Added by Stehako

on 19 Jan 2010 03:46

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Best One-Scene-Only Performances

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Showing 32 items

7.4

1. Donald Sutherland

as X in "JFK" (1991)

Stehako's rating:

6.5

2. Tom Berenger

as Peter Browning in "Inception" (2010)

Stehako's rating:

7.9

3. Christopher Walken

as Captain Koons "Pulp Fiction" (1994)

as Vincenzo Coccotti "True Romance" (1993)

Stehako's rating:

6.5

4. Alec Baldwin

"Glengarry Glen Ross"

They went 7 for 7 in the cast of acting greats, and Baldwin's only scene is the best of the film:

Stehako's rating:

8.7

5. Martin Scorsese

"Taxi Driver"

Scorsese shows up a lot of times in his films; but this is his most memorable scene.

Stehako's rating:

6. J.K. Simmons

"Up in the Air" (2009)

No Video Available

Simmons comes in and gives an insanely well-written script true heart with only one scene that could be the best of the whole film.

Stehako's rating:

7.4

7. Joe Pesci

"The Good Shepherd" (2006)

He hadn't acted in ten years, and still only did one scene for his friend, Bob.

See video clip at this link:

http://www.zimbio.com/watch/jTt4GAxdJ5N/Good+Shepherd+Scene+People+Make+Wars/Drama

Stehako's rating:

7.4

8. John Candy

"Vacation"

Candy as security guard: Classic!

Go to this link to see the film clip and Start at 1:28

http://www.izlese.org/national-lampoon-s-vacation-part-9-of-10-full-movie1.html

Stehako's rating:

9. Drew Barrymore

as Casey Becker in "Scream" (1996)

Possibly the best intro to a scary/horror film:

Stehako's rating:

7.6

10. Harvey Keitel

as The Wolf in "Pulp Fiction" (1994)

Stehako's rating:

6.6

11. Beatrice Straight

as Louise Schumacher in "Network" (1976)

Stehako's rating:

6.2

12. Will Ferrell

as Chazz Reinhold in "Wedding Crashers" (2005)

and "The Goods: Live Hard Sell Hard" (2009)

Stehako's rating:

7.9

13. Liam Neeson

as Priest Vallon in "Gangs of New York" (2002)

He doesn't say much, but what he says is solid and his presence is enough to make this list.

Stehako's rating:

7.5

14. Denis Menochet

"Inglourious Basterds" (2009)

Sometimes a powerful performance doesn't require a lot of words. While Waltz is brilliant with his speech Menochet is right there with him as the silent farmer that requires you to feel for him and creates the intensity few can match with such few words.

Unfortunately this is just a short snippet of the scene:

Stehako's rating:

6.2

15. Ned Beatty

as Arthur Jensen in "Network" (1976)

Starts right away, ends at 5:30

Stehako's rating:

6.8

16. Alfred Molina

"Boogie Nights"

Starts at 1:00

Brilliant, with the aid of firecrackers

Stehako's rating:

7.4

17. Viola Davis

as Mrs. Miller in "Doubt" (2008)

One of the best examples of this list. She comes in, the scene starts as any other, and then you're blown away by the end, with her performance (and Streep is great as always)

Stehako's rating:

6.6

18. Bud Luckey

as Chuckles The Clown in "Toy Story 3" (2010)

7.5

19. Diane Kruger

as Mirjana in "The Hunting Party" (2007)

As basically the only female role in this criminally underseen film, she builds on the ever-growing insanity involved in this underdog media/war film. And she is hot, as always!

Stehako's rating:

5.9

20. Frank Vincent

as Billy Batts in "Goodfellas" (1990)

Stehako's rating:

7.3

21. James Earl Jones

As Mr. Mertle in "The Sandlot" (1993)

Stehako's rating:

6.2

22. Mike Myers

"Inglourious Basterds" (2009)

Unfortunately the scene is unavailable; but here is an interview with Meyers and a few seconds from the scene.

Stehako's rating:

7.7

23. Steve Buscemi

as Mink in "Miller's Crossing" (1990)

I really wish I had this clip. It's a fast-talking character in Buscemi's earlier days. Although he's only in one scene he is talked about throughout the film and one of the most important characters.

Stehako's rating:

5.9

24. Vivica A. Fox

as Copperhead in "Kill Bill Vol. 1"

Stehako's rating:

6.8

25. Josh Hartnett

as The Salesman in "Sin City" (2005)

I wouldn't normally put Hartnett on such a list; but the intro to Sin City is so cool, that even he couldn't ruin it. Good job, buddy.

Stehako's rating:

6.1

26. Jessica Morris

Role Models (2008)

She temps, she gets naked and she fulfills a fantasy, all in about two minutes.

Stehako's rating:

27. Helmut Bakaitis

as The Architect in "The Matrix Reloaded" (2003)

Stehako's rating:

7.4

28. Jude Law

as Erroll Flynn in "The Aviator" (2004)

Law playing a gay movie star who throws punches and eats other people's peas. Brilliant.

Stehako's rating:

29. Wilford Brimley

as Wells in "Absence of Malice" (1981)

Check out both parts, if you'd like to see the whole scene played out.

Stehako's rating:

7.5

30. Sam Elliott

as Maynard Finch in "Up in the Air" (2009)

AND

as The Stranger in "The Big Lebowski" (1998)

Stehako's rating:

7.6

31. Jackie Earle Haley

as George Noyce in "Shutter Island" (2010)

6.9

32. Patricia Clarkson

as Rachel Solonzo #2 in "Shutter Island" (2010)

Stehako's rating:

UPDATED FEBRUARY 2011

"They only signed up for one scene, and that's all they needed, to make an impact" - Me

In no particular order

With the recent, "Up in the Air" (filled with these: Simmons, Elliott, Galifianakis, etc) and other 2009 films, I thought I'd create a list highlighting those performances that were more than just a cameo and simply so memorable or powerful you might not realize the actor/actress was in only one scene.
Some are powerful performances, some are simply very memorable, some are lengthy and some are quite short.

Enjoy!

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Comments

diabolical dr voodoo

Posted: 3 years, 1 month ago at Apr 12 21:02

Great list and great cameos!

May I suggest one? Jerry Lewis in It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. Lots of well deserving cameos there, but Lewis is the best of them all! No lines, but what a JERK! Funny as hell!

-mirco-

Posted: 3 years, 1 month ago at Apr 13 6:46

This is a great list, but it lacks possibly the best one. Michael Parks as Esteban Vihaio in Kill Bill: Vol. 2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flpxujAPNYE&feature=related

PvtCaboose91

Posted: 3 years, 1 month ago at Apr 13 9:06

I trust the scene with Arnie, Sly and Bruce Willis from The Expendables will feature on here when the movie is released in August. XD.

Vítor

Posted: 3 years, 1 month ago at Apr 13 9:35

good list, but i have to admit: i thought of viola at the moment i saw the name of the list. if you didn't include her, it wouldn't have my vote. =]

and i have some suggestions. what about judi dench in shakespeare in love and johnny depp in before night falls? i'm not quite sure if they got one-scene-only, but as far as i remember...

oh, and it's nice to see that you didn't forget beatrice straight!