The best, and worst of movie casting
POSTED BY: OPPYH
UPDATED: Friday, July 25, 2025 06:36
VIEWED: 10605
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Was for me.
"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."
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Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
Was for me.
"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."
Heh...so I'll change it to "wasn't enough of a role for me to forget I was watching Morgan Freeman."
Worst casting? Not by a long shot...but distracting casting...for me.
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"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
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Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
I'll add: Keanu Reeves in Bram Stoker's Dracula and in Much Ado About Nothing. That man should never be cast in a period film.
But Storymark, THAT is the entire reason I watch him in Much Ado About Nothing. It adds so much funny. Would you deprive me of my joy?
EDIT: Would this discussion happen to include those actors that it's very difficult to imagine them as a character vs. as themselves saying a character's lines?
RE: Morgan Freeman--the first thing I could think of in the Dark Knight was "Woot. Wayne has 'God' for tech support. Rich jerk." I just... that man has too many eyes.
--
Going for a ride.
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Quote:
Originally posted by RugBug:
Worst(again IMO ;)):
Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia!
Pierce Brosnan SINGING in Mamma Mia!
http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/
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OK, follow up and adds.
Good castings:
I had considered Chris Cooper and Matthew McCaunaghey for Lone Star, but backed off, mostly because I loved both of them in A Time To Kill, which were both done at the same time (almost). So I should add them both for both.
Oliver Platt in A Time To Kill, and Kurtwood Smith as Stump Sisson.
Brad Pitt, Harvey Keitel and Geena Davis in Themla and Louise.
Pitt also in Sleepers.
Bob Gunton in Demolition Man, and also Shawshank Redemption.
Bernard Hill in Titanic and Lord Of the Rings.
Sam Rockwell in Green Mile and Galaxy Quest.
Russell Crowe in Gladiator
Kurt Russell in Soldier, and as Snake Pliskin.
With all the Morgan Freeman talk, I had to work out my bias, but Deep Impact, Bruce Almighty, and Kiss the Girls still hold up.
Adam Baldwin and Randy Quaid in Independence Day.
Bill Pullman in Ruthless People - that's an Ace casting to beat all.
Bruce Wilis in Lucky Number Slevin.
Laura Linney, Scott Glenn and Ed Harris in Absolute Power.
Agree with Viggo in LoTR, and add Ian Holm.
Jane March in Color of Night and The Lover.
Carrie Fisher as Natalie Portman's daughter in Star Wars.
James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams.
Fred Gwynne and Chris Ellis in My Cousin Vinny.
Steven Seagal in Executive Decision.
Halle Berry in Passenger 57.
Wesley Snipes, Dennis Burkett and Helen Hunt in The Waterdance.
Meryl Streep and Cher in Silkwood.
Phoebe Cates in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Had no idea who would fit that role while reading the book, but she hit it.
Because it was first a TV Movie, Lee Majors as Col Steve Austin.
Oliver Platt, Catherine McCormack, Rufus Sewell, Miora Kelly, Melina Kanakaredes, David Gant in Dangerous Beauty, and probably everybody else in that.
Sophie Marceau, Brian Cox, Brendan Gleeson, David O'Hara, David Gant in Braveheart.
Carrie Henn in Aliens.
Ron Perlman in City of Lost Children.
Abigail Breslin in Signs.
Rhiannon Leigh Wynn and Rainn wilson in The Last Mimzy.
Rainn Wilson in The Rocker.
Tom Hulce and F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus.
F Murray Abraham, Bridget Wilson and Maria Shriver in Last Action Hero.
Michael Pare in Eddie and the Cruisers.
Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future.
Gary Oldman in JFK.
jean Reno and Natalie Portman in The Professional.
Madeline Stowe and Frank Gorshin in Twelve Monkeys.
Kira Sedgwick, Forrest Whitaker, Robert Duvall in Phenomenon
Susan Cusack, Maury Chaykin and Fisher Stevens in Hero.
Fisher Stevens in Short Circuit.
Willem Dafoe adn Dale Dye in Platoon.
Graham Greene in Dances With Wolves.
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Quote:
Originally posted by AnotherSky:Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
I'll add: Keanu Reeves in Bram Stoker's Dracula and in Much Ado About Nothing. That man should never be cast in a period film.
But Storymark, THAT is the entire reason I watch him in Much Ado About Nothing. It adds so much funny. Would you deprive me of my joy?
Certainly not, enjoy away. But I'm also not going to say he was well cast because one person likes his awfulness in the role.
"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."
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I just have one: Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark.
Can't think of any role more perfectly cast than that.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:Quote:
Originally posted by AnotherSky:Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
I'll add: Keanu Reeves in Bram Stoker's Dracula and in Much Ado About Nothing. That man should never be cast in a period film.
But Storymark, THAT is the entire reason I watch him in Much Ado About Nothing. It adds so much funny. Would you deprive me of my joy?
Certainly not, enjoy away. But I'm also not going to say he was well cast because one person likes his awfulness in the role.
I'm not, either. Not in any way. But I am going to say that it did make me wonder about John's character motivation. And I count it a lemonade blessing that the weakest cast member brought a different angle to the story by being so unintentionally funny. Otherwise, condemn away, good neighbor.
---
Going for a ride.
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Originally posted by PhoenixRose:
Quote:
when Morgan came on I was removed from the story for a moment, just because he is 'Morgan Freeman'.
You cut my quote off. After that I wrote:"And it was set-up that way."
I have no issues with him working as an Actor. I've seen him in plenty of films and not regarded his as Morgan Freeman - 'the persona'. In Batman though I did, and for me that was due to the way the film set his character up.
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You didn't say flat-out that Morgan Freeman should never act again, but your argument for his miscasting was, as stated above, that he 'is Morgan Freeman,' which would imply that he can't be anything else;
Nah...
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he's just too prevalent and iconic. Maybe that wasn't what you meant, but it's kind of what you said. Yes, he is Morgan Freeman, and he is iconic and prevalent and all these things, but my point is that doesn't equal miscast
No it doesn't, but on this occasion it did. Fundamentally due to the set-up.
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Since it never occurred to me the character was a contrived role to get Morgan Freeman and only Morgan Freeman on the screen, and I still don't see that at all, I would be interested to know why you hold that opinion, or what opinion you hold if my interpretation is inaccurate. Since I liked having a solid and almost reasonable answer to where Batman gets those wonderful toys, I also liked the character who designed some of them. Of course I recognized him, but I also saw no rough edges between him and the character he played. No doubt the strength of the material could be debated til the cows come home.
Oh I'd have to go back and re-watch the whole film to really elaborate on that point and I don't think that necessary. Firstly I don't own it and secondly I'm not trying to convince you of my opinion, I am merely stating my feeling towards the casting of Morgan Freeman. It could all just be my cynicism tainting my judgement too. Who knows? But that's what I came away with.
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I thought they were both particularly strong comic book movies, but still definitely comic book movies. There were more than a few elements of the fantastic and unbelievable weaving themselves throughout both films,
The whole thing is unbelievable and fantastic - I'm not querying that. That's it's attraction for me.
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but I had surprisingly few moments of "Oh come on, like that would ever happen!" so I'd call that a win. The strength of material, though, could be a moot point. Actors have managed to absorb themselves completely in terrible movies, and stick out like sore thumbs in otherwise good ones. Really, think about some things you've watched and consider how ridiculous you might feel doing and saying some of the things these actors pull off beautifully. Always gives me an appreciation of the work they do.
You're absolutely right. Actors do some marvelous things with poor material, and some great things with great material. However if the casting feels wrong the material often won't make a lick of difference. In my opinion. That's what happened with me and Batman *Shruggs*
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Anyway, source is certainly a factor, but it's not the only one, nor the most important. So, unless you're tired of the discussion, let's focus first on identity issues and whether those qualify something as a miscast. Do you think if you'd never seen him before that you would still consider Morgan Freeman miscast as Lucius Fox? Why? Or why not?
That's a very difficult question to answer in regards to Morgan Freeman, because I just do know of him. But trying to be as reasonable as possible I'd say I would have 'some' kind of feeling that this person is someone exceptional or perhaps someone I should know off beyond the film. Wether I'd translate that as he's an exceptional actor or not I just could not say - but cinema has a language. And a film will often be telling you things in advance of them actually happening, or they will subconsciously inform you of much more than you're seeing. Musi
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First of all I am incredibly behind on this thread so I’m sorry if I haven’t read all the posts. Secondly my intentions are not to step on anyone’s toes or upset someone that might have a difference of opinion, because really this is what it all comes down to, my/our opinions. That spoken here I go;
Best cast, I can think of three right off the top;
To Kill a Mockingbird; 1962
Gregory Peck -Atticus Finch
Mary Badham- Scout
Phillip Alford- Jem
Brock Peters- Tom Robinson
…….and James Anderson ( Boo-hiss) as Robert E. Lee “Bob” Ewell
No Time for Sergeants; 1958
Andy Griffith- Will Stockdale
Myron McCormick- Sgt. Orville C. King
Murray Hamilton- Irving S. Blanchard
Dr. Strangelove; 1964
Peter Sellers- All three performances
George C. Scott- Gen. Buck Turgidson
Sterling Hayden- Gen. Jack Ripper
Slim Pickens- Major Kong
Is it saying something that they’re all filmed in black and white? I don’t know myself.
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Worst IMO, just two come to mind at the moment and they really don‘t compare to the 1933 original;
King Kong; 2005
Naomi Watts- was not, Ann Darrow
Jack Black ( I really like but) was not- Carl Denham
…..and Adrien Brody- was not - Jack Driscoll
….and don’t even get me started on KONG; 1976
Just as I see’em, Z
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