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The A-Z of movie maniacs: part two
As 'X Men Origins: Wolverine' is released in cinemas, Time Out takes a look back at cinema's zaniest crazies
A through to M | N through to Z
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If Tommy De Vito in ‘Goodfellas’ was a bit of a hothead, then Nicky Santoro is totally off the hook. Treating Las Vegas like his own personal sandbox, Nicky stomps all over the cops, the mob and his best friend with childish glee. Ends badly.
Read original Time Out review here
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Overzealous motorcycle cop Davis and pals go completely off the reservation when taking a step to the right of ‘Dirty’ Harry Callahan in this superior sequel. Their hearts are in the right place, but their especially heavy-handed methods don’t stand up to close scrutiny.
Read original Time Out review here
P - Pinkie (Richard Attenborough) – ‘Brighton Rock’
People often baulk at the notion that Dickie Attenborough ever 'played bad', but in this, his starring role in this arresting adaptation of Graham Green’s end-of-the-pier horror thriller presents arguably one of the most iconic and self-serving loons the cinema has ever produced. His intense, hot-and-cold performance hinted at what was to come in '10 Rillington Place' where he played DIY serial killer, John Christie.
Read original Time Out review here
Q – Clare Quilty (Peter Sellers) – ‘Lolita’
Reassuring everyone you meet that you are ‘really quite normal’ is always going to raise a few eyebrows. Fist-fighting over the attentions of a 14-year old girl with a similarly delusional James Mason, however, equals a one-way ticket to the rubber room.
Read original Time Out review here
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Brando, at his troublemaking best, almost derails this fine frontier Western by outfitting hired killer Lee Clayton with a ludicrous Irish brogue, harpoon and red gingham bonnet. Quite the most demented character the big man ever played – and that’s saying something.
Read original Time Out review here
S - Simon Gruber (Jeremy Irons) – ‘Die Hard With a Vengeance’
In a perfect world, all movie maniacs would wear circular tinted shades and hail from Bonn. Here, brother of the dearly departed pseudo-terrorist mastermind Hans Gruber returns in the form of Jeremy Irons with a speech impediment (or was that the accent?) and is out to run Bruce Willis’s ass ragged around the Big Apple as revenge.
Read original Time Out review here
T – Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) – ‘Taxi Driver’
Old Reliable in the movie maniac stakes, De Niro’s mohawked avenger brilliantly blurs audience conceptions of heroism, as on one hand he’s cleaning up the streets, and on the other, he’s doing it with a concealed 44 magnum. His performance in this – so nuanced and ambiguous – makes his clowning around in films like ‘Meet the Fockers’ even more painful to watch.
Read original Time Out review here
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Keith Moon; Ken Russell; Pete Townshend; the clues we’re all there. Moon steals the show as Tommy’s sex-pest uncle, whose only desire is to ‘fiddle about’. More perverted than demented, admittedly, but you wouldn’t want to meet him down a dark alley.Read original Time Out review here
V - Victor Franko (John Cassevetes) – ‘The Dirty Dozen’
Crazy as a shit-house rat, Cassavettes manages to out-loon such experienced nutcases as Telly Savalas and Donald Sutherland in Robert Aldrich’s suicidal symphony to the futility of war.
Read original Time Out review here
W- William Walker (Ed Harris) – ‘Walker’
Ed Harris has always appeared so uptight that some form of psychotic episode was bound to occur sooner or later. His journey from liberator to despotic overlord of eighteenth-century Nicaragua sends him properly over the edge in Alex Cox’s absurdist romp.Read original Time Out review here
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We’ve all had the nutter on the bus/park bench spouting loopy conspiracy theories laced with bizarro swearing and flecks of unwholesome spittle. Sutherland’s shadowy black-ops godhead takes it to the limit by treating a bemused Kevin Costner to a fully annotated expose of the Kennedy assassination. His super-spook credentials are, however, immediately undercut when one notes that the bench he chooses to dish this government-toppling low-down is right in front of the Senate Building...
Read original Time Out review here
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Y – ‘Yo-Yo Chaudhry’ (Rampton Caine) – ‘The Mile End Massacre’
Rampton Caine surprised everyone by 'going 'blackface'' for his role in this multiracial East End carve-up. Combining child-like caprice with solid-gone sadism, Caine revels in playing against type as the skittish Asian gang enforcer Yo-Yo – so named because he keeps ‘winding everyone up’. Recently remade as 'Eastern Promises'.
Read original Time Out review here
Z - Zorg (Gary Oldman) – ‘The Fifth Element’
Serial offender Oldman could hoovered up a goodly number of letters on this alphabet, but we saved the best for last. A deep south, deep space nut job of the very highest water, Zorg is the dubiously accented bogeyman of Luc Besson’s glorious sci-fi baguette of dayglo Euro-whimsy and his credentials extend to an abortive attempt to sell out all of mankind – which, we think you’ll agree, is about as resolutely and suicidally bonkers an act as the rest on this list put together.Read original Time Out review here
A through to M | N through to Z
Author: Adam Lee Davies, David Jenkins
User comments on this story
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- Adam Lee Davies said...
- Ben Kingsley's Don Logan is a good call, but although he's truly unhimged, his mania doesn't cause quite the same level of top-notch carnage as Lt Coffey or David Banner and so we moved him to the subs bench. Posted on May 18 2009 10:38
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- soumya sen said...
- As is obvious, there are a number of memorable movie maniacs that a single article will fail to fully justify. Remember Klaus Kinski's silent rage in Aguirre The guy is insane, and he doesn't say much. Severely spooky. And am I wrong in assuming that Sir Kingsley's role in Sexy Beast was so jaw-droppingly brutal that England seems like madness now? Posted on May 18 2009 07:01
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- Brent said...
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This list needs Anton Chigurh, Alex DeLarge, and that dude from "Blue Velvet."
Add John Doe from "Se7en" Posted on May 18 2009 02:07 - Report as inappropriate
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- Brian said...
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I'll second Alex DeLarge and Gollum, and offer up Karl Mundt, the REAL Oscar worthy performance in Barton Fink.
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As for the Joker, Heath's mania edges out the overcamp Jack, imo.
Also, Alan Rickman? hello? Posted on May 18 2009 00:13 - Report as inappropriate
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- Inês said...
- Stansfield from Léon. He's Gary Oldman's craziest role. Genius. And I would also mention the Joker and Patrick Bateman. Posted on May 18 2009 00:03
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- Just Jimmy said...
- I got two words for ya...Alex DeLarge Posted on May 17 2009 15:58
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- allan said...
- corbin bernsen as the totally sadistic alan feinstone. the dentist (1996). everything else pales compared to this. Posted on May 17 2009 13:25
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- the_alias said...
- where's the joker? Posted on May 16 2009 12:04
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- David J said...
- Note: There will be no 'Crazies: II' - Ed. Posted on May 16 2009 11:05
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- Adam Lee Davies said...
- Gollum is no doubt a top-notch loon, but we felt he had too much undeniable motivation to make him a complete maniac... "Crazies II: Your Place Or Mine?" is coming soon, so expect him on that list, Carlos. Posted on May 16 2009 02:20
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- El Freako said...
- Hannibal Lector? Hello! He is a sublime psycho. Posted on May 16 2009 02:16
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- Adam Lee Davies said...
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Gollum a maniac? You think? It's a fair call, but it could be said that h has too much wherewithall to be a true crazy...
'A-Z II: The Quickenig' is in the offing though, so keep 'em coming.
Ald Posted on May 16 2009 02:00 - Report as inappropriate
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- Carlos said...
- How can you put Gonzo instead of GOLLUM????? This list is a joke!!!! Posted on May 15 2009 23:09
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- MaryJ said...
- No Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) in Psycho? Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet (or in Speed)? Peter Lorre in "M"? Or my personal favorite, Robert Mitchum as Harry Powell in Night of the Hunter. Posted on May 15 2009 19:33
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- Bruce said...
- Ald: Fair enough, cheers! Posted on May 15 2009 18:28
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