It's crazy to think that if I finally get around to watching Twin Peaks: The Return, it will be late in the process of writing up James Belushi's life's work in television and film. I know that Twin Peaks: The Return is technically television but I heard this one dude say it was almost as good as a movie.
Voted Belushi. Actually surprised that he's in the lead currently, as I assumed it would be a Busey blowout. I just think it might be interesting to look at someone who's had a career under the shadow of his more famous (and kinda legendary) brother, and never reaches major stardom, but still manages to plug away and be a name working actor for decades.
Gotta go with the Belush! Frankly I'm curious if his sitcom with Michael Keaton (big fan) is any good. I remember seeing VHS copies for sale of it years, but never checked it out.
I just remember watching one episode when it originally aired when I was a kid. Who'd have thought that just a few years later the unknown co-star named Michael Keaton would be a huge star, and the guy named Belushi would be doing the same kind of low-key work for the rest of his career...
Why the Belush? Mostly the fact that his entire career involved humping his dead brother’s corpse, but also the fact that you get to watch the following:
Thief
Trading Places
The Man with One Red Shoe
About Last Night…
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Little Shop of Horrors
The Principal
Red Heat (which I still need to watch)
Only the Lonely (which I REALLY wanted you to review for a CNR)
Destiny Turns On The Radio (the set was the origin of his feud with David Cross)
I like your list. The thing is, well, yes he did trade on both his last name and similar mannerisms in his early work. But somewhere around "About Last Night..." he seemed to emerge as a different actor, surprisingly good at the rat-ta-tat Mamet (or whoever wrote the screenplay version) dialogue. His film career is very middle-of-the-road with some genuinely good films mixed in - usually ensemble pieces. The skinny years (Principal, Taking Care of Business, Mr. Destiny, Red Heat) yielded an uneven pile of movies that are kind of interesting, and also make up his leading man catalog.
If you look back at John's career, it was very punk rock and rough around the edges; his film career, despite a couple of clear classics, was spotty at best - I've never even seen "Old Boyfriends" although I don't hear good things.
Busey I find more interesting as an individual - of the two he seems to be the most whackadoo. However, his film career peaked early on (Buddy Holly) with a couple of gems in the later years (Lethal Weapon, Point Break, Predator 2) before his accident. Then it petered out - I have no idea what he's up to these days, but I hope it's not another Gingerdead Man sequel.
Yeah, the only Busey films I could think of off the top of my head are Rookie of the Year and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I don't know what more there is to say about the latter, and it's interesting to contrast the former with Little Big League, but.
As much as I think that Busey is simply a more interesting performer to watch than Belushi, he's also pretty well-known and well-covered in the media landscape, to the point where he is now a meme. For that reason, I voted Belushi -- a dependable actor who has delivered some solid performances in movies & shows both great and...otherwise.
Not sure why I voted Belushi. Maybe it’s because I feel a little bad that later Busey is just watching a man with brain damage. Granted, it’s his own fault but still...
I am very late to this, but I voted Belushi because of the filmography. Specifically, how he became, for a very brief period around 1990, an A-list (or at least B+) leading man. He headed up some big releases and quickly had a more impressive film career than either his brother or Busey.
Should be considered that Busey's accident was 1988 -- incidentally I watched Silver Bullet a couple days ago (released '86) and his performance (and clear improvisation at times) is very good...
I went with Jim Belushi because while he's been in a lot of garbage, much of it is really interesting garbage — like WILD PALMS, Wag the Dog, the live-action Underdog movie, Abraxis and Traces of Red.
Busey is the easy choice. I think there is more room for surprise with Belushi, though finding said surprises will involve wading through more dreck, which you know we all love.
It's crazy to think that if I finally get around to watching Twin Peaks: The Return, it will be late in the process of writing up James Belushi's life's work in television and film. I know that Twin Peaks: The Return is technically television but I heard this one dude say it was almost as good as a movie.
If you do Twin Peaks: The Return, then you also have to do Wild Palms. It’s the rules.
I can do that!
Agreed! WILD PALMS is definitely worth taking a look at, at least partly because you cannot believe a television Network went ahead and greenlit it!
Voted Belushi. Actually surprised that he's in the lead currently, as I assumed it would be a Busey blowout. I just think it might be interesting to look at someone who's had a career under the shadow of his more famous (and kinda legendary) brother, and never reaches major stardom, but still manages to plug away and be a name working actor for decades.
Gotta go with the Belush! Frankly I'm curious if his sitcom with Michael Keaton (big fan) is any good. I remember seeing VHS copies for sale of it years, but never checked it out.
I just remember watching one episode when it originally aired when I was a kid. Who'd have thought that just a few years later the unknown co-star named Michael Keaton would be a huge star, and the guy named Belushi would be doing the same kind of low-key work for the rest of his career...
Why the Belush? Mostly the fact that his entire career involved humping his dead brother’s corpse, but also the fact that you get to watch the following:
Thief
Trading Places
The Man with One Red Shoe
About Last Night…
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Little Shop of Horrors
The Principal
Red Heat (which I still need to watch)
Only the Lonely (which I REALLY wanted you to review for a CNR)
Destiny Turns On The Radio (the set was the origin of his feud with David Cross)
Also, I don’t really care about Gary Busey.
I like your list. The thing is, well, yes he did trade on both his last name and similar mannerisms in his early work. But somewhere around "About Last Night..." he seemed to emerge as a different actor, surprisingly good at the rat-ta-tat Mamet (or whoever wrote the screenplay version) dialogue. His film career is very middle-of-the-road with some genuinely good films mixed in - usually ensemble pieces. The skinny years (Principal, Taking Care of Business, Mr. Destiny, Red Heat) yielded an uneven pile of movies that are kind of interesting, and also make up his leading man catalog.
If you look back at John's career, it was very punk rock and rough around the edges; his film career, despite a couple of clear classics, was spotty at best - I've never even seen "Old Boyfriends" although I don't hear good things.
Busey I find more interesting as an individual - of the two he seems to be the most whackadoo. However, his film career peaked early on (Buddy Holly) with a couple of gems in the later years (Lethal Weapon, Point Break, Predator 2) before his accident. Then it petered out - I have no idea what he's up to these days, but I hope it's not another Gingerdead Man sequel.
Belushi was the clear winner for me on this one.
Yeah, the only Busey films I could think of off the top of my head are Rookie of the Year and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I don't know what more there is to say about the latter, and it's interesting to contrast the former with Little Big League, but.
Frankly, I thought he was surprisingly great in the David Duchovny-directed “Playing By Heart”.
Now, Jake Busey, as part of a My Year of Nepotism feature, THAT would be interesting.
Gary Busey is the poor man's Nick Nolte. James Belushi is boring. But this is just one Cheeseburger's opinion
But it does look like Belushi was in a lot of cool movies!
As much as I think that Busey is simply a more interesting performer to watch than Belushi, he's also pretty well-known and well-covered in the media landscape, to the point where he is now a meme. For that reason, I voted Belushi -- a dependable actor who has delivered some solid performances in movies & shows both great and...otherwise.
Not sure why I voted Belushi. Maybe it’s because I feel a little bad that later Busey is just watching a man with brain damage. Granted, it’s his own fault but still...
I am very late to this, but I voted Belushi because of the filmography. Specifically, how he became, for a very brief period around 1990, an A-list (or at least B+) leading man. He headed up some big releases and quickly had a more impressive film career than either his brother or Busey.
Should be considered that Busey's accident was 1988 -- incidentally I watched Silver Bullet a couple days ago (released '86) and his performance (and clear improvisation at times) is very good...
I went with Jim Belushi because while he's been in a lot of garbage, much of it is really interesting garbage — like WILD PALMS, Wag the Dog, the live-action Underdog movie, Abraxis and Traces of Red.
Busey is the easy choice. I think there is more room for surprise with Belushi, though finding said surprises will involve wading through more dreck, which you know we all love.