Top 10 Over The Top Acting Performances In Movies
#10: Dennis Hopper
Top 10 Dennis Hopper Performances
“Blue Velvet” (1986) David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet” contains a strange collection of characters, including the eccentric gangster Frank Booth. The crime lord is played by Dennis Hopper in a career-best performance. Never afraid to speak his mind, Booth represents a villain that lashes out in frightening displays of anger. He also has a darkly humorous streak and a preference for Pabst Blue Ribbon. You might not want to spend time with him in real life, but he’s definitely a firecracker on the big screen. Hopper entered an artistic resurgence around the time of this release, setting him on a path towards other over-the-top villains in his filmography.
#9: Faye Dunaway
“Mommie Dearest” (1981) Some might call it sensational, but “Mommie Dearest” has an iconic performance from Faye Dunaway. She plays the Hollywood legend Joan Crawford in a movie that explores her darker personal life. Allegedly abusive to her adoptive daughter, Crawford appears in a negative light in this biopic based on the controversial book of the same name. Dunaway goes full ham in her performance full of snippy dialogue. One sequence in particular uses wire hangers to infamous effect. Anything but subtle, the actress takes huge swings as the acclaimed starlet. Something of a cult classic, this campy film is unexpectedly enjoyable for its melodramatic touches.
#8: Peter Finch
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“Network” (1976) Delivering one of the more prophetic parts in film history, Peter Finch stars as a news anchor who becomes a raving madman on television. He crafts this Academy Award-winning performance with the fury of a person that has nothing left to lose. His evolution from news personality to political preacher yields some of the more compelling monologues ever acted for the screen. The famous speech he gives still feels as important as it did in the 70s, all thanks to Finch’s intensity in front of the camera. His casting also infuses a humanity into the role that gives every searing line delivery an added effect.
#7: Gary Oldman
Top 10 Gary Oldman Performances
“Léon: The Professional” (1994) Gary Oldman has played many great antagonists in his storied career, but Norman Stansfield could be his best. The crooked DEA agent gives Oldman the opportunity to heighten an otherwise standard villain. He doesn’t even need dialogue to show people that his character is crazy, popping pills and smelling people without any remorse. The actor arrives in every one of his sequences with pure evil on his mind, terrorizing characters with his many quirks. While he might not be subtle, Stansfield is a role that harkens back to the more theatrical types of cinema acting.
#6: Elizabeth Taylor
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“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (1966) Adapted from the play, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” is a rousing domestic drama with towering performances at its center. Elizabeth Taylor plays the role of Martha opposite her then-husband Richard Burton, who both bring a startling accuracy to this domestic drama. Taylor spends a considerable amount of the runtime drunk and ready for a fight. These details only amplify with the arrival of a younger couple, who ensure that the night will be anything but normal. Projecting as if she’s on the stage, her acting feels right for this kind of material about a stifling relationship. It’s even more unsettling with the lead actress’ fiery presence.
#5: Leonardo DiCaprio
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“The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013) Taking on the role of stockbroker Jordan Belfort, Leonardo DiCaprio thrills audiences in this raunchy biopic about excess. He powers through an electric performance that takes audiences into the debauchery of the finance world. DiCaprio asserts himself as the most versatile star of his generation, raising his voice in a tour-de-force of shouting. His grandiose speeches at the Stratton Oakmont firm are just one example of Belfort’s engaging cult of personality. Building steadily over the course of the epic narrative, the performer never loses sight of the larger-than-life persona. The actor also reveals the darkly humorous side of his drug use in a quaaludes-induced set piece.
#4: Nicolas Cage
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“Vampire’s Kiss” (1989) By this point, Nicolas Cage is famous for his singular acting choices. “Vampire’s Kiss” is an earlier example of his more bizarre performance style, playing a literary agent grappling with his mental health and the possibility of becoming a vampire. There’s a handful of actors who could’ve played this part, but none of them would’ve been as crazed as Cage. Through it all, the performer fires on all cylinders in a role that’s full of entertainment. He also says his ABCs like nobody else ever has on film. Cage would go on to shock audiences many times after this, such as in the movie “Face/Off” with John Travolta.
#3: Daniel Day-Lewis
Top 10 Daniel Day-Lewis Performances
“There Will Be Blood” (2007) “There Will Be Blood” reminded everyone that Daniel Day-Lewis is the actor of his generation. Transforming into Daniel Plainview, he brings a distinct voice and physicality to the part. The greedy oilman spends the film on a relentless path to eliminate his competition. He also has a psychotic mindset that makes for several notable speeches from Day-Lewis. The seething evil that guides his performance never dissipates for a minute, making his every awful decision even more impactful. Plainview’s final minutes on screen are a bundle of vitriol that only could’ve been spouted by this special artist.
#2: Jack Nicholson
Top 10 Jack Nicholson Performances
“The Shining” (1980) Directed by Stanley Kubrick, “The Shining” adapts Stephen King’s story into a horror masterpiece. This is partly due to the lead performance from Jack Nicholson, in one of his memorably hostile roles. His character Jack Torrance loses himself over the course of his stay at the Overlook Hotel. As it becomes clear that his problems aren’t going away, the writer lashes out at his family in tense moments of violence. All of this allows Nicholson to widen his characterization of the lead character. The end result is a big, bold, and stratospheric turn from the acclaimed actor. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Bruce Campbell, “Army of Darkness” (1992)
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Jim Carrey, “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (1994)
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Kathy Bates, “Misery” (1990)
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#1: Al Pacino
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“Scarface” (1983) “Scarface” is a remake of a classic film, but made entirely new by Al Pacino’s transcendent performance. His role as Tony Montana features one of the boldest accents in cinema history. Not only is it distracting to the point of brilliance, but his voice is also part of why the project has been so beloved for all these years. The dialogue also gives the performer ample opportunity to rattle off amazing one-liners. Chewing the scenery with his every movement, Pacino carries the movie through its dramatic peaks with a slew of engaging choices. Without his brash star shining front and center, this story would be a lot less captivating and chaotic.