Men Who Watch the World Burn

It seems that there’s a very specific way you look at cameras when you’re a murderous, destructive psychopath. Someone caught on to the trend and compiled this amalgam that shows Alex, the Joker and Tyler Durden all looking quite menacing.

Who would win in a free for all here? That’s tough. Does Durden’s being imaginary work against him? Oh, did I just ruin Fight Club for you? Well the statute of limitations expired on that about five years ago, so tough luck.

We need more psychopathic ladies in films. I’m having trouble thinking of one that would compare to any of these guys.

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15 Comments

  1. It’s usually called “The Kubrick Look”, that look where the character (usually a psychopath) leans his head down so his eyes are looking up at you from under their eyebrows (such as in the beginning of A Clockwork Orange). Stanley Kubrick is famous for making it popular, and it’s used in a hell of a lot of his films, like Clockwork, The Shining, and even Gomer Pile in Full Metal Jacket (when he loads the gun).

    Just thought you’d like to know 🙂

  2. What about the lady from Stephen King’s Misery? She’s not only a horrible person, she’s introduced with the expectation that she’s a nice person (if a little messed up, well a little turns into a lot).

  3. that’s a tough choice as to who would win in a fight..

    The Joker would be laughing through every punch, and without a knife, a lead pipe or rabid dogs (going with the Nolan one of course) I don’t know how much of a fighter he really is..

    Alex – would go with a ver theatrical fight which would make Joker laugh even more, and maybe even avoid hits buuut…

    Tyler – is the definite tough guy, he’s fighting for fight’s sake…

    so maybe I’m inclined towards him…

  4. @Bing Crosby

    Paths of Glory (1957) has a variation of “The Kubrick Look” which would out-date Psycho (1960). Although, that depends on how far down the head has to lean, I guess, and anyway Psycho would be the more popular choice and more influential choice.

    But Kubrick did make it famous; he used variations of it in almost every one of his films. 😛

    It may also come down to which director you like better . . . but that gets nasty, because people usually disagree with my opinion of directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, Christopher Nolan, or David Fincher. And Kubrick, for that matter. It’s weirdly popular for film buffs to discredit Kubrick. In some cases I guess I agree (Lolita, and even A Clockwork Orange on the director’s behalf), but usually I end up defending him.

  5. EDIT: Looking up further, it’s seen in Dr. Caligari, which is from the 20s. However, the look is often credited as an homage to Kubrick (such as: Heath Ledger had been watching Clockwork Orange before shooting when he did the look, and said it influenced him in the scene).

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