Hey there boys and girls. Well, with all the Kurt Russell talk going on around here over the last couple of days, it’s got me to thinking about some of my favorite Russell movies, so I thought “why not do a post about it”.
So here for your consideration is my personal list of the 10 best Kurt Russell performances (please note… I’m not saying the best Russell movies… but rather his personal best performances). So here they are:
1) Backdraft - God I love this movie… I know a bunch of people don’t, but I think it’s gold… and the main reason for that is the heart Russell brought to it.
2) Tombstone - There has NEVER been a better Wyatt Earp
3) Escape From New York - Probably the first movie that comes to mind when we think of Russell
4) Solider - Not the best movie by any stretchof the imagination… but a role he was BORN to play. Just looking all gruff and pretty much killing people with his pure stare. Gold.
5) Big Trouble in Little China - The guy almost became Bruce Campbell
6) Overboard - who knew he could do comedy so well?
7) The Thing - Oh hell ya
8) Dark Blue - I’m stunned over how many people haven’t seen this movie
9) Stargate - Before MacGiver took over the role
10) 3000 Miles To Graceland - You know, as bad as the movie itself ended up being, I always thought Russell was exceptional in it.
So there you have it folks. My list of the best performances Kurt Russell has blessed us with so far. What do you think? What things don’t belong on that list? What things are missing? Discuss.
39 Comments, Comment or Ping
Andreas
I’ve seen Dark BLue and it is a great movie.
Breakdown was a great performance by Kurt and very good movie.
Mar 27th, 2007
#007#
I second Dark Blue…go and grab a rental…great acting.
Mar 27th, 2007
ZICRON
WHAT!?!?!?
The Computer that wore Tennis Shoes isn’t in the top 10?!?!?!
How can that be!
:)
Mar 27th, 2007
JOE
Captain Ron shows us the comedy side of Kurt Russell
i haven’t seen dark blue but i think i will now
Mar 27th, 2007
gerard
whenever i think of kurt russell i think of disney’s The Strongest Man in the World
Mar 27th, 2007
Marina
Regarding “5) Big Trouble in Little China - The guy almost became Bruce Campbell” that’s a BIG almost. I liked it, don’t get me wrong but he’s no Bruce Campbell (and you’re right, it can’t be proven but I also agree that Bruce Campbell is God).
And wow, someone else actually watched 3000 Miles To Graceland. I’m impressed. However we differ in that I actually liked the movie.
Mar 27th, 2007
pendragon00
I love the man
THATS MY BROTHER GOD DAMN IT
TELL THEM IM COMING AND HELLS COMING WITH ME
Just those two lines alone will keep him in my heart even if everything else he does from here on out is rubbish
Mar 27th, 2007
Amish_Bill
Wait… didn’t Kurt Russell do the movie, “Breakdown”? It’s the one where his wife is abducted for ransom by some backwoods, hillbilly truckers. I thought that was a fabulous movie. That should be in the top ten IMHO.
Mar 27th, 2007
Chris
John man, sorry but that’s an embarrassing list… Backdraft at number one??! The Thing behind Overboard??
The Thing and Escape From New York should be way, way up the list, no doubt.
You haven’t explained your choices, either…
Mar 27th, 2007
Derek
“Tango & Cash”
Mar 27th, 2007
Amish_Bill
You also forgot “Executive Decision”. That movie had the balls to kill off Steven Segal in the first 30 minutes. It’s a great movie just because of that. I can’t believe you have Backdraft #1. What a suck-movie.
Mar 27th, 2007
Jay C.
Grindhouse is another example of the kind of power Tarantino has when it comes to reviving careers.
Where was all of this Kurt Russell love a year ago? If there’s anything I will stand up and proudly proclaim, it’s that i’ve been a supporter of Russell since I was a kid. HE is my Bruce Campbell. Jack Burton was my Ash. I don’t know how many people have laughed off my suggestions of Kurt Russell being underrated as both an action star and dramatic performer. Although this sudden love of Russell is frustrating, it’s also nice to see.
Now I can sit back and watch as people start to think twice about the amazing stuff he’s done in films like Big Trouble In Little China and The Thing and give him credit where credit is due. If only people would realize that Escape From LA is alot better then they think…maybe if it were surrounded by fake trailers?
Mar 27th, 2007
tedward
His performance in Backdraft was very good, but it’s a shame the film was horrible.
I can’t believe you didn’t put Breakdown on the list! That was a great friggin’ film, and he put in a great performance.
Dark Blue was also a great film, with a great performance.
3000 Miles to Graceland was much better than I thought it would be, though also more disturbing as well.
Mar 27th, 2007
Rafael
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes was my fav as a kid.
Mar 27th, 2007
Charley
What? No mention of The Fox and the Hound?
Mar 27th, 2007
John Campea
Hey Chris,
Learn how to read. This wasn’t a list of the best MOVIES… it was my personal list of his best performances.
Jay,
Yes… Escape from LA was that bad. :P
Mar 27th, 2007
Nord
Excellent list for the most part, disappointing not to see Tango & Cash, my top 3 is
Big Trouble in Little China
The Thing
Tango & Cash
Nord
Nord
Mar 27th, 2007
Scott Cederlund
I love all of those Russell films but one of my favorite performances of his is as the doctor in Cameron Crowe’s Vanilla Sky. I enjoy how he goes from being somewhat in control to realizing that he’s just part of someone else’s dream.
Mar 27th, 2007
Jayowen
I can’t believe you left out that great boy scout movie “Follow Me Boys”
Mar 27th, 2007
darren j seeley
His best in my order:
Escape From New York
The Mean Season
Tombstone
The Thing
Used Cars (yes!! How could you forget Used Cars!)
Backdraft
Dark Blue (yes, Gio-and at the theatres!)
Breakdown
Stargate
Mar 27th, 2007
alfie
no jay c..escape from l.a. is every bit as bad as everybody thinks. its awful.
My list would be…..
Escape From New York
Used Cars
Big Trouble In Little China
The Thing
Tango and Cash
The Mean Season
Breakdown
Dark Blue
Tombstone
Elvis
Mar 27th, 2007
wolf
The Thing and Big Trouble In Little China were a big let down for me. Backdraft ruled.
Mar 27th, 2007
Jay
Mine would go like this…
1: Escape From New York
2: Big Trouble In Little China
3: The Thing
4: Tango and Cash
5: Tombstone
6: Backdraft
7: Stargate
8: Backdraft
9: Tequila Sunrise
10: Breakdown
and honourable mention goes to Overboard, because I truly do love that movie.
Escape From LA and 3000 Miles To Graceland would be on my list of the top 30 worst movies of all time. 2 of the absolute worst movies ever made.
Mar 27th, 2007
Jay C.
Sorry Alfie, but you’re wrong.
Escape From LA is a Grindhouse style action/exploitation film that somehow is treated as serious material. Are the effects bad? Yes. But it’s a hell of alot of fun and succeeds in carrying on the tradition of similar films that came before it.
Throw some fake film grain/scratches, surf music, and ‘Quentin Tarantino Presents’ at the front of it, and I think people would be a little open minded.
But that’s just my opinion.
Mar 27th, 2007
bigsampson
OK OK ….JOHN I FRICKIN LOVE KIRT RUSSEL FLIX…..WELL MY LATE MOTHER’S FAVORITE MOVIE(AND ONE OF MINE) HAS TO BE OVERBOARD!!!!
ATLEAST IN THE TOP 10
Mar 27th, 2007
paulm
The Thing is number seven? Really?
Mar 27th, 2007
walters
if your comparing his comic roles you can’t compare Overboard to Used Cars. Used Cars is a classic!
Mar 27th, 2007
The Other James Taylor
Hell Yeah Big Trouble In Little China.
1.Big Trouble In Little China
2.Vanilla Sky
3.Dark Blue
4.3000 Miles To Graceland
5.Unlawful Entry
6.Stargate
7.Backdraft
8.Breakdown
9.Overboard
10.The Thing
Mar 27th, 2007
Kaneda979
I loved Breakdown. Had me on the edge of my seat all the way to the end. Freakin’ awsome movie and Kurt was amazing in it. Would for sure be on my list.
The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, and Overboard, one of my fav old school comedies, would of been much higher on my list aswell.
Not only are they all uniq films and fun as hell to watch, they REALLY showed off Kurt’s wide acting range. They weren’t just completely diffrent acting roles, but it shows you that he can play well just about any role you throw at him.
But number 1 to me would be Tombstone. First Western movie I fell in love with. Like you said John, “There has NEVER been a better Wyatt Earp”, and I don’t know if they’re ever will be. His preformance really made that film. He made you care about the character and everyone he cared about in the film. And he made you think, “God damn he’s badass!”
Mar 27th, 2007
alfie
sorry jay c but it was sad and desperate attempt by a past it director to rekindle his movie making “mojo” and it failed miserably…
that freedom fighter terrorist whatever he was was no duke a number one.
even bruse campbell was wasted in it…..
the effects are not just bad they are embarrassing….
but russells performance is perfect…there is no denying that…it was carpenters total loss of skill that ruined it…..
Mar 28th, 2007
Wormwood
In the same vein, being a list of performances rather than movies, I’d have to put the elusive “Winter People” on that list.
Mar 28th, 2007
Jesse Rosenberg
Swing shift anybody
jesus christ that is the best movie of his and one of his best performances
Mar 28th, 2007
Jay C.
Sorry Alfie, but I think you missed the point of the entire film.
I’m not going to get into it now seeing as i’m currently writing an article dedicated to the defense of Escape From LA. But until then, just know that you’re absolutely wrong.
Mar 28th, 2007
Paul D
I like this list, John…then again, I like any list that doesn’t include Poseidon!
Mar 28th, 2007
josh
I’d say kurt russell is above bruce campbell, sorry but you have to admit that. I’m a huge fan of both, huuuggggee, but kurt just has a longer list of better movies, you can’t even get all of his best work on a top 10 list, wheres with bruce you can barely make a top 10 list. Anyways I’d say it goes
1. Big Trouble in little china
2. The thing
3. Escape from New York
4. Dark Blue
5. Escape from LA
and i just lost the will to finish this.
Mar 28th, 2007
RazorHawk
My Top 10:
1 Backdraft
2 Big Trouble In Little China
3 Tombstone
4 Breakdown
5 Overboard
6 Executive Decision
7 Unlawful Entry
8 Tango and Cash
9 Sky High
10 Dreamer
Mar 28th, 2007
Justin Levine
There must be something wrong with my browser - I’m reading a post that is supposedly about the best Kurt Russell performances with several commenters, and not once, NOT ONCE does anyone mention “Miracle”. Not even a passing mention of his best performace ever?? Helllooooo????
Mar 28th, 2007
Ash1138
Thank you Justin. I was so ready to write up a post wondering how “supposed” Kurt Russell fans could leave off Miracle. C’mon John, I know your Canadian and all and so probably dismiss any Hockey movies made by Americans, but sheesh! :P
1. Miracle (Oscar worthy IMO)
2. Backdraft (good call John)
3. Tombstone
4. The Thing
5. Big Trouble in Little China (I named myself after Ash and I still agree with the Bruce Campbell comment)
6. Dark Blue (He carries this film)
7. Escape from New York
8. Overboard
9. Stargate
10. Soldier (Just because John’s reasoning sold me. I almost want to see the film again now just for his performance)
I’m honestly surprised to see people mentioning Executive Decision; an utterly forgettable performance. Then there is Tango & Cash which makes me cringe in embarrassment for Kurt.
P.S. On the subject of Miracle, if you have not seen it I highly, highly recommend you see the documentary film “Do You Believe in Miracles?” which is the story of the 1980 U.S. Hockey Team (I believe it’s currently on HBO if you have that service). No it doesn’t have Kurt Russell in it (it has the real Herb Brooks) and besides being much better than the film Miracle, it’s also one of the absolute best documentaries I’ve ever seen. It’ll also give all you Kurt Russell fans who snubbed his performance in Miracle a better appreciation for what he did.
Mar 30th, 2007
CinemaNotizie
John ha indicato sul Podio Fuoco Assassino (Backdraft), Tombstone e Fuga da New York (Escape From New York), seguiti poi da Soldier, Grosso Guaio a Chinatown (The Big Trouble in Little China), Una Coppia alla deriva (Overboard), La Cosa (The Thing), Indagini sporche (Dark blue), Stargate e La Rapina (3000 Miles To Graceland).
Ed essendo io, tra l’altro, un fan di Kurt Russell… Ecco la mia classifica personale:
I 10 MIGLIORI FILM DI KURT RUSSELL secondo eMMe
1) Grosso Guaio a Chinatown - The Big Trouble in Little China
2) Fuga da New York - Escape From New York
3) Stargate
4) La Cosa - The Thing
5) Fuga da Los Angeles - Escape from L.A.
6) Fuoco Assassino - Backdraft
7) Tombstone
8) Tango & Cash
9) Abuso di Potere - Unlawful Entry
10) Decisione critica - Executive Decision
Un salutone a John “Giovanni” Campea!
Mar 31st, 2007
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