Post: #1

I'd like to put together a list of movies with strong male lead characters. This seems to be less and less common these days. The "Red pill movies" thread seems to focus more on Beta to Alpha transitions (or the opposite) and movies that highlight hard truths in the dating scene (such as Blue Valentine). So many movies these days showcase beta behavior, white knighting, and emotional instability in the lead roles. I predict most of the movies listed here will be pre-millennium.


One shining example I can think of is "Road House" with Swayze.

Post: #2

Master and Commander

Post: #3

Scarface

Goodfellas

Godfather Movies(I only count the first two)

The Usual Suspects

American Psycho

Wolf of Wallstreet

Van Helsing(I have a soft spot for the Kate Beckinsale in her prime so barely counts)

Off the top of my head

Post: #4

Bullitt
The Towering Inferno

Post: #5

Repo Man..The main character, Otto's response: 'Fuck that!' when asked by the girl, 'What about our relationship?'

Post: #6

Taken

The Drop

John Wick

Godfather and the sequel

Shawshank Redemption - Mainly because he fucking perseveres.

Post: #7

The Maltese Falcon, starring Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade

Post: #8

(02-15-2016 04:03 PM)The Man w/ the Golden Gun Wrote:  The Maltese Falcon, starring Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade

Absolutely. Great film, a classic all around.


I was thinking of doing a "classic film noir" thread as well, but there's only really a handful of good ones.

Detour (1945)

Double Indemnity (1944) are two classic noirs featuring a femme fatale character.

I'm not so sure about "The Drop" having a strong male lead, he's kind of a simp.

Post: #9

All of the ones off the top of my head are based on true stories, which I think makes them even better.

Apollo 13 - The Flight Director, Gene Kranz especially. Tom Hanks could have played Jim Lovell a bit better but all around a great movie.




The Finest Hours - EDIT: I forgot to note that Bernie isn't really an alpha in civilian life but once he's out at sea, his sheer will to do his duty brings it out.




13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

Post: #10

The Raid 1 and 2

Post: #11

Robert De Niro in A Bronx Tale:





Elias in Platoon:





They weren't the lead characters in either of those movies, but both were strong father figures influencing the lead. They played good men who were tough when they needed to be, but they still had morals.

In both movies, they were generally trying to protect the lead character from the corrupting influence of another father figure who was leading the main character astray (Barnes in Platoon and the mob boss in A Bronx Tale).

Post: #12

Any movie with Sean Connery.

Post: #13

Any movie with Clint Eastwood, Clark Gable, and Errol Flynn

But 300 is my favorite

Post: #14

The Outlaw Josey Wales

Post: #15

Post: #16

(02-15-2016 04:19 PM)Icepasian Wrote:  Apollo 13 - The Flight Director, Gene Kranz especially. Tom Hanks could have played Jim Lovell a bit better but all around a great movie.

Apollo 13, certainly. In Kranz you have the unusual situation of one man of win being portrayed by another.

The only disturbing element is Kranz having to refer to someone, anyone in Control as 'sir', because there doesn't seem to be anyone else present able to marshal the flight control team to get shit done.





Not to worry though, Harris as Kranz is able to muster the kind of stare that induces lesser men to shut the fuck up and get with the program.

Post: #17

"The greatest pleasure is to vanquish your enemies and chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth and see those dear to them bathed in tears, to ride their horses and clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters."

Post: #18

Anything with Ed Harris should qualify. He's the fucking man. Even when he is meant to be unlikable (Glen Garry Glen Ross) he still comes across powerfully. He plays the role of an unhinged, pissed off failed salesman to a T in that movie.

Post: #19

Sicario

Post: #20

One more suggestion, anything with John Holmes.

Post: #21

Edited to add:

Post: #22

(02-15-2016 06:17 PM)Praetor Lupus Wrote:  

(02-15-2016 04:19 PM)Icepasian Wrote:  Apollo 13 - The Flight Director, Gene Kranz especially. Tom Hanks could have played Jim Lovell a bit better but all around a great movie.

Apollo 13, certainly. In Kranz you have the unusual situation of one man of win being portrayed by another.

The only disturbing element is Kranz having to refer to someone, anyone in Control as 'sir', because there doesn't seem to be anyone else present able to marshal the flight control team to get shit done.

Not to worry though, Harris as Kranz is able to muster the kind of stare that induces lesser men to shut the fuck up and get with the program.

Believe it or not, that man plays Gene's boss, the NASA Administrator Thomas O. Paine(who isn't named in the movie). Kranz was the Flight Director so he had the floor but Paine was still there for pretty much the entire time overseeing everything. You can see Kranz defer to him in the movie at times such as when he looks over and states "the LM just became a lifeboat". For the most part however, the administrator is kept as a secondary character except for a single press conference and the scene that you linked above. In reality, Paine was making high-level decisions with other senior bureaucratic officials concurrently with Kranz. He wasn't the mere spectator that the movie portrayed him as.

Also, NASA at the time was a pseudo-military organization led by former military officers who tended to keep the military's strict rules regarding courtesy and hierarchy. That's the reason why Kranz says "sir" to Paine and no one else. In fact, look at the backgrounds of the senior NASA officials at the time and those of the astronauts if you're interested. Nearly all were former military officers of middle-to-high rank in their respective branches. Today, NASA is a civilian agency but we have to remember that during the 60s, NASA wasn't just a civilian space program, it was also an ICBM development program with integrated PR.

Post: #23

Mesrine, Part 1 Killer Instinct and Part 2 Public Enemy No. 1

Its a french movie but its easy to find subtitled versions and well worth having to read the dialogue.

Main character Jacques Mesrine is played by Vincent Cassel and is the epitome of alpha. The movie is based on the real French criminal who gives the movie its name, he was a famous bank robber among many other exploits. The guy was a total badass and Cassel gives an electrifying performance. In addition to the bank heists, prison breaks, kidnappings and general kick-assery there's a number of good scenes between him and his many female conquests.

This is one of the best movies I've ever seen, highly highly highly recommend

Post: #24

Reservoir Dogs

Undisputed

Predator

Post: #25

None of you pilgrims watch John Wayne movies?