Yeah, that was strong.
I'd watch Duvall in about anything. For example, his 2-3 minute cameo in Sling Blade is absolutely haunting. Going way back, he made Ned Pepper an indelible outlaw in the original True Grit.
Duvall is my all-time favorite. Lonesome Dove sold me on his abilities when I was a boy, and I later came to adore his roles in Godfather 1/2, Tender Mercies and many of the films you listed. When he put his soul into Apostle, it should have warranted a best actor win, and Duvall told Jack Nicholson that he felt Nicholson would win before the Oscars (for his decent but not excellent role in As Good as It Gets) due to the politics of it all. Duvall knew the industry for what it was and still is - artistically bankrupt for the most part.
Last summer, I went down to where Sling Blade was filmed and some of the locals literally led me around town to most of the film sites. I saw the bridge where Karl's character stares off into the distance, among others. Duvall's cameo in the film was brilliant and dark. Thornton later said they only did that scene in a short period of time, just a few takes (the scene was mostly ad lib), and Duvall promised to help BBT with Sling Blade if he helped him on the Apostle.
If you want to see something a bit funny, check out how Duvall schools Jesse Eisenberg in this actor's round table. Eisenberg talks about his own technique, which Duvall contradicts - much to the enjoyment of Gosling and Franco - and tells Eisenburg about how he once told Brando (talk about name-dropping with the biggest of guns) how his technique was also wrong.
Eisenburg's nervous acting method is explained at around 39. Duvall has his "elder statesman WTF" moment at around 40 minute mark, and then Duvall schools the whole panel at the 42 minute mark, contradicting - aside from Brando - Stanley Kubrick as well.
