Let’s be fair this subject is a bit old hat and the titles a bit unfair. But often musicians (through there own choice or at the insistence of agents and producers) find themselves trading lines with seasoned professionals with, usually, mixed results.
I thought I’d mention five of my favourite musician turned actor moments. There’s probably many I’ll remember later so they’ll probably be a second installment and please comment with your own favs but here’s some of mine.
1) Tom Waits in Bram Stoker’s Dracula
He started off as a lounge lizard, then became a jazz bohemian, then he became the crazed love child of Howlin’ Wolf and Captain Beefheart, then he just went nuts. Tom Waits writes and sings songs that will break your heart or rip it from your chest. In Dracula he’s in more of a ravenous mood. Oh how he chews the scenery and it’s glorious. Campy British accent, crazed hair and over-acting to the extreme where it becomes a delight to watch. Even his appearances in Mystery Men and Wristcutters seem tame compared with his deranged ramblings to a green mist that sounds like Gary Oldman.
2) Nick Cave in Johnny Suede
Taking a cameo role in a pretty average Brad Pitt vehicle, with a less than great performance. The wonderful Mr. Cave will always be remembered in this film for me because of his shocking white hair, baring the name of Freak Storm and chastising Brad Pitt for not sharing his fried chicken with him. He also sings a lovely blues song which is a bonus.
3) David Johansen – Scrooged
For years I didn’t even know he was a singer, young as I was when I first encountered the New York Dolls guru as the Ghost of Christmas past. Any hint of his flamboyant, make-up wearing, swagger is forgotten (apart from the elf ears) and his performance does make you yearn to see what else he could do with the right material, Car 54, Where Are You? doesn’t count. His “whatever” attitude fits right in with the his role of the Ghost who’s seen and done everything. And I bet Mr. Johansen has.
4) Johnny Cash – A Gunfight
Johnny Cash was always one of the great storytellers through songs. His stoic and authoritative vocals puts you right into whatever story he would be singing about be it a murder ballad or a tale of workers on the rail road. Those talents didn’t quite translate to screen. But in his role as Abel Cross he brought an air of world-weariness, a gunslinger who’s tired of killing. Playing against a charismatic Kirk Douglas he stands up well. Douglas is the showman, Cash is the straight man. Another notable Cash role was playing the hardened criminal against Ron Howard’s ten year old scamp in 25 Minutes to Live.
5) Busta Rhymes – Higher Learning
There were a few more singers I could mention but I felt compelled to give a mention to Trevor Smith (that be what his mother calls him) break out role in John Singelton’s college melodrama. In a film that is so over-blown with “issues” – nazis, lesbians, militants, drugs, casual sex, Laurence Fishburne’s accent, Busta Rhymes as the black panther ‘Dreads’ is one of the more entertaining things in the film. He’s just nuts in it. He’s not in it a lot. But like Waits in Dracula whenever he appears you watch him. Even against the more “seasoned” rap vet Ice Cube he just jumps from the screen screaming “Woo-Hah” in your face.
Next time… the wonders of Grace Jones in A View To A Kill.
Anyone else have any favs?
