I agree completely.
Anthony Hopkins Lechter always seemed crazy and cartoonish. Cox’s Lechter was much more subtle, someone who would appear sane and reasonable and disarming…until he went wild on you.
And Richard Burton is O’Brian in the same movie. Whenever I read the book, I always picture Hurt as Smith and Burton as O’Brian.
…Or Robert Mitchum as the same character.
Mitchum again in that film where he’s a marine trapped on a pacific island with a nun (Deborah Kerr?)
Lee Marvin in a bunch of things: Dirty Dozen, Point Blank, Hell in the Pacific.
Judi Dench as M in the Pierce Brosnan Bonds. She made so much more of that role than her predecessor.
Desmond Llewellyn as Q.
Glenn Close as Jenny Garp and John Lithgow as Roberta Muldoon in ** The World According to Garp. ** Particularly Lithgow, though the role was originally offered to Christopher Reeve.
There can be only one? Then it should have been Adrian Paul’s Duncan, not Christopher Lambert’s Connor.
I could be wrong but I think it is ** “Heaven knows, Mr. Allison.” **
Bob Keashon is Capt. Kangaroo.
Why yes, I am old.
Yes, West was a fine Batman AND Bruce Wayne, but Keaton and West were essentially playing two different characters, not just different interpretations. Batman was reinvented with “Year One” and “The Dark Knight Returns”.
I’d also like to throw in Jane Kazcmarek (sp?) as Lois on “Malcom In The Middle”. The show is great now, but, early on, she and They Might Be Giants that MADE the show.
Charlie Sheen as “Charlie Sheen” and John Malkovich as “John Malkovich” in <i>Being John Malkovich</i>.
James Best as Sherrif Roscoe P. Coltrane in “The Dukes of Hazzard”.
Al Pacino as Sonny in <i>Dog Day Afternoon</i>…
Sean Astin as Sam in <i>The Lord of The Rings</i>. The series is probably the best cast films I’ve ever seen, and while McKellen is a great Gandalf, and Mortensen IS Aragorn, Sean Astin was an inspired piece of casting.
Can I expand a bit? While it’s not really “acting”, per se, I think that Bob Clampett’s Daffy Duck cartoons define what Daffy is.
'fraid not. Basil’s character in the '38 “Adventures of Robin Hood” was Sir Guy of Gisbourne.
Yes, I COULD quote the whole movie, from memory!
Kelsey Grammer as Frasier. He has been playing the guy for like two decades…
I have to second Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump.
In the TV world:
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano
Seinfeld may be one of the best casted shows ever.
Jason Alexander IS George Costanza. When I see him now, I hardly remember his name, I simply think of it as George acting.
Jerry Stiller as Frank Costanza
John O’Hurley as Jay Peterman. (I can’t even say “Peterman” without laughing.)
While some may disagree, I think that Alan Alda owned Hawkeye on MASH. After seeing him in the role, the movie was almost painful to watch. Maybe it is just a matter of what you are used to.
Anthony Hopkins in Remains Of The Dary.
Ed Norton in Death To Smoochy.
Robin Williams in The Fisher King.
Peter Sellers and George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove.
Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther movies.
Ben Gazarra in everything he was ever in.
Peter Falk in everything he was ever in.
Nicole Kidman in The Others and To Die For.
Meryl Streep in everything she was ever in.
Julianne Moore in everything she was ever in.
Thora Birch in Ghost World.
Vincent Gallo in Buffalo 66.
Michael Douglas and Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction.
Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy in 48 Hours.
Nick Nolte in Affliction.
I can’t believe anyone hasn’t mentioned:
Charles Chaplin as The Tramp