A new feature on The Wasteland – Each Monday I will induct a new person into the Hall of Fame and give a concise explanation of why they deserve their place in the pantheon of cultural media legends. It is not restricted to actors or movies, it could be a musician, an artist an author, or anyone else who has contributed to the cultural landscape of my imagination in a big way. Be sure to check in each Monday to see who has joined the ranks of immortality.
The inaugural inductee is actor Jack Nicholson, whose active film career has spanned over 50 years and 62 feature films, of which at least a dozen are stone cold classics for all time. He has won 3 Oscars from 12 nominations; 6 Golden Globes from 17 nominations, plus the Cecil B. DeMille award for lifetime achievement; 3 Baftas from 7 nominations; and 1 SAG award from 2 nominations, making him one of the most decorated film actors in history!
His style has always been energetic, crazy-eyed, confrontational, emotional and smart. You never quite knew what to expect next watching Jack, but it was always interesting and often inspired. His big memorable moments are all when he dials it up to 11 and starts chewing the scenery (think Joker in Batman, The Shining, The Witches of Eastwick, The Departed, A Few Good Men) but that never meant he wasn’t capable of more internal, tender moments too (Chinatown, Five Easy Pieces, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Last Detail, The Passenger).
One of the most watchable and surprising actors of his generation, his output in the 70s and 80s was breathtaking. He was also one of the most photographed stars of the time, or any time, to the point where his personality and status in Hollywood was beyond larger than life. The cheeky grin and voracious outlook on life always walked the tightrope of lovable rogue and questionable cad – there isn’t much in life you can’t imagine Jack doing; we love him because he seems to suck the marrow out of being alive and never apologises for having fun.
He has not worked in almost 10 years but can still be seen attending awards ceremonies and his beloved LA Lakers games from time to time. And so, The Wasteland salutes you, Jack! May your legacy live on forever. Here are my personal top 5 performances, in no particular order – it was tough to leave some out, but I have decided 5 is the way to go… leave me a comment if you want to make a case for something different.
Jack Nicholson Top 5 Movie Roles:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 1976
Five Easy Pieces, 1971
Chinatown, 1974
The Last Detail, 1974
The Shining, 1980
The Wasteland 