Authored by Phil Dotree in Movies and Television
Published on 12-16-2009
Kevin Bacon has been in so many movies that he’s got his own game, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, where any actor can be attached to Bacon’s prolific career. Some of those movies have predictably been pretty terrible. Some, however, show exactly why Kevin Bacon’s such a popular guy in Hollywood.
Here’s a look at the five best movies that Kevin Bacon has been a part of.
1. Apollo 13 – Undoubtedly, Apollo 13 is the best movie about the space program ever made. Tom Hanks is brilliant as usual, but Kevin Bacon also delivers an amazing performance that takes the movie to new heights. Realistic acting and a steady directorial effort from Ron Howard made Apollo 13 an absolutely breathtaking movie.
2. Footloose – As Ren McCormack, Kevin Bacon created the ultimate revolutionary teen character. Well, as far as dancing’s concerned, anyways. Though Footloose was far from a nuanced film, it provided enough turns and strong characterization to create a riveting experience. It’s often cited as one of the most important films of ’80s pop culture. It also did quite a bit to establish Kevin Bacon as an icon. His acting was strong, and his feet were especially fast in this ode to rock ‘n roll and free speech. Despite its credentials, Footloose is often underrated–at its heart, it’s a great drama. It’s also certainly Kevin Bacon’s most instantly memorable role.
3. Sleepers – This haunting legal drama gave Kevin Bacon a turn as a sleazy, evil warden of a juvenile detention home. Bacon doesn’t quite star, but provides a very dark character role opposite a group of New York boys that are unfairly imprisoned. He creates a character that every viewer wants to see destroyed. It’s not a typical place for Kevin Bacon to end up, but he handles it wonderfully. Sleepers was an immense hit, and one of the best of the legal drama genre. It also garnered a lot of positive critical response, which is certainly due give the performances of the Bacon, Brad Pitt, and others.
4. Tremors – It’d be a crime to leave this horror classic out of any best-of Kevin Bacon list. Tremors is campy, gory fun, and it might be the only credible evil worm movie ever made. Kevin Bacon hams it up in the lead role, eventually overcoming his sandworm aggressors.
Alright, reading that last sentence, it’s true, Tremors is not a great movie. It’s not even a good movie. Its inherent terribleness is what makes it so fun, though. It’s an absolute landmark of horror cinema, and good, dirty fun for everyone involved. Tremors went on to have numerous sequels, all of which were terrible–though unfortunately, not in a good way.
5. Stir of Echoes – This manages to be a more serious, respectable horror role for Kevin Bacon. Unfortunately, this film was often played down by critics who compared it to the similar and far more popular Sixth Sense. Stir of Echoes is a far more visceral, horrifying experience, however. It’s based on Bacon’s character, who gradually sees more and more horrifying things in his house. Stir of Echoes is a dark yet fun ride that’s surprisingly re-watchable.
What are your favorite Kevin Bacon movies? Post your thoughts in the comments section below this article.
