Got this topic dumped on my desk last Tuesday morning when some film student commented under my old YouTube video saying Susan Sarandon’s early stuff actually shaped her whole dang career. Made me scratch my head forever.
Starting Point: Total Confusion
Honestly, I kept staring at her name. Everyone yaps about Thelma & Louise or Dead Man Walking, right? But the young roles thing? Zero clue where to even begin digging. Grabbed my coffee machine first. Brewed way too strong.
The Deep Dive Chaos
Opened up four browser tabs immediately. One for Wikipedia, one for her old movie list, one for film forums, one empty one because my computer froze twice. Started scrolling like crazy through dusty internet corners. Kept finding stupid gossip sites about her love life. Total waste.
Physical Media Resurrection
Got so mad I stood up and walked straight to my garage. Dug through three cardboard boxes full of old DVDs. Found some nasty surprises – bugs crawling away from the light. Pulled out my copies of Joe (1970), Pretty Baby (1978), and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Stamped the dust off hard.
The Rewatch Revelation
Plugged the DVD player back in. Took five tries to get it working. Started Joe first. Screen quality was garbage. Looked like mashed potatoes. But wow. Young Susan played this runaway girl? Entire performance felt like a raw nerve. Nothing polished. Nothing safe. Just pure, messy emotion pouring out.
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Reactions mid-watch:
- Her Pretty Baby role? Creepy setting. She played a child prostitute! But her eyes said everything – fear and strength all tangled up.
- Rocky Horror? Janet wore dumb outfits. But Susan made her cluelessness strangely charming. Dancing awkwardly, screaming her head off. Totally committed.
Got this weird feeling in my gut. Like… she understood ordinary girls before becoming Hollywood royalty.
Contrasting Eras
Fired up Netflix later. Skipped around her famous award-winning stuff. Amazing? Of course! But different. That raw hunger from the 70s? Covered up by smooth skill now, like layers of fancy paint over rough wood.
Why the Early Roles Win
Finished my beer and thought it over. Those young performances mattered most because:
- No Safety Nets: Young Susan threw herself off cliffs in every role. No awards buzz protecting her.
- Real People Playing Real Hurt: Characters felt sticky and complicated – survivors, not symbols.
- Foundation Layer: You can see every famous performance later borrowing from these dangerous early choices.
Drove me nuts realizing it. Modern actors rarely get that kind of reckless freedom now. Too much pressure. Too many agents in the way.
Ended my night stacking the DVDs near the TV as a reminder. Sometimes you gotta dig through garage filth to find acting gold. Susan proved it. Young her was braver than today’s entire Oscar lineup combined. Still trying to scrub the dust off my hands.