Metallo
New Member
The worlds finest heroes
Posts: 17,075
|
Post by Metallo on Dec 21, 2008 22:57:04 GMT -5
Which one of these bald bastards gave Superman the biggest run for his money to make him your favorite?
|
|
|
|
Post by belloq on Dec 21, 2008 23:10:43 GMT -5
i'm a Hackman man through and through. one of my all time favorite actors. but Spacey owned that fucking character. he found the right measure of evil to go along with the humor that Hackman created + a dash of prick with a pinch of douchery, all to make a delicious EPIC soup.
|
|
matt
New Member
Posts: 2,537
|
Post by matt on Dec 21, 2008 23:41:33 GMT -5
Gene Hackman and Kevin Spacey.
|
|
SGB
New Member
Posts: 15,265
|
Post by SGB on Dec 22, 2008 1:45:08 GMT -5
Sherman Howard.
|
|
Shane
New Member
Posts: 2,031
|
Post by Shane on Dec 22, 2008 3:35:18 GMT -5
Spacey
|
|
|
|
Post by Jimbo on Dec 22, 2008 13:19:25 GMT -5
Gonna have to go with Rosenbaum.
As far as the show goes, he's had the best material. He's also the scariest of the lot. While his role seems to be largely done now, he was Lex consistently for 7 years, going from slightly amiable to evil incarnate.
Spacey is a close second.
|
|
|
|
Post by crazy_asian_man on Dec 22, 2008 13:43:43 GMT -5
So far, I'd have to agree.... Hackman gave a great performance, but the script that Donner got always had a giant amount of campiness put into the Luthor character. It works hilariously when pitted against (what should have been) dead-serious Phantom Zone Criminals... but I've always argued that Luthor has never been the scary genius that could have/should have been a par with the level of intensity that the Joker carries (when done right in the comics and in Nolan's TDK).
For whatever flaws Smallville has, it did have a fantastic Luthor- and a giant part of that is also Rosenbaum.
Should Smallville's version of Luthor have been in the movies, though?
Not IMO, though--- the Smallville guys already said that in their version of what they would have done if given the chance to do the movie, Luthor would be the president of the US that Supes has to battle.
Hackman has a fantastic screen presence regardless of playing comedy or straight dramatic roles. It would have been interesting to see how he would have played it, if the role was solely as a cold-blooded madman-genius with no trace of humor.
Spacey did a fine job, but I still maintain that the idea of the character being obsessed with real estate REALLY undermines how powerful and scary his character can/could have been. Singer added a layer of sadism to the character, that works, but I have yet to meet anyone that's in love with the idea of 'land, land, land' being the core of Lex Luthor for either Hackman or Spacey.
|
|
Legsy
New Member
Alright, alright, alright...
Posts: 15,339
|
Post by Legsy on Dec 22, 2008 14:15:39 GMT -5
Gonna have to go with Rosenbaum. As far as the show goes, he's had the best material. He's also the scariest of the lot. While his role seems to be largely done now, he was Lex consistently for 7 years, going from slightly amiable to evil incarnate. Spacey is a close second. Rosenbaum scared the crap out of me on several occasions. His portrayal of Lex is brilliant! Hackman comes in at number two for me, though. Then Spacey at #3. |
|
|
|
Post by stargazer01 on Dec 22, 2008 14:40:24 GMT -5
This is too easy for me: Kevin Spacey!
I just found him so delicious in the role. He was cold, menacing and the most sinister live action Luthor I've seen (besides the Luthor from the recent JL cartoons), IMO, and he even found time for humor. But when he had to be bad, he was really, really bad. I felt like he truly hated The Man of Steel. He became the devil himsef during the beating he gave to Superman in NK ("Now, fly!"), IMO. Spacey is a really a fantastic actor, no wonder why he is an Academy Award winner.
I also enjoyed Rosembaum in the role. He is a very good actor, but I never found him scary or menacing enough as Luthor. It was all blah, blah, lol. ;D I actually cared about his character more than Welling's Clark! I thought he was was more likable somehow. Don't know exactly why but it is. I just never liked Clark's characterization in the show; he was annoying sometimes, imo. I think it has a lot to do with Welling's acting.
Hackman is also a fantastic actor with great presence. But his Luthor was too campy and corny, imo. I'm sure that with better material he could have been perfection in the role.
Yeah, this are my favorite ones, I think. I haven't seen enough from the others, if any, to tell.
|
|
MerM
New Member
Posts: 6,665
|
Post by MerM on Dec 22, 2008 14:44:42 GMT -5
Metallo, you left out Robert Vaughn. ;D
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2008 16:55:31 GMT -5
Rosenbaum's pretty damn amazing as Lex but his lines are just...ugh. Waaaay too hammy and cliched and heavy handed.
Oh, you're gonna be the bad guy one day? And Clark's gonna be the good guy? Heroes? Villians? Destinies? Yeah? Really? Who the fuck TALKS like that?
Given better material, he'd be hard to beat, but with the shit has had to say on Smallville, eh...I'd say he's third.
Hackman's first. Spacey's a distant second. We got three Luthor performances from Hackman. Just one from Spacey. Hard to say subjectively, y'know?
|
|
Kirok
New Member
"You have failed this city!"
Posts: 3,179
|
Post by Kirok on Dec 22, 2008 17:53:04 GMT -5
Rosenbaum gets my vote. Shocking, I know.
Shea is second in my book, he was brilliant in L&C (in the first season at least), despite having hair.
Hackman is third, let down by the camp he was surrounded with.
Spacey was alright, but I expected more out of him. It's not all on him though, the story and character (being a continuation of the Donner Luthor) had a lot to do with it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ollie W on Dec 22, 2008 23:41:48 GMT -5
Easily Gene Hackman.
Didn't mind John Shea.
Spacey was awful.
|
|
|
|
Post by MAVERICK on Dec 23, 2008 2:07:33 GMT -5
Spacey. Hes everything I ever wanted in a Lex. His theme music also kicks more ass than can be explained.
Hackman's performance is magnificent, but is tainted badly by the existence of Otis & that goofy music assigned to him.
|
|
ye5man
New Member
1%
Posts: 7,928
|
Post by ye5man on Dec 23, 2008 4:24:42 GMT -5
Hackman had the most gravitas IMO. I thought he was wonderful in SIV
Yeah, pity Spacey and Rosenbaum have such crap to work with. Both have huge potential.
|
|
|
|
Post by stargazer01 on Dec 23, 2008 13:28:43 GMT -5
I can't fathom why would people say that Hackman played a better Lex than Spacey. Really, I can't.  |
|
Kirok
New Member
"You have failed this city!"
Posts: 3,179
|
Post by Kirok on Dec 23, 2008 15:37:12 GMT -5
Even in Superman IV I think Hackman was a superior Luthor to Spacey. But again, a lot of it has to do with the writing.
"Goodnight sweet prince. Parting is...inevitable."
VS.
"Now fly."
Please...
|
|
|
|
Post by Jimbo on Dec 23, 2008 16:32:33 GMT -5
Hackman also had a better theme to work with in Superman IV. STM and S2 was just the March of the Villains, and was comical in tone. Courage's adaptation was darker, and frankly better.
It's true though. Hackman was the best part of Superman IV. He gave a good performance.
|
|
Legsy
New Member
Alright, alright, alright...
Posts: 15,339
|
Post by Legsy on Dec 23, 2008 16:55:13 GMT -5
Hackman also had a better theme to work with in Superman IV. STM and S2 was just the March of the Villains, and was comical in tone. Courage's adaptation was darker, and frankly better. Thems fightin' words! |
|
|
|
Post by Jimbo on Dec 23, 2008 16:57:50 GMT -5
STM's score is so oversaturated. If I want to listen to a Superman score, then it's one of the sequels. That way, the themes feel fresh again.
|
|
|
|
Post by fggafagas on Dec 23, 2008 17:06:47 GMT -5
STM's score is so oversaturated. If I want to listen to a Superman score, then it's one of the sequels. That way, the themes feel fresh again. I feel the same way, especially when it comes to the concert version of the theme. It's used in every Superman music video on youtube, and it's become bland. I've never liked the beginning either, it doesn't flow well with the rest of the theme. |
|
Legsy
New Member
Alright, alright, alright...
Posts: 15,339
|
Post by Legsy on Dec 23, 2008 17:10:54 GMT -5
I love the score for SR. LOVE IT!
|
|
|
|
Post by stargazer01 on Dec 24, 2008 13:03:25 GMT -5
Even in Superman IV I think Hackman was a superior Luthor to Spacey. But again, a lot of it has to do with the writing. "Goodnight sweet prince. Parting is...inevitable." VS. "Now fly." Please...  I'm sorry but I could never take anything in SIV seriuously. It really is a very painful "movie" to watch for me. Not even Reeve saves it. That line in SR (Now Fly!) is down right EPIC, mythic and badass, imo. Luthor was questioning Superman's divinity, come on! Plus it is all part of a greater context. On the other hand, Luthor's lines in SIV are campy and cheesy as it gets. But that's me. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2008 12:32:26 GMT -5
easily hackman. Followed by John Shea i actually didnt like spacey, i dont even know why, just his delivery, i just didnt like it  John shea for me was the best thing about the early episodes of L &C. Really liked his portrayal. |
|
|
|
Post by ReeveIsSuperman on Dec 29, 2008 0:18:30 GMT -5
Voted Gene Hackman but Spacey was the best thing about SR. He stole the show but that's not a good thing.
|
|
