The new Premiere lists the 100 Greatest Movie Characters Of All Time. Before reading the article, I jotted down my own personal picks, ranked by how strongly they live in my mind. Fun game. (The number in brackets is that character's ranking in the Premiere list).

MEMORABLE CHARACTERS

1. Ferris Bueller
2. Jack Torrance (82) "Honey, I'm home!"
3. Lloyd Dobbler (72)
4. Gollum (10) "My Precious."
5. Rick Blaine (19) "I don't stick my neck out for nobody, see."
6. Atticus Finch (13) "Stand up. Your father is passing."
7. Billy Kwan
8. Hannibal Lecter (15) "Clarice."
9. Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore (59) "Charley don't surf."
10. Henry Higgins "Have you ever met a man of good character where women are concerned?"
11. Stanley Kowalski (85) "Stella!"
12. Eliza Doolittle "I washed my face and hands before I come, I did."
13. Nigel Tuffnel "It goes up to eleven."
14. Sam Spade (80) / Phillip Marlowe
15. Carrie Watts
16. Travis Bickle (22) "I'm God's lonely man."
17. Maude
18. Harold
19. Mr Watanabe
20. Sonya
21. Mary Poppins (45)
22. Marge Gunderson (27)
23. Woody Allen
24. Harold Hill The Think System
25. George Bailey (60)
26. Aragorn
27. Indiana Jones (7)
28. Special Agent Dale Cooper
29. Queen Elizabeth
30. Doc Holliday
31. Augie Wren
32. The Tramp (24)
33. The Man With No Name (50)
34. Dorothy (17) "We're not in Kansas..."
35. Vincent Vega "Royale with cheese."
36. Withnail
37. Rocky Balboa (64)
38. Virgil Tibbs (20) "They call me Mister Tibbs."
39. Jake Gittes (37)
40. Harry Caul
41. Gordon Gekko (25) "Lunch is for wimps."
42. Col. Nathan R. Jessup "You can't handle the truth!"
43. Stevens
44. Samuel Gerard
45. Barry
46. Tracy Flick
47. Don Logan
48. Ernie Capadino "Hey cowgirls, see the grass? Don't eat it."
49. Cher Horowitz
50. John LaRoche
51. Dr. Peter Venkman

The absence of any character with the surname Corleone sinks the list into a pit of irrelevancy.

I've not seen Ferris Bueller's Day off, but the fact that I've not felt compelled to as part of my cinema education (in the way I did with say Travis Bickle) also raises grave doubts about the whole thing.

Leaving out cool hand Luke, whilst clearly very wrong, is at least forgiveable.

Matt

Not a mention of a Star Wars character, either -- considering how these films have become a part of our cultural currency, this is definitely another major oversight. I would've voted for Darth Vader - his costume, voice, and the arc of his moral development make him stand out in particular.

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The absence of any character with the surname Corleone sinks the list into a pit of irrelevancy.

Then you will be pleased to know that Vito ranked Number One on the Premiere list.

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I've not seen Ferris Bueller's Day off, but the fact that I've not felt compelled to as part of my cinema education (in the way I did with say Travis Bickle) also raises grave doubts about the whole thing.

Or reveals you as a high art cinema snob. Ferris rules!

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Leaving out cool hand Luke, whilst clearly very wrong, is at least forgiveable.

Well, it can hardly be "wrong," since this a list of characters who've stuck in my mind. In order to stick there they have to get there first, a feat usually accomplished by viewing the film in which the character appears. Not having seen CHL, I can hardly be faulted for not naming its titular character a personal favourite.

So you can scorn my humbly offered selections but not dare to share any of your own, lest they be similarly harpooned? Snivelling limey coward, I pass wind in your general direction.

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Not a mention of a Star Wars character, either -- considering how these films have become a part of our cultural currency, this is definitely another major oversight.

They beset me behind and before, these list crits! Matt says my brows aren't sufficiently high, while Andrew chides me because they don't reach low enough!! Well, cultural currency be damned. I care not a whit that others are smitten with these adolescent baubles - this is my list for goodness' sake, and since I find these cardboard space opera characters No Big Deal, they don't make the cut.

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I would've voted for Darth Vader - his costume, voice, and the arc of his moral development make him stand out in particular.

Well, just so you know, your pathetic little vote was apparently heard by the Premiere squad - Darth is Number 84.

Oh Ron,

It appears I've made a faux pas extrodinaire :oops: :zap: 'oh

I thought you'd posted the premiere list and it was your own rankings that you'd put in brackets. Having seen so many of these all time 100 lists I've obviously decided that that is a reason not to read properly.:fineprint:

If you wrote that list then it makes a lot more sense, because its entirely subjective. If you've never seen CHL (and y'know you really should) then obviously you can't put him on your list. Whilst I'm still surprised by the absence of Corleone & son, it makes more sense cos if you personally didn't like them, then fair enough you didn't and so you can't list them.

However if Premiere had run such a list, drawing on large numbers of voters, or even a select "board" then the omissions of Vito or Michael would certainly be unforgiveable, but if it's just a personal list then it makes more sense.

That said I offer my heartiest apologies if the (unusually) harsh words caused offence. I really did think I was adddressing the Premiere list. That's actually still not excuse for me being so harsh, so on both counts I'm sorry, and I'll be more careful in future.

:oops:

Matt

Star Wars is No Big Deal? You culturally malnourished fellow, I pity you. Remind me, then, never to discuss with you the deep mythological underpinnings and Jungian archetypes to be found in Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

I, too, thought this list was from Premiere, and your numbers were in parentheses. I'll gladly let Matt do all of the apologizing for this mistake. In the meantime, please allow me to ridicule your number one choice. Ferris Bueller?! (Alan, where's the 'snicker' emoticon?) Frankly, with Bueller holding your top esteem, I'm astonished that such cinematic luminaries as Mr. Bean and Deputy Dawg are not at positions 2 and 3.

Respectfully yours,
Andrew

Well that's more like it! Matt's profusion of emoticons, and Andrew's frameable "Respectfully yours" (I'll disregard the OTHER ill-conceived comments for now, EVEN the references to such list pariahs as Mr B*@!), are more than enough recompense for the abuse I have suffered at their hands.

I thank you,
Ferris thanks you,
Jack and Lloyd and Gollum thank you,
my entire Personal Pantheon of Fictional Film Friends renders a rousing standing ovation.

(Well, actually, Mr Lecter still isn't looking too pleased. But I won't tell him where either of you live....)

Ron