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The Wonderful James Spader

spaceygalspaceygal Posts: 3,448
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Anyone else love this terrific actor? I've been a fan since the 80's, with films like Pretty In Pink, Endless Love, Mannequin, Bad Influence and Sex, Lies and Videotape. I think he's been fantastic in just about everything he's appeared in since then and, since he moved onto TV work more I think he was wonderful in Boston Legal, The Office and currently in The Blacklist. I think he's incredibly charismatic, with a great screen presence, and I could never tire of watching him or even just listening to that silky smooth voice of his! Other films of his I love include White Palace, Stargate, Secretary, The Stick Up and The Watcher, but there are countless others I love. I think he can make even a mediocre film watchable! Plus, I just watched Wolf for the first time last night (avoided it before because I hate what I thought was going to be a really gory horror film but it was no way as bad as I'd imagined!) and he was excellent in that too, fangs, fur and all, lol! I really enjoyed the film, didn't think I would.

He's done some films I haven't been so keen on (can't like everything, lol) but he certainly always takes on different and challenging roles. He could easily have been typecast playing arrogant rich boy types like in Pretty In Pink, etc but thankfully he managed to move away from those kinds of roles and got far more varied work. I do still have a great fondness for Pretty In Pink though. Brings back lots of memories for me, that film! I haven't seen him in Lincoln yet but plan to rectify that soon and get the DVD!

Anyway, anyone else on here a big Spader fan and what are your favourite films of his?

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    Jim KowalskiJim Kowalski Posts: 4,048
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    Made an impression on me the first time I saw him on a rented VHS tape in a seldom seen sci-fi cum romance called "Starcrossed" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090066/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_45.
    He made such a lasting impression it surprizes me to realise,except for little roles like "Baby Boom",I've seen so few of his films; "Stargate","Crash","Secretary",the last two being real oddities.
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    BanziBabyBanziBaby Posts: 473
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    #3
    Can't really remember much about his films but he is absolutely outstanding in the Blacklist, his performance is just spot on with the looks & mannerisms he gives the character.
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    Gill PGill P Posts: 21,591
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    He was the only reason I watched Stargate. However, I must say that the TV version, which had Michael Shanks in the role, did well to cast him as they are very similar in appearance.
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    dee123dee123 Posts: 46,271
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    #5
    Casting him in The Practice/Boston Legal is up there with putting Travolta in Pulp Fiction. Taking a chance on a forgotten actor and it paying off big time.
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    F2kSelF2kSel Posts: 1,327
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    BanziBaby wrote: »
    Can't really remember much about his films but he is absolutely outstanding in the Blacklist, his performance is just spot on with the looks & mannerisms he gives the character.


    Can't say I ever took much notice of him also but in the Blacklist he's excellent.
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    Kayleigh2010Kayleigh2010 Posts: 1,242
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    I'm a huge fan of The Office USA and he was the one that saved Season 8 for me after Steve Carrell left. I hadn't seen him in anything else, then my boyfriend recommended that I watch The Blacklist. So I gave it a chance and now I completely love it. Don't think I would be as interested in it it it weren't for Spader to be honest. He's awesome in it.

    I've watched a few of his films now after looking him up, I've watched Pretty In Pink, True Colours and Secretary, all of which are on Netflix.

    He's in the new Avengers film which is cool too, so i'm looking forward to that.:)
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    spaceygalspaceygal Posts: 3,448
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    Glad to see that there are some other james Spader fans of here, if not many!! It's amazing how so many people didn't even seem to know who he was until The Blacklist, when he's been in films for over 30 years! But I guess that could be because he's never been one for starring in big blockbuster/mainstream type films but has done more lower budget independent films. Often quite quirky, off-the-wall films/roles. Doing the voice of this robot character in the forthcoming Avengers film (not my sort of thing but I guess I'll see it for James, lol) is probably the only big budget film he'll have appeared in, other than perhaps Stargate.

    I love that he's done more independent and varied work though. I love his films like Driftwood, The Music Of Chance, Storyville, Speaking Of Sex, Crash, Sex Lies & Videotape, Critical Care, The Watcher and Dreamlover. He's terrific in Secretary and I'll never tire of watching him in The Practice/Boston Legal.

    Endless Love is the first film I ever saw him in and I don't think I've seen him give a bad performance in anything since! He's incapable of giving a bad performance, even in a bad film! James Spader is, quite simply, magnificent!! :)
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