MovieChat Forums > The Last Man on Earth (1964) Discussion > Vincent Price deserved an Oscar

Vincent Price deserved an Oscar

posted 10 years ago by SocialistCritic
17 replies | jump to latest

There are many roles of his that were Oscar-worthy but to me the most worthy out of all of them was this one. My reasoning? Just watch the scene where he is watching old film reels of his family. Notice how he starts laughing gleefully and happily, then starts laughing maniacally, and then finally breaks down into tears. The transition is so natural, so fluent, that you almost don't notice it. Watching that scene makes me FORGET that he's just Vincent Price in another role. I actually BELIEVE that his emotion and hysteria is genuine. It's heart-breaking and a real tear-jerker if you're the sensitive type. Vincent Price wasn't just a master of horror, he was a master of acting as an art form. That type of convincing acting is what I consider to be worthy of an Oscar nomination. I hope others agree. This film is Vincent Price at his very best. I love this man :)

[–] cind5 10 years ago

This my favorite dramatic role of his. He somehow captures being alone just with his eyes. You sense a lot of pain in his soul. Where he came up with that says volumes about his range as a actor.
BTW, my favorite Vincent Price comedy role is in the movie THE RAVEN. What a fun movie that is, that still holds up to this day.

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[–] jeff4711 9 years ago

Vincent Price was a fine actor, not only as a horror actor. He also was an esteemed art critic, an academic and fine cook. His family made their fortune by inventing "Dr.Price's baking powder". He has an art museum..the Vincent Price art museum and was a democrat and denounced prejudice in race and religion even though he grew up with money and education. An all round great guy!!!!!

[–] ms-zanadu 9 years ago

Totally agree jeff4711 very well put reply here also   .

[–] ms-zanadu 9 years ago

Thanks also VincentPriceIsRight for the movie recommendation for " Witchfinder General "  .

It's surprising I haven't heard of or seen that one yet  .

I will definitely be looking out for it on either TCM ( Turner Classic Movies ) or MeTV ( Memorable entertainment Television ) on the Svengoolie Show perhaps ( wishful thinking on that one but we may never know ?  ) .

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] ms-zanadu 9 years ago

I very much am VincentPriceIsRight my friend ever since my first discovery of this fine actor back in the late 1970's to early 1980's  .

I believe my very first film of his was " House of Wax "  a most memorable one by all the fans of course  .

Of course your most likely more familiar with all his films than I am - still haven't seen everything of his yet   ( checking the movie list off slowly   ? ) .

No problem on last weeks Svengoolie movie . I believe most of us there saw that on a rerun anyway . I watched it anyway can't miss out on actor Peter Cushing either   .

Take care and chat with you again soon here on the boards or on PM too  .

[–] DracTarashV 10 years ago

Price delivered a stupendous performance in this film. His powerful acting in the scene you mentioned is the reason why I feel that his performance is one of the greatest of all time.

They really are rude to Americans! - Al Bundy on the French

[–] phillipsdan83 10 years ago

Price kind of liked this. It has flaws because of budgetary issues, but Price isn't playing a villain nor is he camping it up.

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[–] ms-zanadu 9 years ago

I just got through watching that scene on TCM  .

Totally agree on all points here SocialistCritic this movie was a definite keeper for the " DVD Library " like it is for mine here  .

Thanks so much for your wonderful subject post on this very fine actor who will never be forgotten by us fans here   .

[–] fleshrequiem 9 years ago

One of his best performances for sure, but for me, Theatre of Blood is where he deserved his just reward!

[–] darryl-tahirali 9 years ago

My favorite Vincent Price performance is still as Anton Phibes in the two Dr. Phibes movies, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, which is simply terrific, and Dr. Phibes Rises Again, which is just okay. But Price is right in both.

A fine non-horror performance for Price is in the film noir His Kind of Woman. He plays a famous actor, although not himself as he wasn't quite famous at the time.

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"He not busy bein' born is a-busy dyin'." - Bob Dylan

[–] JareckiBlue 9 years ago

I agree that he should have gotten an award and been more recognized for this performance.I've loved all of his movies and have many of them on DVD. This is the only one where he's so good that I forget that he's Vincent Price.

[–] yusef-ghanima 7 years ago

is he the favorite actor for all retard people?