u/jaystats2

A few scenes come to mind, but I’d have to say the Tony Dogs torture scene from Casino (1995) stands out for me.

Imagine being conscious while the pressure of vice clamps pop an eyeball out of your head. What’s worse is it’s based on a real-life event.

“Dogs…Dogs…can you hear me Dogs? Listen to me Anthony. I got your head in a fuckin’ vice. Ima squash your head like a fuckin’ grapefruit if you don’t give me a name.”

Rourke said in an interview about working with De Niro “It was the first time I ever had to really concentrate in the way that I did, because he’s the most concentrated actor I’ve ever seen and he doesn’t…you know… if you like lose your concentration with him for like four seconds, you’re outta there. So like, it was…at the end of the day I was drained.”

Maybe De Niro’s presence made Mickey up his game, but I think he was selling himself short a bit.

His portrayal of Harry Angel is legendary, and it’s one of the few rare performances I’ll never forget. Can I get a second on that?

For me, it’s Francis Dollarhyde, aka The Tooth Fairy, played by Tom Noonan in Manhunter (1986).

Could be Noonan’s 6’5” height that added to the creepiness, but that dude was terror on two feet.

Then again, anything coming from the mind of author Thomas Harris and his Red Dragon saga will unsettle in the worst way. Noonan just happened to be a spot-on casting choice.

The way he hovered over the blind woman with a shard of glass to her throat will haunt me forever.

Who else belongs in the top 20 all-time nightmarish characters list?

That guy killed as easily as he held a conversation, and he flashed a warm smile before he did it. That’s what made him so scary.

Producer David Chase was so impressed with Gandolfini’s performance that he gave him a shot to play Tony Soprano six years later.

Great casting choice by Tony Scott in True Romance. I read that Scott just had a gut feeling Gandolfini could bring something special to the role, and his gut proved him right. A phenomenal talent gone too soon(RIP).

“Do me a favor. Turn around for me… no, go the other way… CRACK!!”

For the youngsters in here, Flip hosted a popular comedy variety show (named after him) that ran on NBC from 1970 to 1974. It was one of the first American television programs starring a black person in the title role to become highly successful with a white audience.

Specifically, it was the first successful network variety series starring a black person. During its first two seasons, it was the second most watched show in the U.S. according to Nielsen ratings.

Could be that the subtitles held this one back, but Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet, and Tahar Rahim’s performance in it always felt underappreciated to me.

Rahim had only done two smaller roles before A Prophet, but he nailed this role like a seasoned vet.

The way he played Malik adapting to prison life, and rising through the gangster ranks was on point. Not sure how he pulled it off, but he added a ton of depth and realism to that performance.

For me, the movie and the performance by Rahim ranks right up there with Pacino and The Godfather( just in French and Arabic with English subtitles).

The first person I think of is Morrie from Goodfellas (1990), played by Chuck Low(RIP), and based on the real-life Martin Krugman.

That guy totally pushed the envelope with mobsters he had no business associating with in the first place.

Morrie wasn’t a real gangster, he was just a gambler by nature, both in terms of bookmaking and recklessly running off at the mouth( like pressing Jimmy for his cut of the Lufthansa heist).

Not an evil dude, but loud, annoying, and way too comfortable in keeping dangerous company.

He was just a small business owner and hustler who wanted the gangster perks without having the gangster pedigree. In the end, it got him whacked.

Any other poor schmucks like Morrie come to mind?

“You hear about the points we were shaving up in Boston? Oh, it’s terrific…yeah, Nunzio up in uh…AAAARGH!”

He never jabbed a vein or tilted a bottle back to get his fix. He got it through reckless sex encounters.

Michael Fassbender’s Brandon Sullivan is one of the most raw portrayals of an addict I’ve ever seen.

To understand the psychology, Fassbender spent time with real-life sex addicts and worked closely with his director, Steve McQueen.

He and McQueen had a strong creative trust, and you can see it in the end result. That trust allowed Fassbender to take emotional and physical risks(like exposing his junk) on screen. He knew that no matter how cringey it felt, McQueen would shape it into something cool.

It’s one of those rare performances where I actually felt sad for the protagonist when the final credits rolled.

“I need you, Brandon. We’re not bad people. We just come from a bad place.”

Being able to swallow your pride and take one on the chin, even if you're wrong, says a lot about your character.

The one movie scene that stands out for me is from The Paper Chase (1973). It's when Professor Kingsfield, played by John Houseman, scolds Mr. Hart, played by Timothy Bottoms, in front of the entire law class.

Hart gets pissed and directs a few expletives at Kingsfield , who really showed grace by taking it on the chin.

Any other good examples of movie characters being a good sport?

“Mr. Hart, here’s a dime. Call your mother and tell her there’s serious doubt about your becoming a lawyer.”

https://youtu.be/0GvslPMAWKs?is=Zk76ICdhZz-B6WwX

Sheriff Will Teasle was a real prick. He’s exactly what I’d imagine a small-town cop with a big ego to be like.

The way he rushed to judgment and stereotyped John Rambo says a lot about that big bully.

In the end, he had to learn about respect, prejudice, and humility the hard way.

I’ve always admired Brian Dennehy’s work (RIP). He rocked it in this.

“You, uh… you visiting someone around here? You know, wearin’ that flag on that jacket, lookin’ the way you do. You’re asking for trouble around here, friend.”

“Ignorance is bliss.” Yeah, OK Cypher. You sell out your comrades and a cause to save the human race from extinction for a fake reality and a cushy deal.

Joe Pantoliano’s delivery was perfect for that role. The same goes for The Fugitive (1993) and Bound (1996). His performances are always balanced, not too over-the-top, and not too subtle.

“You know, I know this steak doesn’t exist. I know when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years…you know what I realize…”

For the sake of spoilers, I can’t say much about this movie other than it fucked me up (in a good way).

Well-crafted horror movies like this will eventually put the horror genre back on track and garner Oscar recognition not only for technical awards, but for writing, acting, and directing too.

Hard to believe that 26-year-old film auteur Curry Barker made it for $750,000 against a $300 million (to date) box office take.

Makes me look forward to seeing more fresh work from Barker in the future. Horror’s coming back!

Happy to report Monte’s alive and well. He turns 91 on June 21st.

Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in Tombstone (1993) is right up there for me.

Although there have been many portrayals of Doc in movies about the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Val’s Doc stood out.

His longstanding friendship with Wyatt Earp lasted until his very end.

Talk about ride or die. He took up arms and bravely put his life on the line for a friend. That says a lot about friendship, loyalty, and character.

What are some other good examples of movie sidekicks who never let the hero down?

Jeremy Renner’s SFC James in The Hurt Locker (2009) is right up there for me.

That poor guy was the textbook definition of thrill-seeking behavior. An addictive personality like James doesn’t feel alive unless his life is on the line.

Combat PTSD is a baffling subject because it can make everyday life feel more threatening than actual combat for some veterans.

A man that far gone could never function in civilian society, as the ending of the film clearly shows.

Any other examples of folks living on the extreme edge?