The Top 5 Marlon Brando Films of All Time on Satellite TV

Many critics recognize Marlon Brando as the finest American actor of his time, if not of all time.  Brando’s debut in motion pictures heralded the arrival of the gritty new wave of acting known as the Method.  Brando spawned a whole generation of imitators, but there was only one Marlon.  Forget about Superman and The Island of Dr. Moreau: here are his top five films, now playing on satellite TV.

5. The Wild One. Maybe Brando has appeared in better films, but not many of his performances were as influential.  Leading a rebel motorcycle gang as they terrorize a California town, it featured Brando as part of the youth movement of the mid-twentieth century.  When asked what exactly he was rebelling against, Brando’s character replies “Whadda ya got?” before revving his bike and zooming off.  Check in with TCM host Robert Osborne in the ultimate home for classic film on satellite TV.

4. Apocalypse Now. “The horror” seen by Brando’s character, the rogue Colonel Kurtz, may very well have been an improvisation by the actor, but it remains one of his signature moments.  You’ve got to like a film that spends most of its time on a journey to kill a star like Brando, and Coppola’s film is just that, a psychedelic tour through wartime Vietnam, to be seen without cuts on the satellite TV premium movie channels.  Both frightening and disturbing, the god-like status of Brando’s character make this a perfect role for the screen’s ultimate giant.

3. A Streetcar Named Desire. Brando’s explosive screen debut launched his career on many levels, the most prominent being as sex symbol and Method actor extraordinaire.  The Tennessee Williams play gets a faithful adaptation on the screen and Brando reprises the role he mastered on Broadway.  Want a classic film moment?  Watch Brando screaming “Stella!” in agony as the dejected brute Stanley.

2. The Godfather. Brando was hanging out around the cafés of New York’s Little Italy, working on this role which cemented his worldwide fame and earned him his second Oscar.  When he suggests to “make an offer he can’t refuse,” he made film history yet again.  His study of a mafia boss is so subtle and masterful you can miss the details.  Watch this film in high definition on HBO and follow it up with the incredible Godfather, Part II.

1. On the Waterfront. Elia Kazan’s masterpiece features Brando at his most charismatic and appealing.  Among the famous scenes, the conversation Brando’s character has with his older brother is riveting.  The “I coulda been a contender” speech is a part of film history that will never disappear.  Brando delivered a clinic of the Method Acting style and was rightfully awarded the Best Actor Oscar.  Watch this film on satellite TV’s classic film networks.

Marlon Brando was the ultimate star, the combination of charisma and pure acting skill.  To see his best films and the rest of the Hollywood greats, sign up for the <a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href="http://www.direc4u.com/">Direct TV Packages</a> now available online.  Anyone who loves the movies should learn how <a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href="http://www.direc4u.com/">Direct tv</a> can change their home entertainment experience.