The Film Star Challenge!

[Frank]

I don't really count Apocalypse Now as to me he doesn't have a significant enough part in it

Okay, but that's not how the game works. As well as eight of the most popular films of all time, Ford managed to hack his way through Coppola's The Conversation, Frantic, Working Girl, and Witness* too.


* He's also in Zabriskie Point. I'm listing the films that won critical acclaim, but I could happily sit through a marathon of Airforce One, What Lies Beneath, Mosquito Coast, Presumed Innocent, Regarding Henry, and even Morning Glory.

[sheridan]

Sheb Wooley.

He was going to be my next suggestion (though I'd have had to look up who he was first).  You know what I mean!

[sheridan]

The problem with some of those suggestions is that while they might be great films, some are very samey.  I wouldn't want to spend the whole day watching Westerns or have every film be a gangster film.  Variety is the spice of life and all that.

[SIP]

I could go on a rant about Commando that would last hours. I wouldn't even know where to start with it.

It's not even Arnie's worst film.

I'm guessing that the very things you would rant about are the same things that I feel make it fun.  We could start with Vernon Wells, or Dan Hedaya - they're great! The only weak point in my opinion is the female lead actress, but that's not enough to drag down its entertaining 80's vibe.

As for not being one of Arnie's worst, it most certainly is not. I would put it as one of his best, its just pure fun, though the number one spot will always be Predator for me.

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

Commando is glorious. It is the very definition of a big dumb action movie.

[Trout]

The correct answer is William H. Macy.

We also would have accepted Max Von Sydow, despite the 95 Dredd film.

- Trout

[TordelBack]

We also would have accepted Max Von Sydow, despite the 95 Dredd film.

Ooh good one.  Do I get to watch some of his TV stuff too?

[JamesC]

We also would have accepted Max Von Sydow, despite the 95 Dredd film.

Ooh good one.  Do I get to watch some of his TV stuff too?

No you don't - bloody cheat!

[Tony Angelino]

I'm trying to ignore the outpouring of support for Commando. Even the Steel Drum soundtrack is terrible.

It was released the same year as Rambo First Blood Part Two which I think stands up better today as an 80s action flick. Of the two actors, who were seen as 'competitors' at the time, I think Stallone's films have stood the test of time better than Arnie's. 

I would say Max Von Sydow has a great body of work. I watched Three Days of the Condor recently and he's very good in it. It has cinema's greatest lift scene possibly only matched by the one in The Winter Soldier.

[Tjm86]

Surprised Roy Scheider hasn't come up yet.  First Jaws, French Connection, Blue Thunder, 2010 and the Fourth War.

We'll forgive him Seaquest DSV (which he pretty much disowned himself by all accounts).

[Tony Angelino]

I watched him in a 'forgotten' film of the 70s recently called The Seven Ups. Very good. From the makers of the French Connection.

[I, Cosh]

You could certainly have a great night by choosing some lesser-known bit-part stallwarts. If you like action films, you could easily while away a day watching films in which Al Leong plays some sort of henchman (even though some of those roles are uncredited).
If we were generous enough to allow stunt performers we may be able to come up with an almost unbeatable list of top action films.

Aye. I've changed my vote to Harry Dean Stanton.

[Tony Angelino]

Vic Armstrong, the stuntman, would give you a huge number of well known films. He's not an actor but I think it is within the spirit of the regulations here if we are allowing actors who are in tiny roles in films. As a bonus he didn't do any work at all on Commando.

[Frank]

The problem with some of those suggestions is that while they might be great films, some are very samey.  I wouldn't want to spend the whole day watching Westerns or have every film be a gangster film.  Variety is the spice of life

Yep:




Charles Napier (1936-2011)

1999 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

1998 Beloved

1997 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

1996 The Cable Guy

1993 Philadelphia

1993 Loaded Weapon 1

1991 The Silence of the Lambs

1990 The Grifters

1990 Maniac Cop 2

1988 Married to the Mob

1986 Something Wild

1985 Rambo: First Blood Part II

1980 The Blues Brothers

1975 Supervixens

1970 Beyond the Valley of the Dolls





Hal Holbrook (1925 - present)

2012 Lincoln

2007 Into the Wild

2001 The Majestic

1997 Hercules

1993 The Firm

1989 Fletch Lives

1987 Wall Street

1983 The Star Chamber

1982 Creepshow

1980 The Fog

1977 Capricorn One

1976 Battle of Midway

1976 All the President's Men

1973 Magnum Force





Jack Warden (1920 - 2006)

1998 Bulworth

1996 Ed

1995 Mighty Aphrodite

1995 Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead

1994 Bullets Over Broadway

1992 Night and the City

1990 Problem Child

1982 The Verdict

1981 The Great Muppet Caper

1979 Being There

1979 ...and justice for all.

1979 Beyond the Poseidon Adventure

1979 The Champ

1978 Death on the Nile

1978 Heaven Can Wait

1976 All the President's Men

1975 Shampoo

1964 The Thin Red Line

1963 Donovan's Reef

1957 12 Angry Men

1953 From Here to Eternity

1950 The Asphalt Jungle

[sheridan]

We also would have accepted Max Von Sydow, despite the 95 Dredd film.

You'd be watching him play a leader who dies a lot of times...

   
• The Greatest Story Ever Told - King of Kings, dies
• Flash Gordon - Emperor Ming, dies
• Ghostbuster II - Vigo the Carpathian, dies
• Judge Dredd - Chief Judge Fargo, dies
• Minority Report - Director Burgess, dies
• Robin Hood - Sir Walter Loxley, dies
• The Force Awakens - Village elder Lor San Tekka, dies