Wednesday, April 9, 2014

The 10 Most Iconic Movie Characters (Relay)

Nostra over at My Filmviews has cooked up another great blogathon relay, this time asking fellow bloggers to weigh in on the 10 most iconic film characters of all time. Sati from Cinematic Corner was kind enough to pass the baton to me, but before we get to my pick, here are Nostra’s terms of the relay:

A list of 10 iconic movie characters has been made. That list will be assigned to another blogger who can then change it by removing one character (describing why they think it should not be on the list) and replace it with another one (also with motivation) and hand over the baton to another blogger. Once assigned that blogger will have to put his/her post up within a week. If this is not the case the blogger who assigned it has to reassign it to another blogger. After you have posted your update leave the link in the comments here and I will make sure it gets added to the overview post.

Who Stays
Rocky Balboa

James Bond

E.T.

Indiana Jones

Mary Poppins

Ellen Ripley

The Terminator

The Tramp

Darth Vader

 Who I’m Removing
John McClane

This wasn’t an easy choice because, believe me, few people have seen Die Hard and Die Hard with a Vengeance more than I have. But when weighed against those other nine icons, it felt right to let McClane go. With those two recent, wholly unneeded Die Hard sequels, it seemed like producers thought we needed to be reminded of John McClane’s existence, which is certainly not the case. Like I said, it’s a tough pick, because I love what Bruce Willis did with the character, but I have to let him go all the same. (Sorry, Andrew!)

Who I’m Adding
Dorothy Gale

So here’s the thing: I honestly can’t remember the last time I watched The Wizard of Oz. I don’t remember all the details of the film, I haven’t memorized every song lyric, and hell, I can’t even recall the names of all the main characters. Doesn’t matter. Why? Because the very sight of Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale is an image that will be forever linked to cinema. You see a picture of Dorothy, and you think film. You don’t think of The Wizard of Oz, or Dorothy, or Toto, you think film. Film as a whole, in all its lasting glory. Dorothy is a perfect example of persona and art form forever married to one another. And that, for me, is as iconic as it gets.

Who Gets the Baton Next
That would be my good friend Josh over at The Cinematic Spectacle. Really curious to see who he picks!


And, just for reference, here’s who has contributed to the relay so far:
Nostra from My Filmviews

Keith from Keith & The Movies

Ruth from FlixChatter

Andrew from A Fistful of Films


Sati from Cinematic Corner

Alex from And So it Begins

40 comments:

  1. Great choice of adding Dorothy because it's true; when I see Judy Garland or Gale I think of film in all its fantastical musical glory and the height of Classic Hollywood. Looks like an awesome relay!

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    1. So glad you like my pick! For me, Dorothy IS cinema. Hope the relay makes it your way soon!

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  2. Man. This is like a kick in the nuts trading McClane for Dorothy, but it's an excellent call regardless. The Wizard of Oz, decades later, endures. Die Hard, as great as some of them are, can't really hold a candle to it.

    Tough call. But I like it.

    Yippee ki yay, Judy Garland.

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    1. You gotta love that the sweet ol' gal from Kansas trumps the badass from Nakatomi Plaza. Ha, glad you dig the swap.

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  3. I agree McClane didn't truly fit in. Great choice adding Dorothy!

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    1. Thanks! Loved your pick as well. This really is a great relay.

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  4. Dorothy is a great character. Yes, I love John McClane but.... what the hell have they done with him in those awful sequels?

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    1. Yeah, it's a damn shame. Should've left him alone. Go Dorothy!

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  5. Glad you removed McClane! Not a big Die Hard fan. Nice addition, on your part! I'd also like to see Ripley removed, but, other than that, the list is great.

    This thread is so much fun!

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    1. Tons of fun. I really do dig those original Die Hard flicks, but Dorothy IS cinema, you know?

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  6. Great choice! I haven't seen Wizard of Oz in years either but there are so many things it has etched in everyone's mind forever. It will be really hard to find any other character that has done so. I didn't even know her last name was Gale but all you need is Dorothy and everyone knows who you are talking about.

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    1. Exactly. I had actually forgotten that her last name was Gale until researching this post. Dorothy, really, is all you need.

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  7. I didn't feel John McClane was iconic. An interesting character, but not one I even though about. Dorothy is also one I did not think of but she does stand for a time in cinema which was different and you do think of big studio productions and film. Nice choice

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    1. Thanks! Great relay you have going here, Nostra. I always love your blogathons.

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  8. Great call on both Dorothy and McClane. The latter definitely suffers from the overexposure of 5 movies.

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    1. Thanks man. I had some fun with Live Free or Die Hard, but that last one was just garbage. Yuck.

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  9. Good call Alex. McClane has definitely been spoilt a little as a character thanks to too many shit sequels and I love your reasoning for including Dorothy. She really is a symbol for film itself.

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    1. Thanks man! Once I latched onto Dorothy for this relay, I couldn't think of a single character that was more iconic. That gal helps define an entire art form.

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  10. Great addition with Dorothy. Even though I actually don't like The Wizard of Oz (I know, blasphemy) I can always appreciate Judy Garland's performance and she really IS a symbol for the film.

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    1. Thanks! Honestly, I don't even remember if I like the movie or not. Literally haven't seen it in 2 decades. Regardless, as you say, she IS film.

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  11. OMG! I didn't realize my pick was dispised by so many :-P

    But, HELL YES, Dorothy is the shit and she totally deserves a spot on this and I wish that I had thought of her. She is certainly more iconic than...like everyone on that list actually (save for MAYBE Darth Vader), and yippee ki yay for adding not only another woman, but a character from a decade that wasn't the 70's or 80's!

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    1. Ha! But seriously man, I LOVE John McClane, but one had to go, you know? And yeah, once I saw the male-dominated list, I knew I was going to add a woman into the mix. Glad you like the choice!

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  12. It would take a strong argument to take out John McClane but you've made it well, Alex! It's great to see you add such a colorful character from cinema's classic era.

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    1. Thanks Dan! I love that you referred to Dorothy as colorful - so, so true. I just adore what she's done for movies.

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  13. YAY!! Glad to see another female icon made the list. Nice job Alex!

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    1. I HAD to add another lady to the mix :)

      And 8-2 still isn't a very good ratio. We need more ladies up there!

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    2. I know!! Well I added Princess Leia but it was removed almost right away :(

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    3. People are vicious with those swaps!

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  14. Awesome choice! I'm just glad Ripley stayed :)

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    1. Thanks! Oh hell yeah, I loved your choice. Actually, I'd love to see more empowered female characters up there.

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  15. Oh God, these are all characters I love so much! Dorothy is such a great choice! You nailed it, man! When I think of cinema, I instantly think of Dorothy.

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    1. Thanks buddy! Really happy to hear that you liked the pick!

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  16. Thanks again pal! I'd love to see someone put McClane back in, but you can't go wrong with Dorothy Gale.

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    1. My pleasure! I loved your inclusion of Myers. One of my all-time favorite villains.

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  17. Great choice! Dorothy is certainly an iconic character. I'm surprised it's taken this long for someone to add her, haha.

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    1. Thanks! Yeah man, for me, it was an easy pick. Dorthy IS cinema.

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  18. 1.Why Dorothy Gale and not Travis Bickle?
    2.Aren't too many action heroes? More villains (like Vader) would be better. (Hannibal Lecter!)

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    1. 1. Because I knew other bloggers would vote out Bickle quickly.
      2. I agree, way too many action heroes. But I was only able to take out one.

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