Carter Burke was an asshole indeed, but Parker Posey in Lost in space was much worse

@StrongPine said:

Carter Burke was an asshole indeed, but Parker Posey in Lost in space was much worse

I've never watched the show. Care to share some examples of what makes Dr. Smith character so bad?

Are we sticking with 'Sci-Fi'? If not, I still have anyone on celluloid top Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) in Inglorious Basterds...I never wanted to jump through a screen and choke a little s*** in a "movie" in a loooong time! He even won a well deserved Oscar for his potrayal!

@jorgito2001 said:

Are we sticking with 'Sci-Fi'? If not, I still have anyone on celluloid top Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) in Inglorious Basterds...I never wanted to jump through a screen and choke a little s*** in a "movie" in a loooong time! He even won a well deserved Oscar for his potrayal!

Not sticking with any single genre, it's wide open. And, yeah, Hans Landa should indeed be in the discussion. That "wait for the creme" scene is particularly diabolical because the creme was made with unkosher ingredients and he wanted to see how she'd deal with it. However, Landa did not have the cowardice that Burke did, and that angle still makes Burke worse for me (not sure why, or whether I can rationally defend it).

SPOILER AHEAD

When Ripley busted Burke out in front of the Marines, exposing his evil plan for them to realize, he sure looked like an ass. He wanted to turn her and Newt into incubators.

@Satch_the_man said:

SPOILER AHEAD

When Ripley busted Burke out in front of the Marines, exposing his evil plan for them to realize, he sure looked like an ass. He wanted to turn her and Newt into incubators.

So this is something I always wondered. I can understand how Ripley could deduce that Burke would want to use her & Newt as incubators, but how did she come to the conclusion that he would sabotage the marines' cryotubes?

As for the original question, to me he'll always be the original sleazy corporate asshole. The way he showed himself to be the good guy earlier in the film ("you had your chance Gorman") accentuated how much of a slimeball he was.

@cpheonix said:

@Satch_the_man said:

SPOILER AHEAD

When Ripley busted Burke out in front of the Marines, exposing his evil plan for them to realize, he sure looked like an ass. He wanted to turn her and Newt into incubators.

So this is something I always wondered. I can understand how Ripley could deduce that Burke would want to use her & Newt as incubators, but how did she come to the conclusion that he would sabotage the marines' cryotubes?

I dunno, cpheonix. It made sense to me when I saw the film all 4,500 times, but it's hard to climb into the character's head because I don't live in a futuristic, sci-fi world like she does. You got me on that one!

@cpheonix said:

@Satch_the_man said:

SPOILER AHEAD

When Ripley busted Burke out in front of the Marines, exposing his evil plan for them to realize, he sure looked like an ass. He wanted to turn her and Newt into incubators.

So this is something I always wondered. I can understand how Ripley could deduce that Burke would want to use her & Newt as incubators, but how did she come to the conclusion that he would sabotage the marines' cryotubes?

As for the original question, to me he'll always be the original sleazy corporate asshole. The way he showed himself to be the good guy earlier in the film ("you had your chance Gorman") accentuated how much of a slimeball he was.

Perhaps she assumed he'd want to sabotage their cryotubes so there was no one left to contend his version of events? Unfortunately, assholes like Burke view "grunts" as expendable, so no loss as far as he's concerned.

@DRDMovieMusings said:

Perhaps she assumed he'd want to sabotage their cryotubes so there was no one left to contend his version of events? Unfortunately, assholes like Burke view "grunts" as expendable, so no loss as far as he's concerned.

Yes @DRDMovieMusings, good shout, I'm sure this is it.

Even though I've watched this 4,500 times like @Satch_the_man, I had to re-watch this scene.

So when Ripley explains to the group that Burke would have her & Newt impregnated and no-one would know, Hicks interjects with "Wait a minute, we don't know". I always took this as he meant they don't know if what Ripley is saying is true. It was only after she riles them up with her assumption Burke would sabotage their freezers that they believed her.

But I'm wondering if Hicks was meant to say "wait a minute, we would know", meaning they would know Ripley & Newt would be carrying the alien. (or maybe he did say this and I'm mis-hearing).

I don't know, but in any case, Burke was always the blueprint for a corporate asshole. Credit to Cameron for the way the character was written and Paul Reiser as he did a great job portraying him!

Great discussion, guys. I always thought Hicks said, "would know."

@DRDMovieMusings said:

@jorgito2001 said:

Are we sticking with 'Sci-Fi'? If not, I still have anyone on celluloid top Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) in Inglorious Basterds...I never wanted to jump through a screen and choke a little s*** in a "movie" in a loooong time! He even won a well deserved Oscar for his potrayal!

Not sticking with any single genre, it's wide open. And, yeah, Hans Landa should indeed be in the discussion. That "wait for the creme" scene is particularly diabolical because the creme was made with unkosher ingredients and he wanted to see how she'd deal with it. However, Landa did not have the cowardice that Burke did, and that angle still makes Burke worse for me (not sure why, or whether I can rationally defend it).

So, DRDMovies, you sound quite sure that Landa knew it was Shoshanna he was talking to.... To my memory, there was nothing to indicate that he knew it was her. Yet, your argument in your post is pretty interesting in suggesting that he did know.

@Satch_the_man said:

@DRDMovieMusings said:

@jorgito2001 said:

Are we sticking with 'Sci-Fi'? If not, I still have anyone on celluloid top Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) in Inglorious Basterds...I never wanted to jump through a screen and choke a little s*** in a "movie" in a loooong time! He even won a well deserved Oscar for his potrayal!

Not sticking with any single genre, it's wide open. And, yeah, Hans Landa should indeed be in the discussion. That "wait for the creme" scene is particularly diabolical because the creme was made with unkosher ingredients and he wanted to see how she'd deal with it. However, Landa did not have the cowardice that Burke did, and that angle still makes Burke worse for me (not sure why, or whether I can rationally defend it).

So, DRDMovies, you sound quite sure that Landa knew it was Shoshanna he was talking to.... To my memory, there was nothing to indicate that he knew it was her. Yet, your argument in your post is pretty interesting in suggesting that he did know. Interesting.

I agree with your memory! I don't think he knew who she was. The creme thing was a test of her Jewishness...but she did eat it which, for him, was sufficient - albeit simplistically - to suggest she was not Jewish. The tension of that scene was that we'd seen Landa "sit down at a food table" with someone (her father!) while on his hunt, and take the indirect conversational path although he knew more than he was letting on. Would it be the same again? Did this girl grow up, after having escaped him once, just to die at his hands here? That's what made the scene work...but, no, I don't read it as he knew it was her. We've seen how cold, how decisive, how brutal he could be once he'd identified an enemy. If there was any thought in his mind that she was her, I've no doubt he'd have summarily killed her. The assholeness of him in that scene is, in my opinion, the psychological warfare he engaged, as if terrorizing and killing people wasn't enough.

@cpheonix said:

@DRDMovieMusings said:

Perhaps she assumed he'd want to sabotage their cryotubes so there was no one left to contend his version of events? Unfortunately, assholes like Burke view "grunts" as expendable, so no loss as far as he's concerned.

Yes @DRDMovieMusings, good shout, I'm sure this is it.

Even though I've watched this 4,500 times like @Satch_the_man, I had to re-watch this scene.

So when Ripley explains to the group that Burke would have her & Newt impregnated and no-one would know, Hicks interjects with "Wait a minute, we don't know". I always took this as he meant they don't know if what Ripley is saying is true. It was only after she riles them up with her assumption Burke would sabotage their freezers that they believed her.

But I'm wondering if Hicks was meant to say "wait a minute, we would know", meaning they would know Ripley & Newt would be carrying the alien. (or maybe he did say this and I'm mis-hearing).

I don't know, but in any case, Burke was always the blueprint for a corporate asshole. Credit to Cameron for the way the character was written and Paul Reiser as he did a great job portraying him!

Good question! I can't recall the scene perfectly, so I'll have to review it and circle back if I get the gist of that exchange correctly...

@DRDMovieMusings and @Satch_the_man, I watched the scene again here and to me Hicks says "Wait a minute, we don't know". Would need to watch the bluray with subtitles just to be sure.

Would be interesting to know both your take on this!

@cpheonix said:

@DRDMovieMusings and @Satch_the_man, I watched the scene again here and to me Hicks says "Wait a minute, we don't know". Would need to watch the bluray with subtitles just to be sure.

Would be interesting to know both your take on this!

Thanks for the link, good work! So, I was kinda right.

Hicks : "Wait a minute, now...we'd all know."

Ripley: "Yes. The only way he could do it is if he sabotaged certain freezers on the way home - namely yours. Then he could jettison the bodies and make up any story he liked."

Hudson: "Fuck! He's dead. You're dog meat, pal!"

We figured that one out - yay team!