Warren Oates is a titan of my film and acting aesthetic. He could do virtually anything and I would watch him, glued to the television. I'd watch him make a turkey sandwich for half an hour. I only own one actor's biography and it's his. Warren Oates is a legend. He is the quintessential 70's actor. From the Wild Bunch to Two Lane Blacktop, Warren Oates could do no wrong. Even his supremely campy turn with Peter Fonda in Race with the Devil is solid gold. Most people have probably only seen him in Stripes or the Wild Bunch but he was so much more. He was an excellent Dillinger. He was in that Twilight Zone where the army guy sees weird light over the faces of men that are about to die. He was in a fucking Lost in Space. And he was in the best movie ever made, Badlands. My favorite role of his though is probably Cockfighter. He doesn't speak for almost the entire movie and you barely notice. It's an amazing film, directed by Monte Hellman, based on a Charles Willeford novel. He is just so stunning and captivating in the role, all without diaglogue. If you can't recall if you've seen a movie with him in it or can't remember his performance I urge you to check it out. Watch one of his movies and just watch him. You'll know what I'm talking about. Welcome to the Hall of Fame, Warren Oates.
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