Greatest movie characters of al time

[LennG]

We all love movies and some characters have really stood out, head over heels above many others.

Who are some of your most memorable movie characters of all time

Darth Vader ---(Star Wars)
James Bond    (Any Bond movie)
Forrest Gump    (Forrest Gump)
Michael Corleone  ( Godfather)
Indiana Jones------
Dorothy    (Wizard of Oz)
Norman Bates---(Pyscho)
Rocky Balboa----(Rocky)
Jason Bourne-----
Rick Blaine (Casablanca)
Hannibal Lector  (Silence of the Lambs)
Frodo Baggins-(Lord of the Rings)
John McClane---( Die Hard)
Man With NO Name (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly)
Inspector Clouseau-- (Pink Panther series)
Harry Callahan  (Dirthy Harry)

 I probably could go on for quite a while, but this is a start.

[T200]

Verbal Kint/Keyser Soze -- The Usual Suspects

[Sem]

A few of my favorite characters...

Snake Plissken - Escape From New York
Jack Torrance - The Shining
John "Bluto" Blutarsky - Animal House
Marty McFly - Back to the Future
Michael Myers - Halloween
Rick Blaine - Casablanca
Clark Griswold - Vacation
Regan MacNeil - The Exorcist
Margot Wendice - Dial M For Murder (because, well you know). 
Captain Geoffrey Spaulding - Animal Crackers

[ozzie]

Huge "Thumbs Up" from me for Verbal Kent, one of the best characters ever IMO.

My all-time favorite actor is James Cagney, so I'll add two of my favorite characters from him:

Rocky Sullivan - Angels with dirty faces
Cody Jarrett - White Heat

[DaveBrown74]

Tommy DeVito: Goodfellas
Mr. Pink: Reservoir Dogs
Gordon Gekko: Wall Street
Andy Dufresne: Shawshank Redemption
Don Corleone: Godfather
RP McMurphy: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Charles Keating: Dead Poets' Society
The Wolf (Harvey Keitel): Pulp Fiction

[LennG]

 Great add-ons guys.

Lou, I definitely would add Cody Jarrett to my list. Cagney had some remarkable roles, including George M Cohan, but Jarrett was maybe his best.

Since I am a Bogie guy, I would also add Fred C Dobbs, his character in Treasure of the Sierra Madre, maybe his best role of all time.

Yes, Kevin Spacey for his role as, well you gave it away already, Verbel Kent

And someone mentioned Joe Pesci in Goodfellows, Terrific, but I'll GO one better, Vincent Gambini--My Cousin Vinny

[Philosophers]

Colonel Kurtz - Apocalypse Now

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I cannot watch a movie without thinking about how well the actor can go into character where crying or falling apart is so realistic it moves me. Playing "tough guy" or "hero" is far easier to portray, than a man who plays the part of a loser, who has been a hero, but circumstances beyond his control took it away that status

I can think of a few off the top of my head

Tombstone - Doc Holiday (Val Kilmer) no need to expound, everyone knows his acting made the movie a classic

First Blood - John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) - the scene that still moves me years later - should have gotten an Oscar for that performance

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) - I was never a big fan of DiCaprio until this scene. He's a washed-up actor from the days when westerns dominated the movie screen. Put on a pedestal for most of his acting career, it's the 60's and people are no longer fascinated by westerns. His career has plummeted, and he's had a hard time dealing with a downfall. He gets a bit part in a rare western as a loser bad guy, instead of the hero with the white hat and bringing justice upon low-lives. The end of the scene he perfectly portrays his vulnerability when a little girl compliments him - vulnerability is something no man wants to deal with, let alone try to act the part. Certainly worthy of an Oscar IMHO

There are a ton of memorable scenes in Pulp Fiction, but Travolta and Jackson put together remarkable scenes. maybe not Oscar worthy, but certainly memorable, such as this one where Travolta accidentally blows the head off a guy in the car

And two of my favorite actors of all time and worthy of a tribute since he died recently, is Gene Hackman and the incredible Dennis Farina who passed away too early (best comedic bad guy in the business) in "Get Shorty"

[Ed Vette]

Sgt. Hartman- Full Metal Jacket
Wicked Witch of the West- The Wizard of Oz

[LennG]

Sgt. Hartman- Full Metal Jacket
Wicked Witch of the West- The Wizard of Oz

Wicked Witch of the West- REALLY

I cannot watch a movie without thinking about how well the actor can go into character where crying or falling apart is so realistic it moves me. Playing "tough guy" or "hero" is far easier to portray, than a man who plays the part of a loser, who has been a hero, but circumstances beyond his control took it away that status

I can think of a few off the top of my head

Tombstone - Doc Holiday (Val Kilmer) no need to expound, everyone knows his acting made the movie a classic

First Blood - John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) - the scene that still moves me years later - should have gotten an Oscar for that performance

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) - I was never a big fan of DiCaprio until this scene. He's a washed-up actor from the days when westerns dominated the movie screen. Put on a pedestal for most of his acting career, it's the 60's and people are no longer fascinated by westerns. His career has plummeted, and he's had a hard time dealing with a downfall. He gets a bit part in a rare western as a loser bad guy, instead of the hero with the white hat and bringing justice upon low-lives. The end of the scene he perfectly portrays his vulnerability when a little girl compliments him - vulnerability is something no man wants to deal with, let alone try to act the part. Certainly worthy of an Oscar IMHO

There are a ton of memorable scenes in Pulp Fiction, but Travolta and Jackson put together remarkable scenes. maybe not Oscar worthy, but certainly memorable, such as this one where Travolta accidentally blows the head off a guy in the car

And two of my favorite actors of all time and worthy of a tribute since he died recently, is Gene Hackman and the incredible Dennis Farina who passed away too early (best comedic bad guy in the business) in "Get Shorty"

[/b]

 Hey Ric, you have always had that affinity for Tombstone. What about Wyatt Earp (Kirk Russell)

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Wicked Witch of the West- REALLY

 Hey Ric, you have always had that affinity for Tombstone. What about Wyatt Earp (Kirk Russell)

Russell was great, but Kilmer stole the show IMO. Kilmer took a great movie and put it over the top as the "Greatest Western in 'MY' time". Sam Elliot was great also, as was Dana Delany, Billy Bob Thornton, Powers Boothe, Bill Paxton (may he R.I.P.), etc. Even Stephen Lang (Ike Clanton), and Sylvester Stallone's brother Frank were magnificent. Everyone in the cast, including Russell, said that Kilmer should have gotten an Oscar for best supporting actor

[GIANTS1]

Napolean Wilson played by Darwin Josten Assault on Precinct 13  1976

[Trench]

John Wayne "In Harms Way"

[bamagiantfan]

Without going only to the leading roles,

Spicoli - Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Sean Penn)
Sgt. Grodin - Platoon (Wilhem Defoe)
Hans Gruber - Die Hard (Alan Rickman)
Captain Jack Sparrow - Pirates of the Caribbean (Johnny Depp)
The Joker - Batman (Heath Ledger)
The Dude - The Big Lebowski (Jeff Bridges)
The Sommolier - John Wick Chapter 2 (Peter Serafinowicz), a small part but a magnificent, memorable, performance.
Bill Bazejowski - Night Shift (Michael Keaton)
Inigo Montoya - The Princess Bride (Mandy Patinkin)