These parts demonstrate his knack for larger-than-life characters.
With his booming voice and statuesque posture, he remains a symbol ofclassic Hollywood grandeur.
Here are Heston’s best movies.
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Heston has a cameo as rancher Henry Hooker, who shelters the heroes when they need it most.
It’s a nice meta bit of casting, drawing on his cinematic legacy.
As a result, the gunfight at the O.K.
Image via Buena Vista Pictures
“Midwaydramatizes the crucial naval battle during World War II, a turning point in the Pacific Theater.
Heston is Matt Garth, a captain stationed at Pearl Harbor.
Heston is joined by a sprawling ensemble cast, includingHenry Fonda,Robert Mitchum, andKurosawacollaboratorToshiro Mifune.
Finally, the score was handled byJohn Williams, so it’s naturally superb.
Heston leads this Western as the title character, an old cowboy who finds himself at a crossroads.
7’Soylent Green' (1973)
Directed by Richard Fleischer
“People were always lousy…
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But there was a world, once.
In this bleak environment, Detective Thorn (Heston) is investigating the murder of a wealthy businessman.
Heston is believable as a denizen of this hard-scrabble world.
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He’s a decent man, but even he has to resort to theft and deception to get by.
It’s a proof of faith.
The film attempts to strike a balance between informative and entertaining, which it doesn’t always manage.
Here, Heston playsRodrigo Diaz de Vivar, known as El Cid, a military leader in medieval Spain.
This noir thriller begins with a car bomb explosion on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Heston plays drug enforcement official Mike Vargas, who becomes embroiled in the investigation while on his honeymoon.
Image via Paramount Pictures
This is Welles’s technical wizardry on full blast, with inventive angles and camera moves at every turn.
Welles shoots the characters with skill, using the imagery to bolster the story rather than distract from it.
Heston’s performance is perfectly suited to the subject matterintense, over-the-top, but fun and compelling.
He crash-lands on a mysterious planet ruled by intelligent Simians, where humans are the subjugated underclass.
The films social commentary becomes evident as Taylor confronts the apes rigid caste system and their treatment of humans.
There’s a reason the franchise continues topull in large audiencesmore than 50 years later.
Image via Universal Pictures
He endures slavery, betrayal, and personal tragedy, and embarks on a journey of redemption and revenge.
In short,Ben-Huristhe archetypal epic.
No film demonstrates his star power more thanBen-Hur.
It may be spectacle filmmaking that places style over substance, but what style!
NEXT:Every Movie Directed by Harmony Korine, Ranked
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