Performances With Just A Hint of.......... Madness

Joaquin Phoenix in The Master.

Freddie Quell is an extremely damaged soul, not just because of the war but because of his childhood. His father died while drunk (something that Freddie seems to be on the path to emulating by the time we meet him), his mother is a psychotic in an insane asylum (there are hints that Freddie is not altogether "right in the head", which coupled with his chronic alcoholism leads up to believe that it won't be long before Freddie winds up in a straitjacket himself), and he was taken sexual advantage of by his "Auntie" Bertha (if Freddie was underage, then his drinking began extremely early in life). The only goodness in his life, the only decent glimmer of hope for him, was Doris Solstad, the virginal neighbor girl. And yet he runs from her, seemingly on a whim. Why? Because he has itchy feet? Because he's afraid of destroying the best thing in his life by keeping her in his orbit, even though abandoning her and going to sea is what ultimately drives her into the arms of another man? Freddie is haunted by ghosts the entire film; not literal ghosts, but the specters of a bad childhood, a traumatic war, and a decision to leave the girl of his dreams behind with no excuse for it.

There is a great visual scene after the poisoning where Freddie runs out across a field pursued by some men that then makes it seem like he's trying to outrun ghosts, literally.

Another one that crossed my mind: Casey Affleck in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

It's actually Javier Bardem who pointed this out, in the press room after he'd won his Oscar. Bardem was extolling praise towards the other four nominees, and he considered Affleck's performance to be "a piece of jewelry" that was the perfect performance of "a ghost." And after he said that and I rewatched Jesse James, I realized he was right. Affleck plays Bob Ford as a literal ghost of a man, someone who is barely there, ignored, who drifts through his existence like the sheeted specter Affleck would ultimately play ten years later in A Ghost Story. Ford desires not just to be famous for his exploits, but he desires to make his impact, because he knows that if he doesn't take his shot (figuratively and literally), he will be lost to history. It's an eerie, haunting performance that truly captures the ethereal "goneness" of a faded daguerreotype.

Viggo Mortensen in A History Of Violence.

Bibi Andersson in Persona!

Kinski in anything, really.

You mean something like the main characters in Leon?

James McAvoy in Split.

I think it says a lot when it seems like even Frank Booth shows Ben respect, like he fears Ben. I always wondered if Ben was a forerunner to the Mystery Man from Lost Highway.

Imma throw a really great one out there.

Tom Berenger - Platoon.

Madeline Kahn in Clue.

Whaddaya say there, Bob?