December 14, 2008

The 20 Actresses Meme

A few months ago I didn't even know what a "meme" was, but apparently it's the hot new thing. One created by Fletch completely owned the internet for a few weeks, and now a meme created by Nathaniel at The Film Experience is popping up everywhere. To my knowledge, I've been tagged by at least four people in the last week: Scott (elgringo), Pat, T.S., and Ibetolis. Although this was not a list that came to me as easily as I expected (I'm sure my friend Beaver would have a great time jabbing me here since he accuses me of never liking any actresses, which is only true as far as Angelina Jolie and Julianne Moore and a few other big names are concerned; yes, I admit a least favorite actress list might have flown right out of me), in the holiday spirit I feel I must oblige my fellow bloggers.

In no order, and as they've naturally come to me. I'll include a memorable role for each of them.

The Legends:
  • Katherine Hepburn (The African Queen)
  • Grace Kelly (Rear Window)
  • Lauren Bacall (The Big Sleep)
  • Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca)
  • Vanessa Redgrave (Mission: Impossible) - yep, the '96 version

The What Have You Done for Me Lately? Group:
  • Robin Wright Penn (Breaking and Entering)
  • Elizabeth Shue (Back to the Future Part II)
  • Frances McDormand (North Country)
  • Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise)
  • Hilary Swank (Freedom Writers)
  • Angela Bassett (Akeelah and the Bee)
  • Salma Hayek (Frida)
  • Diane Lane (The Perfect Storm)
  • Uma Thurman (Tape)
  • Jennifer Connelly (Requiem for a Dream)

The Contemporaries:

Considering this is already a week old, I won't go through the trouble of researching who has and has not already taken part. If you're reading this and you're interested, consider yourself tagged!

8 comments:

  1. Fascinating list ... I especially like your choice of Angela Bassett and Frances McDormand.

    But PICTURES! We want PICTURES!

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  2. My apologies. I suppose I was just too lazy and...lazy. Not that I didn't appreciate the tags! It's just come at a time when I'm mid-draft on a number of fronts, so this was one to just check off the list.

    It did remind me how much I've missed Wright Penn and Shue, though. And how much I loved Mission:Impossible.

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  3. Vanessa Redgrave is an excellent choice, but I would have picked anything but MI as her memorable film. Now I know why you did.

    I like your organizing principle here and think you made some great picks, particulary Salma Hayek, who I wanted to pick but couldn't think of a single film of hers later than Frida. She's been off the radar screen so long that I no longer crave a viewing.

    Laura Linney gets on my nerves - I can't explain it.

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  4. Ha, yeah I know MI is suspect, but the scene with her and Tom Cruise in the car is one of my favorites. She added a lot to that movie in only a few minutes of screen time.

    Salma Hayek's career has taken a bit of a dive recently, this is true. She had a run in the late 90's, including Fools Rush In, 54, and Traffic. COme to think of it, she must be one of the few Best Actress nominees (I would have been fine to award it to her over Kidman) to do almost nothing of note in the five years following the role. Too bad.

    Lots of actors and actresses get on my nerves and I can't explain it either, most of the time.

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  5. Great list, Daniel. We have a few choices in common (Regrave, Linney, McDormand).

    Robin Wright Penn is a great choice, too. I completely overlooked her in making my list, but she's done some fine work.

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  6. This is quite the interesting list, my friend.

    I only have a real issue with one pick: Hilary Swank. Frankly, I fail to understand.

    Ha ha. Otherwise it's all good, Danny.

    I like KATHARINE HEPBURN, GRACE KELLY, INGRID BERGMAN, ANGELA BASSETT, LAURA LINNEY and SALMA HAYEK a great deal.

    I adore ROBIN WRIGHT and ELISABETH SHUE. Two greatly underrated talents in my estimation. I have no idea where I could put them, though.

    FRANCES McDORMAND, SUSAN SARANDON, UMA THURMAN, KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS and HALLE BERRY would be somewhere between #25 - #50.

    There just wasn't enough room.

    JENNIFER CONNOLLY, RACHEL WEISZ, DIANE LANE and VANESSA REDGRAVE JUST MISSED the proverbial boat.

    Oddly enough, the ONLY actor we had in common was LAUREN BACALL. She was my #10.

    Still and all, exquisite selections. Can't argue with any of them. Except for the one that I mentioned...and that other one.

    But Rick is right. You need pictures!!!

    Though I realize fully that he and I are lobbying for them for entirely different reasons.

    *smiles like cheshire cat*

    When you get a chance, you should hop over to CP and get a load of mine.

    I'm gonna be doing a male list tomorrow. GREATLY looking forward to that...

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  7. I just tackled this, with clips from their best work:

    http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/2008/12/shine-on-you-crazy-diamonds_15.html

    Interesting distinction between your second & third categories - probably many would put Berry in the second, right?

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  8. Pat, Robin Wright Penn has always been high on my list. There's something graceful about her and I feel like she takes her work seriously.

    Miranda, I'm also surprised that we only share one, but of course mine are much more "current" than most people's lists, evidence of my not having seen so many of the classics from decades past.

    Hehe, of all the actresses listed here I knew Swank would ruffle some feathers. I actually considered adding a disclaimer there. I know A LOT of people have issues with her but I've somehow always stepped around it. It's not like I've even seen her in more than five or six movies, but somehow I'm drawn to her in all of them (maybe not Boys Don't Cry, but that was impressive work in my opinion).

    MovieMan I went back and forth with Berry. If not for that movie last year she definitely would have been in the "missing in action" group, but since it was less than a year ago (and quite overlooked in my opinion), I brought her up to date, so to speak. Your list is great as well, by the way.

    ReplyDelete

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