« Help U.S. Marines Equip TV Stations in Iraq | Main | Must See TV »

a little diversion: the dude abides, but not by 55!

Who wants to do all war/politics all the time? Not me. That's what I have Command Post for. My good friend Carol, who always recognizes when I'm ripe for a diversion, sent me this list from Premiere Magazine: 100 greatest movie characters of all time. They just list the characters, not the movies they represent. Some of them are pretty self evident, some may not be immediately apparent except to film buffs. After you peruse the list and figure out where each character comes from, you can list your own fave movie characters. Don't be shy about epxlaining your choices. I'm really trying to keep the tone down today. See, I've got no ass-fucking, but I'm still kind of fun! Characters listed below. My choices later. And I really have to take issue with some of the names on the list. Judy Benjamin? No way. And number 55 should be in the top five. Update: Judging from the comments, we could make a list of top 100 movie characters not listed on Premiere's top 100 movie characters.
100. Roger Kint 99. Kevin McCallister 98. Antoine Doinel 97. Ace Ventura 96. Tommy DeVito 95. Oda Mae Brown 94. Rose Sayer 93. Harry Lime 92. Dil 91. Mrs. Iselin 90. John Malkovich 89. Sandy Olsson 88. Raymond Babbitt 87. Jack Sparrow 86. Melanie Daniels 85. Stanley Kowalski 84. Darth Vader 83. William Cutting 82. Jack Torrance 81. Aurora Greenway 80. Sam Spade 79. Hans Beckert 78. Max Rockatansky 77. Annie Wilkes 76. Tony Manero 75. Dr. Strangelove 74. Tony Montana 73. Norma Rae 72. Lloyd Dobler 71. Harry Powell 70. Judy Benjamin 69. Terry Malloy 68. Alex DeLarge 67. Jacques Clouseau 66. Navin Johnson 65. Edward Scissorhands 64. Rocky Balboa 63. Carrie White 62. John Shaft 61. J.J. Hunsecker 60. George Bailey 59. Bill Kilgore 58. Phyliss Dietrichson 57. Tom Powers 56. Alan Swann 55. The Dude 54. Frank Booth 53. Ninotchka 52. Howard Beale 51. Freddy Krueger 50. Blondie 59. Chance the Gardener 48. John Blutarsky 47. Mrs. Robinson 46. John McClane 45. Mary Poppins 44. Jules Winnfield 43. Forrest Gump 42. Harry Callahan 41. Jane Craig 40. The Terminator 39. Michael Dorsey 38. Willy Wonka 37. Jake Gittes 36. Alex Forrest 35. Dr. Evil 34. Bonnie Parker 33. Ratso Rizzo 32. Holly Golightly 31. Norma Desmond 30. King Kong 29. Daphne / Jerry 28. Captain Quint 27. Marge Gunderson 26. E.T. 25. Gordon Gekko 24. The Little Tramp 23. Ethan Edwards 22. Travis Bickle 21. Susan Vance 20. Virgil Tibbs 19. Rick Blaine 18. Carl Spackler 17. Dorothy Gale 16. Robin Hood 15. Hannibal Lecter 14. Randle Patrick McMurphy 13. Atticus Finch 12. Charles Foster Kane 11. Margo Channing 10. Gollum 9. Jeff Spicoli 8. Ellen Ripley 7. Indiana Jones 6. Annie Hall 5. James Bond 4. Norman Bates 3. Scarlett O'Hara 2. Fred C. Dobbs 1. Vito Corleone

TrackBack

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference a little diversion: the dude abides, but not by 55!:

» Lloyd Lloyd all null and void. from protein wisdom
I'll only say this once: leaving Popeye Doyle off the list of "100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time" is like leaving Charles Bronson off the list of "100 Greatest Movie Actors of All Time Named Charles Bronson." That's it.... [Read More]

Comments

Missing from the list, someone is.
The Dark Side at work, fear I.

I can only place a handful.

Number 50, Blondie... from the old Blondie and Dagwood films?

Any list of great movie characters without Mongo from "Manos: Hands of Fate" is fatally flawed.

Dang, I meant Torgo.

Mongo was "Blazing Saddles."

The Dude does not belong higher on the list than Darth Vader. Darnit.

Actually, Darth should be in the top five as well.

Where is Martin Blank? Let alone Grocer.

Nick and Nora Charles?

Dr. Evil, but no Mini Me? Makes no sense at all.

Well, I'm not exactly a movie trivia buff, but I still have problems recognizing a LOT of people on the list. And I agree, no Yoda-no JUSTICE!!

Where the fuck is Jar-Jar? Meesa demand a recount!

Where's Mr. Blonde from Reservoir Dogs? Hank Quinlan from Touch of Evil?

Harry Lime but not Holly Martens? J.J. Hunsecker but not Sidney Falco? Jake Gittes but not Noah Cross?

"I detect a strong odor of mendacity!"—Big Daddy from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, also gone missing.

Where's Del Griffith?

Hey. I don't see Dr. Victor Von Frankenstein on there.

THAT'S FRONKENSTEEN!

Wait....Keyser Soze anyone?

And what about INIGO MONTOYA?

jeff spicoli at #9? top 100, sure... but top 10? i don't think so.

dr evil ranks higher than darth vader? who the hell made this list?!?!?

well, it's nice to see that lloyd dobler made the list...

ok, where the hell are kirk and spock? why aren't they in there?

The Dude? The frigging Dude? That movie still has me twitching irritably.

If you include Richard Blaine, you must include Ilsa Lund. Also, Frances Stevens should be included, if for nothing else than her beauty.

Ashley 'Ash' J. Williams.
Leon
KHAAAANNN!
Hans Gruber
Tyler Durden
Gny. Sgt. Hartman
Butcher Bill
If Vader's on the list Kenobi should be, too. And Boba Fett.
Rory Breaker?
And I am shocked, shocked, that Captain Renault is not on that list.

Plus:

Tracy Lord
C.K. Dexter Haven
Regan MacNeil
Babe the Pig
Maria/Robot Maria ("Metropolis")
Cherita Chen. Chut up, I liked her!
Marion Crane instead of Norman Bates
Lassie
That chick with the knockers who got garden shears in the eyes in Friday the 13th Part V.

John Malkovich?

Isn't that like naming the Death Star or the plastic bubble around John Travolta as a character?

Bluto barely in the top 50?

Ellen Ripley in the top 10? What as a homage to her breaking the female action star barrier?

If so, what about Sarah Connor? Weak and defenseless to bonafide ass kicker...makes Ripley look like a wimp.

Dorkafork is right! Where the hell is Khan?

Oh and Butcher Bill is referenced as William Cutting at #83

I don't see The Man with No Name in that list. Feh.

All Western Edition:

Marshal Will Kane - High Noon
Lil' Bill - Unforgiven
The Stranger- High Plains Drifter
Ethan Edwards - The Searchers
Butch Cassidy - You know...
Chis Adams - The Magnificent Seven
Josey Wales - The Outlaw...

Ryan, actually I'll take Ellen Ripley anyday over Sarah Conner. Ripley at least keeps it together when she kicks ass. Sarah's a nutjob.

A few more:
Bueller? Bueller? (yet Spicoli made it???)
Cameron, too.
The Dread Pirate Roberts
Jeffrey Wigand
Vito Corleone but no Michael? And which Vito? Robert DeNiro's Vito or Marlon Brando's Vito?

Agador Spartacus?

I ran into these same problems when I came up with my own Top 100 Guitar Players in response to Rolling Stone's travesty of a list.

I still get comments bitching about both.

Back to this list:
The Dude
Travis Bickle
Navin Johnson
&
Lloyd Dobler
all need to be much higher.

Also, Henry Hill.

Off the top of my head:

Frankenstein's Monster/Count Dracula
Marshall Will Kane
Judah Ben Hur
Eric (Phantom of the Opera)
(Rudolph Valentino's) Sheik
Heathcliffe
Rhett Butler
Klaatu
HAL
Superman
Mr. Hulot

Otto West! Can't believe I forgot him.

Diversion???

Aren't you supposed to be packing?????

I'm at work. Packing continues when I get home.

I wish I wasn't such a collector of junk.

Double Down Trent

Off the top of my head, 2 characters, both, played by Gary Oldman:

1) Dr. Smith (Lost in Space--movie kinda sucked, but he was good)
2) Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg (Fifth Element--excellent movie and excellent character)

Paul from Last Tango in Paris.

There, you have assfucking now on your list.

Paden and Jake would make my list. (Silverado)

As would Agent K.

But the Dude definitely abides.

What a crappy list. Where's Keyser Soze? Jack Deth? Ferris Bueller? H.I. FRICKIN' MCDONOUGH? HELLO? Vincent Vega? Jessica Rabbit?

Number 50, Blondie
I think this pertains to Clint Eastwood, in "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly". Not Blondie from the Blondie and Dagwood films.

I think Blondie may be from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. If so, Tuco definitely belongs on the list too.

Jack "I've got two words for you: shut the fuck up" Walsh

And how could they have dissed Ash (Housewares) like that?!

They could've at least put a character from Office Space in there, like Milton Waddams, Peter Gibbons, Michael Bolton or Bill Lumberg.

Yeaaaaa. That would'be been greaaat.

"Vito Corleone but no Michael? And which Vito? Robert DeNiro's Vito or Marlon Brando's Vito?"

Perhaps the combo of both overwhelmed Michael. And perhaps he is being punished for the third installment.

Crash Davis (Bull Durham)
Brad & Janet (Rocky Horror)
Torgo, definitely... NOT!
Judah Ben Hur is a must
Cool Hand Luke
The Dirty Dozen - as a group

I know it's very recent, but how 'bout Jack Sparrow? CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow.

Whattabout Martin Q. Blank? Donnie Darko (and Frank)? Walter Sobchak? Rick Roma?

Dirk Diggler?

Tyler Durden was the fist one I thought of that was missing.

King Kong? WTF! What about Taylor, you damn, dirty apes!

Jack Sparrow's on the list #87), but Captains Blood, Bly and Queeg are not.
And neither is Captain John Miller (Private Ryan).

This list bites.

"Shane ... Shane ... Come Back!"

the black knight
the predator
Optimus Prime (anyone who says Hot Rod gets a disapproving head shake)
Rocky (from the first movie at least)
Billy Valentine
and why not Winthorp (just for the "aaauuuuggghhh!!!" line in the Santa suit)
And finally:
Clark W. Griswald

Where is Johnny Wadd? Or Debbie from Dallas? The obvious anti-porn slant is clearly the work of the devil, Ashcroft!

If we had a son, I would have argued strongly to name him "Atticus".

I would have lost the argument, but man, I was ready to make the case.

I like the list, but if you view it from a stoner POV, the way I love to view flims, it isn't the same. Where is...

Jay and Silent Bob
Batman/Bruce Wayne (but only Michael K.)
Mr. Blonde.
Vampire Hunter D
Tyler Durden
Marty McFly
Biff Tannin
Dr. E. L. Brown
He-Man
All of The Goonies
Frank Castle/The Punisher
The Vampire Listat
Leonard Shelby
Eric Cartman
Rob Gordon
Martin Blank
Clark Grizwald
Clyde the monkey
Ferris Bueller
Spartacus
Doug,2,3,4
Mario and Luigi

I am sure i can come up with more but that will do for now.
Remember,
"Life is a bowl of punch, go ahead and spike it!" Nick Hexum

I like the list, but if you view it from a stoner POV, the way I love to view flims, it isn't the same. Where is...

Jay and Silent Bob
Batman/Bruce Wayne (but only Michael K.)
Mr. Blonde.
Vampire Hunter D
Tyler Durden
Marty McFly
Biff Tannin
Dr. E. L. Brown
He-Man
All of The Goonies
Frank Castle/The Punisher
The Vampire Listat
Leonard Shelby
Eric Cartman
Rob Gordon
Martin Blank
Clark Grizwald
Clyde the monkey
Ferris Bueller
Spartacus
Doug,2,3,4
Mario and Luigi

I am sure i can come up with more but that will do for now.
Remember,
"Life is a bowl of punch, go ahead and spike it!" Nick Hexum

Where's Lord John Whorfin?

Shelley "The Machine" Levene
Ricky Roma
George Aaranow
Dave Moss
John Williamson
Blake from Downtown

One track mind, I have.

Also Ivan the Terrible from the Eisenstein flick of the same name.

Professor Rath and Lola Lola from The Blue Angel.

Max Fischer
Colonel Kurtz
Eric Cartman
Philip Marlowe
HAL 9000
John Bender
Rick Deckard and/or Roy Batty

It's interesting that three of the top 100 characters were played by Peter Sellers:

59. Chance the Gardener
67. Jacques (Inspector) Clouseau
75. Dr. Strangelove

Mrs. Iselin (as played in legendary fashion by Angela Lansbury) is way too low on the list--that character was evil incarnate, and truly terrifying to see in action. Premiere needs more reviewers who actually watched "The Manchurian Candidate."

Unless I missed something, isn't Kaiser Soze #100 (Verbal Kint)?

I think they have to make room for:

Patton
Otto (Kevin Kline's hitman in A Fish Called Wanda)
The Black Knight (Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
Joe Clark (Lean On Me)
and where is Captain Bligh? or is Quint meant to stand in for all the lunatic sea captains?

If I can post again, I've thought of a few more:

Auntie Mame (Russell, not Ball)
The Ghostbusters (joint entry)
The Jackal (Edward Fox)
Senator Jefferson Smith
Agent Smith
Henry V (either one)

I'm with the some of the others, no Khan?!? WTF!

He delivered Melville's lines better than even Ahab. No one has ever portrayed those emotions like he did.

Ginger Lynn

Has anyone mentioned Chewbaca(sp?) yet? I'm too lazy to read long comment threads. And what about Jabba the Hut? Obviously the person who made the list has a bias against non-humans.

I agree that Khan should have been at the top of the list.

Maybe not at THE TOP but in the top ten at least.