# Aging actors that did the best job reprising their franchise role



## wbassett

It seems that Hollywood loves to bring back franchises lately. The question is who really did the best job of reprising their franchise character the best? 

Most outstayed their welcome so the pole is who pulled it off and then please explain why you think they did in a post.

I'll start. 
My pick is Stallone as John Rambo in Rambo. He said in an interview that during the '80s he got too caught up in the money,glitz and fame, and basically sold out. He said looking back he wasn't happy with First Blood Part II, and is actually ashamed of Rambo III. He promised he'd take the character back to a more realistic tone and story line that was much darker and befitting the first Rambo. I think he succeeded, or at least succeeded better than everyone else in their attempt.

I tried to list all of the actors that reprised a signature role that made them famous and the last movie they played that character. It's easy to say they all should have passed, but some actually did okay reprising their character while others... well... Thinking of Bond wearing Depends and still trying to swoon a young chippy was more than I could suspend belief. (Moore in a View to a Kill)

Kurt Russel may not be a fair one to be on the list since he was 45 when he reprised his role as Snake Plisken, but he was 30 when he did the Escape from New York so I felt the 15 years garnered him an honorable mention.

It is rumored that Eddie Murphy will reprise his role of Axel Foley but nothing has been green lighted yet.

So speak up, vote on who you think did the best job at making a senior citizen come back in the role that made them famous, and also who should have left well enough alone.


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## nova

My vote is for Shatner. I find that with the arrogance gone (for the most part) and a sense of humor shining through he has become a thoroughly entertaining actor. I'd also say you have to take into consideration all of the Star Trek films rather than just Generations.

Aside from the hair, he was a better Kirk in Wrath of Khan than he was in the original series.


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## wbassett

I agree with Wrath of Khan was Shatner at his best.

I'm not talking about the body of work though, but primarily an actor's last outing as a particular character.


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## nova

I thought you were asking about reprising their role after an extended period,...:scratch: In any case I still go with Shatner reprising the TV role years later in the movies :bigsmile:


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## wbassett

Someone snuck in and voted but didn't post why! 

I always felt Die Hard 3 Die Harder was basically an apology for Die Hard 2. 

Live Free or Die Hard could have been so much more, and with the time they had between the 3rd and 4th you'd think they could have come up with better writing and story... I mean he wrestles a fighter jet to the ground in this one!

Kevin Smith was great in it though as was Justin Long, but how many times can McClane have pure luck on his side? It was a good bait and switch in 3 with Hans' brother and the ruse it was about revenge when it was all about another heist. 

I like Bruce Willis and wanted to see McClane again, but the only thing missing in 4 was him wearing a cape! 

For the record, I think Bruce is a very underrated actor and he's always fun to watch. He could make a movie about eating a ham sandwich put a smile on your face. 

If you think I'm being too rough on Die Hard 4, I'm intentionally trying to egg on whoever voted to come and post why they picked McClane! 

This is all in fun everyone, nobody is right and nobody is wrong, it's just interesting to hear people's take on topics like this... at least it is to me.


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## OvalNut

I voted for Bruce Willis, but Steven Segal in _Above the Law_ was utterly engaging as a physically capable good guy on a mission to kick tail.


Tim
:drive:


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## wbassett

Nova Shatner is a perfectly fine choice. I also like how he's become less cocky and more playful with his roles and even pokes fun at himself.

Star Trek II was his defining moment in my opinion, but III was also under-rated if you ask me. When he was told of his son's death I bought his acting and thought he pulled the scene off very well. 

As much of a Trek fan as I am (and you have no idea of what I have in my basement! Anyone looking for a collection of just about every Playmate Trek figure and ship ever made? I have them all... name it, I probably have it  ) it was sad watching one of my childhood hero's go from a paunch to outright over weight and still act as if he could royally kick Klingon behind! Towards the end he started to remind me of Cannon (anyone remember that old TV series with William Conrad) where Cannon would chase down a guy half his age (and more appropriately 1/4th his gargantuan weight) and not only catch the bad guy, but then beat him up! Poor Bill Shatner became a parody of himself long before he realized he wasn't the 34 year old Captain Kirk anymore and that's when he started loosening up and became a hoot to watch.


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## wbassett

OvalNut said:


> I voted for Bruce Willis, but Steven Segal in _Above the Law_ was utterly engaging as a physically capable good guy on a mission to kick tail.
> 
> 
> Tim
> :drive:


Above the Law was his best no questions asked!

Under Siege was his second best. Everything else is pretty much Nico with a different wardrobe.

What about Exit Wounds though, or Pistol Whipped, or Kill Switch? Maybe Shatner can put him down with one of his famous Kirk body blocks and put an end to Segal's misery! I think Chuck Norris is the only one that could survive and fend off that much raw tonage flying through the air at him! 

Tim I still can't get past McClane wrestling a plane to the ground though!:bigsmile:


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## Wayde

I gave my vote to Shatner. I really liked the Star Trek franchise when it came back. I was never crazy about ST TMP, and I was only intermittently impressed with each subsequent film as they were released. But the ones that hit, boy did they ever hit.

In fact a circle of friends used to specifically take opening day of any new ST movie off work. No, we weren't in a club nor did we don costumes but we were pretty close. 

For me it was always about Spock anyway. 

I'll never forget, it seemed like the world was talking about Spok back in '82 and exactly what he meant when he went... "remember" before he entered that chamber.

woa. 

movies have been such a huge part of my life.


*About the Star Trek clubs:*

/bonus rant

I have nothing against Star Trek clubs. Some very good friends were in them. Honestly, I have nothing against fat people either. I have at various times in my life been gravitationally challenged and must live a life committed to combat a swelling waistline or succumb to its perils. 

In fact... the self-discipline and composure of characters like Piccard, the logic of characters like Spock, the regiment endured even by the likes of _Wesley Crusher _in Starfleet... is an *INSPIRATION *for me to keep at it. To keep myself training as if for some event that will never come. 

But I personally find it a disgrace when someone puts on a Starfleet Academy uniform when they're about 30 pounds or more overweight... which is like... *ALL OF THEM!*

I don't think any military academy - much less Starfleet would accept any trainee or officer that has let themselves reach levels of obesity I find so common at Star Trek conventions. 

I don't mean to be a dick or anything. I know it's just a role playing fantasy. But I say...l et your infatuation with the fantasy of ST be an inspiration to you. 

I know ST fanatics are oft blamed for taking it too seriously. But I disagree.

Maybe *I'm *the one that takes the ST fantasy too seriously. 

ST gave a generation the inspiration to dream that a pointy eared alien, a Russian, a black woman and a drunken Scott could all work together playing pivotal roles for the advancement of civilization... in the 1960s no less, a time when that job was left only to drunken Scotts.

I often hear the reassuring voice of Piccard leaving me pearls of wisdom in times of question. I have been inspired and ST has left a real influence that engages many facets of my life.

My apologies if I offended anyone 

/bonus rant


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## Richard W. Haines

Connery was fine as Bond in "Never Say Never Again" but the movie was produced
outside of the Broccoli team so it lacked the style of the rest of the series. 
The music score was inappropriate and I missed the other veterans. It wasn't a 
bad action film but didn't come off as a 007 movie. The original "Thunderball"
was a much better adapation of the story.


Although it wasn't an official reprise, I thought Brando's spoof of his
Godfather Don was amusing in "The Freshman".


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## nova

Bump :bigsmile:
Gotta be more votes out there than this,...
What about:
Sigourney Weaver - Alien (1979) - Alien Resurrection (1997)?
Al Pacino - Godfather (1972) - Godfather III (1990)
Paul Newman - The Hustler (1961) - The Color of Money (1986)

Add to the poll or write in?


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## Kal Rubinson

wbassett said:


> Someone snuck in and voted but didn't post why!


OK, then, in compensation, I will post why I did not vote.

Are you kidding? None of this is real acting and almost all the men listed are playing cartoons, not real roles. So, I didn't vote, even thought I have seen many of the listed movies, because I don't care. Steven Siegal? Sheesh.

Kal


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## lcaillo

Nothing like a little snobbishness to make the forum more fun. So start a thread with your view of who the great actors have been and the great roles that they played.


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## Kal Rubinson

lcaillo said:


> Nothing like a little snobbishness to make the forum more fun.


Great. I have achieved my goal. :T



> So start a thread with your view of who the great actors have been and the great roles that they played.


Nope. I am not one who thinks that acting/movies or any sort of art is a competitive sport that results in rankings.

Kal


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## lcaillo

Ah, a meta-snob. Mother of all snobs, etc.:bigsmile:


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## Equilibrium8

I had to vote for Bruce Willis, as he is the only real actor on the list. (OK..Star Trek is a pet hate, so I am bias against Shatner). Although, refresh my memory, was Willis' catch phrase yippeekayay(sic) mother****** cut to just yippeekayay in the last one? I have a scene stuck in my head, but maybe from TV preview.


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## hyghwayman

I voted, but won't say who for out of shame. I do agree with the pick of Bruce Willis, he is the only real actor on the list.

If I may add another actor, it would be Patrick Swayze not for reprising their role but as one of the greatest actors of my time.

1983 - The Outsiders
1984 - Red Dawn
1987 - Dirty Dancing
1989 - Next of Kin and Road House
1990 - Ghost
1991 - Point Break

Just my 2cents,
hyghwayman


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## Richard W. Haines

They cut the line in the theatrical cut of the last Willis Die Hard movie to get a 
PG 13 but restored it for the DVD which had both R rated and PG 13 edits. They
also cut some squibs in the PG 13 version (bullet impacts). They discuss the edits
in the commentary track.


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## wbassett

hyghwayman said:


> I voted, but won't say who for out of shame. I do agree with the pick of Bruce Willis, he is the only real actor on the list.
> 
> If I may add another actor, it would be Patrick Swayze not for reprising their role but as one of the greatest actors of my time.
> 
> 1983 - The Outsiders
> 1984 - Red Dawn
> 1987 - Dirty Dancing
> 1989 - Next of Kin and Road House
> 1990 - Ghost
> 1991 - Point Break
> 
> Just my 2cents,
> hyghwayman


No need for any shame  Tis all in fun!

I really like Bruce too, but I have to throw Connery in there too as being a top notch actor!

Swayze is also a favorte of mine... He really racked up the para-military roles when he was younger didn't he! Here's one to add to your list, Uncommon Valor- The original Vietnam POW rescue flick that started them all! Swayze was the young buck Marine Special Forces (could have been a Seal, I can't remember) who's dad was shot down in Nam and a POW. It's easy to forget Swayze because of all of the other big names like Gene Hackman, Robert Stack, Fred Ward, Reb Brown, and of course Sailor... Randal 'Tex' Cobb.

If you don't remember Swayze but saw this flick, as soon as I mention the scene you'll remember him...

He's the cocky young guy all the vets don't trust, but when they play their little war game where all they have to do is make it through the jungle, across the river and too the tower and the only obstical in their way is Swayze... Remeber him picking them off one at a time? The best was him coming down from a tree and putting the sign 'Dead' around the one guys neck! Bit of humor in with the action is alway good.  Then there is the showdown between Swayze and Sailor, a great hand to hand fight scene... and this is before they even are in Nam! From there the action really takes off. 

Also I have to admit that Road House is a bad flick but man is it fun guilty pleasure! 

I wish Swayze would have done more movies, although he did rack up his share of action flicks in the late 80's. I really feel for him and what he's going through right now. I lost my dad to cancer, so my prayers are definitely with Patrick.


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## wbassett

Richard W. Haines said:


> They cut the line in the theatrical cut of the last Willis Die Hard movie to get a
> PG 13 but restored it for the DVD which had both R rated and PG 13 edits. They
> also cut some squibs in the PG 13 version (bullet impacts). They discuss the edits
> in the commentary track.


Richard what struck me as odd was they restored it for the DVD but not the Bluray version. Stuff like that makes me feel a bit slighted by the whole format war and Bluray. I mean I paid premo bucks for a player two years ago and I want the unedited cuts, Director's versions, and added little things like that... else, I'd just buy the SDVD... which is what I did!


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## Richard W. Haines

Yes, I agree. The blu ray should be the 'definitive' director's cut without 
exception. I know there are compromises that have to be made for theaters
these days but no excuse not to release what the filmmaker intended not only
for blu ray but for standard DVD too. There is no censorship or ratings or other
considerations for home use since it's for private use, not public and thus no excuse.
That includes not only R rated material but longer cuts of the movie since you don't
have to worry about a turn around as they do in the megaplexes.


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## deacongreg

Richard W. Haines said:


> Connery was fine as Bond in "Never Say Never Again" but the movie was produced
> outside of the Broccoli team so it lacked the style of the rest of the series.
> The music score was inappropriate and I missed the other veterans. It wasn't a
> bad action film but didn't come off as a 007 movie. The original "Thunderball"
> was a much better adapation of the story.
> 
> 
> Although it wasn't an official reprise, I thought Brando's spoof of his
> Godfather Don was amusing in "The Freshman".




Well, I`ll say this Richard, I don`t know about reprising a role, but Clint Eastwood as he has aged, has done quite a startling job as a director. Film after film after film, as he has gotten older, these movies continue to be well made, with intriguing content, including his latest effort. While Hollywood has relied on Marvel Comic books to keep them a float (Who woulda thought our comics would hit the big screen!!), Clint has continued to come out with great movies. From Mystic River, to the present.

Kudos to one of my favorite actors, who yes is aging, but is doing some of his best work.


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## brandonnash

I doubt there will be many if any votes for roger moore.


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