Having watched Sidney Lumet's
Network last night it got me thinking about great ensemble casts. In
Network Peter Finch, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Ned Beatty, Robert Duvall and Beatrice Straight all give fantastic performances. While, I wasn't blown away by the film, I was still impressed by the cast.
A Separation is another recent example of a fine cast at work. But what makes a great 'ensemble' cast? Is it weaving a host of supporting characters together, played competently by a recognised cast (Robert Altman comes to mind), or having a smaller number of central characters, each exceptionally played by the actors? In addition to
Network and
A Separation here are a few other great ensembles that spring to mind. I no doubt have forgotten a heap, so let me know in the comments any others that you want to recognise:
Quentin Tarantino usually attracts a brilliant ensemble - Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds
The Coen Brothers too - Miller's Crossing, Fargo and No Country for Old Men
Hard to leave out Boogie Nights and Magnolia from Paul Thomas Anderson
The Royal Tenenbaums
12 Angry Men
The Usual Suspects
Glengarry Glen Ross
The Departed
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Heat
Platoon
The Godfather
Saving Private Ryan
The Social Network
I just finished Network...what a film!
ReplyDeleteI agree with all these films.
NETWORK might be one of my very favourite films, and the cast is a huge part of that.
ReplyDeleteOne film that instantly springs to mind when I think of an ensemble cast is CON AIR. It’s a fantastically fun action pic with a ton of great actors having a blast.
Also, I'd definitely include Christopher Nolan's BATMAN films, as well as INCEPTION.
@ Nikhat - It was certainly a tour-de-force for the fantastic cast! Thanks for the comment Nikhat!
ReplyDelete@ Tom - Yeah, Con Air is one of my favourite blockbuster action films. Always up for watching that one. DOTM is full of (some) fine actors not having a blast :-p. I thought about The Dark Knight and Inception too. Their fine casts certainly give them a lift.
This is a great idea for a post Andy, off the top of my head I thought of The Wild Bunch, Cool Hand Luke, The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape and The Towering Inferno, which might be a cheesy disaster movie but it does boast an incredible ensemble.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite ensemble of more recent years was Hurlyburly.
Thanks Paul. I did leave out some of those classic such as The Maginificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen and The Great Escape, but they are definitive ensemble casts. Hurlyburly is a film I haven't heard of. I shall seek it out. Thanks for the comment!
ReplyDelete