Can you think of other examples?
The true trademarks of artistic performance are transcendent, wwh, don't you agree - so far beyond imitation that any attempt, however inspired, however affectionate and well-intentioned, can only serve to make the loss of the original the more poignant ... and painful.
What hallmarks of artistry come immediately to mind, incandescent through all the decades? The elegance of Cary Grant. The rakishness of Errol Flynn. The chicanery of WC Fields. The coquettishness of Marilyn Monroe. The sultriness of Edith Piaf. The princeliness of Laurence Olivier.
When asked to explain cubism, Bracque said: "The only thing that matters in art is the part that can't be explained." It is also the only thing that can't be reproduced.
P.S. Can't think of the showbiz term for these trademark traits, wwh. Does the same term apply to songs which are recognized as the exclusive property of a particular singer ... like Frank Sinatra's "That's life."? Others can offer a rendition of "That's life" .. if they dare to attempt it. Only Frank can inhabit "That's life".
