30 Most Influential Movie Characters

The heroes and villains in celluloid's DNA

By Simon KinnearSep 29th 2010
27

Gollum (The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers)

Impact: In George Lucas' imagination, it should be Jar Jar Binks on this list.  But that all-CG creation's impact proved a negative one, earning fanboy scorn and showing up the difficulties inherent in mixing live action celluloid with animated characters.

Peter Jackson, aided by WETA's FX bods, went one better by filming the actor - Andy Serkis - in character (albeit dressed in a big mo-cap suit covered in balls) and using his movements and nuances to make Gollum an integral part of the on-screen action.

Influence: Mo-cap is now the industry standard means of creating CG characters at the top end of Hollywood, with Robert Zemeckis making it second nature.

James Cameron refined the technology to new depths of visual subtlety in Avatar, but it's Serkis and Jackson who remain the go-to guy for breathing life into characters, with their King Kong improving upon Gollum.

If He'd Never Existed:  The Jar Jar backlash would probably have led to Hollywood using hand puppets.

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Comments

    • deedeedragons

      Sep 29th 2010, 10:31

      You seem to be forgetting the contribution James Earl Jones had with Vader, it was kind of important.

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    • deedeedragons

      Sep 29th 2010, 10:34

      Gollum should be higher.

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    • snakes65

      Sep 29th 2010, 12:45

      I'd replace Jackman's Wolverine with Michael Keaton's Batman. Why? Because he was the first 'unusual' casting choice for an action hero/superhero part where to boot the character didn't entirely come across as steretypically macho.

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    • Joshubuh

      Sep 29th 2010, 14:37

      I was anticipating Citizen Kane for the number one spot and yet your choice is better. Touche Total Film.

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    • Hadouken76

      Sep 29th 2010, 17:29

      Lee from Enter the Dragon deserves a mention, it may be a corny movie but (he and it) brought martial arts movies to a global audience.

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    • DravenCage

      Sep 29th 2010, 22:22

      No place on the list for "Cool Hand" Luke makes me cry.

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    • Watchfilmsasone

      Sep 29th 2010, 23:18

      Solid entries, but this list is still lacking. But first, Toshiro Mifune should be much higher on the list. Akira Kurosawa, often with Mifune playing the lead role, made many movies influencing American actors and directors, including one George Lucas, who was heavily influenced by Kurosawa and made a small movie franchise called Star Wars. He straight "borrowed" the storyline and many characters from Kurosawa's "Hidden Fortress." I also don't see how this list couldn't include Bruce Lee's star turn in "Enter the Dragon. Bruce Lee just about singlehandedly paved the way for martial arts movies on the big screen. Now, if only Hollywood wouldn't be so racist and actually give Asian-Americans some lead roles here and there, or actually cast them to play Asian characters, rather than casting white actors. And where is Michael Keaton's Batman? As soon as Burton's Batman came out, for years, just about every movie or show tied to comic books tried to go dark, gritty and sly while also suiting up the main characters in armor similar to that of Batman.

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    • snakes65

      Sep 30th 2010, 14:30

      The list is about how certain characters (from a writing and performance level)in film have specifically inspired other actors, writers and directors to create similar characters and Bruce Lee's star turn in ETD didn't really do that. The film as a whole made martial arts popular but I haven't really seen many martial arts/action flicks since then where I can say the lead character is EXACTLY like Lee's hero. If anything the legacy of the character should have been in giving Asian American actors the opportunity to acquire more lead roles in Hollywood productions....and sadly as you say above that really hasn't happened with any regularity (look at the recent casting issues with THE LAST AIRBENDER for example).

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    • kiltubrid

      Oct 2nd 2010, 11:07

      wheres heath ledgers joker ?

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    • jceaser

      Oct 6th 2010, 5:14

      would have to agree with Bruce Lee. During the 70's every kid i know wanted to be Lee in Enter the Dragon.

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    • Remy61

      Oct 6th 2010, 5:32

      Too bad Monsieur Verdoux is way more fun than the Tramp.

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