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.

 

[payn]

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.

Weller did nail that retired old curmudgeon sheriff who just doesn't give AF.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Weller for the win.

Between Buckaroo Banzai and Robocop (easily the best quest-for-humanity in sf trope realization outside of Roy Batty) Weller seals it. Lance is great, don't get me wrong, and he gave us Bishop. But nothing that carries a whole film.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Weller did nail that retired old curmudgeon sheriff who just doesn't give AF.

My lifegoals

 

[Ryujin]

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

It's pretty much his schtick. If you want to see someone else who does it well watch another movie that I mentioned recently, "Soldier." Watch when Todd gets a hug and you'll see someone show that he's scared out of his skin, while maintaining a stoic expression.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

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!

Flattery will get you ... EVERYWHERE!

 

[Bedrockgames]

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.

It's a far better vampire film than the Lost Boys though.

He was also in Pumpkinhead

For me, Weller is just slightly more compelling (and he did Robocop). But that might just come down to bone structure; I don't know

Also I think it is a hard comparison because Lance Henriksen feels like more of a character actor and Weller more of a lead (I haven't broken down their roles in an excel spreadsheet so maybe I am not 100% right about that, but it feels like the case)

 

[Bedrockgames]

Also while we are celebrating actors, definitely would like to tip my hat to the work of Brad Dourif (who I didn't realize was in so many of my favorite movies until I went back and watched them all)

 

[payn]

Also while we are celebrating actors, definitely would like to tip my hat to the work of Brad Dourif (who I didn't realize was in so many of my favorite movies until I went back and watched them all)

We are not celebrating actors, we are pitting them against one another!

 

[Ryujin]

Could throw in Rutger Hauer for a trifecta.

 

[MGibster]

For me, Weller is just slightly more compelling (and he did Robocop). But that might just come down to bone structure; I don't know

I primarily know Weller from three things: Robocop, Dexter, and Buckaroo Banzai. And I don't really like Buckaroo Banzai.