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Best One-Scene-Only Performances
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Showing 35 items
Rating:
List Type:
7.8
0
as Craps Player in Hard Eight (1997)
Shaka lacka doo, baby!
Stehako's rating:
7.9
0
as Captain Koons "Pulp Fiction" (1994)
as Vincenzo Coccotti "True Romance" (1993)
Stehako's rating:
6.7
0
"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:
8.8
0
"Taxi Driver"
Scorsese shows up a lot of times in his films; but this is his most memorable scene.
Stehako's rating:
7.4
0
"Up in the Air" (2009)
No Video Available
Simmons comes in and gives a very well-written script true heart with only one scene that could be the best of the whole film.
Stehako's rating:
7.7
0
"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:
www.zimbio.com/watch/jTt4GAxdJ5N/Good+Shepherd+Scene+People+Make+Wars/Drama
"A Bronx Tale" (1993)
Pesci shows up at the end it's worth the wait.
[Begins at 3:15]
Stehako's rating:
7.8
0
"Vacation"
Candy as security guard: Classic!
Go to this link to see the film clip and Start at 1:28
www.izlese.org/national-lampoon-s-vacation-part-9-of-10-full-movie1.html
Stehako's rating:
7.3
0
as Casey Becker in "Scream" (1996)
Possibly the best intro to a scary/horror film:
Stehako's rating:
8.3
0
as The Diamond Dealer in "The Counselor" (2013)
It's a long scene at the beginning of a film filled with long scenes. Ganz is captivating and truly gets us psyched for what's to come.
Stehako's rating:
6.7
0
as Chazz Reinhold in "Wedding Crashers" (2005)
and "The Goods: Live Hard Sell Hard" (2009)
Stehako's rating:
8.1
0
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:
7.7
0
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:
7.5
0
"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:
6.5
0
as Arthur Jensen in "Network" (1976)
Starts right away, ends at 5:30
Stehako's rating:
7
0
"Boogie Nights"
Starts at 1:00
Brilliant performance, with the aid of firecrackers
Stehako's rating:
7.9
0
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:
6.4
0
"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
0
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:
7.3
0
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. Technically he shows up again, at the end, but it's an extension of the same scene.
Stehako's rating:
7.8
0
Role Models (2008)
She temps, she gets naked and she fulfills a fantasy, all in about two minutes.
Stehako's rating:
7.7
0
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:
7.1
0
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:
7.9
0
as Maynard Finch in "Up in the Air" (2009)
AND
as The Stranger in "The Big Lebowski" (1998)
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!
"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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