Who was Schwarzenegger's best character?

[Starkers]

"Remember when I said I'd kill you last? I lied."

"I don't know why they don't just call him Girl George, it would save the note of confusion."

"Let off some steam, Bennett!"

John Matrix, accept no substitutes...

 

[MyCylon]

I think I'd probably have to say Houser / Quaid.

 

[Samurai8472]

Dr. Alex Hesse

Junior

 

[SlyCardie]

John Matrix is up there just because of his name, but I think Quaid takes it for me.

 

[Ethros]

Douglas Quaid/ Hauser from Total Recall

What he said


And an honourable mention for Ivan Danko from Red Heat

 

[FPAlpha]

Conan: What gods do you pray to?
Subotai: I pray to the four winds... and you?
Conan: To Crom... but I seldom pray to him, he doesn't listen.
Subotai: [chuckles] What good is he then? Ah, it's just as I've always said.
Conan: He is strong! If I die, I have to go before him, and he will ask me, "What is the riddle of steel?" If I don't know it, he will cast me out of Valhalla and laugh at me. That's Crom, strong on his mountain!
Subotai: Ah, my god is greater.
Conan: [chuckles] Crom laughs at your four winds. He laughs from his mountain.
Subotai: My god is stronger. He is the everlasting sky! Your god lives underneath him.
[Conan shoots Subotai a skeptical look. Subotai laughs]

Is there even a question? Conan!

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

#1 is Conan...for being iconic and quotable

#2 is the original Terminator for being stone cold badass.

#3 is Hauser/Quaid "Cohagen, giv dos peephole air!"

 

[Captaindemotion]

I'd say the original Terminator. It's almost certainly his most iconic role and probably the most widely quoted, just for 'I'll be back.' Plus the role suited his wooden delivery perfectly. There was something eerily mechanical and robotic in his performance that just worked brilliantly. Lance Henriksen is an infinitely better actor, but had he played the role (as was originally planned), I suspect that it wouldn't have become the classic cult movie it did.

 

[JustKate]

Did he have any good ones?

Return to your regularly scheduled program.

 

[Emher]

Conan. At least in the firs movie where he didn't speak much.

 

[Aragorn]

I'd say the original Terminator. It's almost certainly his most iconic role and probably the most widely quoted, just for 'I'll be back.' Plus the role suited his wooden delivery perfectly. There was something eerily mechanical and robotic in his performance that just worked brilliantly. Lance Henriksen is an infinitely better actor, but had he played the role (as was originally planned), I suspect that it wouldn't have become the classic cult movie it did.

Random trivia: They decided against OJ Simpson playing the terminator because they thought no one would believe him as a killer.

 

[DarthPipes]

Harry Tusker in True Lies. Probably his best performance (Terminator aside) and most well-rounded character.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I like most everything from True Lies and before, certainly my favorite movie star growing up. Conan, Matrix, T800 and Quaid are probably the tops.

 

[Thrall]

Conan: What gods do you pray to?
Subotai: I pray to the four winds... and you?
Conan: To Crom... but I seldom pray to him, he doesn't listen.
Subotai: [chuckles] What good is he then? Ah, it's just as I've always said.
Conan: He is strong! If I die, I have to go before him, and he will ask me, "What is the riddle of steel?" If I don't know it, he will cast me out of Valhalla and laugh at me. That's Crom, strong on his mountain!
Subotai: Ah, my god is greater.
Conan: [chuckles] Crom laughs at your four winds. He laughs from his mountain.
Subotai: My god is stronger. He is the everlasting sky! Your god lives underneath him.
[Conan shoots Subotai a skeptical look. Subotai laughs]

Is there even a question? Conan!

QFMFT! I also like:

Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that today, two stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you Crom, so grant me this one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to hell with you!

:General: My fear is that my sons will never understand me... Hao! Dai ye! We won again! [Cheers] This is good. But what is best in life?
Minion: The open steppe, a fleet horse, falcons at your wrist, and the wind in your hair.
General: Wrong! Conan, what is best in life?
Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women!

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that today, two stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you Crom, so grant me this one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to hell with you!

:General: My fear is that my sons will never understand me... Hao! Dai ye! We won again! [Cheers] This is good. But what is best in life?
Minion: The open steppe, a fleet horse, falcons at your wrist, and the wind in your hair.
General: Wrong! Conan, what is best in life?
Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women!

Ah, that is good.


That movie had some good dialogue, I like this bit from the director's cut:

CONAN
I remember days like this, when my father took me to the forest and we ate wild blueberries. More than 20 years ago. I was just a boy of four or five. The leaves were so dark and green then. The grass smelled sweet with the spring wind. Almost 20 years of pitiless combat. No rest, no sleep like other men. And yet the spring wind blows, Subotai. Have you ever felt such a wind?

SUBOTAI
They blow where I live too. In the north of every man's heart.

CONAN
It's never too late, Subotai.

SUBOTAI
No. It would only lead me back here another day. In even worse company.

CONAN
For us, there is no spring. Just the wind that smells fresh before the storm.

 

[Brolan]

CONAN!!!!!