Urban Cowboy, Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction. He's played good guys, bad guys, comedic roles. Cruise has no range. Travolta has been in some bad films, and Cruise is the bigger name and has made more money with more summer blockbusters, but he's not a great actor. In fact, Travolta is only a pretty good actor, but he doesn't hold a candle to Tom Hanks or Ed Norton or Daniel Day-Lewis.
Think about Travolta in Saturday Night Fever to Urban Cowboy to Look Who's Talking to General's Daughter to Pulp Fiction to Michael and Be Cool and Get Shorty.
Now imagine Tom Cruise as Travolta's character in those movies. He would be good in General's Daughter, but can you see him pull off a believable performance in Urban Cowboy or Saturday Night Fever? What about the assassin in Pulp Fiction? I think it is a resounding no. And that should really end the discussion.
That's not good logic. Just because I can't imagine Denzel Washington playing Happy Gilmore does not mean he takes a back seat to Adam Sandler.
anyone who thinks John Travolta is a better actor than Tom Cruise is fucked in the head. Now that we have that settled, I guess next up is Paul Thomas Anderson vs Michael Bay.
That's not fair to Travolta, it's more like Paul Thomas Anderson vs Ivan Reitman.
The real question is Antonio Banderas or Benico Del Toro Â
it is odd that some equate box office success with good acting
as many have pointed out much of Cruise success is action movies where he plays the same character over and over again ..
that is being a movie star and not really acting
it is impressive how he has been able to stay on top for so long which once again is reflected in picking action roles that show off his limited range .
Travolta has shown a bit of more range in his acting.
his career except for two periods has been a dumpster fire .
completely different ways for each Mission Impossible movie. So aside from the Mission Impossible movies (a small portion of his entire career), how exactly does he play the same role for each movie? Seriously, if you can look at Cruise’s entire catalog of movies and not see range, then you are just being obtuse. And a bit hypocritical.
If people are going to typecast Cruise as the same role, action star then I’m going to typecast Travolta as the wacky, crazy villain role that he plays so much.
Travolta’s career was MIA from he late seventies until Pulp Fiction (small bump for Look Who’s Talking lol). And Pulp Fiction was great more because of the sum of the parts more than just Travolta himself. You can poo poo the “box office numbers” argument all you want. But if Travolta is the better actor, why do most of his movies flounder while most of Cruise’s movies rake in the money? And it’s not close.
RE: RE: RE: The real question is Antonio Banderas or Benico Del Toro Â
Cruise seems to have to characters in him ... the one he played in "Born on the 4th of July" .... and every other role he played.
Now, he does that "every other role he played" very well. Sorta like a modern day Cary Grant. Cary Grant was a great movie star - legendary, - one of the best. But, was he really a great actor? IDK?
Cruise seems to have to characters in him ... the one he played in "Born on the 4th of July" .... and every other role he played.
Now, he does that "every other role he played" very well. Sorta like a modern day Cary Grant. Cary Grant was a great movie star - legendary, - one of the best. But, was he really a great actor? IDK?
close. Cruise in a landslide. Travolta really is never in anything memorable outside of Pulp Fiction and Saturday Night Fever. Yeah he was in Grease and some other nonsense, but Cruise has been good in some good movies. I really dislike Cruise as well, I think nowadays I tend to go out of my way not to watch his stuff. However, I just don’t see how it’s close. Cruise has been in a ton of great roles. A Few Good Men, Rain Man, Eyes Wise Shut, etc.. I think other actors could potentially have done a better job in some of his roles, but really like it or not Cruise was a ridiculous superstar for a long time.
and it is not remotely close. Anyone who says Travolta says it because they hate Cruise. Which is fine, but it’s not reality.
This is it exactly. The irony, I think, is that most people who hate Cruise feel that way because of his Scientology beliefs and Travolta and Preston are right there with him. The difference is Travolta isn't really vocal and public with his involvement.
more, is anyone a bigger draw than him nowadays? I don’t mean better actor or anything like that, just is he still “the biggest”? I read something a few years back that he was insanely popular in Japan and other Asian countries. A few years back could potentially be like 15 years ago I don’t really remember. Is he the highest paid, biggest draw out there? I can’t hink of someone right this minute who would be bigger. I can name plenty of better actors but besides maybe Leonardo DiCaprio who else is there with that fame? I gotta be missing someone
Stallone. His breakdown scene in Rambo, First Blood still sends chills down my spine.
I can't think of a movie where Travolta sent chills down my spine - maybe his death scene in Phenomenon, but that's the only scene I can remember of his that emotionally moved me Stalonne showing how to act - ( New Window )
more, is anyone a bigger draw than him nowadays? I don�t mean better actor or anything like that, just is he still �the biggest�? I read something a few years back that he was insanely popular in Japan and other Asian countries. A few years back could potentially be like 15 years ago I don�t really remember. Is he the highest paid, biggest draw out there? I can�t hink of someone right this minute who would be bigger. I can name plenty of better actors but besides maybe Leonardo DiCaprio who else is there with that fame? I gotta be missing someone
not sure, the Mummy was supposed to launch a universal monster universe, which if done properly would have been great, but:
The film received generally negative reviews from critics. Despite grossing $409 million worldwide, it was labeled a box office bomb given its high production and marketing costs, with projected losses of up to $95 million.[3]
more, is anyone a bigger draw than him nowadays? I don�t mean better actor or anything like that, just is he still �the biggest�? I read something a few years back that he was insanely popular in Japan and other Asian countries. A few years back could potentially be like 15 years ago I don�t really remember. Is he the highest paid, biggest draw out there? I can�t hink of someone right this minute who would be bigger. I can name plenty of better actors but besides maybe Leonardo DiCaprio who else is there with that fame? I gotta be missing someone
not sure, the Mummy was supposed to launch a universal monster universe, which if done properly would have been great, but:
The film received generally negative reviews from critics. Despite grossing $409 million worldwide, it was labeled a box office bomb given its high production and marketing costs, with projected losses of up to $95 million.[3]
That movie grossed $409 million and they LOST $95 million on the movie? Yeah, I call BS on that one.
more, is anyone a bigger draw than him nowadays? I don’t mean better actor or anything like that, just is he still “the biggest”? I read something a few years back that he was insanely popular in Japan and other Asian countries. A few years back could potentially be like 15 years ago I don’t really remember. Is he the highest paid, biggest draw out there? I can’t hink of someone right this minute who would be bigger. I can name plenty of better actors but besides maybe Leonardo DiCaprio who else is there with that fame? I gotta be missing someone
more, is anyone a bigger draw than him nowadays? I don’t mean better actor or anything like that, just is he still “the biggest”? I read something a few years back that he was insanely popular in Japan and other Asian countries. A few years back could potentially be like 15 years ago I don’t really remember. Is he the highest paid, biggest draw out there? I can’t hink of someone right this minute who would be bigger. I can name plenty of better actors but besides maybe Leonardo DiCaprio who else is there with that fame? I gotta be missing someone
Also, if you go global you need to think about Robert Downey Jr and sadly, the entire Furious franchise.
For all of his faults, Cruise is a pretty good actor. Travolta can be effective with a good script that highlights his strengths, but he doesn't have the range Cruise has.
I've heard this said about Cruise, and it's true - not every movie he's in is good, he certainly isn't right for every role he gets, but the guy doesn't leave anything on the field, so to speak. You hire Tom Cruise for your movie and you're going to get 100% of Tom Cruise. Travolta on the other hand has clearly sleepwalked through some role.
Neither is my favorite actor, but Cruise definitely has more range.
Still shouldn't have been in Valkyrie, though, dammit.
He's decent, though he generally just kind of plays "Tom Cruise" in whatever movie he's in. That's why Collateral was fun. It was one of the few movies in which he departs from his usual style.
He's decent, though he generally just kind of plays "Tom Cruise" in whatever movie he's in. That's why Collateral was fun. It was one of the few movies in which he departs from his usual style.
If you just play "Tom Cruise", how is that acting?
Was your bet that more people on BBI would think ______ was a better actor than _______?
I'm a little suspicious of this "bet" claim. You just want to know whose poster to hang above your bed, don't you?
no, it was a real bet. and i lost. my wife and i just watched American Crime Stories (or something like that) about the OJ case. I commented on how good Travolta was as Shapiro. that led to the debate, which I still don't concede.
fun fact: My wife and I worked with Gordon Clark during the trial. Nobody I know remembers animosity between him and Marcia as portrayed in the movie. He was a Mr. Rogers type character.
Quote:
Urban Cowboy, Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction. He's played good guys, bad guys, comedic roles. Cruise has no range. Travolta has been in some bad films, and Cruise is the bigger name and has made more money with more summer blockbusters, but he's not a great actor. In fact, Travolta is only a pretty good actor, but he doesn't hold a candle to Tom Hanks or Ed Norton or Daniel Day-Lewis.
Think about Travolta in Saturday Night Fever to Urban Cowboy to Look Who's Talking to General's Daughter to Pulp Fiction to Michael and Be Cool and Get Shorty.
Now imagine Tom Cruise as Travolta's character in those movies. He would be good in General's Daughter, but can you see him pull off a believable performance in Urban Cowboy or Saturday Night Fever? What about the assassin in Pulp Fiction? I think it is a resounding no. And that should really end the discussion.
That's not good logic. Just because I can't imagine Denzel Washington playing Happy Gilmore does not mean he takes a back seat to Adam Sandler.
Was the first movie I truly left the theater pissed off I wasted money on.
Recently he's had a rebound also.
Travolta was awesome in many movies including his side role as DEA Agent in "Savages" which btw is a very very very Fun movie !
Now that we have that settled, I guess next up is Paul Thomas Anderson vs Michael Bay.
50 cent vs Eminem I'll take 50 cent
50 cent vs Eminem I'll take 50 cent
Quote:
I got Del Toro all day long
50 cent vs Eminem I'll take 50 cent
Eminem and it's not even close.
lol I meant acting
I should have clarified
as many have pointed out much of Cruise success is action movies where he plays the same character over and over again ..
that is being a movie star and not really acting
it is impressive how he has been able to stay on top for so long which once again is reflected in picking action roles that show off his limited range .
Travolta has shown a bit of more range in his acting.
his career except for two periods has been a dumpster fire .
If people are going to typecast Cruise as the same role, action star then I’m going to typecast Travolta as the wacky, crazy villain role that he plays so much.
Travolta’s career was MIA from he late seventies until Pulp Fiction (small bump for Look Who’s Talking lol). And Pulp Fiction was great more because of the sum of the parts more than just Travolta himself. You can poo poo the “box office numbers” argument all you want. But if Travolta is the better actor, why do most of his movies flounder while most of Cruise’s movies rake in the money? And it’s not close.
Quote:
In comment 13998397 DennyInDenville said:
Quote:
I got Del Toro all day long
50 cent vs Eminem I'll take 50 cent
Eminem and it's not even close.
lol I meant acting
I should have clarified
both Scientologists but Travolta doesn't flaunt it the way Cruise does. Rumors of gayness for both.
Kind of interesting.
Travolta higher on the Kinsey scale. 5 to 4.
Now, he does that "every other role he played" very well. Sorta like a modern day Cary Grant. Cary Grant was a great movie star - legendary, - one of the best. But, was he really a great actor? IDK?
Now, he does that "every other role he played" very well. Sorta like a modern day Cary Grant. Cary Grant was a great movie star - legendary, - one of the best. But, was he really a great actor? IDK?
Dammit ...to = two.
Cruise and emotion - ( New Window )
I can't think of a movie where Travolta sent chills down my spine - maybe his death scene in Phenomenon, but that's the only scene I can remember of his that emotionally moved me
Stalonne showing how to act - ( New Window )
not sure, the Mummy was supposed to launch a universal monster universe, which if done properly would have been great, but:
The film received generally negative reviews from critics. Despite grossing $409 million worldwide, it was labeled a box office bomb given its high production and marketing costs, with projected losses of up to $95 million.[3]
Quote:
more, is anyone a bigger draw than him nowadays? I don�t mean better actor or anything like that, just is he still �the biggest�? I read something a few years back that he was insanely popular in Japan and other Asian countries. A few years back could potentially be like 15 years ago I don�t really remember. Is he the highest paid, biggest draw out there? I can�t hink of someone right this minute who would be bigger. I can name plenty of better actors but besides maybe Leonardo DiCaprio who else is there with that fame? I gotta be missing someone
not sure, the Mummy was supposed to launch a universal monster universe, which if done properly would have been great, but:
The film received generally negative reviews from critics. Despite grossing $409 million worldwide, it was labeled a box office bomb given its high production and marketing costs, with projected losses of up to $95 million.[3]
That movie grossed $409 million and they LOST $95 million on the movie? Yeah, I call BS on that one.
Cruise wins this one, hands down.
Brad Pitt is close but your point is solid
Also, if you go global you need to think about Robert Downey Jr and sadly, the entire Furious franchise.
Neither is my favorite actor, but Cruise definitely has more range.
Still shouldn't have been in Valkyrie, though, dammit.
I see you are unfamiliar with Hollywood accounting. This is an old article but still a good one.
Link - ( New Window )
Don't worry, judging from this thread you are not alone...
If you just play "Tom Cruise", how is that acting?
I'm a little suspicious of this "bet" claim. You just want to know whose poster to hang above your bed, don't you?
I'm a little suspicious of this "bet" claim. You just want to know whose poster to hang above your bed, don't you?
no, it was a real bet. and i lost. my wife and i just watched American Crime Stories (or something like that) about the OJ case. I commented on how good Travolta was as Shapiro. that led to the debate, which I still don't concede.
fun fact: My wife and I worked with Gordon Clark during the trial. Nobody I know remembers animosity between him and Marcia as portrayed in the movie. He was a Mr. Rogers type character.
I lost.