Jack Nicholson

[Guest WrestlingDeacon]

Here's an idea. Every now and then let's post the name of an actor and debate what their best and worst movies are. I figured a modern film icon like Jack Nicholson would be a good guy to start with. He's been nominated for ten Oscars, after all.

 

While Nicholson's best performance probably lies in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or The Shining, and I like a lot of his touches as Melvin in As Good as it Gets, his best overall movie was probably Chinatown. Tight script, solid and unique supporting cast, classy yet not over flashy direction. It would just be a throw back noir if it wasn't for all of the top notch elements that went into making it. The movie also came at a time where Nicholson was just getting big and it really helped to solidfy him as a bankable actor.

 

As a special note, I also really dig Head. That's the Monkees movie to which Jack co-wrote the screenplay with the boys and had a hand in production (both he and Dennis Hopper also have cameos). It is a time capsule of late sixties trippy avant garde film making and the most thought provoking movie I have ever seen. I needed to see it about six times before I was able to start tracing the threads through it. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes off the beaten path works, but be warned, it's weird and not easily followed.

 

As for his worst movie, discounting his early Corman stuff, he really hasn't had all that many. I'll go with Man Trouble. It's about the only time I can say that Jack was just sleep walking for a paycheck. It was also grossly unfunny and played out like a bad movie of the week.

[Guest SupaTaft]

Well Frost, for his best I'd have to go with As Good As It Gets.

 

Worst: He was in The Raven, with Vincent Price and Peter Lorie... the shit that those two would put their names on... Anyways Nicholson's acting made me want to vomit... even though it was one of his first movies.

 

-Taft

[Guest redbaron51]

Best:

 

As Good As It Gets

Batman

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

 

Worst:

 

Raven

Shining

[Guest Lord of The Curry]

Best: Easy Rider, One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest

 

Worst: The Pledge

[Guest El Satanico]

Best: One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest.

 

Worst: I haven't seen many of his early movies other then the ones i watched because of Vincent Price. I liked The Raven, but Jack's performance was awful.

[Guest godthedog]

best: 'chinatown'! duh! the only other one that even comes close is 'easy rider', & that's still a ways off.

 

worst: haven't seen many of the nicholson bombs ('the evening star', 'man trouble', etc), but 'mars attacks' is the worst one i saw him in. decent movie, but totally forgettable.

[Guest gwf0704]

Best:

 

1) A Few Good Men

2)As Good As It Gets

3)The Witches of Eastwick

 

Worst:

 

Man Trouble

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

Worst is definitely Mars Attacks!.

[Guest 5_moves_of_doom]

Worst: The Pledge

I actually enjoyed that a bit until the horrible, horrible ending.

 

Oh, and Mars Attacks! was teh SHIT. I love that movie, though some hate it...

[Guest El Satanico]

I personally liked Mars Attacks!, but Jack's performance wasn't that great and was all together forgettable.

[Guest dreamer420]

best:

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest

Mars Attacks!

As Good As It Gets

 

worst:

wolf