola spent the rest of his career paying for the millions of dollars lost on this film, too bad once again a new director given too much money and freedom. Terry Garr was a cute "flake". GRADE: C

Next up: Scorsese's AMERICAN BOY
Previously: Spielberg's THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS

At Home Film Fest: "Little Movies by Big Directors"

First up is Steven Spielberg's first official feature film, THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS (1974).

Will's Take - I just finished it. I liked the anti-violence message and the interesting vantage point of captain tanner, going to all lengths to avoid a catastrophe. There were a few interesting/beautiful shots through the Texas countryside, especially one sequence at dusk.It really felt derivative to me though. I keep thinking about Bonnie and Clyde and Dog Day Afternoon while watching it. Two better stories about ignorant innocents getting in over their heads with the law. I knew where this express was headed, even though there was a glimpse of hope that it would turn out differently because Captain Tanner is trying to make it so. The problem here is that the runaways just don't have the charisma for me to care about them very much. Goldie Hawn's character is annoying and stupid. Clovis is more sympathetic, but still just a tool of her moronic sexuality. The patrolman behaves so inexplicably that it is difficult for me to care about him either. Is he incompetent? Why does he bond with the couple? I feel like there are a couple of scenes missing where we see the trio become close. Some Spielberg elements are here: the importance of children, the quirky locals (the drunk in the patrol car and the old couple with the 55 Chevy come to mind), the evil authority figures in mirrored shades, and chaotic fun action. I can see the townsfolk in Jaws following straight from these Texans. Too much like other better movies, but I can see Spielberg shining through, especially with the anti-violence message, even though it eventually overturned. GRADE: B-

Bill's Take - I really didn't like it too much, a little too over the top and not in a fun way like say "The Blues Bros". Some of the actors were "real people" maybe, I thought the husband was good and the hostage cop. He spent most of the budget on the car chase, how does a first time director get that much? GRADE: C

Lisa's Take - Found this movie interesting. A very young Goldie Hawn. As Micah mentioned I liked the dialog of the non-actors. One of the lines, from a non-actor, was "just sit on your fist & lean back on your thumb". The movie was filmed in TX and my mom use to say this phrase so it must be a southern thing. I was hoping for a better ending, but it wasn't so bad the way it did end. Interesting that this was a true story and directed by an early Spielberg. GRADE: B-

Micah's Take - I really wasn't expecting to like this one at all. I'd seen only a few scenes before on random cable and never bothered to hunt it down to watch the whole thing. I wonder why? Maybe because I thought it was just a BONNIE AND CLYDE rip-off, which it sort of is, but still. There was a lot to like. Non-actors seemed to be everywhere, and they added a flavor that was pretty great. I think Spielberg continued using these non-actor types in smaller roles in JAWS and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, but never to this extent. But going along with this, the movie was sloppy. Dialogue overlapped and more than once I found it hard to understand everything being said. The main actors were good...with maybe Goldie as the weakest. There wasn't much to her character other than her being a crazy goofball. But she did OK. Better I thought were William Atherton as Clovis and Michael Sacks as the kidnapped cop. They had quieter roles, which made it more fun to see them go a little crazy or giddy. Goldie was in that "zone" too much. Especially good were Atherton's few moments where he went very quiet and you could tell he was asking himself, "What the hell am I doing?" Ben Johnson? Fine. Very much like the role Tommy Lee Jones played in NO COUNTRY...a cop who's fed up with it all. A few missed opportunities...I wanted more from the setup of the two Louisiana cops with their kick-ass cars. Side note: It's pretty clear why Spielberg and John Landis were friends back then. They both had a love of collecting massive amounts of cop cars and beating the crap out of 'em. BLUES BROTHERS anyone? Hey Spielberg had a cameo in that! GRADE: B+

Next Up: Coppola's ONE FROM THE HEART

The Goose Bump Moments (Acting)

This is not one of those run-of-the-mill "best actor" or "best role" lists. This gets microscopic. This is a list of the greatest acting MOMENTS (sometimes mere seconds!) in film history. These are the Goose Bump Moments (GBM's)! Spoiler alert! Some of these may give away parts of movies that you haven't seen. What are you waiting for? See them! There is no order of importance here or ranking, just the most recent suggestions listed first:


John Candy & Steve Martin – Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
Suggested by Ryan Carter - Ryan explains, "Not one Thanksgiving goes by that I don't have the desire to watch this movie again. John Candy's character, Del Griffith, is just pure genius. It is, in my opinion, John Candy’s greatest role ever. If you’ve ever tried to sleep in the same hotel room with a snorer, you can easily understand why Neal Page (Steve Martin) goes on this brutally honest, hurtful tirade. And, even though I was only 12yrs. old when I first saw the movie, I can remember feeling so much compassion for Del Griffith after the "I like me" speech. It could be the amazing piece of music (“Power to Believe” by Dream Academy), but I’m certain my little eyes welled up with tears just as they do today. And, you have to love [GBM] when Del gets caught looking back to make sure Neal doesn't leave the room. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Forest Whitaker – The Color of Money (1986)
Suggested by “gravy boat” via the Friends of Tom board - [I’m going to include the extended scene because the acting by Whitaker and Paul Newman is just so good.] Gravy Boat explains, “Right at the end, I think Whitaker has a [GBM] great acting ‘moment.’ After he has hustled Newman and Newman, who had been thinking he re-found his magic, is sitting there like it's the end of the world, Whitaker stops to ask him a question and I was thinking it might be a question intended to lift up Newman, who is so obviously devastated, or some sort of apology, but it's just a silly question, salt on the wound, and the look of malicious delight on Whitaker's face in the delivery and then when he looks down before he leaves is so good.“ [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Christopher Walken – The Deer Hunter (1978)
Suggested by “dave from knoxville” via the Friends of Tom board - Dave explains, “I always loved the expressions on Christopher Walken's face during the second Russian Roulette scene in The Deer Hunter; he runs through a chilling array of dead still, jittery nervousness, and scariest of all [the GBM], a sort of detached bemusement like he's about to let loose a chuckle as the scene is unfolding all around him.” [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Jane Adams – Little Children (2006)
Suggested by Lisa Carter - Of course, this would make any “creepiest” list, and it’s tempting to say that Jackie Earle Haley’s (as Ronnie) facial expressions and lines are what make this scene. But it’s really Jane Adams (as Sheila) that puts the stamp on it with her heartbreaking response. You’d think she’d scream and run out of the car (or maybe stare at “it” in horror), but instead she turns away and looks defeated. She’s not really crying out of fear. She’s crying because she has been through all of this personal misery, and this is where she ended up. Just when things were starting to maybe look good, and she had an OK date. Nice going, Ronnie. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Mink Stole – Desperate Living (1977)
Suggested by “Martin” via the Friends of Tom board - Martin explains, “For a perfect example of over the top hysteria, something I'm very fond of, check out the entire opening of John Waters' Desperate Living. Mink Stole, as Peggy Gravel, gives one of her best performances (in a long line of fantastic ones, IMO - in fact, her part as Divine's daughter in Female Trouble might be even better than this one). Keep in mind that this is how her character is introduced, and consider the implications of just throwing such a neurotic mess at our feet at the very start of a film.” [This acting performance is unreal, and I urge you to watch the entire clip. The GBM for me is the absolutely insane way she screams at the neighborhood kid. Hilarious.] [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Griffin Dunne – An American Werewolf in London (1981)
This is not an easy one to watch…consider yourself warned. Yes, this is a truly great SCENE for a lot of reasons…the atmosphere, the camera work, the uncomfortable humor. But (and this is something that goes back to me being a little kid watching this) what really makes it so memorable is Griffin Dunne’s acting. The GBM is the way that Jack screams (and what he screams: “It’s killing me!”), and it shakes you to your bones. Add to that the all out horror and mess of action that’s going on. If you’re brave, look closer at Jack’s face and expressions (it looks like he’s even fighting back!) Of course this was just some puppet head with a lot of spraying Karo syrup and red food dye, but Dunne went all out. And gave me nightmares. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Robert De Niro – Taxi Driver (1976)
Suggested by “masterofsparks” via the Friends of Tom board - Master explains, “The scene in Taxi Driver where Travis is watching American Bandstand. There's not much to the scene - he points his gun at the screen while the kids dance to Jackson Browne's ‘Late For the Sky’ and then just sits there watching, but there's something indescribable in his eyes that I can't really forget [the GBM]. So lost. So powerful, in fact, that I actually found myself enjoying the music of Jackson Browne!” [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Gene Wilder – Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)
Suggested by Bill Carter - A truly unique (and bat-shit crazy) creation, Gene Wilder’s Wonka teeters between maniacal evilness and whimsical sweetness in nearly every scene. Here, at the movie’s climax, he’s enacting one more of his selfish and harsh tests. It’s excellent that Wilder chooses to repeat certain words for emphasis and the whole scene is fantastic, but the GBM is the way in which he spits out “ETC. ETC.!” when reading the contract. His lips pulled back, it reminds me of a cat hissing. Crazy goodness. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Eric Bogosian – Talk Radio (1988)
The climax of this movie is extremely over-the-top in a very theatrical way. Eric Bogosian’s radio talk show host Barry Champlain takes a big nose dive and has a nervous breakdown on-air. He strives to justify his show as an important vehicle for social commentary and change, but has to deal with the reality that it’s just a call-in freak show and he’s the willing ring leader. The final call of the night offers some kind words and sympathy (I love that the caller has beer and soup waiting), but Barry has come to the end of his rope. When the engineer states that there are 60 seconds left in the show, the GBM is the look that Barry gives to the booth. In those sad, tired eyes, he knows that those remaining seconds are not just the last of the show… [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Tom Cruise – Risky Business (1983)
Suggested by Bill Carter - Bill explains, “This scene encapsulates the movie's lesson on the importance of taking risks in life. Joel understands that lesson in this scene and is a totally different person here than the scared, sheltered virgin from the beginning of the film. Why U of I never used this in a promotional video, I'll never know. The GBM is the very end, sunglasses go on, cig is lit, and then Cruise hams it up with an improvised smile. Classic. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Robert Duvall – Sling Blade (1996)
Suggested by Lisa Carter - Time has not been kind to Billy Bob’s performance in this movie. What was once a kind of oddball spectacle, a “you gotta see this” acting display, now has become a source of parody. Upon repeat viewings, it’s the supporting cast that really grabs your attention, especially Dwight Yoakam, Lucas Black and Robert Duvall. Duvall, in fact, only has one discernible line in the movie. The rest of it is insane, unintelligible babbling…which he performs amazingly. In this scene, Billy Bob’s Karl finally comes home to confront his father, but it’s clear (even to Karl, I think) that Duvall is too far gone to understand what is happening, much less comprehend the severity of the abuse he once inflicted on his son. The GBM comes with Duvall’s response…the childlike and maddening way he flaps his tongue and eventually sticks it out. This guy is nuts! [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Frank Oz - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
I read an interview once with Jim Henson, and he was asked who the greatest puppeteer was or is. Without hesitating, he said it was Frank Oz. A puppeteer since birth basically and joining Henson's troupe at 19, Oz honed his craft with the Muppets. His puppetry masterpiece, however, might well be Yoda in this movie. There is a whole lot to like in this minute clip of Yoda's introduction...the way he chews, his cute butt, the way he waves the flashlight with glee. But the true GBM is the way he desperately reaches for his cane to fight with R2D2. Unreal. This is the only point in the Star Wars movies that Yoda acts this way, kind of childlike (or senile). He's testing Luke, of course, but I wish he was given some more light moments elsewhere. Lucas should be kicked in the nuts for CGI Yoda. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Jessica Lange - Cape Fear (1991)
I'll play the whole minute and 20 second long scene for context, but there is one particular GBM that makes your heart break. Jessica Lange's Leigh Bowden is scrambling, trying to think of what to say to convince Robert De Niro's psychotic Max Cady not to rape her daughter. Can you imagine being an actor trying to convey those emotions? At about a minute and ten seconds, watch Lange's body language when she says, "I want you to do it just with me...not with her." The way her hand shakes. Incredible. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Michael Parks - Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
There isn't much to like in this movie (IMHO), except for the Michael Parks' performance of Señor Esteban Vihaio. I urge you to watch his entire scene. It's full of nuances and character choices that are amazing. It's even more amazing when you realize this actor played a completely different role in the first movie. In addition to Vihaio's sleepy, lazy eye and his rickety, smoke filled body (as well as his gravel road voice), the GBM here comes in the way that he calls his girl over to get something to drink. Yee-uck! [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Patricia Tallman - Night of the Living Dead (1990)
Tom Savini's remake of the horror classic doesn't get much love, but it's surprisingly good. You should check it out. In this scene, Patricia Tallman's Barbara is completely drained of everything...energy, the will to fight, and most importantly hope. She just spent the last two hours killing and trying not to get eaten. She can't take much more. To top it off, when she sees the old woman zombie, she can't help but think of her recently deceased mother, whose grave she was visiting when the movie started. The GBM comes after the head-shot, with her cry of, "Oh, God!" That's what everybody watching the movie is feeling at that moment as well. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Bill Bolender – The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Bill who? I’ll play his entire clip since he only appears in the movie for less than a minute. But, wow! What a minute! Shot perfectly (and I wonder if he was aided by a set of creepy fake teeth), the GBM is Elmo Blatch’s laugh. Horrifying. I especially love his last line, “…and he’s the one they pinned it on.” I love how the laugh takes over the line. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Christian Bale – American Psycho (2000)
Suggested by Bill Carter - Bill explains, “His strut [the GBM] punctuates the absurdity of this scene. Without Bale's over-the-top attitude, this is just gore. With it, the scene is a political statement. I wish Bale would drop his current blockbuster ride and experiment a bit with parts on the edge like this one.” [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]


Wes Studi – The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Suggested by Zach Freeman - Zach explains, “She is right at the edge before she jumps, and he looks at her all confused and then gestures for her to come away from the edge - ridiculously awesome and the music makes it perfect. The face he makes after she falls [the GBM]...he's like, ‘I will never understand these white people.’ Then he just walks off.” [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Jack Nicholson – One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Suggested by Bracken Neff - There might be a lot more moments from this excellent movie that make the list, but thanks to Bracken for pointing this one out. The GBM comes at the end of the clip with the shout of absolute joy from Nicholson’s R.P. McMurphy. What makes it extra special is the slight move by Nicholson to do the old hand slap over his mouth like an Indian. It’s not made into a big scene or played for a big laugh, but it’s just a really subtle and really good (no doubt improvised) choice made by a great actor. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Jim Carrey – Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
Suggested by Zach Freeman - Zach explains, “He moves his mouth all over the place AND keeps his mouth open even as he falls into the water. You can see the water flowing up around him as he falls in, and he's still yelling [the GBM]. Totally committed! I watched it in slow-motion several times…the water comes up around him making an Ace Ventura hole in the water, and he is still yelling!” [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Sean Penn - At Close Range (1986)
Sean Penn's Brad Whitewood Jr. has every reason to kill his father, Christopher Walken's Big Brad. Big Brad killed all of Little Brad's friends, his brother, and raped and killed his girlfriend. So, of course, he should shoot him, right? Now that he has him cornered? Instead, Little Brad vows to "not be like his old man" and show mercy. In a movie full of over the top (but still awesome) acting moments (most by Walken), it's the GBM at the end of this clip that is the best. Little Brad delivers his lines of mercy ("I want you to die every day..."), but when he's finished there are a few seconds where you know he's considering everything that's happened. He almost goes back on his decision and blows Big Brad away. It's an awesome display of restraint. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]


Jerry Lewis - The Nutty Professor (1963)
I'm not going to ignore the great comedic acting moments, and this is one of the best. In fact the whole scene is fantastic (you should watch it all) and would be near the top if I ever did a "best character introduction scene" list. But one GBM in particular says it all. The way Lewis puts his hands in the praying position, the super-quick way he jumps up, the hilarious and awkward punches that are almost slaps, and of course the size of his mirror. Buddy Love is an awesome creation. They always say that Lewis was doing an impression of Dean Martin in this role, but the way that he speaks and acts, the shear meanness of him, makes me think that this was probably just the way Jerry Lewis was himself in real life. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Stockard Channing & John Travolta - Grease (1978)
Suggested by Bill Carter - I'll include the whole scene here (mainly for Travolta's awesome attitude), but the GBM comes at the very end. Watch for the looks given between Stockard Channing's Rizzo and Travolta's Danny Zuko. No words are spoken, but the looks speak so much about the history of these two characters. Rizzo was burned by Zuko in the past. He no doubt hooked up with her and promptly dropped her, and she has never gotten over him. She then enacts some pretty diabolical revenge. She drags Olivia Newton-John's Sandy into the fray. She knows that reuniting Sandy and Zuko will reduce him to a stammering, all-smiles, geeky, bubbly-in-love mess. Of course, that's the last thing Zuko wants the other T-Birds to see. He's got a rep. after all. Rizzo's smile at the end (as Bill described) says it all: "Mission accomplished. Let's go, girls." [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



William Sanderson - Blade Runner (1982)
Poor J.F. Sebastian. Stricken with a debilitating aging disorder ("My glands...they roll too fast.") that keeps him from leaving Earth for a better life in the off-world colonies, Sebastian immerses himself in his work as a genetic designer. And he brings his work home with him by building lifelike toy robots, a truly creepy and lonely pastime. But the robots who find him here are definitely not toys. Two things are at work in this scene, and Sebastian is the definition of a "pawn." On the one hand he is getting attention (and flirtation) unlike anything he's ever experienced before, and he giggles and blushes like a kid. On the other hand, this comes at a cost. The GBM you're looking for comes after Daryl Hannah's Pris kisses Sebastian on the neck. In his face you see the humongous guilt he feels after agreeing to lead Rutger Hauer's Roy to his boss and friend, Tyrell. Sebastian knows what this means. He knows what Roy has in store for Tyrell. Sebastian is in over his head, and he's just signed the death warrant of his only human friend. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]



Christopher Reeve - Superman (1978)
You just know Christopher Reeve, a classically trained theater actor, was probably bored with playing the Man of Steel, even in the first movie. He couldn't do much emoting with the stiff lines he was given. Sure, he got to be funny as nerdy Clark Kent, but like pretty much all superhero roles, there just weren't any meaty acting moments. Except for this GBM. With his true love, Lois Lane, dead from a horrible chain of events started by Lex Luthor, and his Kryptonian blood pumping, Superman's enraged at his own powerlessness and terrified by the unbelievable choice he's about to make. It's all there in these few seconds, from the moment he lays down the body of dead Lois and sadly catches her head to his screaming, teeth-gritting launch into the air. It's great! Anger, guilt, vulnerability (!)...man, I wish they'd given some more moments like these to Christopher Reeve in this role. [DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK]