# Who is this generation's Boris Karloff? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 3, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201 "2006-08-03T15:51:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/1 "2006-08-03T15:51:33Z")
Of all of the actors who made their reputations and careers primarily acting in horror movies during (and after) the Universal monster era, I consider Karloff to be the most gifted; his presence and delivery always seem spot-on and powerful. Watching him in The Body Snatcher, I wondered if there was a modern actor who could have pulled of such roles as well as Karloff. I thought maybe Anthony Hopkins or perhaps Jack Nicholson would be good candidates; of course nowadays a very good actor is far less likely to be typecast as badly as actors used to be. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/2 "2006-08-03T15:54:21Z")
Robert Englund? ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/3 "2006-08-03T15:56:05Z")
I was gonna say Robert Englund (who’s acting is just horrible) or Christopher Walken (who hasn’t had enough horror roles, but the ones he has had, he’s nailed.) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/4 "2006-08-03T16:13:19Z")
Gary Oldman. ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/5 "2006-08-03T16:22:27Z")
I agree with Christopher Walken - you can just “feel” the evil come off the screen. (Needs more cowbell…) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/6 "2006-08-03T16:33:49Z")
Brad Dourif, maybe? His reputation is based almost totally on horror movies and creepy roles. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/7 "2006-08-03T16:43:35Z")
Christopher Lee has done his share of evil, creepy characters (but he’s done a whole lot of other stuff, too.) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/8 "2006-08-03T16:48:56Z")
Not in Christopher Lee’s league as far as number of scary movies goes, but Anthony Hopkins deserves at least a mention. Gary Oldman’s least convincing scary role was that bad hairdo _Dracula_ hoot. Otherwise, Oldman can be very scary, just not a Karloff kind of scary. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/9 "2006-08-03T17:11:28Z")
Not Horror, but how about Alan Rickman? He’s often cast as the baddie - Hans Kruger, The Sheriff of Nottingham, Severus Snape, etc - and is brilliant in the role, though he’s been a hero a time or two (Colonel Brandon). ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/10 "2006-08-03T17:21:36Z")
I don’t know about Karloff, but Rom Perlman is definitely our generation’s Lon Chaney/Rondo Hatton. Every time I see a big, buff ugly guy in a lot of makeup I assume it’s Perlman. I was surprised that Mickey Rourke got a typical Perlman role in Sin City last summer. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/11 "2006-08-03T18:33:30Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Not Horror, but how about Alan Rickman? He’s often cast as the baddie - Hans Kruger, The Sheriff of Nottingham, Severus Snape, etc - and is brilliant in the role, though he’s been a hero a time or two (Colonel Brandon). I’ll go with Rickman, his OTT acting is brilliant, I like the guy 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/12 "2006-08-03T18:44:56Z")
My vote goes to Ron Perlman. Like Karloff, he has the ability to convey menace and pathos simultaneously. I think this guy is one hell of an actor. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/13 "2006-08-03T18:59:29Z")
[Jeffrey Combs](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001062/) ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/14 "2006-08-03T19:04:43Z")
Another vote for Ron Perlman. I have to admit I have up untill now often confused him with [Tom Waits](http://www.officialtomwaits.com/main.htm) for some reason. I also think an honorable mention should go to 7 ft. tall Dutch actor [Carel Struyken.](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0835393/). He played many silent roles (which hid his Dutch accent), the most famous of which is the butler Lurch from the movie the Addams Family. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2006, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/15 "2006-08-03T19:06:46Z")
James Earl Jones maybe? He’s got Karloff’s presense. He doesn’t usually play a villain but he’s effective when he does. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/16 "2006-08-03T19:07:07Z")
And if we get to choose a female Karloff, how about Christina Ricci? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/17 "2006-08-03T23:08:38Z")
I’m going to take a gamble, and say [Crispin Freeman.](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0293342/) ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/18 "2006-08-03T23:17:33Z")
I say **Max von Sydow** comes closest. He’s an excellent actor. He’s been in a heckuva lot of movies, most of which I haven’t seen, including all his Swedish films. But many of the ones I’ve seen are scary/horror movies, and he often plays the villain. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/19 "2006-08-03T23:26:58Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > Christopher Lee has done his share of evil, creepy characters (but he’s done a whole lot of other stuff, too.) One of my favorite actors even though I haven’t seen much of his horror work, but can he be called “this generation’s” anything? Lee is in his mid-80s. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201/20 "2006-08-03T23:30:00Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > One of my favorite actors even though I haven’t seen much of his horror work, but can he be called “this generation’s” anything? Lee is in his mid-80s. I’d say he qualifies as “this generation” to the extent that he’s still alive. True, his heyday was decades ago, but he’s still effective whenever he’s in something. I’m going to hop on the Max von Sydow wagon, though. He may be the man. And I like the Christina Ricci concept for females. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-generations-boris-karloff/367201.md?page=2)