Character Study - a Movie Meme (UPDATED)

My old pal Sparky over at Dirt & Noise, knowing full-well my dangerous and unhealthy love of fictional characters at the expense of real-life people, threw down the gauntlet (or, more accurately, a Tweetlet) and challenged me to a movie meme.  Since I'm now entering year three of writer's block I took her up on it. 

The meme is simple: name your ten favorite movie characters. An interesting challenge, as that's not the same as your ten favorite movies.  It took a lot to whittle it down to ten, and I made some hard sacrifices (Darth Vader and the centurion from Life of Brian were the last to fall) but when I look at the final list there's not a weak link.  They may not all be the most nuanced creations, but they're mine.

The Bride (Kill Bill) - For having a purpose, sticking with it, and being unstoppable in its pursuit.

The Dude (The Big Lebowski) - For abiding, and for always protecting his beverage.

Jerry Lundegaard (Fargo) - For perfectly embodying repressed emotions

The McKenzie Brothers (Strange Brew) - It's like two for one, eh.  Beauty.

Blake (Glengary Glen Ross) - Because in life first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado, second prize is set of steak knives, and third prize is you're fired.

Carl Spackler (Caddyshack) - As required by law.  Quotability counts double.

Long Duck Dong (Sixteen Candles) - For living the American dream.

Corky St. Clair (Waiting for Guffman) - For dreaming big, and biting his pillow.

Jules Winnfield (Pulp Fiction) - Because he sure enjoys a tasty burger, and because all he really wants to do is walk the earth, like Caine in "Kung Fu"

Gny. Sgt. Hartman (Full Metal Jacket) - For making men out of maggots.

Questions? Comments? Bueller? Bueller?

UPDATE:  I've made a horrible mistake.  Somehow I forgot to consider perhaps the greatest creation of modern cinema.  All other characters immediately fall down one slot to make room for the king: Randall, from Clerks.

Comments

[Misfithausfrau]

May I just tell you how relieved I am that I have actually seen all of these movies? I was glad to not see a character from an obscure foreign film. Good choices!

[felix]

Great list! I agree about Darth Vader (close contender, but after Lucas mangled I, II, and III, inched him away from top 10.)

[ilinap]

I knew you would do this list justice. The video clips are a nice, and typical Crouton Boy, touch. I'm with you on Long Duck Dong. I considered including Jake Ryan on my list. Figures that I'd choose the hottie and you'd choose the horny dork.

[Kara]

Mmmmm.... Jake Ryan. I did a quick mental tally and half of mine are John Cusack being someone or other.

[croutonboy]

Kara, Rob Gordon and Lane Meyer were both on my very short list. Nuthin' wrong with that.

[Holmes]

Not a bad selection.

[Kara]

Lane Meyer, Rob Gordon, Martin Blank and Lloyd Dobler. Always Lloyd Dobler.

I have a serious Cusack bias.

[mo-wo]

Ah, if only every meme had a Long Duck Dong component.

I'll try to put p-man on this.

[Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah]

I agree. Great list. Missing? Martin Blank, Salieri and the bad guy from Die Hard. Hans.

[the weirdgirl]

Great list! And this must have been a hard one to do. I could never choose.