The Greatest Villain (976 hits)
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Submitted by kaos-king (antius777) (View user info) at 2006-04-29 20:17:11 EDT
Blame TTOM and Method...
They got me thinking about Villains. What is it about the badguy that is so appealing to us? We often find ourselves rooting for the evil-do'er in literature and cinema. Something about their actions capture us, make us examine a deeper, darker part of ourselves. It allows us to live out certain fantasy of crime and misdeeds that we would never, otherwise, dream of acting out perhaps.
There have been many great villains in the pop-culture of America. From Darth Vader to Hannibal Lector. Is Mageneto really cooler than the Joker? What if Cobra Commander and Megatron teamed up? Children go from fearing Voldermort to fearing Freddy Kruger to loving all of it.
But here in the United States, here in Western Culture really, there is one character that has stood out. One character that represent the purest of evil. Always the villain, always cast in the dimmest light. He has been portrayed countless times over the years since his creation, in every form of media available to man. The original template for the antithesis of good, this character is the first (according to some) to be cast in the role.
Without Satan, we would have very few of our modern day villains.
Has there ever been a better bad guy? Has there ever been a more fluid, evolving character who could adapt with the times? Has any other figure in history or literature ever inspired as much fear?
Nope.
In the last few decades, there have been many films to come out of Hollywood that had Satan as a member of one of its player. He has been the villain, as always, but he has worn different faces and had different personas. It takes a special kind of actor to pull off playing the greatest villain of Western Culture. Let's investigate...
Now, I'm tempted to first add and give great acclaim to Tim Curry for his performance in the early Tom Cruise movie "Legend." How terrifying was that giant-horned, red-skinned monstrosity??? Unfortunately, Curry's character was not actually suppose to be "The First Of The Fallen." No, he was an otherworldly creature, merely known as "Darkness." Do I care? No! For many of us, this was (and still is) what we picture The Morningstar to look like.
Viggo Mortensen gained world wide fame for his role as a hero in the insanely popular "Lord Of The Rings" Trilogy. However, years before he played the King of Men, he played the Prince of Hell. In the Christopher Walken movie "The Prophecy," Mortensen was a long-haired, black-nailed, hissing representation of the the original evil. Although his scenes were minimal, they were memorable. Especially the end when he dealt with Walken's "Gabriel."
Personally, I loved the Keanu Reeves film "Constantine." It had everything I love, plus Peter Stromare as "Lu." Something about Lucifer in a white tuxedo, his bare feet dripping with steaming mud as he giggled like a school girl just made it perfect for me. Stromare, who often is cast in a negative role, played up the twisted, sadistic yet playful aspects of his character.
In an unfortunately somewhat forgettable film starring some guy who now runs California, Gabriel Byrne took over as Satan. In "End Of Days" Byrne's played the Prince of Lies who has come to earth to impregnate a woman to bare the Anti-Christ. His character is cold and unforgiving, surrounding himself with a horde of worshippers who he dismisses as one would a gnat.
Keanu Reeves tackled the Master of Hell before, but this time it was Al Pacino in "The Devil's Advocate." The Inferno itself was nothing compared to the corporate business world, where Lucifer has taken an active role in human affairs. Pacino's take is well-versed in all of the seven sins and wallows in them to great extent. He is exactly how you would perceive a lawyer of his kind to truly be.
In the film "The Witches Of Eastwick," Jack Nicholson plays a sexually seductive Satan as only he could pull off. He is as crass as he is sophisticated, bubbling over with a predator's energy. Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfiffer had no chance in hell. (sorry.)
Some other great mentions are Max Von Sydow as Leland Gaunt (Satan in flesh) in Stephen King's "Needful Things." Harvey Keitel took a shot at a comedic daddy Lucifer in "Little Nicky." Ernest Borgnine as The Great Evil One along side William Shattner and John Travolta in the bizarre "Devil's Rain." Sam Neil also had something living in him, that may or may not have been Satan, in the spectacular "Event Horizon."
Yes... I've probably left some out. I went for direct representations of SATAN, not just a random demon. So tell me, can you name me some others? Who on this list is the best Satan?
User Reviews
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2006-05-01 13:07:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Satan is the bomb!
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2006-05-01 00:52:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Roth_Carson (user info) at 2006-04-30 11:09:07 (#)
Ranking: 2
This is a very timely post actually, kaos-king. Hollywood is busy pumping out a film version of Milton's epic 'Paradise Lost', which gets my vote for the most compelling depiction of Lucifer ever. So seductive was Milton's Satan that one commentator (I don't remember who) accused him of being "of the Devil's party without knowing it", even though he was a hardcore Christian. The film has a lot to live up to; I hope the director and cast do it justice.
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A film version of Paradise Lost? That's either the best or worst news I've heard this year, depending if they do it well or fuck it up.
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2006-04-30 22:32:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
The Prophecy is one of my favorite movies.
I just saw Constantine today. I loved it.
Submitted by shitfuck (user info) at 2006-04-30 21:38:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Yeah, so what?
Submitted by COMountain (user info) at 2006-04-30 15:08:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
YOU FORGOT GARGAMEL YOU PRICK.
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-04-30 11:56:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
anything captioned "teh satans" warrants a +2.
nice post.
Submitted by Roth_Carson (user info) at 2006-04-30 11:09:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
As someone already mentioned, Robert De Niro plays Louis Cyphre (say it out loud a few times) in the film Angel Heart. I thought the role was brilliantly executed: he was utterly sinister. I remember him eating a boiled egg with his long fingernails in such a vile manner, like squishing an eyeball.
This is a very timely post actually, kaos-king. Hollywood is busy pumping out a film version of Milton's epic 'Paradise Lost', which gets my vote for the most compelling depiction of Lucifer ever. So seductive was Milton's Satan that one commentator (I don't remember who) accused him of being "of the Devil's party without knowing it", even though he was a hardcore Christian. The film has a lot to live up to; I hope the director and cast do it justice.
Submitted by jgreening (user info) at 2006-04-30 02:17:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Lu in "Constantine" and Al Pacino in "The Devils Advocate"
Notice how the two best devils are in Keanu Reeves movies?
COINCIDENCE? I SAY NAY!
Anyway, for me, mainly because I read it at way to young of an age and was deeply impressed by it, was Dante's version of Satan. (No, I didn't read the whole thing, still haven't. In Sunday School when I was 13, the teacher said something about it, so I went to a library and read about 30 pages.)
He's a beautiful angel, the most beautiful. But his face is masked in anger and rage at his being stuck in a ball of ice he can not escape. He thrashes about, beating his wings, trying to break free. All he needs to realize is that if he accepts his punishment, and stays, the ice will melt, and he will be free to rejoin God in Heaven.
I like that.
Submitted by FALLEN (user info) at 2006-04-30 01:46:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Lu in Constantine. No question.
White suit, no shoes. The funky tatoos, savage and quirky at the same time.
Perfect evil.
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2006-04-30 01:15:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
And keep going with Sculptor or I'll....you know, internet threaten you.
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2006-04-30 01:14:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Al Pacino was the greatest Satan, for me. I never really got down on the whole "El Diablo" version of Satan; he was supposed to be a fallen angel, not a scaly red thing with horns.
A nod to one of my other favourite recurring villians: Randall Flagg.
Submitted by sparkle_pink (user info) at 2006-04-29 23:55:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hans from Die Hard! He's the best. Or how about the ultimate baddie, Karl? He's awesome too.
Submitted by r0fl (user info) at 2006-04-29 23:44:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 Constantine. I'm definately not the biggest Keanu fan, but I can't not watch that movie. I really don't know what it is. Nice job with Viggo.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2006-04-29 23:12:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I have to say that one of my all time favorite movie villains is Hans from Die Hard.
"That was pretty tricky with that accent, Hans. You oughta be on fuckin TV with that accent."
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2006-04-29 23:08:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Finally, somebody else who appreciates Mortensen's role in Prophecy.
His best bit - when he is trying to tempt the priest and whispers, "I love you more tha jee-suss."
Submitted by georgemichael (user info) at 2006-04-29 22:20:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Method (user info) at 2006-04-29 21:58:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I am in no way, nor have I ever been, affiliated with Satan, Lucifer, or any other derivative of my dark lord.
I MEAN THE dark lord. THE.
Submitted by mockidol (user info) at 2006-04-29 21:33:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Istaros (user info) at 2006-04-29 20:48:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i liked Al Pacino best, temptation is worse than destruction
Submitted by DrRobertHand (user info) at 2006-04-29 20:41:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
De Nero in Angel Heart was another, but I wouldn't call that a particularly memorable performance.
Submitted by zakalwe (user info) at 2006-04-29 20:38:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
which film is the peter stormare picture from?
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2006-04-29 20:38:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
the one in constantine was great
but is because it was the only thing worthy during that bad movie ?
Submitted by matnotharry (user info) at 2006-04-29 20:33:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Meh. I want some Sculptor