Spinoff from Modern Classics thread.

It got me thinking. In 1,000 years, what 1 movie do you associate most with an actor or actress? Also, what 1 movie do you associate most with a director?

It's less of "Which actor comes to mind when you hear the word Conan or Terminator" and more of "What movie (or series of movies) do you think of most when the name Arnold Schwarzenegger comes up".

There are some difficult decisions if you stick to the 1 character/movie tie in (e.g. Ethan Hunt vs. Maverick). Likewise, some are really easy/not worth much back and forth discussion.

I'll start with a couple:

• Jeff Bridges - The Big Lebowski
• Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter (example of a much easier choice and not really much of a debate)

Daniel Day Lewis - There Will Be Blood

Russell Crowe - Gladiator

Chipotlemonger said:

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Spinoff from Modern Classics thread.

It got me thinking. In 1,000 years, what 1 movie do you associate most with an actor or actress? Also, what 1 movie do you associate most with a director?

It's less of "Which actor comes to mind when you hear the word Conan or Terminator" and more of "What movie (or series of movies) do you think of most when the name Arnold Schwarzenegger comes up".

There are some difficult decisions if you stick to the 1 character/movie tie in (e.g. Ethan Hunt vs. Maverick). Likewise, some are really easy/not worth much back and forth discussion.

I'll start with a couple:

• Jeff Bridges - The Big Lebowski
• Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter (example of a much easier choice and not really much of a debate)

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Don't you presume to tell me that I cant think of Swiss Army Man when I hear the name Daniel Radcliffe

You'd have to think it'd be someone like Mark Hamill in Star Wars. One of those most iconic roles in entertainment for all time and virtually no star power in his other roles.

ETA - re-read - I think I missed the point.

Chipotlemonger said:

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Spinoff from Modern Classics thread.

It got me thinking. In 1,000 years, what 1 movie do you associate most with an actor or actress? Also, what 1 movie do you associate most with a director?

It's less of "Which actor comes to mind when you hear the word Conan or Terminator" and more of "What movie (or series of movies) do you think of most when the name Arnold Schwarzenegger comes up".

There are some difficult decisions if you stick to the 1 character/movie tie in (e.g. Ethan Hunt vs. Maverick). Likewise, some are really easy/not worth much back and forth discussion.

I'll start with a couple:

• Jeff Bridges - The Big Lebowski
• Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter (example of a much easier choice and not really much of a debate)

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Can't even follow your own rules, meatspin.

Stallone - Rocky
Billy Crystal - Harry
Meg Ryan - Sally
SLJ - Pulp Fiction
Chevy Chase - Vaction
Damon - Bourne
Connery - Bond
Keanu - Matrix

Edit - you said movies, not characters.

I meant movies originally but get the "character" argument. It's fine, doesn't make a huge difference as it's hard to subjectively look in a vacuum at any of this anyways.

I like your list.

Cameron - Titanic
Spielberg - Schindler's List (really really difficult as ET comes to mind also)
Scorsese - Goodfellas
Hitchcock - Psycho
Kubrick - 2001
Coppola - Godfather (this one is so difficult)
Russo Brothers - Marvel Movies
Peter Jackson - LOTR
Shamalamadingdong - The Sixth Sense



James Earl Jones... Darth Vader

Harrison Ford - Indiana Jones
Tom Cruise - Pete Mitchell
Dustin Hoffman - Carl Bernstein

Sigourney Weaver - Ellen Ripley
Sally Fields - Carrie? I think that was her name in Smoky and the Bandit.

James Cameron - Titanic or Avatar
Steven Spielberg - Jaws or Raiders of the Lost Ark or ET
Christopher Nolan - gonna go with Oppenheimer

Just a few that I could come up with on a moment's notice.

Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

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Harrison Ford - Indiana Jones
Tom Cruise - Pete Mitchell
Dustin Hoffman - Carl Bernstein

Sigourney Weaver - Ellen Ripley
Sally Fields - Carrie? I think that was her name in Smoky and the Bandit.

James Cameron - Titanic or Avatar
Steven Spielberg - Jaws or Raiders of the Lost Ark or ET
Christopher Nolan - gonna go with Oppenheimer

Just a few that I could come up with on a moment's notice.

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Speaking for all women, I think Sally Field's iconic movie is Steel Magnolias.

The only other movie I could think of with her was Norma Rae, which I hated, so went with the Bandit. Can't recall ever seeing Steel Magnolias.

Julia Roberts - Pretty Woman
Robin Williams - Mrs. Doubtfire
Tom Cruise - Top Gun
Kevin Bacon - Footloose
Keanu Reeves - Matrix
Joe Peschi - My Cousin Vinny

Chipotlemonger said:

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TexjbA&M said:

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Daniel Day Lewis - There Will Be Blood

Russell Crowe - Gladiator

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As a hug Master & Commander fan, I want to argue a ton with this. Unfortunately I think it's a losing battle. Crowe portrays Aubrey so well in this movie though.

As for DDL, I think the only movie some might argue for over that is The Last of the Mohicans. Sure, as of today, more will recognize him for There Will Be Blood, but I think that the Last of the Mohicans may be more memorable on down the line.

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I so wanted M&C to get multiple movies. I thought it was great and Crowe/Bettany were great castings

Tom Hanks is tough, but I think you can say Forrest Gump

Pacino - Godfather or Scarface?
Brando - Godfather
Liotta - Goodfellas
Kurt Russell -- Big Trouble or Tombstone?
Matthew Broderick - Ferris Beuller's Day Off
Michael Douglas - Wall Street
Clint Eastwood -- Man with no name / Dollars Trilogy or Dirty Harry (or Outlaw Josey Wales)?

Some of these are too hard because they could go either way.

TexjbA&M said:

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Daniel Day Lewis - There Will Be Blood

Russell Crowe - Gladiator

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Nope-

Lewis will be remembered more for "Last of the Mohicans" where he literally became a frontier settler for six months of shooting.

George C Scott = Patton
Jimmy Stewart = It's a Wonderful Life

Johnny Depp - POTC

Chipotlemonger said:

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It got me thinking. In 1,000 years, what 1 movie do you associate most with an actor or actress? Also, what 1 movie do you associate most with a director?

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Gonna bog for a moment because your question got me thinking. The stories that still populate our consciousness 1,000 years (or more) later is a pretty elite group. If you cut out the philosophy, you're talking about a handful of titles that most people have heard of or read. Beowulf, The Odyssey and The Iliad, Ajax, Antigone, Prometheus, etc. And as for the authors, you're talking names like Sophocles.

If you go back to the 14th and 15th century for the start of the Renaissance, you get things like Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and Dante's Divine Comedy. Kind of takes off there with broader access following the printing press.

Anyway, I wonder if anything created in the last 150 years has the staying power to be remembered at all. The Wizard of Oz maybe? The last 50ish years? Maybe The Godfather?

As much as I love it, i don't think there's any chance people remember movies like Step Brothers in 1000 years.

MW03 said:

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Chipotlemonger said:

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It got me thinking. In 1,000 years, what 1 movie do you associate most with an actor or actress? Also, what 1 movie do you associate most with a director?

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Gonna bog for a moment because your question got me thinking. The stories that still populate our consciousness 1,000 years (or more) later is a pretty elite group. If you cut out the philosophy, you're talking about a handful of titles that most people have heard of or read. Beowulf, The Odyssey and The Iliad, Ajax, Antigone, Prometheus, etc. And as for the authors, you're talking names like Sophocles.

If you go back to the 14th and 15th century for the start of the Renaissance, you get things like Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and Dante's Divine Comedy. Kind of takes off there with broader access following the printing press.

Anyway, I wonder if anything created in the last 150 years has the staying power to be remembered at all. The Wizard of Oz maybe? The last 50ish years? Maybe The Godfather?

As much as I love it, i don't think there's any chance people remember movies like Step Brothers in 1000 years.

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Wizard of Oz is one of the few creations that are a sure thing.

Star Wars
Titanic
Lord of the Rings books
Harry Potter books
Beatles music

I agree with this list for sure. Chances are not all of them would, but these have a fighting chance at being known in 3,000.

It's an interesting conversation to think about!

Bruce Almighty said:

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Johnny Depp - POTC

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Great choice.

HtownAg92 said:

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Tom Hanks is tough, but I think you can say Forrest Gump

Pacino - Godfather or Scarface?
Brando - Godfather
Liotta - Goodfellas
Kurt Russell -- Big Trouble or Tombstone?
Matthew Broderick - Ferris Beuller's Day Off
Michael Douglas - Wall Street
Clint Eastwood -- Man with no name / Dollars Trilogy or Dirty Harry (or Outlaw Josey Wales)?

Some of these are too hard because they could go either way.

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Pacino - Godfather
Russell - selfishly I would say Big Trouble in Little China (objectively I guess it would be Tombstone?)
Eastwood - Dirty Harry ("Go ahead, make my day" is way too iconic I think)

Good toss ups though!

Quad Dog said:

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I almost posted a similar thing, but thought it might be too much of a downer. How many actors from 1923 can anyone name, let alone from 1023? People in 3023 might be more amazed that we let real people act, and not entertainment-bots.

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Exactly. We're upon the 100th anniversary of Robin Hood, featuring the biggest star of the time, Douglas Fairbanks. If you asked 100 people walking into a movie theater "who is Douglas Fairbanks", how many would get it right? Maybe 15? In 2123? Maybe 2 hard cores. I don't even think my 21 year old knows who Brando is.

I took the 1000 years as metaphorical. Odds are movies won't be a relevant form of entertainment in 1000 years anyway, or the medium will be so different that there's no comparison, just as we don't compare modern movies to medieval pantomimes.

Still a fun hypothetical.

jenn96 said:

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I took the 1000 years as metaphorical. Odds are movies won't be a relevant form of entertainment in 1000 years anyway, or the medium will be so different that there's no comparison, just as we don't compare modern movies to medieval pantomimes.

Still a fun hypothetical.

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Good point. Even for stuff super old now, the references are mere references on story, not so much on the medium!

So, in 1,000 years I could see the Star Wars story being referenced. Same with the Beatles out of HTown's list. Story wise, I don't see Titanic holding up. Coin flip on LOTR and Harry Potter, tend towards no on both due to nicehness.

Marissa Tomei -- My Cousin Vinny
Gene Wilder -- Willy Wonka
Christopher Reeves --Superman

jenn96 said:

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I took the 1000 years as metaphorical. Odds are movies won't be a relevant form of entertainment in 1000 years anyway, or the medium will be so different that there's no comparison, just as we don't compare modern movies to medieval pantomimes.

Still a fun hypothetical.

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We still have Greek and Roman stories and plays as part of our culture. Same with Beowulf. I think it is fair to say that movies have solidified into the human artistic expression that it is not so far fetched that some movies will survive through time.

Sure most will be forgotten. But some will make it. Shakespeare's works are still rocking along at 400 plus years.

I don't think it will be far fetched that some movies will still be discussed 1000 years from now.

Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

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Harrison Ford - Indiana Jones
Tom Cruise - Pete Mitchell
Dustin Hoffman - Carl Bernstein

Sigourney Weaver - Ellen Ripley
Sally Fields - Carrie? I think that was her name in Smoky and the Bandit.

James Cameron - Titanic or Avatar
Steven Spielberg - Jaws or Raiders of the Lost Ark or ET
Christopher Nolan - gonna go with Oppenheimer

Just a few that I could come up with on a moment's notice.

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I doubt many people under 50 think of Carl Bernstein. I'm mid 50s and thats not what I would associate Dustin Hoffman with. For one it's a real person.

Rain Man or Tootsie would be more likely. Maybe even Ratso in Midnight Cowboy or Kramer vs Kramer before Bernstein. imho

HtownAg92 said:

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Tom Hanks is tough, but I think you can say Forrest Gump

Pacino - Godfather or Scarface?
Brando - Godfather
Liotta - Goodfellas
Kurt Russell -- Big Trouble or Tombstone?
Matthew Broderick - Ferris Beuller's Day Off
Michael Douglas - Wall Street
Clint Eastwood -- Man with no name / Dollars Trilogy or Dirty Harry (or Outlaw Josey Wales)?

Some of these are too hard because they could go either way.

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While I love Tombstone for me Snake Plissken comes to mind first for Kurt Russell. Or Dean Proffitt in Overboard. Funny movie.

Zombie Jon Snow said:

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Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

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Harrison Ford - Indiana Jones
Tom Cruise - Pete Mitchell
Dustin Hoffman - Carl Bernstein

Sigourney Weaver - Ellen Ripley
Sally Fields - Carrie? I think that was her name in Smoky and the Bandit.

James Cameron - Titanic or Avatar
Steven Spielberg - Jaws or Raiders of the Lost Ark or ET
Christopher Nolan - gonna go with Oppenheimer

Just a few that I could come up with on a moment's notice.

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I doubt many people under 50 think of Carl Bernstein. I'm mid 50s and thats not what I would associate Dustin Hoffman with. For one it's a real person.

Rain Man or Tootsie would be more likely. Maybe even Ratso in Midnight Cowboy or Kramer vs Kramer before Bernstein. imho

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Maybe so. I did consider Rain Man (not Tootsie) and also even considered him as Captain Hook.