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Post by pupdurcs on May 8, 2024 4:41:14 GMT
I feel like the 1970's or even 1950's generations are more referenced as such (maybe because most of the main players peaked around the same time, unlike the 1980's generations, many whose careers really started peaking in the 90's).
You've got in my mind ( and in the minds of many), someone who is the GOAT in Denzel Washington. In 2020, was named The Greatest Actor Of The 21st Century By The New York Times.
You've got another who many also argue can be considered the GOAT in Daniel Day-Lewis. In 2012, named The World's Greatest Actor By Time Magazine.
You've got a solid GOAT contender (for some) in Tom Hanks
You've got another strong GOAT contender character actor in Gary Oldman.
And these are the ones left over:
Willem Dafoe
Nicolas Cage
Sean Penn
Mickey Rourke
Kenneth Branagh
Liam Neeson
Michael Keaton
Samuel L Jackson
Mark Rylance
So pound for pound, can this be considered the greatest generation of actors ever?
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Post by pupdurcs on May 8, 2024 14:43:49 GMT
The only time my top 4 for the 80's generation ( Day-Lewis, Hanks, Washington, Oldman) we're ever nominated together at an Awards ceremony in the same category. The 2018 Golden Globes.
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sirchuck23
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Post by sirchuck23 on May 8, 2024 19:52:58 GMT
That's a tough one! I think in a vacuum I would take the 70s and 80s generation over the 50s generatiom imho, so you got the 70s guys vs the 80s guys.
With the actors you mentioned that were left over from the 80s class, based on the number of guys that have had an imprint on movies the past 35 years, you would go with the 80s pound for pound.
Now looking at the elite/cream of the crop from each generation, you have:
70s - Pacino, De Niro, Hackman, Nicholson, and Hoffman
80s - Washington, Day-Lewis, Oldman, and Hanks
I think just looking at those gentlemen, I would lean towards the 70s guys having the edge, reason being Hanks is kind of the lightweight of all of them. The others had an edge to them as performers that I just don't thinks Hanks had/have (and yes I'm aware of Road to Perdition). I think the 5 best actors from that group of elites is Washington, Pacino, Day-Lewis, De Niro, and Hackman. If Hackman was not a part of the 70s generation, I would take the 80s guys just overall because I think Washington and Day-Lewis is stronger than Pacino and De Niro, but adding Hackman into the mix edges it to the 70s guys as far as the elite of the respective generations. It's a tough one though, I can see an argument for either. Those elite guys are all all-timers.
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Post by Archie on May 8, 2024 19:58:24 GMT
Nope.
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Post by franklin on May 8, 2024 20:41:34 GMT
Nicolas Cage's prime outclasses everyone among these 80s actors (Leaving Las Vegas, Adaptation, Raising Arizona, Moonstruck, Pig, Bad Lieutenant: New Orleans, Bringing Out The Dead, Mandy, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Dream Scenario)
Nic Cage the greatest of the 80s generation, far better than overrated Washington and equally as great as Day-Lewis.
He literally invented a new way of acting with his Nouveau Shamanic.
Even Ethan Hawke defined him as "The only actor since Marlon Brando that's actually done anything new with the art of acting".
He may very well be our greatest living actor working today.
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Post by pupdurcs on May 8, 2024 21:23:07 GMT
That's a tough one! I think in a vacuum I would take the 70s and 80s generation over the 50s generatiom imho, so you got the 70s guys vs the 80s guys. With the actors you mentioned that were left over from the 80s class, based on the number of guys that have had an imprint on movies the past 35 years, you would go with the 80s pound for pound. Now looking at the elite/cream of the crop from each generation, you have: 70s - Pacino, De Niro, Hackman, Nicholson, and Hoffman 80s - Washington, Day-Lewis, Oldman, and Hanks I think just looking at those gentlemen, I would lean towards the 70s guys having the edge, reason being Hanks is kind of the lightweight of all of them. The others had an edge to them as performers that I just don't thinks Hanks had/have (and yes I'm aware of Road to Perdition). I think the 5 best actors from that group of elites is Washington, Pacino, Day-Lewis, De Niro, and Hackman. If Hackman was not a part of the 70s generation, I would take the 80s guys just overall because I think Washington and Day-Lewis is stronger than Pacino and De Niro, but adding Hackman into the mix edges it to the 70s guys as far as the elite of the respective generations. It's a tough one though, I can see an argument for either. Those elite guys are all all-timers. Yeah, I'm sort of in agreement that Hanks is the comparative "weak link" in the 80's "Big 4". But I don't feel anyone else in the leftover bunch has achieved as much as him or has his iconic stature to be put over him instead as part of the 80's cream of the crop. Certainly not highly inconsistent hams like Sean Penn & Nicolas Cage, or someone who while arguably the best stage actor alive in Mark Rylance, hasn't left a big enough imprint on film to be there instead .Agreed with Washington & Day-Lewis over Pacino & DeNiro.But yes, having Hackman In the 70's group of big guns probably gives that generation the overall edge. |
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Post by pupdurcs on May 8, 2024 21:57:06 GMT
Nicolas Cage's prime outclasses everyone among these 80s actors (Leaving Las Vegas, Adaptation, Raising Arizona, Moonstruck, Pig, Bad Lieutenant: New Orleans, Bringing Out The Dead, Mandy, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Dream Scenario) Nic Cage the greatest of the 80s generation, far better than overrated Washington and equally as great as Day-Lewis. He literally invented a new way of acting with his Nouveau Shamanic. Even Ethan Hawke defined him as "The only actor since Marlon Brando that's actually done anything new with the art of acting". He may very well be our greatest living actor working today. I've liked him in some stuff and he's rarely boring, but for the most part, I think Cage is an OTT cartoon character and rarely ever feels like a real person on screen. But he's at least self aware enough to know that nowadays. He knows he's a parody of himself and leans into it with things like The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent and Renfield. It can be fun in small doses, but it's not an acting style I can really get behind for anything resembling the "greatest". I don't think Cage invented a new style of acting. He's just a ham. At times he's good, at times he's been terrible. But it's just ham. |
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Post by pupdurcs on May 9, 2024 8:10:38 GMT
To add, Bryan Cranston, Viggo Mortensen and Kevin Spacey also belong to the 80's generation, though they wouldn't crack the 80's Big 4.But like sirchuck23 said, the strength in depth might actually be stronger with the 80's generation, even if the 70's might edge the cream of the crop. So you could make arguments for both. The 80's generation also feels like the last crop where all the big guns cut their teeth on stage, which is significant for me. Washington is a Tony winner, Hanks is a Tony nominee, Day-Lewis spent years at The Royal Shakespeare Company and Oldman was a major stage actor in the UK during the 1980's. I feel that stage grounding has been lost in subsequent generations ( like with Phoenix, DiCaprio and Bale, which makes their resumes feel incomplete, imho ).
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Post by franklin on May 9, 2024 11:31:32 GMT
Even Downey Jr. announced just now that he'll do a Broadway play.
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Post by pupdurcs on May 9, 2024 15:08:36 GMT
Even Downey Jr. announced just now that he'll do a Broadway play. started as a stage actor. He did Off-Broadway in 1983 in multiple plays. He was a professional stage actor before he ever got his first film role. |
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Post by The_Cake_of_Roth on May 9, 2024 19:08:22 GMT
Even Downey Jr. announced just now that he'll do a Broadway play. Triple Crown-winner Robert Downey Jr. incoming... |
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Post by pupdurcs on May 9, 2024 19:16:19 GMT
Even Downey Jr. announced just now that he'll do a Broadway play. Triple Crown-winner Robert Downey Jr. incoming... Man really said, " I'm not going out this game remembered just for being Iron Man. I can ACT!!!!"  |
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sirchuck23
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Post by sirchuck23 on May 9, 2024 21:39:28 GMT
Even Downey Jr. announced just now that he'll do a Broadway play. Triple Crown-winner Robert Downey Jr. incoming... Washington vs. Downey Jr. for Best Actor in a Play next year would be fire!  |
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Post by pupdurcs on May 9, 2024 22:56:42 GMT
I think if we are talking strength in depth, 80's generation has an edge over 70's generation, but you got to remember that the 70's generation still had guys like Jeff Bridges and Michael Douglas, who are greats, but not generally put among the "big guns" of the 70's cream of the crop.
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Post by pupdurcs on May 10, 2024 6:34:04 GMT
Another 80's generation actor, who doesn't crack the cream of the crop in overall career terms, but has one of the greatest performances of all time in Tombstone...further proving the strength in depth in this generation may be matchless. Val Kilmer.
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Post by pupdurcs on May 11, 2024 5:03:34 GMT
The 80's big 4 didn't act together much, which is a shame.
I think the only examples are Hanks & Washington in Philadelphia and Washington & Oldman in The Book Of Eli.
Still possible (and probably likely, as they both stay busy) for Hanks and Oldman to do something together, but even if he does come out of retirement, I feel Day-Lewis is unlikely to cross any of their paths. Which is also a shame, as I think Day-Lewis/Washington from an acting standpoint would probably be the most anticipated meeting of actors in a generation. At least on par with DeNiro & Pacino going head to head in Heat. Day-Lewis and Oldman would be interesting as well, but I'm not sure there is enough contrast in styles between them.
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