# The best Satan **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2012, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637 "2012-03-13T12:35:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/1 "2012-03-13T12:35:00Z")
Although I don’t believe in Satan as a real being, he does make a good character. Who do you think portrayed Ol’ Scratch the best? TV or movies. If you want to throw books in there I won’t stop you but thats not what I had in mind. Please say why. Does he come closest to how you think he actually is? Is it the best written or acted? To me its [Ray Wise](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0936403/) in the show _Reaper_. He was charming, personable and funny. Just the kind of guy that could get you to sign a contract for your soul. But in an instant he would change to evil and menacing. I liked the show and was sorry to see it go. He was the best part of it. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/2 "2012-03-13T12:38:43Z")
My favorite is from a almost-but-not-quite-obnoxiously-Indie movie called **Highway 61** , about a jazz magician and a manic pixie dream fairy who carry a corpse from Canada to New Orleans, chased all the way by the Devil. Only the Devil may just be a loser who’s convinced he’s the Devil: he grants people their deepest desire in exchange for their soul, which he contracts for by snapping a Polaroid of them and putting a dot of their blood on it. He’s really just a horrible person, in the sense that he says really mean things to people to corrupt them, like when he tells a cute little girl in a Christian Family Band that she’ll never become a musical star because she’s ugly, and she’ll grow up fat and ugly and alone, but he can help her with that… It’s a really fun portrayal of evil. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/3 "2012-03-13T12:49:16Z")
The Collector’s Satan was portrayed by a number of different actors, since each week, he’d take on a different guise - a little girl, a homeless man, a cab driver played by Blu Mankuma, etc. It was a nifty little conceit, which made a lot of sense, as well as giving a lot of actors a chance to give him a spin (the characterization remained the same - a nice blend of superficial good nature, deep seated evil, and biting sarcasm). I was also fond of John Glover’s Satan from Brimstone. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/4 "2012-03-13T12:56:29Z")
Movie-wise I have a great deal of fondness of Al Pacino’s ‘John Milton’ from ‘The Devil’s Advocate’. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/5 "2012-03-13T13:01:33Z")
David Warner in _Time Bandits._ ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/6 "2012-03-13T13:04:12Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > To me its [Ray Wise](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0936403/) in the show _Reaper_. He was charming, personable and funny. Just the kind of guy that could get you to sign a contract for your soul. But in an instant he would change to evil and menacing. I liked the show and was sorry to see it go. He was the best part of it. > [@FriarTed](#): > > Movie-wise I have a great deal of fondness of Al Pacino’s ‘John Milton’ from ‘The Devil’s Advocate’. These are almost the same character. And the two of them together are my favorite (yes, I can bastardize English that way.) I always thought that if there is an actual Satan, he’s got to be a successful, charming, powerful white dude, at least when he’s on the clock in our culture. The whole point, to me, is that this is someone you’d trust. Someone like your doctor or school principal or therapist, who is genuinely nice and makes you let your guard down and open up to him. Then the moment comes when he reveals what lies beneath, and it’s scary as fuck. Satan = betrayal, and revealing \*your \*innermost ick as much as his. These guys do that. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/7 "2012-03-13T13:12:18Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Movie-wise I have a great deal of fondness of Al Pacino’s ‘John Milton’ from ‘The Devil’s Advocate’. Yup. That humanist speech at the end was epic. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/8 "2012-03-13T13:21:10Z")
I think some mention should go to Vincent Price as “Mr. Scratch” in the wonderfully awful **Story of Mankind**. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/9 "2012-03-13T13:27:02Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Movie-wise I have a great deal of fondness of Al Pacino’s ‘John Milton’ from ‘The Devil’s Advocate’. Me too! I had always assumed that everyone _else_ thought it was kind of goofy, though. “I have _so many_ names!” ---
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/10 "2012-03-13T13:45:50Z")
Another vote for John Milton in Devil’s Advocate. He makes it seem so smooth, so effortless. Also, he chews the scenery like an industrial-grade meat grinder. Kevin Lomax: In the Bible you lose. John Milton: Well, consider the source, son. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/11 "2012-03-13T13:46:25Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > These are almost the same character. And the two of them together are my favorite (yes, I can bastardize English that way.) I always thought that if there is an actual Satan, he’s got to be a successful, charming, powerful white dude, at least when he’s on the clock in our culture. The whole point, to me, is that this is someone you’d trust. Someone like your doctor or school principal or therapist, who is genuinely nice and makes you let your guard down and open up to him. Then the moment comes when he reveals what lies beneath, and it’s scary as fuck. Satan = betrayal, and revealing \*your \*innermost ick as much as his. These guys do that. I see your point. I just think Ray Wise did it better. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/12 "2012-03-13T13:49:17Z")
Peter Stromare in Constantine was great. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/13 "2012-03-13T13:53:46Z")
Elizabeth Hurley in the _Bedazzled_ remake was the sexiest Satan of all time. Mainly because she was Elizabeth Hurley. But my favorite was Walter Huston in _The Devil and Daniel Webster_. He played a Satan who really enjoyed being Satan. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/14 "2012-03-13T14:07:38Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Movie-wise I have a great deal of fondness of Al Pacino’s ‘John Milton’ from ‘The Devil’s Advocate’. At first I read that as John Goodman. And you know, John Goodman would make a great Satan. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/15 "2012-03-13T14:09:10Z")
First one that comes to mind is DeNiro as Louis Cyphere in _Angel Heart_. His was the first portrayal that really made an impression on me as the devil incarnate, and how he would present himself to us in a way that he’d blend in with society. ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/16 "2012-03-13T14:16:28Z")
As far as general characterization go, I think the Powder Puff Girl’s villain “him” is very creepy and one of my favs: [http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr\_le2iyqxWPn1qd3poio1\_500.png](http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_le2iyqxWPn1qd3poio1_500.png) But, I loved Tim Curry’s portrayal in Legend. I think the huge horns and makeup helped a lot though: [http://www.agentlover.com/blog/wp-content/uploads//2011/04/tim-curry-legend.jpg](http://www.agentlover.com/blog/wp-content/uploads//2011/04/tim-curry-legend.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/17 "2012-03-13T14:18:27Z")
Tom Waits in the Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/18 "2012-03-13T14:21:48Z")
[IMDB’s list of everyone who’s played the Devil](http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0121748/) Jonathan Harris’ name is there, which would be a shame if it were not so. My fave is Claude Rains in Angel on My Shoulder ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/19 "2012-03-13T14:22:15Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Movie-wise I have a great deal of fondness of Al Pacino’s ‘John Milton’ from ‘The Devil’s Advocate’. Me too and I will also add the Devil (Legba, Scratch) from the movie _Crossroads_. I wish he played a larger role. ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637/20 "2012-03-13T14:32:25Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I see your point. I just think Ray Wise did it better. Ray Wise is my pick too. Now, anytime I see him in something else, his character really is Satan. He is in an episode of Sports Night where he could easily be the devil in disguise. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-satan/615637.md?page=2)