Top 5 – Alan Rickman Performances

My excitement for Oscar nomination day quickly diminished when I found out that the great Alan Rickman had passed away.  Rickman was one of our finest actors and, sadly, overlooked by almost everyone.  He was one of the most under-appreciated actors because he consistently did fantastic work in every movie and we always expected greatness.  Let’s honor the man by looking back at him at his best.

5 – SHERIFF GEORGE OF NOTTINGHAM in ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THEIVES (1991)

In arguably the most exciting adaptation of Robin Hood ever, Rickman steals the show as the villainous, despicable Sheriff of Nottingham.  The movie it a lot of mindless action, filled with thrilling fight scenes and explosions that makes it seem like Michael Bay would be at the helm.  Rickman is the best thing about this movie, and has the classic line, “That’s it, then. Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call of Christmas!”  Only a true actor could say such an insane line with such class.

4 – METATRON in DOGMA (1999)

Rickman’s voice is as iconic as that of Morgan Freeman or James Earl Jones.  So when he was cast as the anatomically impaired Metatron, a.k.a The Voice of God in Kevin Smith’s controversial religious dramedy, it was pitch perfect.  Smith is a writing wiz, and Rickman reads the religious heavy and foul dialog as smooth as anyone.  It is one of the best performances Smith has had in one of his films and showed the beginning of Rickman’s comedy skills.

3 – ALEXANDER DANE in GALAXY QUEST (1999)

In the same year as Dogma, Rickman really got to flex his comedic chops in this hilarious science fiction spoof.  Playing a serious actor now on a cheesy T.V. show who is throw into a space universe, Rickman’s dry sense of humor will bring you to tears.  He has a great rapport with co-stars Tim Allen and Sigourney Weaver, as well as with the aliens, who look at him as in God of sorts.  It was the perfect combination of his ability to act in action, comedy, and science fiction, proving how rounded Rickman was as an actor.

2 – PROFESSOR SEVERUS SNAPE in HARRY POTTER (2001 – 2011)

Arguably his most iconic performance, Alan Rickman was probably the only person in the world who could have played Professor Snape.  Through out the ten years and eight films of the Harry Potter franchise, we see Snape’s character change from leader of Slytherin House to becoming one of the most important figures in Harry’s life and the story.  He peels back the layers and brings us a character we thought we knew, but is more complex than anything we could have thought.  It is a fully realized performance and it is because of Rickman’s talent to play a villain and a hero that allowed this to happen.  Snape is the most fascinating character in all of Harry Potter and that all has to do with Rickman’s performance.

1 – HANS GRUBER in DIE HARD (1988) 

Rickman’s U.S. big screen debut is one of the most legendary performances of all-time.  Hans Gruber is the gold standard for movie terrorists and movie villains.  He’s as smart as he is brutal, with a suave demeanor to him that makes you love him.  His unpredictable nature keeps us on the edge of our seat the whole movie.  This was one of the first times in movie history that you may have been rooting for the bad guy to win, he’s that great.  Criminally robbed of an Oscar nomination for this film, Rickman made Hans Gruber an icon.  This is one of the greatest movie villains of all-time, and for me personally, easily in the top three.

R.I.P to a legend.  You will truly be missed Alan Rickman.

What are your favorite Alan Rickman performances?  Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @kevflix or on Facebook at Kevflix.