The Greatest Film Characters Of All Time?
Empire magazine, that long standing bastion of the movie-making industry, is compiling their list of the 100 greatest film characters. You can enter your nominations HERE. If, like me, you get a little stuck with the myriad of options; here are some ideas I’m going to throw out for you guys to consider.
Han Solo Source: Flickr Averageman
Han Solo [Star Wars] - When people found the film’s central character Luke Skywalker too whiny, they turned to the rogue with the heart of gold. You look at Han Solo and you immediately see the beginnings of countless other characters in cinematic history, most recognisably Mal Reynolds in Joss Whedon’s Serenity [which beat Star Wars for #1 in a poll of Sci Fi movies for SFX magazine].
Rick Blaine [Casablanca] - It was inevitable that I was going to include a Bogart role in here somewhere, so let’s get it out of the way early. I just said Mal Reynolds was a hero cut from the mould of Han Solo. Well han Solo owes just as much to Humphrey Bogart’s portrayal of Rick Blaine. A drunk depressive gambler who colludes with the Nazis, Rick never loses sight of his moral compass.
Don Vito Corleone [The Godfather] - Some would nominate Michael Corleone, and with good reason. as Pacino’s portrayal of the stand-up American turned mafia overlord is brilliant. But it can’t overshadow Marlon Brando’s epic, Oscar-winning performance.
The Joker Source: Flickr - Filthysize
The Joker [The Dark Knight] - Twisted, demented, psychotic, disturbing. Some of the words used to describe Heath Ledger’s portrayal of a characetr that could so easily have turned to farce. I mean come on, has anyone sat down and thought “it’s about a guy dressed like a bat fighting a guy dressed like a clown”? But Ledger [and Bale] make it so much more than that. Easily the finest interpretation of The Joker outside of Mark Hamill’s work in the 90’s (Batman: The Animated Series, watch it if you haven’t already) and one of the most entertaining, if psychotic, characters in film history.
James Bond [Dr No] - You could pick any of the Connery portrayals, but I’m a big fan of the original James Bond film and the original portrayal. Seriously though, pick a Connery film and enjoy.
Admiral/Captain Kirk [Star Trek II: Wrath of Kahn] - If for no other reason than this film gave us the birth of a hundred “KAAAHHHNNN” jokes.
Darth Vader
Homer Simpson Source: Flickr © Greg the Bunny
Darth Vader [The Empire Strikes Back] - Vader is the definition of a bad guy; remorseless, vengeful and a killing machine. At least, he is in The Empire Strikes Back. It all sort of fell apart from the last hour of Jedi onwards…
The Terminator [ The Terminator] - Find me a better Arnie role that doesn’t involve 25 4-year olds and the line “don’t do that”. This is the role that made him a megastar and made the rest of us realise that nuclear war won’t be the end of humanity, it’ll just unleash a whole lot more badness.
Homer Simpson [The Simpsons Movie] - He makes every other list, why not this one? Hopefully this has given you some ideas. It is a very brief list and I’m sure you can think of others [Spartacus?]. If you’ve got any [Jake La Motta?] others you’d like to [The Alien from Alien?] see or suggest, please let me [R.P. McMurphy??] know.
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