I myself am strange and unusual.
Those words, spoken by Lydia Deetz inBeetlejuice, captured the appeal ofWinona Ryderduring the late 1980s and 90s.
She was speaking for an entire generation of misfit teens in the 80s.
Shes depressed, sure, but shes also strong, creative, clever, and brave.
Ryder was the perfect embodiment of teenage angst.
Shes beautiful but unconventional, with those soulful dark eyes.
Thing is, these arent pranks.
Winona Forever, indeed.
RF
Great Balls of Fire!
(1989)
At first glance,Great Balls of Fire!seems like an aberration in Ryders rise.
Ryder plays Charlotte, the 15-year-old daughter of Chers free-spirited single mother.
On the inside, they were just two innocent kids with cookie heartsin love both on set and off.
Her mortification at her mothers new houseguest gradually cedes to affection as she learns that weird doesnt mean bad.
Ryder appears alongside the late, great Gena Rowlands, herself an American independent legend.
In the short, Ryder plays Corky, a cabbie who drives a high-powered Hollywood exec.
Ryder makes a wonderful buttoned up, turn-of-the-century woman in corsets and hats, longing to be unleashed.
She even earned the only acting Oscar nomination in a film where she starred opposite Daniel Day-Lewis.
Ryder, and so much else aboutThe Age of Innocence, holds up too.
But despite its title, Ryder may be the heart of the films true, bitter irony.
Ryder probably should have won the Oscar on this one.
Her Abigail is also the most morally contemptible character Ryder got to play during the height of her popularity.
Like everything else inResurrection, Ryders character is dialed up to the highest level.
Call butts heads withRon Perlmansbrutish Johner and stares with wide-eyed wonder at the Ripley clone played by Sigourney Weaver.
JG
2000s and Beyond
Of course Ryders career extended beyond the 1990s.
But at the same time, Ryder kept in touch with Hollywood blockbustersat least when they would have her.
She throws herself into the part of cynical journalist who falls forAdam SandlerinMr.
Deeds(2002) and pops up in David Wains ribald sketch anthology,The Ten(2007).
Ryder appeared as Spocks human mother Amanda in J.J. Abrams 2009Star Trekreboot and Burtons remake ofFrankenweenie(2012).
As Levy himselftoldDen of Geek, Ryders retro appeal was a two percent bonus.