Nine By Design

Alright folks, I've been working on a couple different projects, but haven't finished anything.  Maybe, if I could learn to work on one thing at a time, something would get finished, but it doesn't work like that here.  So, I've decided to do a weekly list to make sure something gets published on a steady basis. 

Favorite Movie Characters

(Videos May Contain Spoilers and Adult Language, Please Take No Offense, Definitely For Adults Only)

Chris Knight from Real Genius: This was only Val Kilmer's second movie role and he hits it out of the park.  I just wish someone would put him in something good.  The last good thing he was in was, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang...highly recommended if you haven't seen it.


Luke from Cool Hand Luke: I've been trying to remember all morning if this was the first movie I saw of Paul Newman's?  It was either this or the Hustler, so we'll just go with this.  Just an amazing performance, that was nominated for Best Actor in 1968.  

Nigel Tufnel from Spinal Tap: Where to start with this great character created by the mind of Christopher Guest?  Supposedly based on Jeff Beck, who is a perfectionist virtuoso guitarist that has a tendency to be a little "out there."  One of the funniest movies I've ever seen.  It's almost entirely improvised, as just outlines of scenes were written, no dialogue.

Penny Lane from Almost Famous: Who wouldn't fall in love with Kate Hudson in this movie?  A gorgeous girl, that is into rock n roll, that you can talk to and she doesn't laugh or make fun of you.  I'm sold, at least my 16 yr old self would've been.  I definitely would've fallen hard for her.

Aaron Stampler from Primal Fear: Now this is the way to announce your presence in Hollywood.  Still my favorite performance by Edward Norton and that is saying a ton, considering all the memorable characters he's played.  For my money, he's currently the best American actor of our time.  Only my opinion, but look at his body of work.

Sheriff Bart from Blazing Saddles: Richard Pryor co-wrote the screenplay and was supposed to play this role, but his reputation as a racy comedian got the movie execs scared.  So we got the super talented Cleavon Little instead, which is fine by me.  Little, was a Julliard graduate and Tony award winner...so needless to say, he had the chops.  We'd have to wait a couple of years for the first Pryor/Wilder team up.


Beatrix Kiddo/The Bride from Kill Bill Vol.1&2: Not a woman you want to have mad at you.  Uma Thurman hasn't done anything interesting since this movie.  I guess she doesn't want to be an action star, but she's 6 feet tall...she's perfect for it.  Quentin Tarantino has announced Kill Bill Vol. 3 is in the works.  So, let's cross our fingers that it's as good.  We'll get to see Uma as a bad ass again, at least.

Martin Blank from Grosse Pointe Blank: One of the best comedies ever.  Great performances by Dan Aykroyd, Minnie Driver, Jeremy Piven, Alan Arkin and one of the most underrated actors of all-time, John Cusack.  He continues to make excellent movies into his 40's.  I know that doesn't sound like a longtime, but he's been in the business for about 25 years.  Love how he appears in big studio movies, so he can get smaller movies made.  He's a consistently good actor, I understand he may never win an Oscar, but he's always good in everything.

Leonard Shelby from Memento: The first time I saw Guy Pearce was in LA Confidential, another great movie that you should check out if you haven't seen it.  He was a star in Australia before coming to the States, similar to Russell Crowe and Mel Gibson.  Yet, another actor that could be used better, in my opinion.  Needs better projects.

Our first list is done and there will be another next week.  None of this is meant to go into deep analysis on the subjects picked, just a beginning, a jumping off point, so to speak.  Hopefully, you'll take these as recommendations and go out on your own to check them out.  If you ask me the same question tomorrow, you'd get 9 different answers.