Tony Scott was one of the slickest Hollywood filmmakers of his day. His films defined the flashy MTV style of the 80s and 90s films. His quick-cutting direction influenced modern action films from directors such as Michael Bay and Simon West. Scott was responsible for some of the 80s and 90s biggest hits. Films such as Top Gun and Beverly Hills Cop II helped to make Scott one of the most bankable directors in Hollywood.
In the 90s, Scott branched out and began to seek deeper screenplays which led him to better actors for his projects. Tony Scott's films hold some fantastic and unique characters played to the hilt by A-list actors. Here are 10 0f the best.
Sarah Roberts - The Hunger (1983)
Tony Scott's first film was the artistic, philosophical, and erotic 1983 Horror film, The Hunger. Susan Sarandon played Sarah Roberts, a woman who falls under the spell of a centuries-old vampire played by Catherine Deneuve who has just lost her lover, David Bowie.
Sarandon's Sarah is a free-thinking doctor who is working on a cure for an accelerated aging disease. Sarah becomes more than open to Deneuve's charms and lets herself become seduced by the power of eternal life.
Captain Ramsey - Crimson Tide (1995)
Gene Hackman gives a vicious and dangerous (yet human) performance as Captain Ramsey in 1995's submarine thriller, Crimson Tide. Ramsey is about to launch missiles when his First Officer (Denzel Washington) stages a mutiny to stop him.
The character is fascinating, as he isn't truly a villain but a man sworn to do his duty to protect his country. Hackman gives the role a touch of humanity that allows the character to be more relatable.
John Creasy - Man On Fire (2004)
Played by Scott Glenn in the 1987 original, John Creasy is one of the best heroes of Tony Scott's filmography. Scott's 2004 remake of Man on Fire gave Denzel Washington one of his best roles. Creasy was a bodyguard who befriends the little girl he is watching (Dakota Fanning) and goes on a violent quest to find her once he is overpowered and she is kidnapped.
Creasy works as a character due to his being more than a simple hero out to save someone. He has a past and Washington allows the weight of Creasy's past to follow him with his history of violence being written in every gesture and every look.
Ed Mosbey - Domino (2005)
Ed Mosbey was a real modern-day Bounty Hunter who grew tired of the street violence and red tape that he had to go through to make a living by wallowing in the gutters of street violence.
In 2005's Domino, Rourke and his character kept Scott's wild film grounded. Mosbey was the film's symbol of the futility of fighting amongst a corrupt system.
Tibey - Revenge (1990)
In Tony Scott's 1990 film Revenge, Anthony Quinn plays a dear friend to Kevin Costner. After not seeing one another for years. Costner visits his old friend who is now a major gun smuggler. Costner and Quinn's wife (Madeline Stowe) fall in love and things go very bad.
Anthony Quinn was always one of our finest character actors and in this late-career film, he brought a gentleness to his role, although his character proves that he is capable of very real violence. It was believable that one could be seduced by Tibey's charms and fear the repercussions when crossing him.
Domino Harvey - Domino (2005)
Keira Knightly took on the role Domino Harvey, the daughter of actor Laurence Harvey, and gave even more spunk and fire to Tony Scott's film.
Knightly brought an unabashed fury to her role of the rich kid gone bad then gone bounty hunter. Her confidant demeanor and wild abandon gave way to an inner sadness that made the character all the more tragic.
John and Miriam - The Hunger (1983)
In Tony Scott's vampire film, Catherine Deneuve and David Bowie are lovers for centuries. Miriam truly loves John and is saddened by the tragic disease that is making him waste away before her very eyes.
the two vampires spend their days playing classical music and teaching to a young neighbor girl. At night they seek swingers to bring back to their home to feed upon. The tragic love story of their life together gives the film its emotional weight.
Drexel - True Romance (1993)
Tony Scott reached new artistic levels by directing Quentin Tarantino's screenplay for True Romance. As with any Tarantino film, it is filled with wild and interesting characters.
Gary Oldman does great work as Drexel, a drug-dealing white pimp who thinks he is Black. With his dreadlocks and scarred face, Oldman is a sight to behold and makes every line he speaks count. His one scene is a standout amongst a film filled with great moments.
Clifford Worley - True Romance (1993)
Dennis Hopper has always been one of the most respected actors of his generation. When he signed on to play Christian Slater's father in True Romance, no one was prepared for the classic moment he would be a part of.
After Slater goes on the run from The Mob, they come looking. Christopher Walken plays a Mafia enforcer who sits down with Clifford to interrogate him about his son's whereabouts. Through not-so-well-disguised insults, these men challenge one another on their World History. Hopper seems as if he is buying time but there is a masterful moment where one look on his face tells us these are his last words. The acting between these two men is unbelievable and has gone down as one of the finest examples of the craft in movie history.
Alabama - True Romance (1993)
Patricia Arquette gave what is still her best performance as Alabama in Tony Scott's Tarantino adaptation. Alabama is a wild soul with a good heart who falls in love and loves deep.
Her devotion to Slater's Clarence is quite beautiful. The actress brings a human touch to Alabama and, although she gets violent when it is called for, she is the purity of love in Tarantino's world of vulgarity and violence.