Being the bad guy takes more than a stern visage and the occasional mustache twirl.
Just ask David Warner.
The British actor gave us a string of memorable villains in the late 1970s/early ’80s, capped by his work in the cult classic “Tron.”
Yes, Warner wears a silly square-ish hat, but as the embodiment of the Master Control Panel he oozes with contempt for our digitized heroes. It’s a performance that holds up nicely, and, shockingly, so does much of the film which makes its overdue Blu-ray debut April 5.
Warner played the heavy – again – in the Python-esque romp “Time Bandits,” but his most fiendish turn came in “Time After Time.” The rollicking 1979 thriller pitted H.G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell) versus Jack the Ripper (Warner). It’s one movie that needs to come out on Blu-ray, stat.
Wikipedia notes Warner was considered for the Freddy Krueger role in “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” but a scheduling conflict scotched the deal.
Robert Englund handled the assignment with aplomb, but Warner would have put his own wicked twist on the iconic film monster.
Warner can currently be seen in the medieval horror tale “Black Death.” His “Tron” co-stars sing his praises in this clip from one of the Blu-ray extras included in the new disk.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I have been a fan of his for a really long time. He has been in so many great films. I am so glad you mentioned Time After Time because not only is he great in that but it’s such a wonderful film. I agree. It needs to come out on Blu-ray.
Perhaps his greatest screen moment came in “The Omen,” and while he wasn’t a villain he did lose his head over the notion of a devilish young lad.
David Warner is a fantastic actor. He can play an evil role quite well (like those mentioned above and Titanic) but he can also inhibit memorable and good roles as well.
If you need proof of this just watch “A Christmas Carol” starring George C. Scott. Warner was cast as Bob Cratchitt in this film and gave us one of the best performances in this minor, and yet all important role.
“A Christmas Carol”… Hey, that was the first horror movie I ever saw! (seriously, it scared the crap outta me)
There’s been talk recently of a “Time Bandits” remake which I find very depressing. I can’t help but think it would be a very sanitized version without the original’s darkly funny tone.
Most English themed villians that I see have something that most of their American counterparts can’t seem to grasp, they all appear to be comfortable in thier roles as evil. Too many American actors want to put too much effort or emotion into the character and it comes off as more natural to audiences that someone who is truely evil wouldn’t have a problem being such. To them it is normal to want to kill and maim their enemies, without a tought afterwards or any pangs of guilt. English actors simply go with it and the lines roll off the tongue.
Great point, Aleric. I remember watching John Travolta as the heavy in the Taking of Pelham remake and thinking, he’s trying too hard …
It’s partly David Warner’s fault I’m not impressed by Batman Begins and the Dark Knight. Liam Neeson’s great and all, but to me Ras al-Ghul will always be David Warner (who voiced him in the animated series). Nobody can put as much hatred into the single word “detective”, or describe schemes of mass genocide quite so chillingly.
It probably also helped that the animated Ras is, as he was in the comics, an immortal eco-terrorist who wants to return the human population to its level when he was young…in the 14th century. Then again, most of the critics who thought Batman Begins was so great probably support that policy.