When actors transform movies.

I think we have all seen movies where one of the characters in the movie really just bring so much to the movie. A good example of this is Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. The actors just seem to put so much into the characters that really makes a great movie experience. Personally, out of the many movies I have seen, very few people have really...jumped off the page if you will.

To me, who really changed the movies they were in were,

Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight
Sir Ian McKellen in The Lord of the Rings
Angelina Jolie in Gia
and Tom Hanks in Forest Gump

What are some movies that were, to you, transformed by the characters portrayals by the actors?

Originally Posted by Flames of Valor

Sir Ian McKellen Christopher Lee in The Lord of the Rings

Fixed. Christopher Lee is the perfect villain for any movie.

Anyway:
Sean Connery in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Al Pachino in The Godfather
Marlon Brando in The Godfather
Practically anyone who was in The Godfather
Cary Elwes in Robin Hood: Men in Tights (but not in Princess Bride, I hated that movie and I have no clue why it was such a success)
Dana Carvey in Wayne's World
Harrison Ford in any movie he's ever been in.
Cedric the entertainer in Barber Shop
Keanu Reeves in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (seriously, Keanu Reeves playing a half retarded stoner, has there ever been better casting?)
Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan
Vin Diesel in Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick

The Lord of the Rings/Pirates of the Caribbean casts in general for me. I know that it was quite a bit of 'movie magic' that heightened the performances in TLotR, but the emotions of Elijah Wood as Frodo, the compassion of Sean Astin as Sam, and the treachery of Andy Serkis Gollum, to name just a few of the characters, was as believable as it could get.

And as for PotC, Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow and Bill Nighy as Davy Jones stand out to me. I wasn't impressed by Orlando Bloom or Keira Knightley, but honorable mentions go to whoever played Cutler Beckett and whoever played James Norrington.

EDIT: Also, Snape in Harry Potter.

Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator in the Terminator films... "Hasta la vista... baby"
Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor in the Terminator films... "He'll kill us all! He'll kill us all!"
Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight... "Wanna know how I got these scars?"
Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus in the Matrix trilogy... "Stop trying to hit me and hit me!"
Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith in the Matrixtrilogy... "I'm not so bad... once you get to know me"
Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa in the Star Wars movies... "I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee!"
Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Indiana Jones in the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies... "I can arrange that! He could use a good kiss!"
Jack Nicholson as Melvin Udall in As Good As It Gets... "I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability"
Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes in Misery... "You dirty little birdy"
Jim Carrey as the title character in The Cable Guy... "Don't you want some-body to lo-o-o-ove?"
William Shatner as Captain Kirk in the Star Trek movies... "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!!!!"
Leonard Nimoy as Spock in the Star Trek movies... "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"
Sean Connery as James Bond in the James Bond movies... "Just let me slip out of this wetsuit and into a dry martini"
Judi Dench as M in the James Bond movies... "Perhaps, but the advantage is: I don't have to think with them"
Ben Stiller as Derek Zoolander in Zoolander... "I think I got the black lung, Pop... *a-hih* *a-hih*"
Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark and Kirk Lazarus in Iron Man and Tropic Thunder... "What do you mean, 'you people'?"
Bruce Willis as John McClane in the Die Hard movies... "Yippee-ki-yay, mother♥♥♥♥er"
Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle in Batman Returns... "You know, it's... a blur. I-I mean, not complete amnesia. I-I-I - I remember Sister Mary Margaret puking in church and Betsy Riley saying it was morning sickness and I remember the time I forgot to wear my underpants to school and the name of the boy who noticed was Ricky Friedberg. He's dead now. But last night: complete blur. Couldn't you JUST DIE?"
Johnny Depp as Cap'n Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy..."Why is the rum always gone?"
Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in the Alien quadrilogy..."Get away from her, you ♥♥♥♥♥!"


PLENTY more, but that's all for now

Ian McKellen in The Last Action Hero. Seriously. The scene is about ten seconds long, and is the best in the film.

Definately Johnny Depp in Pirates.
Both Edward Norton jr. and Brad Pitt really added alot to Fight Club.

Here's a shout out to the classic example of this: Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in Raging Bull. After this, De Niro became a legend, deservedly so for what he put his body through, but damn Pesci's performance was what truly floored me. The two of them played off each other incredibly.

Also: Kevin Spacey in American Beauty.

Originally Posted by GreenPhazon

Ian McKellen in The Last Action Hero. Seriously. The scene is about ten seconds long, and is the best in the film.

What I never figured out is how they got such a great actor to sign on for such a terrible movie. It's kinda like how the got Abe Vigoda for Good Burger, or Sean Connery for League of Incredible Gentlemen.

Anyway
Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack
Mel Gibson in Road Warrior
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight

Kate Beckesnale in Van Helsing. That movie would have been crap without her or Hugh Jackman.

Alan Rickman in Harry Potter movies. I dont think those would be the same without him

Action movies generally hinge on the performance of the star. For example:

Liam Neeson in Taken = Win. One of the most cookie-cutter action movies ever, but a thrill to watch due to Neeson's badassery.

Nicholas Cage in Ghost Rider = Fail. Shakespeare himself writing the script and Spielberg directing couldn't have saved that one.

George C. Scott as Patton in Patton = Best. Performance. Ever.
Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in Alien/Aliens = Top of the Line performance, made the great films that much greater
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones I & III = Indiana Jones is a character that you feel like you know
Tom Cruise as Maverick and Ethan Hunt in Top Gun and Mission Impossible I= GOOOOOOOSSSSEEEEEE. Tom Cruise did a great job capturing the cockiness of these characters
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight
William Shatner in Star Trek: TOS and Movies: Captain Kirk, nuff said.
Sean Connery as Bond in his 007 movies: Great Bond.
Daniel Craig as Bond in his 007 movies: Reinvented the character that was dieing since Connery left

Originally Posted by Evilsbane

Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator in the Terminator films... "Hasta la vista... baby"
Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor in the Terminator films... "He'll kill us all! He'll kill us all!"
Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight... "Wanna know how I got these scars?"
Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus in the Matrix trilogy... "Stop trying to hit me and hit me!"
Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith in the Matrixtrilogy... "I'm not so bad... once you get to know me"
Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa in the Star Wars movies... "I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee!"
Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Indiana Jones in the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies... "I can arrange that! He could use a good kiss!"
Jack Nicholson as Melvin Udall in As Good As It Gets... "I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability"
Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes in Misery... "You dirty little birdy"
Jim Carrey as the title character in The Cable Guy... "Don't you want some-body to lo-o-o-ove?"
William Shatner as Captain Kirk in the Star Trek movies... "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!!!!"
Leonard Nimoy as Spock in the Star Trek movies... "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"
Sean Connery as James Bond in the James Bond movies... "Just let me slip out of this wetsuit and into a dry martini"
Judi Dench in the James Bond movies... "Perhaps, but the advantage is: I don't have to think with them"
Ben Stiller as Derek Zoolander in Zoolander... "I think I got the black lung, pop... *a-hih* *a-hih*"
Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark and Kirk Lazarus in Iron Man and Tropic Thunder... "What do you mean, 'you people'?"
Bruce Willis as John McClane in the Die Hard movies... "Yippee-ki-yay, mother♥♥♥♥er"
Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle in Batman Returns... "You know, it's... a blur. I-I mean, not complete amnesia. I-I-I - I remember Sister Mary Margaret puking in church and Betsy Riley saying it was morning sickness and I remember the time I forgot to wear my underpants to school and the name of the boy who noticed was Ricky Friedberg. He's dead now. But last night: complete blur. Couldn't you JUST DIE?"
Johnny Depp as Cap'n Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy
Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in the Alien quadrilogy..."Get away from her, you ♥♥♥♥♥!"


PLENTY more, but that's all for now

Why is Jack Sparrow the only one without a quote?

Originally Posted by Florina Belmont

Kate Beckesnale in Van Helsing. That movie would have been crap without her or Hugh Jackman.

Alan Rickman in Harry Potter movies. I dont think those would be the same without him

Aah, somehow I always forget Severus Snape in threads like these. I'll edit this into my post.

Also, I just remembered, and some may not agree with me, but I like Shia LaBeouf's acting. It's very raw and suits a lot of different genres.

Originally Posted by CWP

Why is Jack Sparrow the only one without a quote?

Whoops! My bad. Fixed. I also fixed my not naming Judi Dench's character, which is even more surprising given that she's the one person on the list that has proven irreplaceable... her predecessor as M was ♥♥♥♥ and boring, and she totally owned the role. So much so that when they COMPLETELY REBOOTED the franchise, they still had to keep her on as M since no-one can replace her now. Can you imagine anyone else being even half as good playing M?

Originally Posted by Evilsbane

Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark

This is probably the only one in any of these lists that jumps out at me. Robert Downey Jr. was a PERFECT Tony Stark and I wholeheartedly look forward to seeing more of him in the second instalment. It was kept excellent by the simple fact that he had implied feelings for Pepper but nothing ever actually comes of it. Playboy, alcoholic, rich guy, genius, hero.

Originally Posted by Fenix Down

Here's a shout out to the classic example of this: Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in Raging Bull. After this, De Niro became a legend, deservedly so for what he put his body through, but damn Pesci's performance was what truly floored me. The two of them played off each other incredibly.

Though I remember that being an excellent film, the first thing I think of when it's mentioned is one of the most unintentionally hilarious scenes in cinema history.

"You ♥♥♥♥ my wife?"

Originally Posted by Bradapalooza

Daniel Craig as Bond in his 007 movies

I am also in agreement with this, as would I like to add Timothy Dalton, since they both brought the original spirit of Bond to the films. Also Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye.


Since it's practically expected of me to also mention Heath Ledger, not that it isn't true, I'm going to point out someone from that film people seem to forget about - Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent. Why oh why does no one else but me think that he gives a very strong performance here? He's like the second best thing about the damn film and just because Heath died, Eckhart gets no love.

I'd also like to mention Malcolm MacDowell's performance in Caligula - far from a good film, but MacDowell's performance was absolutely excellent. The ultimate example of how you can get quality acting in terrible films.

Originally Posted by Lord Zero

This is probably the only one in any of these lists that jumps out at me. Robert Downey Jr. was a PERFECT Tony Stark and I wholeheartedly look forward to seeing more of him in the second instalment. It was kept excellent by the simple fact that he had implied feelings for Pepper but nothing ever actually comes of it. Playboy, alcoholic, rich guy, genius, hero.

He was indeed the perfect Tony Stark and I daresay it was an acting tour-de-force which was predictably overlooked by most awards ceremonies. If you think Aaron Eckhart was overshadowed by Heath Ledger, consider Iron Man, holding the position of 'greatest superhero movie ever made' for a grand total of a month. I am of the opinion that Iron Man is every bit as good as TDK, but in completely different ways. One's comedic with a hint of drama, the other's dramatic with a hint of comedy. I went to see Iron Man three times.

For some odd reason, not many roles are jumping out at me that haven't already been mentioned even though I've seen some spectacular acting jobs in movies. Although may I say, I think it's better when a whole movie is well casted.

Originally Posted by Forte

For some odd reason, not many roles are jumping out at me that haven't already been mentioned even though I've seen some spectacular acting jobs in movies. Although may I say, I think it's better when a whole movie is well casted.

Another reason why I loved TDK and Iron Man. And most of the films on my list, in fact.

Gene Wilder made Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

I can't think of any others at the moment, that have not already been posted, but I shall attempt to recall some more examples.

Originally Posted by Evilsbane

He was indeed the perfect Tony Stark and I daresay it was an acting tour-de-force which was predictably overlooked by most awards ceremonies. If you think Aaron Eckhart was overshadowed by Heath Ledger, consider Iron Man, holding the position of 'greatest superhero movie ever made' for a grand total of a month. I am of the opinion that Iron Man is every bit as good as TDK, but in completely different ways. One's comedic with a hint of drama, the other's dramatic with a hint of comedy. I went to see Iron Man three times.

With most movies if I go to see them in the cinema I won't bother buying them on DVD, having already saw them. Iron Man I bought the limited edition version (where the case is shaped like the Iron Man faceplate) and watched it again. I wouldn't even call it all that comedic, since it was still a superhero movie, and contained a perfect example of one of my favourite things in any superhero movie - the hero stepping in on an average conflict and drawing the line between innocents and those who would assail them. It was just that Tony Stark himself was a character who took life less seriously than most superheroes (Peter Parker, Bruce Wayne, Superman), so it seemed less dark-hearted, and to be honest I can think of no-one more perfect to play such a character than Robert Downey Jr.

(Also I think Batman Begins was a better movie than The Dark Knight overall even if Ledger and Eckhart gave excellent performances in TDK).

Originally Posted by Lord Zero

With most movies if I go to see them in the cinema I won't bother buying them on DVD, having already saw them. Iron Man I bought the limited edition version (where the case is shaped like the Iron Man faceplate) and watched it again. I wouldn't even call it all that comedic, since it was still a superhero movie, and contained a perfect example of one of my favourite things in any superhero movie - the hero stepping in on an average conflict and drawing the line between innocents and those who would assail them. It was just that Tony Stark himself was a character who took life less seriously than most superheroes (Peter Parker, Bruce Wayne, Superman), so it seemed less dark-hearted, and to be honest I can think of no-one more perfect to play such a character than Robert Downey Jr.

I did like the fact that Stark genuinely believed that arms manufacturing was a noble calling... so long as he only supplied the good guys. It did make a change from so many boyscout superheroes - when he believed his company was honest he had no doubts about what it did, and he took decisive action when he saw his weapons in terrorist hands. Which is why his actions in the Civil War comic storyline are totally in character.

(Also I think Batman Begins was a better movie than The Dark Knight overall even if Ledger and Eckhart gave excellent performances in TDK).

Bale and Neeson definitely shone in Begins. I'd say it's TDK's equal, too. The only difference is scale.