Your Top 5 Characters

Okieslims · Mar 23, 2008

I'm trying to develop more interesting characters. I thought it might be a good exercise to find out everyones top 5 favorite movie characters. Plus, it just sounds like a fun topic to discuss. I'm going to try and study all the characters mentioned.

I have to think about my list. Will be posting it soon.

nielsty · Mar 23, 2008

Off the top of my head:

Doctor Strangelove / Merkwürdigerliebe
Michael Corleone
Benjamin (The Graduate)
R.P. McMurphy (One flew over the cuckoo's nest)
Captain Jack Sparrow

Runners up:
Vinz (La Haine)
Christian Klingenfeldt (The Celebration)
Finbar McBride (The Station Agent)

I'm not sure how many of these characters would be included if I sat down and thought hard about it. I have probably forgotten quite a few of my own favourites.

HeronW · Mar 23, 2008

Sandra Bullock as Grace Hart, Miss Congeniality 1 & 2
Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, Tomb Raider 1 & 2
Dame Judith Dench as M, Casino Royal
Sigorney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in the Alien series
Kate Beckinsale as Selene, Underworld 1 & 2

dpaterso · Mar 23, 2008

Harry Callahan from Dirty Harry
Richard B. Riddick from Pitch Black
Sam Spade from The Maltese Falcon
Charley Partanna from Prizzi's Honor
Bud White from L.A. Confidential

All positive male role models.

-Derek

ricetalks · Mar 23, 2008

In no particular order:

Luke from Cool Hand Luke.
Forest Gump
Tico from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Sameul L. Jackson's character from Pulp Fiction
DeNiro in Taxi Driver
DeNiro in Mean Streets (what an asshole)
John Vioght (sp?) and Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy
Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon
Will in Good Will Hunting
Everybody in The Deer Hunter is so good.
Anthony Perkins in Psycho

And the list goes on....

clockwork · Mar 23, 2008

Clarice Starling - Silence of the Lambs
Martin Brody - Jaws
Blondie - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Hildy Johnson - His Girl Friday
Woody - Toy Story

Ask me again next week and it'll probably change.

preyer · Mar 23, 2008

indiana jones
han solo
*captain* jack sparrow
jimmy stewart in any frank capra movie (chokes me up every damn time)
henry drummond - inherit the wind

those last two are apt to change the more i think about it.

Stealth66 · Mar 23, 2008

Satan/John Reigart in The Prophecy 4 and 5 (I could watch this guy go on about the "politics of Heaven" for hours. There's just something about him.)

Jim Carrey's Ace Ventura Character

Agent Rain in Resident Evil, played by Michelle Rodriguez

Agent Starling in Silence of the Lambs

Jack Mason in Surviving the Game, played by Ice-T

Daydreamer · Mar 23, 2008

Hannibal Lecter
Tiffany (from Breakfast at Tiffany's)
Sharon Stone's character in Basic Instict
Hans Gruber (one of the BEST villains ever)
Jack Nicholson's character in About Schmidt
Meryl Streep's character in Sophie's Choice

and lots more.
If you're studying interesting characters, I'd suggest reading plays. They're more about characters and inner conflict (Cat from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof makes a very interesting character to study, I think).

williemeikle · Mar 23, 2008

Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon
Jake 'J.J' Gittes in Chinatown
Michael Corleone in The Godfather
Jerry / "Daphne" in Some Like it Hot
Alvie Singer in Annie Hall

dpaterso · Mar 23, 2008

Stealth66 said:
Satan/John Reigart in The Prophecy 4 and 5 (I could watch this guy go on about the "politics of Heaven" for hours. There's just something about him.)

Wow, you got as far as 4 and 5?! I dived headlong out the window midway through 3, I just couldn't take any more (loved The Prophecy, thought the sequels sucked).

-Derek

Forbidden Snowflake · Mar 23, 2008

Mr. Darcy - Colin Firth - Pride and Prejudice 1995 BBC
Meryl Streep - Miranda - The Devil Wears Prada (I love her)
Audrey Hepburn - Natasha Rostov - War and Peace
Johnny Depp - Sparrow - Pirates, all of 'em
Uma Thurman - The Bride - Kill Bill

FTL · Mar 23, 2008

Fast Eddie Felson (The Hustler & The Color of Money)
Thomas J. Murphy (3000 Miles to Graceland)
Castor Troy (Face/Off)
Mr. Blonde/Vic Vega (Reservoir Dogs)
Jimmy 'the Saint' Tosnia (Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead)

Okieslims · Mar 23, 2008

Very nice list. I'm going to read as many scripts with these characters as possible and try to gain an understanding of what makes these characters stand out so much.

Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka

Nicholas Cage in Leaving Las Vegas

Brad Pitt as the piker in snatch(so man great characters in that movie)

Al Pacino in scent of a woman.

Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting

I suck at lists. These are off the tip of my head.

Stealth66 · Mar 23, 2008

dpaterso said:
Wow, you got as far as 4 and 5?! I dived headlong out the window midway through 3, I just couldn't take any more (loved The Prophecy, thought the sequels sucked).

Actually, I saw 4 and 5 first because a friend recommended them to me, then I watched them all in backwards order from there, so I saw The Prophecy last.

I'm a sucker for angels/demons type movies, so I'll usually stick through them no matter what.

Phaeal · Mar 23, 2008

Just about every character in Battlestar Galactica (2004 on). I find William Adama (Edward James Olmos), Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell), Gaius Baltar (James Callis), Starbuck (Katee Sackoff), and the various Sixes (Tricia Helfer) and Eights (Grace Park) especially interesting.

Salieri, Amadeus (F. Murray Abraham)

Sir Thomas More, A Man for All Seasons (Paul Scofield)

Aragorn, LotR (Viggo Mortensen)

The U-Boat Captain, Das Boot (Jurgen Prochnow)

Tons more, these just come to mind immediately.

bluntforcetrauma · Mar 23, 2008

The Voodoo Lady- Pirates Of The Carribbean
Vern Teppio (Jerry O'Connell)- Stand By Me
Robert Mitchum- Night Of The Hunter
Anthony Hopkins- Magic
Uncle Ernie (Keith Moon)- The Who's Tommy

Allegra Lunesta · Mar 23, 2008

I think … Okay, I’ll go with these.

1) The Wizard in the “Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”
2) The Brother, in “The Brother from Another Planet.”
3) Ed Bloom in "Big Fish."
4) Briony, in "Atonement."
5) Jenny Fields, in "The World According to Garp.”

AL

Flu · Mar 23, 2008

Dirty Harry and Indiana Jones have been mentioned, but I'm a bit surprised to be the first to mention James Bond.

A few others:
Kurt Russell in "Big Trouble in Little China"
Jeff Bridges as The Dude in "The Big Lebowski" (with an honorable mention for John Goodman's character as well)
Al Pacino as Ricky Roma in "Glengarry Glen Ross"
Jack Nicholson as Melvin Udall in "As Good as it Gets"

And from the small screen: Dennis Franz as Det. Sipowicz in "NYPD Blue"

sheadakota · Mar 23, 2008

In no particular order;

Indiana Jones
Roy from Blade runner
Maximus- Gladiater
Robins Willaims character in Dead Poet society (Mr McKillian?)
Matt Damon as Jason Bourne

El Mariachi · Mar 24, 2008

UMA THURMAN as The Bride, in both Kill Bill Movies.
KEVIN SMITH as Silent Bob, in just about anything.
MATT DAMON as Will Hunting, in Good Will Hunting
SAMUEL L. JACKSON/JOHN TRAVOLTA in Pulp Fiction.
TOM CRUISE in A Few Good Men (It was one of his good ones)

Rainy Night · Mar 25, 2008

Brad Pitt in Fight Club
Christopher Lambert in Highlander (the first one)
Harrison Ford in Blade Runner
Keanu Reeves in Matrix
Kevin Spacey in American Beauty

Rainy Night · Mar 25, 2008

I'd have to give honorable mention to the entire cast of Pulp Fiction, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel and my favorite... Christopher Walken. I mean who could forget lines like this:

"The way your dad looked at it, this watch was your birthright. He'd be damned if any slopes gonna put their greasy yellow hands on his boy's birthright, so he hid it, in the one place he knew he could hide something: his ass. Five long years, he wore this watch up his ass. Then when he died of dysentery, he gave me the watch. I hid this uncomfortable piece of metal up my ass for two years. Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the watch to you."

Rainy Night · Mar 25, 2008

Rainy Night said:
I'd have to give honorable mention to the entire cast of Pulp Fiction, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel and my favorite... Christopher Walken. I mean who could forget lines like this:

"The way your dad looked at it, this watch was your birthright. He'd be damned if any slopes gonna put their greasy yellow hands on his boy's birthright, so he hid it, in the one place he knew he could hide something: his ass. Five long years, he wore this watch up his ass. Then when he died of dysentery, he gave me the watch. I hid this uncomfortable piece of metal up my ass for two years. Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the watch to you."

Apologies if anyone is offended by the language and racist lines... I'm just quoting the lines as they were written.

Okieslims · Mar 25, 2008

Walken's short role in that film was one of the most memorable.

I love that movie because all the characters could have stood alone in their own movies.

Your Top 5 Characters

I write my own stunts

Down Under Fan

Patent pending

In the zone...

excessively spartan

Drummin' the frustrations away.

The force is strong in this one.

Patent pending

I'm quite put out.

Drummin' the frustrations away.

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

Esquire

Have you seen my mind?

part of the human equation

INFJ

INFJ

INFJ