Iconic Roles: 5 Best Tim Curry Movies That Celebrate Rocky Horror Star

Tim Curry is one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, known for a litany of high-profile and memorable roles throughout his legendary career.

Today, Curry passed away at the age of 80. Curry had been battling several medical issues for years following a stroke that occurred in 2012, but his passing still comes as a shock to everyone. As many mourn the loss of one of the greatest actors in film and theater, we’re taking a look at some of his most iconic roles, from the campy cult classics all the way to some of his self-professed favorite roles.

Tim Curry’s most iconic roles

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Of course, you have to start any list of Curry’s most iconic roles with his role of Dr. Frank N. Furter, the eccentric and legendary character he played in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Curry originated the role through its run in the West End, and starred in the theatrical adaptation that premiered in 1975. The movie was critically panned upon its release, but quickly blew up on the scene thanks to midnight screenings of the movie throughout the 70s and 80s.

Curry’s role is often held up as the best of the movie, and while the movie’s cast is all worthy of massive praise, there is some truth to it. Curry’s Frank N. Furter is a tragic-yet-chaotic character looking for love and just trying to live his best life, something all of us could learn from in one way or another. To date, the movie is the longest-running theatrical release in film history, as its still shown in limited release formats annually to this day. Above all else, the movie also became a safe haven for many to explore themselves, their own sexuality, and more, with Curry’s character leading the charge.

Muppet Treasure Island

Curry has often said this is one of his favorite roles in his career, and for good reason. Muppet Treasure Island is the fifth theatrical film featuring the Muppets, and adapts the 1883 novel Treasure Island, with Curry playing the role of Long John Silver, a smooth-talking pirate who is looking to take over a ship and siege Treasure Island.

In typical Muppets fashion, Treasure Island goes absolutely wild in all the perfect ways. As for Curry, he plays opposite the Muppets perfectly, and gets into a lot of chaotic situations with the likes of Kermit, Miss Piggy, and more. We also get the chance to see Curry play up his theater background, as he sings the incredible “A Professional Pirate” in the movie.

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Some of Curry’s roles are when the actor is at his most eccentric, and It kind of fits that bill, in a horror sense. The 1990 two-part miniseries adapted Stephen King’s 1986 novel, with Curry playing the role of the iconic Pennywise, an evil clown who terrorizes the town of Derry, Maine, and a group of children’s efforts to trying to stop him from doing so.

While the 1990 miniseries doesn’t really stand up to the test of time (especially in comparison to the recent movies that have released), Curry’s role as Pennywise certainly does. He plays the role in a terrifying manner, acting almost like a real clown in his exaggerated attitude. Much of Curry’s role as Pennywise was improvised, and while he isn’t exactly as terrifying as Bill Skarsgard, he is a much more grounded and straight-laced nightmare creature.

Clue

Curry got the chance to showcase his comedy chops for the 1985 mystery movie based on the iconic board game. In it, he plays the role of Wadsworth, a butler working inside a mansion that becomes the grounds of a murder mystery for six strangers who arrive there. Clue itself is a fun movie and one of the better takes on a property that got turned into a movie in the 1980s, but Curry really steals the show in every scene he’s in.

Whether it be his chaotic nature or the faces he makes as guests try to figure things out, Curry nails every aspect of his role. The final act of the movie, which sees Curry go all out while re-enacting the murder and how he believed it to go down, is the all-time moment of the film. It’s a shame he’s not in it even more.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Coincidentally, the last movie here also features Curry stepping into the role of a wait staff of sorts. In Home Alone 2, Curry plays a nosy concierge at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Throughout the movie, he’s distrustful of Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister, believing him to have stolen his dad’s credit card to fund his stay at the hotel.

The role is yet again another chance for Curry to show off just how funny he was, especially during the scene in which he leads the hotel staff to Kevin’s room. Watching Curry and the staff go absolutely wild when McCallister begins playing audio to scare them is one of the highlights of the movie, and of Curry’s character career.

Source: Comingsoon.net