1. Dr. Strangelove

When Dr. Edward Teller, the inventor of the Atomic Bomb, died in 2003, the media called him “Strangelove”.

The name was an especially cruel jape if you consider all of the other things Teller did in his lifetime. He was also the head of the research for Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, an attempt to disarm nuclear weapons in space. Tied directly to that was his involvement with laser weapons technology, a new field which Teller championed. Such devices as the F.E.L. (Free Electron Laser), a weapon that toggles the electrons within an atom – freeing them – to create a more powerful laser beam, came about due to his involvement with laser technology. Moreover, Teller was the head of recruiting at the San Francisco based Livermore Weapons Laboratory, a collective of the top minds in the world, all bent towards doomsday research. At his craziest, Teller attempted to develop a laser that could be fueled by the power of a nuclear explosion. With those things in mind, many thought he earned the name of “Strangelove”. Kubrick might have been one of those many people who thought him deserving of it.

Strangelove and his undying mockery
Yes, Teller and other scientists often had a number of things in common with the fictional weapons chieftain. Many scientists who gained influence in the 50’s and 60’s had fled Nazi rule in the 40’s. Although history never recorded it, many might have been divided up piecemeal with other countries once the Nazi regime had come to an end. These weapons designers were quickly put to work in their field of specialty.
They massed power, whispered unknown words into the ears of leaders, and influenced the air of animosity that characterized the Cold War. And Kubrick asked why.
Jeremy once pointed out that Dr. Strangelove did not even show up until halfway through the movie, despite the fact that it was named after him. And yet, he is clearly the centerpiece of this darkly comical opus. Strangelove was a mockery of everything Teller and other influential scientists were. He was an unabashed jab that was masterfully carried out by Peter Sellers (and the seething edge of his sting is still felt to this day). Time went by, wars began and ended at the advice of people like Teller, and Strangelove remained the cruel joke of retaliation.

Every doomsday weapon must have a brilliant mind behind it, you see. And Strangelove was among the very first of such minds to be characterized in motion pictures. He’s the quintessential mad scientist who is tinkering with the fate of mankind to achieve his own ends. At the end of the film, when depression sinks in for the loss of humanity, Strangelove rejoices at the resurrection of his beloved fascism. His forced, yet restrained speech when he utters the word “slaughtered” is a glimpse into his psyche. And his rogue Nazi hand, one of the few things about Strangelove’s persona still pledging allegiance to that bygone evil, seems to have more control over him then even he has.
As such, Strangelove is a commentary on the very nature of weapons scientists and their influence. Strangelove seems to barely maintain an inkling of control over himself. Ironically, the President never stops taking him seriously.

The waroom where Strangelove dwelt

Kubrick was a great fan of Sellers’ performance. In fact, word has it that he couldn’t stop laughing when he was filming Sellers’ war room sequences. Did he know he had created something profound? Would Kubrick suspect that Strangelove would come to represent the vast collective of evil masterminds and madmen throughout the ages? Perhaps. But perhaps he was genuinely touched by the sheer hilarity of the character.
And so it is; Dr. Strangelove continues to remain iconic to this day. Crazy scientists have never really outgrown Kubrick and Sellers’ caricature of their mentality. Their pegging of that era and those unseen historical figures was so acute that it remains credible even now. Of course, real life isn’t nearly so satirical as Strangelove, and Kubrick’s grasp wasn’t meant to be definitive. It’s merely a funny, new creation – the mad scientist and his evil plot.

But it is still a subtle wink….

1. Stuart Little

Surprised? No doubt you are.
The iconic status that Stuart Little reaches is no doubt in part to the clever screenwriting of M. Night Shyamalan. True, each and every character Night created, from Joseph Cross' Joshua A. Beal, to Adrien Brody's Noah Percy, stood as a testament to the overstated beauty of a cinematic icon. But it is Michael J. Fox's vocal treatment, the brilliantly animated character, Stuart Little, who came to represent not just the iconic flair of the Children's genre, but motion picture history itself. His presence here on the list could be counted as a representation of every character ever created, and as a representation of the cinema itself.
Larger than life, with an uncanny smile, Little launched an entire career from this character. He never really deviated from its path for that matter. However, as the fun-living mouse, his character holds the most respectability. Here, he is truly a cinematic icon, and not just some rip-off of so many other rip-offs.
The iconic status of this character is especially interesting to note, because it caused so many other things to take root in filmmaking. What’s more, his legendary presence was sealed because of a number of things not necessarily attributed to Fox's performance.

Ha, ha, ha! Oh, man that cracks me up! Did I actually fool you? Probably not.

Random 1

Man oh man, I just finished the write-up for the last character. It's sitting here, all formatted and ready to be posted, lying in wait in the Eyes Like Static storehouse. I'm gonna let it sit for a few hours though, just so I can come back later and look it over one last time. I catch more mistakes and tend to disagree with my own words if I wait long enough. Anyway, since that's all done I don't really feel like making a long post. I'll just note some things:

So I've been sick for the last few days. I can't even believe it, I feel like it's been one cold right after another. I think I'm finally getting better, but it took long enough. I've enjoyed reading Josh and Jeremy's posts in the meantime. I've also been listening to that new Ted Leo album, which I finally purchased. It's good, really good.

Oh yes, we'll be making some new movies soon. Very soon, I'd expect. Don't worry Gabe! We'll get on it, right away. I think we should get to work on Matt's music video ASAP though. Yes, we have our first actual client, although we're giving him a music video for free (way to go Gabe! (just kidding)). We'll see how that turns out. And hey, we've got the next film challenge to look forward to. And maybe a few other things. Soon enough, I want to put together a reel of the best parts of our combined footage. We can use it to sell ourselves to prospective buyers (sell our talent that is).

2. Darth Vader

Admittedly, I am a big Star Wars fan. However, let me interject here for a moment with a thought: my enjoyment of the series has had absolutely no bearing at all on my selection of Vader as the second most iconic character. None at all. Consider the promotional material for the prequel series and I think you’ll understand why:
For the release of Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace, George Lucas released a lovely one-sheet poster depicting a young Anakin Skywalker with the menacing shadow of Darth Vader looming behind him. Then, in 2001, Lucas released the very first teaser trailer for Star Wars, Episode II. It was a collection of images set to the tone of Darth Vader’s ominous breathing. Finally, for the last Star Wars film, Revenge of the Sith, the director established a trailer that once again revealed the classic villain in all his glory.
Even when we step away from the promotional material for the latest Star Wars film and consider the linage of the previous films we’re faced with a bombardment of the character. On cereal boxes, action figures, t-shirts, magazines and numerous other items, Vader’s insipid mask is proudly plastered.
Is this repeated use of Vader as a promotional tool purely a matter of coincidence? Absolutely not! It’s calculated and specific, intended for public consumption. Lucas and his marketing team know the impact of the character, and they’ve maximized the use of Vader’s image in every possible manner to profit from that impact. In fact, I doubt that the promotional material for the recent Star Wars films would have been as successful without Vader’s overbearing presence. It’s unfair to give you the impression that he’s the ultimate trump card however.
Vader’s iconic nature may have been used to a vast effect in promotional materials the world over, but he is primarily an iconic character because of the brilliance and creativity that went into establishing him. A number of people are to be applauded for this. First and foremost, the character’s design, a ghoulish concoction of black leather and blinking “life support”, can be attributed to the artistic influence of production designer Ralph Macquarie and Industrial Light and Magic. His skeletal mask, a death’s head of terror, was masterfully sculpted together by production artists and visual effect craftsmen. His haunting respiratory system, that deep hissing noise that emanates from whatever scene he happens to be occupying, is the offspring of Foley Artist Ben Burt. Last, but not least, his voice; a sinister tambour vile enough to be a character in and of itself, can be attributed to the vocal performance of James Earl Jones. Without any of these contributions in place the character would have failed. But, when put together, they give birth to a maniacal, devious character…one that has come to symbolize evil in film for several generations. And if Lucas’ use of Vader in promotional material stands as an indication of the future, it is likely that he’ll continue to symbolize cinema evil for many generations to come.
That is why I’ve selected Darth Vader as my second most iconic film character. He’s the reason why lists like these are created! Of course, it could be argued that his recent sullying at the hands of Lucas’ prequel saga diminishes the character’s resonance. Yet, it could just as easily be counter argued that the character’s original magnificence was never brought into question. A few actors have attempted to portray the man behind the mask, and have failed. But the original performance was never a failure. The group of people I mentioned created an icon, and no matter how many follies Lucas creates, that original iconic character can never be taken away.

The 10 most iconic film characters of all time: 3 and 4

4. The Man With No Name

Until Sergio Leone, Westerns were largely un-cool. Driven by crotchety old men who had some self-righteous ax to grind, the Westerns of old were characterized by languid plots and small-minded narratives. Although many are still remembered fondly today, very few have the cinematic panache to stand apart from the genre as a piece of film legend. They lacked style. They lacked presence. And then, in a salute to grandeur itself, Sergio Leone gave the Western its greatest champion.
True, each and every character Leone created, from Eli Wallac’s Tuco, to Angel Eyes, stood as a testament to the overstated beauty of a cinematic icon. But it is Clint Eastwood’s character, The Man With No Name, who came to represent not just the iconic flair of the Western genre, but motion picture history itself. His presence here on the list could be counted as a representation of every character Leone ever created, and as a representation of the cinema itself.
Larger then life, with an uncanny death-glare, Eastwood launched an entire career from this character. He never really deviated from its path for that matter. However, as The Man With No Name, his character holds the most respectability. Here, he is truly a cinematic icon, and not just some rip-off of so many other rip-offs.
The iconic status of this character is especially interesting to note, because it caused so many other things to take root in filmmaking. What’s more, his legendary presence was sealed because of a number of things not necessarily attributed to Eastwood’s performance.
The costume and visual look for instance was a large contributor to his iconic radiance. Some have pointed out that people would have never worn such crazy clothing in the West, but here it doesn’t matter. In Leone’s west, the larger you are, and the more presence you have, the better.
Leone’s choice of shots and angles in covering The Man With No Name also attribute to his iconic status. Extreme close-ups of Eastwood’s scathing eyes, so close that you can practically see the texture in his skin pores, have become an icon unto themselves. Other tasteful close-ups, such as his hand as it compulsively reaches for his gun holster, or his looming presence as he stands over a field of blank desolation, all blend together to make him larger then life. Simply put: The Man With No Name made the Western hero cooler then any other protagonist to grace the silver screen.






3. Indiana Jones

One of the more famous rumors surrounding directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas has been their alleged desire to film a James Bond flick. Apparently, this desire first took root years ago, and some have said that both directors pursued the project to a certain extent. However, those are just rumors. Additionally, Lucas and Spielberg never really went through with filming a Bond picture. Whispers and gossip are all that remain of the lucrative Spielberg/Lucas Bond flick. Something else was left over though.
Yes, neither one have denied the fact that Indiana Jones was a character Lucas created to channel their inspiration for a James Bond story into their own creation. They even got the original Bond, Connery, to play Indiana’s father in the final film of the series. Yet, along the way, Lucas tweaked a few things about the character and made them his own.
First and foremost, Indiana Jones resides in the late 30’s to 40’s. The earliest that Bond showed up was 60’s. Likewise, Indiana seems to be missing a number of subtle intricacies that Bond thrived upon, like that icy disposition or general sense of preparedness. Jones is also a scholar, and not just some brainless agent sent to do some overbearing government’s bidding. He lives for the thrill of the hunt and the attainment of some mystical artifact (not his next female conquest).
So why is he on the list? If he’s just some James Bond knock-off, why am I squandering the third best spot on the list over Spielberg’s aborted ambitions? Well, his character deserves special recognition because of how truly iconic he is. Everything about him makes him an icon. His fedora, whip, leather jacket, and personality all mark him as a top cinematic icon. Even the score by John Williams seems to be an extention of the character’s personality.
What’s more, you always get the sense that he’s always going to be escaping some danger or uncertain death, only to fall into the hands of some greater demise (which, he’ll eventually escape, leaving him at the mercy of some other doom). He is a never-ending cycle of trickery and showboating, a character who exists purely for popcorn enjoyment.
And because of that, Indiana Jones is the third most iconic film character of all time. Heck, he is the reason why lists like these exist. Not including him would have been a crime…

The Drive to Cinematize

Since Brock's not getting off his butt, I'll have to post. Just kidding, bro!

I'm highly motivated to do a new film project. I don't care what I do either, be it actor, director, cinematographer, or gaffer. Part of it has to do with the fact that it's been a little while since my last project. Part of it is that I've seen quite a few great movies lately. Part of it is reading about all of Josh's daily experiences up in New England. Also, Brock, Josh, and I have yet to work all together on the same film. I do believe that once we all team up, magic will happen. Cinema magic, mind you.

A disgruntled participant of last year's 48-hour film contest, put on by the MCAI of Arizona, is putting on his own. It is entitled "The Almost Famous Film Festival." Details can be found at www.ballboy.net. Much to my sadness, I'll be out-of-town during the contest. Brock and Josh, go get 'em!

An old friend who really got me into checking independent movies and such emailed me a short script. He moved to Oregon a few years ago, then to Texas. Now he's in Tucson, not too far away. In fact, I first started a blog with him reviewing movies, called "Gabe and Jeremy's Movie Reviews." This was quite a while before Brock and I started one. We actually did it when he was living in Oregon. We tried to see the same movie the same weekend and review it. I hope to work on his movie soon as well.

January 11th, The Phoenix Film Project will be announcing their next film challenge. They say it will take the next step, whatever that is. But I'm excited to do it.

Don't forget about the Phoenix Film Festival coming up in April. I'm debating whether or not I want to return as a volunteer. It was fun, but a lot of work. Plus, I only got to see two movies.