Um, Seriously?
OK, so I know these lists are meant to spark water-cooler converation (does anyone even talk around the water-coolers at work anymore? Does any office even have water-coolers anymore?), and this list isn't absolutely terrible, still, some of these choices are beyond odd.
I'm talking about Premiere magazine's Top 50 Movie Stars of All Time. So Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, make sense. Sure. But Tom Cruise is 3? And he and Julia Roberts are both ahead of Katherine Hepburn and Marlon Brando, neither of whom are even in the top 10? What? And while I'm glad Johnny Depp made the list (even though it seems a bit early in his career to really make the top 50), the bottom rung feel like they just threw in modern-day stars to either make nice with publicists or, again, to spark converation: Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, etc. And how did Elizabeth Taylor not make it any higher than 40?
An interesting point: Entertainment Weekly complained that there were no African-American actresses on the list at all. But the only suggestion they had was Whoopi Goldberg who, while an Oscar winner, is probably not worthy of this list. Neither is Halle Berry...yet (although, if she keeps picking winners like Catwoman and Gothika, she could be on a list like this any day now!). Sadly, there really aren't any major black actresses to make this list. Angela Bassett? Surely has the talent, but doesn't always pick the right projects. Hattie McDaniel? She's the first black woman to win an Oscar (for Gone With the Wind), but she was never really a star. Tyra Banks? While her turn in Jason X was stellar, apparently it's just not enough for this elitist, nose-in-the-air magazine.
7 comments:
Two Blogs that mention Tyra...i think you are obsessed.
Yeah, that list sounds like it sucks. The ommission of african american women basically reflects how white american movies have been. It has nothing to do with talent, ect. All the big female roles went to white women; most of them still do. What year is it again? 2005? The mainstream movie industry has a loooong way to go.
have you ever visited that blog young black and fabulous?
http://ybf.blogspot.com/
So what number was Patrick Swayze on the list? His performance in Road House still makes me weep.
Eric, I know. I need to cut myself off from Tyra references but now her True Hollywood Story is coming out on E! Dammit!
FF, that's exactly what it is. And as it is, there were only 3 black men on the list. It's not just the mainstream movie industry that has a long way to go. I think this reflects our society as a whole.
Becky...um...maybe Patrick Swayze was 51?
Tom Cruise at number three? He makes a little bit of vomit come to the back of my throat everytime I see him.
Hold on...you honestly expect me to believe that Tom Cruise was ranked #3 but that Patrick Swayze was slotted at an insulting #51?! I’m so tired of Patrick being robbed like this! Not getting the recognition he so clearly deserves for his consistently brilliant performances simply because he’s so gosh darn attractive.
Just remember, nobody puts baby in a corner!!
Becky, that's some outrage you have there. Maybe you should write to the editors of Premiere? I mean, they clearly haven't seen To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, or he'd be on the list.
Lauren, I know what you mean. I just saw the Oprah clip where he freaked out and jumped on the couch. I've never cringed so much in my life, and I've seen Showgirls twice.
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