The passing of Harry Dean Stanton on September 15th had fans and critics alike remembering him in his many roles over the last couple of decades. A common perspective of his movie career is that it did not really begin until he reached the age of 58 with the popularity of the movie Paris, Texas. But there were many more performances that built his reputation before that. Moviegoers who only follow the stars are likely to have missed some of his movies. Technically known as a character actor, he would often be the glue that held the set together. Here are the top five movie roles that can easily go unnoticed.
1. Alien
The chosen first of many character roles Stanton would play, he is playing an engineer who has no real interest in the mission and like most people, seems to have his head set on how he can make a buck from his work. The sooner the mission is over, the sooner he can leave the planet and get on with his life. Once he discovers the presence of alien life he has a change of heart and prefers just to leave. The role is one of his best because it sets the stage for the appearance of the Alien. In search of Ripley’s cat, he shows a combination of innocence and fear, wondering what, if anything, is in the room where the cat disappeared. He does see the cat, and the Alien as well. End of his part in the movie.
2. The Green Mile
Stanton plays one of the quirkier characters in the movie, and like Alien, he sets the stage for much of what is to follow in the movie. His role as Toot-Toot was to cooperatively go through the dry run execution of prisoners waiting on death row, a.k.a. The Green Mile. He seemed to have no fear of death, going through the ritual with the attitude of “it’s not going to happen to me.” Watching the movie, it’s hard to see him as a man worthy of death. Yet that is what makes his character so creepy, that a man like that could be guilty of such a horrendous crime. When the movie approaches its climax, Stanton’s character is gone but left behind the critical pieces that connect the movie.
3. Paris, Texas
This film was what many critics consider his break out moment. Playing the role of Travis, the ending scene that takes place in a peep show booth showcases some of Stanton’s classic talent. You have to listen to the dialogue, as he known exactly when to pause and get the audience anticipating the reply. His tone is self-reflective, and the connection from his emergence from the desert at the beginning of the movie to where he is now is clear. The movie is about making, or trying to make, connections, and in contrast to the first two choices ends the movie.
4. Pretty in Pink
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A character actor has to be able to be versatile in order to be successful. Pretty in Pink has Stanton playing Molly Ringwald’s father in opposition to his role in Paris Texas. There he was looking to connect to times in the past, and here he is looking to reconnect so he can move forward with his life with the hope of future happiness. Instead of being self-motivated in his search, he needs to be motivated, in large part by his daughter who essentially is taking care of him. Stanton is both hapless and hopeless in the movie.
5. Lucky
Yes, the movie is not scheduled to be released until September 29th, but in honor of Harry Dean this will be his greatest role and his greatest film. Besides, the trailer looks great and there is no greater honor than honoring a person after his death with life and laughter.
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