Added by Mr. Saturn on 4 Sep 2012 11:58

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Bad Guy Protagonists

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Decade: Rating: List Type:

340

8.2

Greed (1924)

But it is most of all Stroheim who rejects photographic expressionism and the tricks of montage. In his films reality lays itself bare like a suspect confessing under the relentless examination of the commissioner of police. He has one simple rule for direction. Take a close look at the world, keep on doing so, and in the end it will lay bare for you all its cruelty and its ugliness. One could easily imagine as a matter of fact a film by Stroheim composed of a single shot as long-lasting and as close-up as you like. - Andre Bazin, What is Cinema?

Mr. Saturn's rating:

2956

8.8

9.5

Breaking Bad (2008)

This video contains spoilers.

Mr. Saturn's rating:

415

8.3

A Short Film About Killing (1988)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

1539

8.5

8.3

M (1931)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

6476

8.8

9.2

The Godfather (1972)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

4616

8.6

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

4967

8.2

Taxi Driver (1976)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

4251

8.3

8.5

Psycho (1960)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

2259

8.1

Raging Bull (1980)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

780

8.3

La Strada (1954)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

385

8.2

7.9

Monsieur Verdoux (1947)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

1190

7.7

Breathless (1960)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

849

7.9

7.8

The Searchers (1956)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

226

7.7

7.5

L'Argent (1983)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

844

8.6

Deadwood (2004)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

1017

7.6

7.8

The King of Comedy (1982)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

1054

8.3

Double Indemnity (1944)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

485

8.3

8.1

Ace in the Hole (1951)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

3283

7.9

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

889

8.2

7.8

Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

6317

8.2

8.3

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

367

8.1

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

579

8.3

8.1

Throne of Blood (1957) (1996)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

2846

8.1

8.2

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

6598

8.2

8.4

The Shining (1980)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

1989

7.7

Dogville (2003)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

871

7.9

8.8

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

197

8.2

A Face in the Crowd (1957)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

616

7.6

Naked (1993)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

1778

7.9

7.8

Nosferatu (1922)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

543

6.3

6.1

The Birth of a Nation (1915)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

1457

7.9

8.1

Barry Lyndon (1965)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

8698

8.3

8.9

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

914

8.2

The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

650

8.1

7.7

Fireworks (1997)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

4435

8.4

8.7

GoodFellas (1990)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

6671

8.2

8.6

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

2593

7.5

8.9

Seinfeld (1989)

The finale shows how the characters are selfish assholes; it was an indictment of the people who sided with the characters' myopic narcissism. One can interpret the show, and the finale, as kind of a misanthropic comedy, equally critical of the protagonists' and the minor characters' selfishness.

Mr. Saturn's rating:

926

7.6

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

7.4

7.2

Les dames du Bois de Boulogne

Mr. Saturn's rating:

907

7.8

7.7

Badlands (1973)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

655

8.1

Le Samourai (1967)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

225

7.1

7.5

Der Fuehrer's Face (1943)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

458

7.5

7.2

Weekend (1967)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

1962

8.6

8.5

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

1138

7.1

6.8

Inland Empire (2006)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

2587

7.4

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

2051

8.2

8.9

Death Note (2006)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

895

7.5

7.6

Three Colours: White

Mr. Saturn's rating:

3855

7.5

7.7

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Mr. Saturn's rating:

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Voters of this movie list - View all

Movies and TV shows where the protagonist is a bad person and not necessarily a villain or criminal. Recommendations are welcome.

I didn't include The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, or the overrated movie The Usual Suspects.

The lists Criminals as Main Characters (TV) and Memorable movie psychopaths, and Tv Tropes - Villain Protagonist helped me make this list.

I didn't include criminals that are only thieves and con-men e.g. Pickpocket, The Lady Eve, Foolish Wives, Trouble in Paradise, Paper Moon ...

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