Film Leonardo DiCaprio - Greatest Actor of All Time?

KingEric7 said:
Mentions of De Niro/Scorsese in here, and after having gone through clips recently, I can't believe the depth of what it seems like Scorsese was conveying, and the complexity of character/psychology De Niro was pulling off:



De Niro has the look of someone to me in this scene of someone who is struggling to basically stay on top of a repression/delusion collapse (for the purpose of sustaining calm/mood). Basically, someone who is under duress, and is convincing themselves it's okay, or someone who is about to lose it, but is giving the mind conditions so that this doesn't happen. When they're unable to sustain the perception that it's okay, the anger that's being repressed/kept at bay comes up.

"You mean organised?"
"...(collapse..anger comes up slightly) Organisised.." (0:12)

"You mean like those signs in office that...." (0:26) Next collapse.

0:28 (Looks up, snaps out of it)

"You like the place you work in?" - Basically, 'want' at this point overtaking ability to keep himself in line.

"I think Palentine's got a good chance" - Next collapse...as long as she works there, there's a chance she goes off with someone else, perhaps.

"You know you have beautiful eyes" - Difficulty is coming up, but reorganises his mind to see beauty and to improve the situation mentally.

Every line of dialogue in this scene could be analysed like this, with the collapse, then Travis convincing himself it's okay, but there's a bit where Travis' worry visibly collapses because he realises the situation is okay, and it's:

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't" - 1:45, followed by De Niro basically realising for just a moment it's okay, and that he doesn't need to be so bent up out of shape about it.


Stunned by the Scorsese/De Niro combination, basically.
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Always found this film and his performance in it overrated. It was a nice film but I don't agree with the insane praise for both.
 
amolbhatia50k said:
Always found this film and his performance in it overrated. It was a nice film but I don't agree with the insane praise for both.
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I just think it is such a skill to write a complex character and explore the psychology in that level of detail. For me, when you're watching a film, TV series or playing a game, there are different types of enjoyment - for example, stuff that gives rise to great feelings of beauty (The Lives of Others, for example), or stuff that gives joy from intellectual appreciation. The Wire, The Sopranos, Scorsese, etc for me are in that latter category, and Scorsese's films just become so interesting when you really look into the psychology of De Niro's characters:



The behaviour there is of someone who is basically making up a reason in his head to justify venting, but by the time it's reached "You f****d my wife?", it's like he's forgotten he's doing it. :lol: Another thing I think he's doing there is basically creating a story in his head worthy of self-pity where he feels hard done by, in order to feel special feelings. Complicated psychology, and I think seeing that and appreciating the strength of acting performance is where the enjoyment comes from with these films.
 
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Leo has made some great films and is a very good actor but a great actor makes you forget you’re watching an actor. You watch Leo, you see Leo, just doing different stuff in a different setting. Very good though, like a lot of his films.
 
Volumiza said:
Leo has made some great films and is a very good actor but a great actor makes you forget you’re watching an actor. You watch Leo, you see Leo, just doing different stuff in a different setting. Very good though, like a lot of his films.
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Yep. I like Leo, he's been in some great films and seems like good dude, but he's obviously nowhere close to being the greatest actor ever.
 
Volumiza said:
Leo has made some great films and is a very good actor but a great actor makes you forget you’re watching an actor. You watch Leo, you see Leo, just doing different stuff in a different setting. Very good though, like a lot of his films.
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What if he's playing his greatest role of all time, himself? And were all extras in the film that is his life?
 
Goat discussions are always complicated.

I really like DiCaprio and De Niro though. Possibly my top two.
 
Volumiza said:
Leo has made some great films and is a very good actor but a great actor makes you forget you’re watching an actor. You watch Leo, you see Leo, just doing different stuff in a different setting. Very good though, like a lot of his films.
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Great post. Couldn’t say it better. I adore Leo as an actor but always felt something lacking.

Daniel Day-Lewis, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jake Gyllenhaal impressed me more despite the movies with them I like less than those where Di Caprio stars.
 
I know it’s now an internet meme but the consistent U-25 thing is pretty disturbing.
 
Ill go with Jeff Bridges for now.

I also really liked Tom Hanks in saving private ryan.

Al Pacino has tons of great movies, but hes over-acting gets a bit to much for me. Like in Scarface and Heat.
 
Anyone who seriously thinks he‘s the best actor of all time should maybe watch more than two movies.
 
Subjectively:

1) De Niro
2) Di Caprio
3) Hoffman
4) Pacino
5) Bridges
6) Day-Lewis
7) Freeman
8) Nicholson
9) Pitt
10) Hanks

SO many not making it, who absolutely deserve to be here...

And you guys seriously underrate Di Caprio
 
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I agree with what a poster said about you constantly being aware it’s him. I thought the same when I watched Django. You’re into the story but then you see him and you’re like “there’s Leonardo DiCaprio doing a funny voice”.
 
Shakesey said:
Subjectively:

1) De Niro
2) Di Caprio
3) Hoffman
4) Pacino
5) Bridges
6) Day-Lewis
7) Freeman
8) Nicholson
9) Pitt
10) Hanks

SO many not making it, who absolutely deserve to be here...

And you guys seriously underrate Di Caprio
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Martin Freeman a bit high for my liking
 
2 man midfield said:
I agree with what a poster said about you constantly being aware it’s him. I thought the same when I watched Django. You’re into the story but then you see him and you’re like “there’s Leonardo DiCaprio doing a funny voice”.
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Isn't that down to you? Every single actor basically remains an actor to me. I'm constantly aware I'm watching De Niro too
 
Shakesey said:
Isn't that down to you? Every single actor basically remains an actor to me. I'm constantly aware I'm watching De Niro too
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For a lot of the biggest names, that's unavoidable because you've seen them too many times.

You can experience proper immersion when watching great actors for the first time though. The guy who plays Ed Kemper in Mindhunter for example - I came away from that series feeling like I'd been sat in a cell with the actual lunatic myself.
 
Shakesey said:
Isn't that down to you? Every single actor basically remains an actor to me. I'm constantly aware I'm watching De Niro too
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It didn’t happen with the other two leads in that movie. Christoph Waltz is so good that you can’t believe it’s the same guy who played the Nazi villain in Tarrantino’s prior film.
 
diarm said:
For a lot of the biggest names, that's unavoidable because you've seen them too many times.

You can experience proper immersion when watching great actors for the first time though. The guy who plays Ed Kemper in Mindhunter for example - I came away from that series feeling like I'd been sat in a cell with the actual lunatic myself.
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100%

I loved Pail Atreides in Dune. Never seen him.
2 man midfield said:
It didn’t happen with the other two leads in that movie. Christoph Waltz is so good that you can’t believe it’s the same guy who played the Nazi villain in Tarrantino’s prior film.
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See above

Enamored by Waltz btw
 
2 man midfield said:
The only other Di Caprio film I’ve seen was titanic, and I was about 7. It’s not like I’ve seen him too much, I just didn’t buy him in that role.
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Seriously? :eek:

OK, for most, if you've seen the actor many times, then you know you're watching him.

On a side note, if you've only watched Leo in two movies, are you in a position to comment on his acting?
 
Shakesey said:
Subjectively:

1) De Niro
2) Di Caprio
3) Hoffman
4) Pacino
5) Bridges
6) Day-Lewis
7) Freeman
8) Nicholson
9) Pitt
10) Hanks

SO many not making it, who absolutely deserve to be here...

And you guys seriously underrate Di Caprio
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All subjective, but Brad Pitt doesn't belong on this list, imo, and definitely not as high as he is. I also don't think Morgan belongs on it, though he has an amazing voice. No Brando?! Denzel would also be in with a shout, ditto Christopher Walken.

Edit: sorry, did you mean living actors? For Hoffman I forgot Dustin. Thought you meant Philip Seymour Hoffman!
 
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