Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Audiophilander (A) on January 27, 2002 at 09:30:55

In Reply to: the unbearable lightness of lists posted by late on January 27, 2002 at 06:12:00:

You're correct that lists have a tendency to tell you too much and yet not enough, but they also a) provide only subjective imprerssions, and b) establish misleading rankings, ignoring performances that might be deemed equal or superior to those listed once a consensus had been reached by the viewing public. This is the biggest failing of awards presentations, especially the Academy Awards, where intense lobbying/promotional campaigns are employed with the hopes that members will take the time to view your particualr film before casting their vote.

All that said, my list of best performances would undoubtably be different albeit similar to thse listed. Among the actresses I would've placed on my top 10 list for dramatic performances I've seen are:
Maria Falconetti (The Passion of Joan of Arc),
Louise Brooks (either for Pandora's Box or Diary of a Lost Girl), Linda Hunt (The Year of Living Dangerously),
Katheryn Hepburn (The African Queen),
Gloria Swanson (either for Sunset Boulevard or Queen Kelly),
Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovitch),
Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca),
Lilian Gish (either for Way Down East or Year of the Hunter),
Bette Davis (All About Eve),
Kate Blanchet (Elizabeth)

--- and that's just my subjective perspective on the dramatic side; comedy would be a whole different listing, albeit equally deserving.

Over the years, there've been so many great dramatic performances by so many great actresses. Each era or generation produces differerent criteria to evaluate the calibre of those performances as acting techniques change; some performances gain in stature and others lose their luster. How do you differentiate in order to give a representative cross section?

AuPh