2026 Feet Under

[Carbomb]

Nothing to add except to echo the praise of his acting ability and legacy, and how shocked I am at this. It makes logical sense that this sort of accident can happen, but it doesn't lessen the impact of the nature of it.

RIP. 

[Chili]

Has this all been confirmed or are we all still in Regal on the tribute show mode for now?

I don't know where to begin on great Gene Hackman performances. The Conversation maybe, or French Connection? Then I remember about half a dozen more.

[Chest Rockwell]

Lex Luthor is the right answer obviously.

[Carbomb]

An excellent Luthor, but it's between Pop-Eye and "Little" Bill Daggett, for me. Harry Caul comes close.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

Agent Rupert Anderson in Mississippi Burning for me Clive, though he did make an excellent Lex Luthor. 

[Carbomb]

38 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

Agent Rupert Anderson in Mississippi Burning for me Clive, though he did make an excellent Lex Luthor. 

Ooh, that's a reminder. I now have a triple threat (for the title, naturally) in my head.

[Devon Malcolm]

The thing about Gene Hackman is that there are no right or wrong answers regarding what his best performance was. He was one of those actors who was good all the time.

You could dip in to any of the few stinkers and disappointments he was in (especially in the 80s) and you can't find a performance of his that wasn't any good. Then there's a raft of performances in films that have largely been forgotten (Bat*21, Bite the Bullet, No Way Out, Narrow Margin to name but four) that could reframe the whole conversation.

Popeye Doyle in The French Connection (and he was brilliant in the sequel too) is his defining role, though. I could say he was technically better in The Conversation or that he showed a different side to his talents in The Royal Tenenbaums, but it was The French Connection which pulled together the tightly wound aggression and intensity that would become central to most of his best roles. He was absolutely always on his game, though. He's one of my favourites of all time.

[cobra_gordo]

I love him in The Birdcage. That whole cast is brilliant but Hackman playing the (no pun intended) straight man throughout makes the escape from the club at the end that much funnier.

[SaitoRyo]

There are a lot of really good Hackman performances in so-called 'smaller' films that are worth seeking out. The likes of Scarecrow, Cisco Pike and Prime Cut. He really was one of the defining actors of the Hollywood new wave. Quite prolific in that era, too. 

I've had a bunch of Hackman films saved to my Prime watchlist that I'll try and get to in the next week or so (providing he hasn't done a Benoit). Hoosiers and The Package will be first-time watches, while Get Shorty and Mississippi Burning are in need of a re-watch. 

[TheScarlettChad]

21 minutes ago, SaitoRyo said:

There are a lot of really good Hackman performances in so-called 'smaller' films that are worth seeking out. The likes of Scarecrow, Cisco Pike and Prime Cut. He really was one of the defining actors of the Hollywood new wave. Quite prolific in that era, too. 

I've had a bunch of Hackman films saved to my Prime watchlist that I'll try and get to in the next week or so (providing he hasn't done a Benoit). Hoosiers and The Package will be first-time watches, while Get Shorty and Mississippi Burning are in need of a re-watch. 

They said no foul play suspected, so I doubt he's "Done a Benoit"

[SuperBacon]

Egghead Chris, aged 77.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/chris-hughes-eggheads-death-b2705970.html

Where was CJ at the time?

Edited February 27, 2025 by SuperBacon
Fat thumb

[DCW]

Only saw the news about Gene Hackman and his wife and dogs. Shocking, just hoping it was carbon monoxide and they went peacefully.

Actually watched a rake of 90's films the last few weeks with him in. Absolute Power where he's the murderous president & The Firm where he's a dodgy, brainwashed Southern attorney being my faves. Doesn't matter the film really, he always had a great presence about him on screen that grabbed yer attention. French Connection is my favourite cop film of all time, Hackman combined with the run down, atmospheric 70's NY streets really made it something special.

[Rockbus2]

On 2/27/2025 at 3:33 PM, SuperBacon said:

Egghead Chris, aged 77.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/chris-hughes-eggheads-death-b2705970.html

Where was CJ at the time?

Gutted about this one. Had the pleasure of meeting him when I was a contestant on Eggheads many years ago and he was humble and graceful. 

[davertfnewman]

Always love the humble brag in his introduction:

"I STILL hold the International Mastermind title!"

Edited March 1, 2025 by davertfnewman

[WyattSheepMask]

David Johansen, frontman of New York Dolls as well as performing under the pseudonym of Buster Poindexter who also had an extensive acting career, passed away yesterday at the age of 75

 

Edited March 1, 2025 by WyattSheepMask