Top 10 David Warner performances

Who is David Warner, you might ask? Well, odds are you've seen his face or heard his voice before, so now you can see his face and we can settle that question.

Among the most overlooked British actors of the past 50 years, David Warner is mostly known for his villainous performances in horror and science fiction movies and TV. A very charming actor with a distinctive voice, Warner has been acting for over 50 years with few gaps in his filmography. So, because I enjoy making my top tens so much, I'll give this man his time in the spotlight. I'm sure he'd be thrilled. These are my top 10 favorite David Warner performances.



10. Necronomicon (1993)

A horror anthology with three segments (and a wraparound), Warner's performance in the second segment is one of the few acting highlights in the film. There's an air of mystery surrounding him that culminates in an amazingly grotesque resolution. He doesn't get a ton of screentime, but he makes it count.



9. Waxwork (1988)

The main villain in one of the most bizarre '80s horror comedies I've ever seen, Warner has a weirdly comic presence here. Again, he doesn't get a ton of screentime, but his mysterious and intimidating role in the film is one of the definite highpoints. It's one of many semi-comedic bad guy performances that he handled wonderfully.



8. From Beyond The Grave (1974)

Another role in a single anthology segment, this one stands out above Necronomicon for him due to how intense he is here. Watching him play someone who becomes obsessed with an antique mirror to the point of basically becoming a serial murderer is one of the best things about the movie. AND YET AGAIN, not enough time on-screen.



7. Time After Time (1979)

This fish out of water time-travel sci/fi fantasy comedy about H.G. Wells and Jack the Ripper may not be able to live up to its concept, but the performances work really well. And of course Warner takes on the villainous role, and his interactions with Malcolm McDowell are the best scenes in the movie. He could play charming evil really well.



6. Tron (1982)

Okay, so this one will be tough for me to write about since I haven't seen it in years, but the fact that he still stands out in my mind as the best part about this movie sort of speaks for itself. Yet again, he's the bad guy, and even when you might think it would be boring to see him play antagonists as regularly as this, he always keeps it fresh and entertaining.



5. The Omen (1976)

When you see Warner in the cast of a movie about the antichrist, the mental image might be that he's an evil priest, or an evil *something*, but he's actually one of the main good guys who tries to help the hero (played by Gregory Peck) to uncover the truth about his son, who may be the antichrist. It's a great role for Warner that's unlike most of the rest of his filmography.



4. Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)

I'd never seen Ra's Al Ghul as one of the best Batman villains up until recently revisiting the episodes he's featured in in this show, and while I have grown to appreciate him, I don't think he would have worked half as well with a different voice talent than David Warner. He's smooth, the appropriate level of maniacal, and a perfect foil to Batman.



3. A Christmas Carol (1984)

In spite of Warner primarily taking on antagonistic roles over most of his career, this TV movie was my introduction to him. As far as I'm concerned, he will always be the image of Bob Cratchit, which is a testament to his acting skill -- while anyone may be dwarfed by George C. Scott, Warner's warmth and compassion still stands out in the movie.



2. Time Bandits (1981)

When it comes to the more comedic side of Warner's filmography, his role in Time Bandits stands out as probably his funniest. And when it comes to the evil side of his filmography, well...his character is named "Evil", so that should tell you something. He's a bit goofy and over-the-top, but he works perfectly within the movie and stands as by far my favorite aspect of the movie. He's just wonderful.



1. Star Trek: The Next Generation - 'Chain Of Command' (1992)

It doesn't matter if I grew up thinking of him as Bob Cratchit or look at his role in Time Bandits as the perfect blend of comedic and evil, this is the single performance in his career that I love more than the rest. Anytime an actor can hold their own against Patrick Stewart at the top of his game, you have to appreciate just how impressive of a feat that is. This is an amazing single episode performance filled with memorable moments and a ton of great dramatic material. He may only be in Star Trek for one episode, but his performance is so effective I would put him in my top 10 favorite villains of the entire franchise.



Thanks for reading.