Best, Spot-On Casting!

[Awful Arthur]

Or King Arthur

Excellent choice.

 

[WRJames]

Scarlett Johansson in Girl With a Pearl Earring -- her look is perfect, and most of the movie is carried by her physical presence -- her facial expressions, the way she moves, are almost like mime theater. There is relatively little dialogue in that movie -- it is her physical interpretation, almost like a ballet, that gives it so much intensity.

 

[Edward Teach]

Bull Durham
Kevin Costner as Crash Davis

I can't imagine anyone else playing that part.

 

[TE999]

Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

Robert Mitchum as The Preacher in 'Night of the Hunter'.

Also as the psycho in the original 'Cape Fear'.

Orson Welles in 'The Third Man'

Laurence Harvey in 'The Manchurian Candidate'

Truly some inspired casting.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Oooh, Oooh! Peter O'Toole, as Errol Flynn, in "My Favorite year"

Absolutely beautiful, I agree. And Captain Jack Sparrow - it's just indisputable. He made that movie.

Other favorites:

John Malkovich as the Vicomte de Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons
Michelle Pfieffer as Catwoman in Batman Returns - wonderful mix of sensual, wounded, and unbalanced
Anthony Hopkins in The Remains of the Day - just brilliant work evoking deep feeling powerfully repressed
Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeny Todd" - she was born for that role
Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility
Alan Rickman as a washed-up cult-film actor in Galaxy Quest
Edward James Olmos as Commander Adama in "Battlestar Galactica"
Minnie Driver as Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera
Leslie Cheung as Dieyi in Farewell My Concubine
Stephen Rea as Fergus in The Crying Game

That last has a particularly warm spot in my heart. I don't think one actor in a thousand could have made that character work, but Rea made him one of the most memorable characters in modern film - and that's while playing across from the man who gets all of the shock value. That movie gets better and deeper every time I see it.

 

[tickledkitty]

Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

Yes! Perfect.

 

[cumallday]

10 off the top of my head.

Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".
Marlon Brando as Colonel Walter E. Kurtz in "Apocalypse Now".
Harvey Keitel as the lieutenant in "Bad Lieutenant".
Naomi Watts as Betty Elms/Diane Selwyn in "Mulholland Drive".
Gary Cole as Bill Lumbergh in "Office Space".
Frances McDormand as Marge Gunderson in "Fargo".
Both Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh in "Psycho".
Daniel Day Lewis as Bill the Butcher in "Gangs of New York".
And quite possibly the greatest performance ever given by a child actor: Eamonn Owens as Francie Brady in "The Butcher Boy".

 

[ninefe2dg]

Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday in Tombstone (never cared for him much until that movie)

Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey / Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter

Samuel L Jackson as Jules in Pulp Fiction / Christopher Walken's cameo as Vietnam Vet in Pulp Fiction...

The Muse...Uma Thurman in Kill Bill, Vols 1 and 2

a token worst (too lazy to look for thread)...Hayden Christiansen (sp??) as Annikin Skywalker

 

[MrsDeathlynx]

I definitely agree with the Hugh Jackman thing, not only does he have the attitude down but he's a great actor in general. He did good voice work in the penguin movie that I can't think of the name of where he played a penguin named Memphis, I'm not an elvis fan at all but Hugh's elvis accent was to die for. I also think that Patrick Stewart was perfect as Prof X, it didn't at all surprise me that they got him. Ian McKellen also did a perfect job as Magneto, those are the three actors that impressed me the most in the movies. Well not true, Daniel Cudrow was an incredible Piotr Rasputin (aka Colossus) and Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut was great as well, especially considering how large those characters are supposed to be. Daniel is actually almost literally the size of Colossus, though Juggernaut was too hard to do so they got the best they could and he did a great job.

I don't think they could have gotten a better Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp did a very good job. They also cast perfectly for Barbossa and Davy Jones for that movie, Geoffrey Rush and Bill Nighy respectively.

I loved Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal, he does the sophisticated damn well and at the same time freaks you out with the mess with the head stuff.

Tracy Ulman as Latrine in Robinhood Men in Tights, she did so good that Mel Brooks let her improvise most of her lines, hehe.

Robin Williams in general, I love him in most of his movies. Whether he is doing funny or serious or something inbetween I think he is an incredible actor.

I'm sure I'll come up with some more, but right now I think my brain is getting a little sleepy and I'm having a hard time thinking of my favorite movies, lol.

 

[S-Des]

This is a compliment to the "Worst Casting of all Time" thread.

You're complimenting me? That's so sweet.

I already said Ben Kingsley in Gandhi.

Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man
Anthony Hopkins in Silence Of The Lambs
Sir Alec Guiness in Star Wars (and I loved Ewan playing his younger self)
Tommy Lee Jones & Harrison Ford in The Fugitve (both were inspired choices)
Michael Clarke Duncan was perfect in The Green Mile
Edward Norton in American History X
Nathan Lane in The Birdcage

I know it started out as a TV show, but Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean Luc Picard brought dignity to a role that used to be a joke.

Stewart & Ian McKellen in the X-Men series were brilliant.

McKellen as Gandalf The Grey may be the best role I've ever seen an actor portray. It was a crime he didn't win best actor for LOTR.

If not, then it would definitely go to Geoffrey Rush in Shine.

Best Child Actor has to go to Haley Joel Osment for Sixth Sense. I love Michael Cain's comment when he won the award (apologizing to a child . . . so classy).

 

[Liar]

Stephen Fry as Oscar Wilde
Courney Love as Althea Leasure
Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgi

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

Isabella Rossellini as Dorothy Valens in "Blue Velvet"
Cate Blanchett as "Elizabeth"
Brando as Stanley Kowalski in "Streetcar"
James Dean as Cal in "East of Eden"
Natalie Wood as Deanie Lumas in "Splendor in the Grass"
Jessica Lange as "Frances"

 

[sutherngent985]

Both Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman in Driving Miss Daisy.
John Wayne in True Grit and The Shootist.
Richard Dreyfuss in Mr Hollands Opus
Al Pacino and James Caan in The Godfather
Burgess Meredith in Rocky
Tom Hanks in Philadelphia

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Robin Williams as Popeye I have always thought was brillient. The movie suffered from directorial problems, but the casting was perfect for the characters.

 

[3113]

Robin Williams as Popeye I have always thought was brillient. The movie suffered from directorial problems, but the casting was perfect for the characters.

Well, luckily for all of us, the quality or goodness of the movie doesn't count in this thread, just the quality/goodness of a particular performance.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Haley Joe Osment was indeed an inspired child actor. Remarkable work. That was one of the only films I've ever seen in which a child in a major role didn't drag the whole thing askew with (unstandably) poor acting. His was excellent.

Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K in Men in Black. The more times I watch that movie, the more clear it is that he completely makes it.

 

[Dar~]

Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth (Shakespeare in Love)
Cate Blanchet as Maggie Gilkeson(The Missing)
Hillary Swank as Maggie Fitzerald (Million Dollar Baby)
Damian Lewis as Jonesy/Mr.Gray (Dreamcatcher)
Natalie Portman as Amidala (Star Wars Episode 1-3) I just can't picture anyone else doing it.
Alan Tudyk As Gerhardt (28 Days)
The entire cast of Serenity was perfection. As was the cast of the series Firefly. Perfect
Brittany Murphy as Daisy Randone (Girl, Interupted)
Keanu Reeves as Donnie Barksdale (The Gift)
Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy (Pride and Predjudice)
Rupert Everett as Algernon 'Algy' Moncrieff (Importance of Being Earnest)
Ian McKellan as Gandolph (LOTR)
Famke Janssen as Jean Grey/Phoenix (Xmen)
I know there are more.

 

[Dar~]

Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K in Men in Black. The more times I watch that movie, the more clear it is that he completely makes it.

I was going to say that as well. In the second one where he is a postal worker and he's doesn't remember anything, it's priceless.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I just wish they had made J a little more,,, I can't think of the word... He seemed like such a promising character in the first half, and then he becomes an MiB and his character falls apart. The second half just didn't work for me. It never has.

But that has nothing to do with casting

 

[BlackShanglan]

Rupert Everett as Algernon 'Algy' Moncrieff (Importance of Being Earnest)

Lord, yes. He was wonderful. And I second Liar on Stephen Fry. I have him on audiotape reading "De Profundis," and now every time I read Wilde I hear his voice. It's so perfect, so him - one is unconscious of acting at all, and simply hears Oscar Wilde.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

The Yoda puppet in empire Strikes Back. They could have made him anything they wanted to. A large athletic male, a fast and slinky small woman, the typical old man kung fu master, or a little green puppet that admittedly shares a lot with the kung fu master in age and appearance, but he's a freaking tiny little alien!

 

[Dar~]

Lord, yes. He was wonderful. And I second Liar on Stephen Fry. I have him on audiotape reading "De Profundis," and now every time I read Wilde I hear his voice. It's so perfect, so him - one is unconscious of acting at all, and simply hears Oscar Wilde.

I have to admit to being an absolute slave to RE though. I think he is amazing in everything.
As to others I just thought of a few.
Gabriel Byrne as Satan (End of Days) D'Artagnan ( Man in the Iron Mask)
John Malkovich as Syrus the Virus (Conair) Athos (Man in the Iron Mask) Gallbatorix (Eragon)
Tchéky Karyo as Jean Villeneuve (The Patriot)
Gerard Depardieu as Porthos (Man in the Iron Mask)
Tony Shalub as Monk

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Gabriel Byrne as Satan (End of Days)

Even if you don't like the movie, or the actor, the best ever casting of Satan was Al Pachino in The Devil's Advocate. He nailed the part of the great deceiver. He was played the part to perfection. It was pretty much written to perfection too, with the nuances of the character, tempting people with information about what was going on in reality around them. but Al played the role well as well.

I'm not really a fan of the movie. I can barely sit through parts of it. But the parts where Al is evilling up the world around him, are so well done that I can't help but watch every line.

 

[3113]

I'm not really a fan of the movie. I can barely sit through parts of it. But the parts where Al is evilling up the world around him, are so well done that I can't help but watch every line.

Ah, that reminds me:

Don Cheadle as Mouse in "Devil in a Blue Dress." Denzel Washington isn't offensive in his role, but far from perfect and--in spite of how very hard everyone in the movie tries--it's a pretty sleepy film because of it...and then Cheadle walks in and not only wakes the movie up but steals it. He's perfect beyond perfect, from the moment he steps through the door till the moment he waves good-bye. He doesn't save the movie, per se, but he does make it worth watching.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Ah, that reminds me:

Don Cheadle as Mouse in "Devil in a Blue Dress." Denzel Washington isn't offensive in his role, but far from perfect and--in spite of how very hard everyone in the movie tries--it's a pretty sleepy film because of it...and then Cheadle walks in and not only wakes the movie up but steals it. He's perfect beyond perfect, from the moment he steps through the door till the moment he waves good-bye. He doesn't save the movie, per se, but he does make it worth watching.

I still haven't seen that one. It missed me so many times, and then grew an aversion for Dezel (he's so holier than thou in so many of his movies and interviews), than I just gave up trying to see it.