A couple of years ago Total Film published a magazine containing the results of a poll to find the hundred greatest movie characters and having recently discovered the magazine again I thought it was worth taking a quick look at the top twenty.
20. Clarice Starling
Lecter may be the showier part but Foster's Agent Starling is the heart and soul of Silence Of The Lambs as we follow her into both her world and Lecter's. The fact that Clarice's recounting of her childhood terror is the most gripping and tense part of the film says it all. Julianne Moore also took on the character in the disappointing follow-up but it's Foster's take that has taken root in the public consciousness
19. Norman Bates
The psycho from Psycho is one of cinema's greatest boogie men, the unassuming caretaker of a motel that hides a terrible and twisted hidden side. Responsible for one of the most iconic murders in cinema history.
18. John McClane
Bruce Willis' blue collar wisecracking action man exploded (almost literally) onto the scene with Die Hard and in one film rewrote both Willis' career (he was know for hit comedic touch in hit series Moonlighting)and the template for our action heroes. The unstoppable Goliaths of Arnie had their days numbered as soon as this flawed cop hit the scene with his sarcastic wit and crucially lacking that aura of invincibility as he gets battered and beaten on his way to saving the day
17. Shrek
The big ogre of Dreamworks series owes a lot to Micheal Myers easy charm (even when doing a dodgy Scotch accent)and some smart writing but I am surprised to see him hit the top ten. Shrek was a classic but the two follow ups are more uneven and scattershot and the once clever inverting of fairy tales is wearing thin.
16. Bridget Jones
It has to be said before anything else, Reene Zellweger absolutely nailed this role. All the concern of casting a Texan in the part dissipated as soon as people saw it, Bridget becomes one of the most believable characters in a rom-com; full of uncertainties and floundering dreams as she's caught between the good guy and the bad guy. Helen Fielding deserves a lot of credit for creating Bridget too writing screenplay as well as the original blockbuster book
15. Yoda
The little green one smashes into the top twenty with his broken syntax, mastery of the force and diddy little lightsaber. Brought to life by Frank Oz (and latterly a team of CGI artists too!) Yoda is the wise mentor of the star wars world and is one of the reasons why you should watch the original trilogy first or totally ruin his first appearance. Proof that you can be a green midget and still be cool
14. Jason Bourne
Interesting that a character who starts out almost a total blank slate should make in into the top twenty of the list. But it's Bourne's confusion and quest to find out what happened to him that draws the audience to him. He's far more a real superspy than Bond, we actually feel the pain in him as he sets out to avenge his girlfriend in the second film and the rage at those that have shaped his life. The question is now he know who and why he is, where does o from here?
13. Tyler Durden
Brad Pitt's greatest role without doubt as he uses his own image to subvert and twist what is expected to him. Tyler is the embodiment of the rage of a lost generation of men, desperate to feel a sense of purpose and to fight against the numbing effect of modern life. The greatest character that was never real or just another piece of the all singing, all dancing crap of the world?
12. Maximus
Russel Crowe's avenging roman gladiator works so well thanks to the actor himself and not only for the performance. It was Crowe who suggested deepening the friendship between him and Djimon Hounsou's character, and Maximus' remembrance of his home is Crowe recalling his own ranch back home. It was also Crowe's insistence that Maximus meet his final end to prevent the diluting of the man in unneeded sequels.
11. Batman
Another surprising one since more often than not Batman is the dullest person around in his own movies. (No doubt Heath Ledger's Joker would outstrip if this was done again). Don't get me wrong I like Batman as a character but it is true that (at least in the films) he is there to react to everyone else, in fact in Batman Returns he doesn't say anything until at least the forty minute mark. Given the choice I would take Keaton's Batman over the others since I felt he got the balance right and gave the impression Wayne was a deeply troubled man, Bale's just seems to be really angry.
10. Hannibal Lecter
Of the screen best loved boogie men, Lecter is charming, intelligent, creepy and deadly. Hopkins is brill ant in the role (at it is his turn in Silence of the Lambs for which the character is remembered) and holds audience attention unfailingly even though he barely moves - making the sudden bursts of violence all the more shocking. Sadly watered down by the subsequent entries into the series Lecter is best as the unknowable, unfathomable force of evil seen in Lambs.
09. Han Solo
The definition of the lovable rogue. He quips, he gets the girl and he saves the day more than once. It says something that kids mostly want to play Han Solo and it's the unlucky kid that has to be Luke. Harrison Ford just oozes charm throughout the series and it may be a big 'ol space opera but there are definite sparks there with Carrie Fisher. And he shot first too
08. Micheal Corleone
The studio never wanted Al Pacino as Micheal but it's now impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. Pacino expertly moves Micheal from the good man trying to do right by his family to the overbearing monster he slowly becomes over the years. He is the classic anti hero as we emphasise with as he tries to protect his family but feel our blood run cold as he casually orders the killing of his own brother. If there was even a text book place to look for the concept of power corrupting, it's Micheal in The Godfather series.
07. Ellen Ripley
From tough survivor to warrior matriarch Ripley is the best known female action hero. Leaving the endless gender politics aside Ripley is a strong, capable woman with a softer side and willing to go the extra mile to save who she can. If anything Ripley becomes more interesting in Alien 3 as she finds herself once more alone and amongst monsters of various types until she finally makes the ultimate sacrifice. Best just forget Ripley MKII in Resurrection
06. Travis Bickle
The Vietnam vet awash in the modern world struggling to connect to other people and to keep the brewing rage within under control. One of cinema's best portraits of a man going through a mental breakdown Bickle is quite possible De Niro's best role (Raging Bull's Jake La Motta is right up there too) pulling his into Travis' fractured psyche and the question of is we should really be supporting this man makes all the more compelling
05. Gollum
Yes, he was an outstanding digital creation and the back and forth mechanic of his split personality is well done but I'm not sure he's the fifth best character ever. After he's only really there to move the plot along a critical points when no-one else can. For all their length the Rings movies are actually a little light on characterisation and for my money Boromir is the most interesting of them all but is sadly quickly gone
04. Indiana Jones
Han Solo returns with a whip! And a little more comedy. Indiana is the 40 matinee idol effortless updated for a new generation by messers Spieldberg, Lucas and Ford. No question of Jones' placing here, he truly is an iconic character
03. James Bond
Recently reinvented to be Bourne Mk II, Bond is the longest running character on the list, practically a national institution. Connery's remains best in my book, Dalton's was underrated, Lazenby's has the best film and Craig's is a great Bond still looking for a great film to be in.
02. Darth Vader
Even with the missteps of the prequels Vader remains a great villain (and is arc is a tragic one albeit one not told in the best way) and his first entrance surrounded by white corridors and white clad stormtroopers is something that burns itself into the mind. Lucas may struggle with the writing but he always knew what he was doing with the look of things. And of course Vader's big secret is one of the best known twists is cinema history and makes him something more than just a boogie man.
01. Captain Jack Sparrow
Hmm. Okay, I liked Jack in the first Pirates movie when he was there to offer comedy relief and prompt the plot along in a couple of places but I still feel the subsequent entries suffered from making him front and center. When you think about Jack is actually a complete jerk who is out to save his own skin whatever the cost and it baffles me why the crew head off to save him after he's just been a tool to pretty much everyone of them.
Depp's twitchy performance is an amusing one but it is a superficial collection of ticks and tricks at the end of the day, I think we'll mark this one down to being the thing of the day when the poll was taken.
So there we are the top twenty, unfortunately I can't find a link for the whole list (but if people pester enough I can type it up) but just a few names to mention;
Charles Foster Kane somehow doesn't make the top fifty coming home at 53, Donnie Darko missed the top twenty by a place, The Dude made it to 27, Rocky fights his way to 31 and I can't believe Holly Golightly only made it to 99.
And it turns out the 70's were the greatest with 25 characters on the list, the most of any decade.
So who do you think deserves to be on the list or in the top twenty?
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