- Ben Kingsley as Ghandi
- Peter O'Toole as Lawrence of Arabia
- Alistair Sim as Scrooge
- Keanu Reeves as Bill? Ted? Bill? Ted? I forget which one he played (not that it matters), anyway he was suited to the role I think.
- Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo
Others . . . .well. I was thinking of . . . .
- Heather Graham & how she totally ruined every scene she was in in "The Spy Who Shagged Me."
- Keanu Reeves and how he's ruined every movie he's appeared in since Bill 'n Ted.
- Sylvester Stallone in "Get Carter"
I've seen the above movies, so I can't speculate on ones I haven't seen such as Gigli.
The question is, Who was poorly cast in a movie? &/or Who was just made for a role?
OK - not a bad post, even though I have scads of free time, I really haven't thought this post through, but I have a few comments:
Prefect Casting:
Ron Perlman as Hellboy in 'Hellboy'
Henry Fonda as Frank in 'Once Upon a Time in the West'
The guy that played Buffalo Bill in 'Silence of the Lambs'
Sam Rockwell as Chuck Barris in 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind'
The guy that played Spaz in 'Meatballs'
Worst Casting
Anne Heche in 'Seven Days Seven Nights' (whoya kiddin' lady?)
Ben Affleck (among others) in 'Shakespere in Love'
The Ewoks from 'The Return of the Jedi'
Robert DeNiro in 'Great Expectations'
He's got the right look for roles where he's playing either a freak of nature or a caveman.
Which reminds me of another inspired casting choice:
If you haven't seen it, "Office Space" is hilarious.
De Niro . . . well despite being a phenomenal actor he has been mis-cast from time to time. Usually though Bobby can pull a rabbit out of a hat, & make any role, no matter how ill-suited to him work. He has been cast brilliantly far more often than he has been mis-cast however. I think of Raging Bull, The Godfather etcetera, etcetera, . . . .
I think in a way Kate Winslett was mis-cast in Titanic, (not because of her performance)but because she just seemed too old to be playing opposite di Carpio.
I might say the same of "Braveheart" where Mel Gibson is playing what I presume was a far younger man. Still, as in the case of Titanic, I liked the movie.
I still think Harvey Keitel would have made just as good a Captain Willard as Martin Sheen. I think everyone in Apocalypse Now was cast well. The best casting choice was probably Dennis Hopper.
I dunno where or how you found that old pic from 'Quest for Fire' I presume (but rest assured, I will never piss you off).
Yeah - I like DeNiro as much as the next guy (although he is very slowly becoming a caricature of himself) which is precisely why I mentioned him previously.
And $%^&ing Leo is miscast in everything, Titanic, Gangs of New York, etc etc - his perfect cast role will be if they every make 'NAMBLA - The Motion Picture'.
And I can't say anything about Ms. Winslet, ever since 'Eternal Sunshine' - what can I say she got me, and Marc Daniel ain't made of stone.
I'd say de Niro is a charicature in the "Analyse This" movies. In those films he's not really trying to act, I mean he's not going for an Academy award with those movies. He resurrects every made-man role he's ever done & goes to the bank. Fair enough, it's amusing shit.
I'll always think though that he's one of the greatest living actors. He's been so good, so often, that he is in his own category. If he is occasionally in a cruddy movie, mis-cast or whatever I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he appears in sub-par movies when he needs to pay the bills (like Michael Caine - speaking of which, brilliant casting choice as Austin Powers senior in Goldmember).
Di Carprio - Yeah, he always seems just a little too young for the parts he plays. When I mentioned Titanic, I thought she (Winslett) was mis-cast in so far as being opposite Leonard di Crappio. I haven't liked him in many movies I've seen him in. I haven't rented "Gangs of New York" because he's in it. I thought "Catch Me If You Can" would've been a far better movie without him in the lead role. I think someone like Josh Hartnett would've been better in that movie.
However, Leonardo was good in "Gilbert Grape" & the one about the Basketball Diaries (supposedly inspired the kids with the guns at Columbine H.S.). Maybe he just needs the right vehichle is all.
Ron Perlman is a great actor, but because of his physical appearance I don't think you'll see him as a romantic lead any time soon. He might get another role as a Neanderthal though.
Well I liked Deniro in Godfather 2, Raging bull, Taxi Driver etc. However, I'd have to agree that the Analyze movies are just bad, I didn't like them, and I don't think I will in the near future. Now for Mr. Pearlman... I like him alot. I haven't seen him in Hellboy but I really couldn't think of a person that could fit the role better. One of my favorites that he was in is The City of Lost Children, a crazy french movie that looks cool and is fun. But here is where I may get flamed all the way to the mississippi... I actually don't mind Dicaprio, I know, I know, don't yell at me but I liked him in Gilbert Grape and I liked him in the beach, also I liked the overall movie Gangs of New York of which he was a big part of, so I can't say I don't like him... I don't mind him. He's no Harrison Ford thats for sure... Another person that seems to freakin own rolls is Pacino I just saw Dog Day Afternoon for the first time and I think he played it great, not to mention about a million other movies that he was great in.
Al Pacino is one of the greatest actors... I've yet to see him act poorly. He's been in bad movies (ie. Gigli) but even then hes still good. He was the ONLY good thing in Gigli.
Pacino's performance in city hall comes to mind as poor for him.
I say that reluctantly since he is my favorite actor of all time.
BTW is it just me or does Ron Perelman look scarier in real life than he does in freak makeup for his movies? I jump every time I see him on an interview on tv.
I liked Pacino in Heat. I thought it was a good casting choice. He played the part of over-the-top police detective to the hilt. Only problem is that it seems like Pacino is over-the-top in too many of his movies.
Don't get me wrong, I think he's a great actor as well. Just that the guy seems to be playing his roles that way too often. He was a quiet (seething) Michael Coreleone. He played that role extremely well. On the surface he was one cool customer. Beneath the surface though he was like a Mt. St. Helens. I'd like to see that kind of subtelty in more of his films.
Turk, I agree with you about di Carprio to some extent. He was pretty good in "The Beach". I think that the reaction to "Titanic" & di Crappio in general is not unlike the early eighties reaction to DISCO. The movie was just so popular (di Crappio rode the crest of that wave of success of course) that it was inevitable that their would be a counter-reaction.
I don't mind him either. But, I think he needs to be in movies that suit him. He was reasonable as "Jack" in Titanic, but I can think of other actors who I think would have done as good or better than him.
I agree entirely about Val Kilmer in Tombstone in fact that is one of the few westerns I own. Another good one of Kilmers is the movie about the doors he did when he played Mr. Morrison, I don't think a person exists that could play a better Jim Morrison.
Pacino was "over the top" in Heat because the cop was supposed to be a cocaine addict. Unfortunately the scene exposing his character's addiction was cut and he looks like a jackass during the movie.
Worst casting ever was The mexican. Pitt and Roberts were supposed to be a young loser couple in their 20s or something and since they're both well over the 35 mark, it just killed the movie which was a piece of crap anyhoo.
i think leo's pretty good, but think titanic was far from his best work. gangs was nice, and the beach was freakin' awesome. what i saw of basketball diaries, i liked.
I agree that Val made a very good Jim Morrison (the physical resemblance was a strong point there). However, The Ghost and the Darkness was a movie he sucked in. He didn't suit the role at all. As I recall, he was supposed to be either English or Irish, but at no point did I believe he was either nationality.
Best casting in a movie:
Billy Crystal/Meg Ryan/Bruno Kirby/Carrie Fisher: When Harry Met Sally: one of the possible best casts ever.
Kathy Bates/David Strathairn: Dolores Claiborne: sometimes an accident can be an unhappy woman's best friend.
and in the "born to play this role" we have: Will Smith as Ali, Madonna as Evita, Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes, Val Kilmer as both Doc Holliday and Jim Morrison, and upcoming: a best casting prediction: Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles. Heee-ey, what'd i say?
Hmm - Well, (and don't get me wrong here, I love the guy) R Lee Ermey isn't exactly acting, I mean was WAS a real drill Sarge. Moreover, his roles in 'Full Metal Jacket' and 'The Boys of Company C' are EXACTLY the same!
Now Ermey in 'Saving Silverman' THATS perfect casting!
Yes, he was a real drill sargeant. He seemed to have gone for the cashcow & reprised the role for the Michael J. Fox movie "The Frighteners".
Still, I think he was perfect for the role in Full Metal Jacket (even if he wasn't necessarily acting per se). The guy who played Private Pyle apparently gained more weight to play that role than De Niro did when he played Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull. Talk about dedication.
Some other great casting choices:
- Sean Penn as the stoned out surfer in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High".
- Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter.
- Pierce Brosnan as OO7
- Virtually the entire cast of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" particularly Will Sampson, Danny deVito, Louise Fletcher & of course Jack Nicholson.
I'm sorry but I agree with all the perfect castings mentioned by my friend Mr. Azusa up there except one..... Pierce Brosnan. I don't like him as 007, I think he is too much of a pretty boy. Sean Connery could get the girl but at the same time beat the crap out of a guy with titanium teeth or a razor blade hat pierce on the other hand looks like he would rather be getting his nails done.... that and he played an american indian in a movie and that kills me.
Nobody liked Timothy Dalton as 007? Nobody? Dammit! 'The Living Daylights' is one of my favorite Bond films (maybe because he doesn't get laid through the duration of the movie). C'mon, the Cold War was still in effect!
You gotta admit Dalton WAS more gritty and dark than Roger Moore or Remington 'Grey Owl' Steele.
I read that MGM was considering Russell Crowe for 007. That's unwise, "G'day Mate! Give me the microfilm or else I'm gonna go Bud White on your ass and through you in the dunny!" Ugh.
I dunno who this guy is that wants Pitt to play 'Bullit' - thats just plain ridiculous. He's too pretty, he's more of a 'Agent Cody Banks' role filler.
...I'm sure Brad Pitt felt that where ever he was. No, as a Briton, I really don't want to see 007 mauled by anothe miscast in Russell Crowe. First of all, he's just too brawny, and second..he's an aussie. I'm relieved to know I wasn't the only Dalton hater. I think Smeagol was perfectly typecasted as Gollum (smirk), but Jar Jar binks was a definate miscast, but so was everyone else in episodes 1 and two except for Portman.Shame on Lucas.
I think Portman was terrible in both movies, maybe it was just her character but man she was a brick wall, and I didn't buy the whole semi/can fight for herself thing... she's just too dainty. I'd have to say Ray Park as Darth Maul was my favorite casting in that movie. Other then that it was pretty much bleh...
I'm going to have to defend Ewan Mcgregor (sp?) I think hes a great obi wan kenobi and looks alot like alec guiness. Also i think hayden christensen will prove you wrong in EpIII. From what i've seen it might actually be pretty good, and not a flop!
My favorite bond tune is A-Ha's 'The Living Daylights' - No no - just kidding. Actually its the forgotten Gladys Knight 'License to Kill' from the 007 flick of the same name.
