Lance Henriksen and Peter Weller: EnWorld Decides

[Mannahnin]

Weller is a weird leading man. Henriksen is a weird supporting actor. I like them both, but I can't grant the premise.

Speaking of Lance, a couple of Saturdays ago I went and saw Near Dark in 35mm at the Brattle in Harvard Square. It was super fun.

 

[pantsorama]

Have you ever seen "Millennium"? Guy gets no love.

This is why Lance will always top out Weller. He was brilliant in that show. Never throught stoicism could be so emotive, and effective.

 

[Gradine]

I asked my partner, who I would grant as an expert in this field. Her response:
"It's apples and oranges. They aren't the same person. Hendrickson was a great actor with great roles and great scripts. Weller turned absolute garbage into art by selling every minute of it. I reject the question."

 

[aco175]

There are only two kinds of people in the world, those who think there are only two kinds of people in the world, and those of us who know better.

My brother, the teacher, tells his students; "There are three types of people in the world- those that can do math and those that cannot."

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I asked my partner, who I would grant as an expert in this field. Her response:
"It's apples and oranges. They aren't the same person. Hendrickson was a great actor with great roles and great scripts. Weller turned absolute garbage into art by selling every minute of it. I reject the question."

And that's why there's only two options. Because people invariably try to reject the premise because people ... are weak. TAKE A STAND.

Peter Weller was only given absolute garbage? Naked Lunch.

Lance Henriksen only had great scripts and great roles? Have you looked at his work? Of course you're going to be in good films if you try to be in all of them!!! Gingerclown? The Slammin' Salmon? Madhouse?

 

[Sacrosanct]

I asked my partner, who I would grant as an expert in this field. Her response:
"It's apples and oranges. They aren't the same person. Hendrickson was a great actor with great roles and great scripts. Weller turned absolute garbage into art by selling every minute of it. I reject the question."

Yep. I think Lance is a better actor, but Peter has his PHD in Renaissance art history. So as you say, apples and oranges. I like them both. My favorite Weller role was actually in Longmire.

 

[Gradine]

And that's why there's only two options. Because people invariably try to reject the premise because people ... are weak. TAKE A STAND.

Peter Weller was only given absolute garbage? Naked Lunch.

Lance Henriksen only had great scripts and great roles? Have you looked at his work? Of course you're going to be in good films if you try to be in all of them!!! Gingerclown? The Slammin' Salmon? Madhouse?

I think she was thinking specifically in their respective roles in the Aliens and Robocop franchises.

I think the point could be made that Weller is the more expensive hire, and that you get Henriksen when you can't afford Weller, which is certainly a key aspect of the "X is the poor man's Y" characterization. That said...

However, for purposes of this discussion, we are talking only about genre films, specifically science fiction.

with this framing in mind, the answer in unequivocally Henriksen. Weller's contributions to the genre, outside Robocop and one massive-flop-turned-cult-classic, pale in comparison to Henriksen's. There's just no comparison.

e: It's worth pointing out that, as has been mentioned multiple times, Henriksen is simply the better actor, respective career arcs nonwithstanding. Which I don't think you can say for any of the example pairs presented in the OP. Even the ones who are no slouches in the acting themselves, like Plemons.

 

[MGibster]

Have you ever seen "Millennium"? Guy gets no love.

Lance was in Pumpkinhead!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

You can be mean sometimes, Snarf, but this thread is just TOO mean.

... I had to go with Lance, but now I hate myself because I'm a big fan of Weller.

See what you've done!? You monster!

 

[MGibster]

Speaking of Lance, a couple of Saturdays ago I went and saw Near Dark in 35mm at the Brattle in Harvard Square. It was super fun.

I was on the fence until you brought up Near Dark. It's one of the best and sadly underrated vampire movies from the 1980s. It was just overshadowed by The Lost Boys.