Is Gene Hackman the GOAT A-hole bad guy in cinema?

[cottagecheesefan]

I searched to see if this thread had been done before, glad it has not. I did see @Cheese made a thread in 2013 about Hackman being overlooked in general. This is more about his bad guy roles. He isn't a crazy villain, but he often plays a power hungry and/or just all around douche bag, top dog, bad guy.

I been watching a number of movies lately, and coincidentally a few had him as the bad guy. Crimson Tide, The Quick and the Dead, and Runaway Jury.

I have also seen him in Unforgiven, The Firm, and Absolute Power, and Antz.

I don't really like the movie, but he is also the "bad guy" in the Royal Tenenbaums, which he did play very well.

I am sure there are other crucial roles I am forgetting. He is one of the GOAT actors in general, but I am only now appreciating him as the GOAT asshole.

edit: What are some other good roles of him as a bad guy? And who compares?!

edit 2 for further discussion: Someone like Robert De Niro plays similar roles, but I feel he is not nearly as good, tho still good himself.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Enemy of the State. played a great asshole

 

[MikeMcMann]

Yes. He has that certain punchable face quality when he plays a bad guy.

That Tom Cruise lawyer movie comes to mind.

Edit: The Firm

 

[cottagecheesefan]

Enemy of the State. played a great asshole

Oh snap, forgot about that one! Good call.

Also interestingly enough with your username, I am looking at his filmography now and see he did a movie with Paul Newman called Twilight. The brief synopsis I read sounds pretty good, and I like both actors. I didn't read more, to avoid spoilers. I am going to watch it today or tomorrow I think.

 

[zapataxiv]

I liked him as Popeye not a villain but he was an asshole...
“ I’ll hit you so hard your dick will get stiff.” Etc.. that top notch alpha shit talking

 

[Headkicktoleg]

Superman

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Oh snap, forgot about that one! Good call.

Also interestingly enough with your username, I am looking at his filmography now and see he did a movie with Paul Newman called Twilight. The brief synopsis I read sounds pretty good, and I like both actors. I didn't read more, to avoid spoilers. I am going to watch it today or tomorrow I think.

never seen that one actually

my favorite is cat on a hot tin roof followed by cool hand luke

 

[DW=HERO]

Yes

 

[loyalyolayal]

 

[Henry Swanson]

Yeah he plays a great dickhead villain. But my favourite role of his is still as Rupert Anderson in Mississippi Burning.

 

[Oogie Sharp]

In Unforgiven and Quick / Dead for sure. Both an asshole and a bad-ass.

Deniro in This Boys Life is quite the abusive, miserable POS.

Hey leopard...i know you leopard

 

[Oogie Sharp]

A funny asshole. You laugh at the depth and caliber of asshole Adam Scott is in this movie...

 

[rj144]

You don't like the movie?!?! Royal Tenenbaums is one of my favorite movies of all times. It's awesome.

 

[FierceRedBelt]

He sold Denzel in Crimson Tide. So well that I thought Washington was something special for a while.

One of my favorite performances of all time.

 

[HARRISON_3]

Just rewatched The Firm the other day.

Gene Hackman is definitely one of the all time great villains.

 

[Goon Dog]

No Way Out. He was amazing. He’s one of my favorites. He was also good in Target. Not a great movie and he was the good guy but a great performance.

 

[cottagecheesefan]

You don't like the movie?!?! Royal Tenenbaums is one of my favorite movies of all times. It's awesome.

It was watchable. I just don't like Wes Anderson's style much. A bit to artsy, with slow scenes and characters that act in an unrealistic way. I can see how it appeals to some tho, just not my cup of tea.

He sold Denzel in Crimson Tide. So well that I thought Washington was something special for a while.

One of my favorite performances of all time.

I dunno how I missed it when it came out. Both did great, but Hackman was definitely better in the movie, and is a better actor in general. I am a big fan of Denzel as well.

 

[Oogie Sharp]

I liked him as Popeye not a villain but he was an asshole...
“ I’ll hit you so hard your dick will get stiff.” Etc.. that top notch alpha shit talking

Lol

 

[cottagecheesefan]

Just rewatched The Firm the other day.

Gene Hackman is definitely one of the all time great villains.

I am going to rewatch it sometime this week, after I watch Twilight with Hackman and Newman either today or tomorrow.

I been watching a lot of older movies, because I feel they aren't making movies like these anymore. I feel these movies are much more based on acting, scenes shot slower, better dialogue, builds suspense more, etc. The only similar movies that come out these days are Biopics liek J. Edgar, or The King's Speech, etc.

Most movies that come out today are to stylized. Even someone like Christopher Nolan's movies don't build up the same type of dramatic suspense that a movie like Crimson Tide or The Firm does.

 

[Madmick]

I searched to see if this thread had been done before, glad it has not. I did see @Cheese made a thread in 2013 about Hackman being overlooked in general. This is more about his bad guy roles. He isn't a crazy villain, but he often plays a power hungry and/or just all around douche bag, top dog, bad guy.

I been watching a number of movies lately, and coincidentally a few had him as the bad guy. Crimson Tide, The Quick and the Dead, and Runaway Jury.

I have also seen him in Unforgiven, The Firm, and Absolute Power, and Antz.

I don't really like the movie, but he is also the "bad guy" in the Royal Tenenbaums, which he did play very well.

I am sure there are other crucial roles I am forgetting. He is one of the GOAT actors in general, but I am only now appreciating him as the GOAT asshole.

edit: What are some other good roles of him as a bad guy? And who compares?!

edit 2 for further discussion: Someone like Robert De Niro plays similar roles, but I feel he is not nearly as good, tho still good himself.

No, because he wasn't even the guy I hated most in Unforgiven.

Richard Harris showed the world how it's done.