World Gene Hackman or Kevin Spacey?

[superboy13]

Sorry if there's already a thread on this, but I got into a debate in another forum, where a guy said that Hackman was a better Luthor than Spacey (which I think it's not true, but it's up to each one of us), and he said that almost everyone agreed with him. Then, he made a poll and Spacey pwned Hackman in that poll, but he said that "it's not fair, this is a SR site, and it's biased". So, I came here, searched for this kind of poll (didn't find one), and I went ahead and made this.
So, which one do you think is the better Luthor: KS or GH?

Thanks!

 

[Halcohol]

Spacey's Luthor had a more manic edge, while Hackman's take was more sardonic.

Spacey seemed to be genuinely close to insanity, while Hackman seemed like a mortal whose dreams exceeded his grasp (barely). Since Lex is eventually elected President of the United States in the comics (I believe), I think Hackman's was more believable.

That being said, I enjoyed Spacey's performance more than Hackman's mostly because of the bigger scope of his plot and range.

 

[TheCaptain22555]

Spacey because he seemed more dark rather than Hackman's almost comedic Luthor.

 

[Bruce_Wayne29]

Hackman. At least he was openly campy. Spacey is a great actor and he did try to convey the idea that this was a more creepy Luthor but he stuck by his intentions. That idea never really materialized on screen.

 

[matthooper]

Wait, wait, wait....Spacey played Luthor?

 

[captain_jimbo]

Hackman for me, but I loved Spacey too!

 

[Josh Bond]

I liked them both, but i thought that Hackman was slightly cooler, so i voted him.

 

[hammy]

Neither of them were true to the character, imo. But Spacey SUCKED! I hated his Luthor with a white hot passion. He was better in the second half, a LOT better, but not enough to save the overall performance. For that reason, I say Hackman.

 

[The Kid]

Two words:

Rois Rane?

 

[dude stannis]

Spacey. He was abit more menacing.

Though it's like asking to choose between which child you love more.

 

[War Lord]

The problem, imo, wasn't Spacey per se, but rather the material he had to work with. It was inadequate material, simply put.

Had they had a few scenes, where it was clear that a few months had gone by, where they showed some kind of lab where researchers were playing with the crystals and showing what kind of technology could be developed and what kind of knowledge could be gained through the use of the crystals, it's possible that Spacey might have equaled Hackman's performance.

Probably not, imo, because it seemed to me that Spacey was playing a part, whereas, Hackman became Luthor.

That's the difference between a good actor like Spacey and a great actor like Hackman.

 

[BH/HHH]

Gene Hackman is hilarious in the Superman: the Movie and Superman II (Donner Cut). So he gets my vote...

Zod "Jor-el our jailor"
Luthor: "No Jor-el the basebll player"

Genius

 

[lordofthenerds]

Spacey. He seemed more evil to me.

 

[Kebab gud]

i think spacey did the best luthor.. hackman did a fiiiine job but spacey hade more of a evil feel to him.. he didnt just do evil thing he had an evil way of talking that was just PERFECT for lex..

 

[TwilightPro101]

Spacey. Just enough evil and just enough humor to balance everything out.

 

[Strange]

I think they both could have been better, but I like Spacey's a little more. If Gene Hackman's Luthor was written more evil and less camp his would have ruled. He could have had the same big plans but act more like Little Bill in Unforgiven. Little Bill was funny but really mean at the same time.

 

[The Caped Knight]

Spacey rules !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Brainiac 2009]

Hackman was funny and entertaining.

Spacey was funny, entertaining and EVIL


so definately Kevin.

 

[The Kid]

Hackman definitely since eating dogs and doing old ladies would be beneath him.

 

[DrMylesOBoogie]

1. Clancy Brown
2. John Shea
3. Michael Rosenbaum

 

[StorminNorman]

The best Lex I have seen is Michael Rosenbaum. Spacey, however, is a close second.

 

[CLARKY]

Sorry if there's already a thread on this, but I got into a debate in another forum, where a guy said that Hackman was a better Luthor than Spacey (which I think it's not true, but it's up to each one of us), and he said that almost everyone agreed with him. Then, he made a poll and Spacey pwned Hackman in that poll, but he said that "it's not fair, this is a SR site, and it's biased". So, I came here, searched for this kind of poll (didn't find one), and I went ahead and made this.
So, which one do you think is the better Luthor: KS or GH?

Thanks!

Well I voted K.Spacey because I found him a little bit less goofy. But in general, to me they're the same.
Personally Lex Luthor is not goofy, he's M.Rosenbaum, he's J.Shea, or he's C.Brown. This kind of Lex Luthor. I know they are different but you see what I mean. Even if I like M.Rosenbaum, even if I love John Shea, my favorite is (and I suspect will ever be) Clancy Brown.

 

[hammy]

You're all insane. How anyone could think Spacey actually did a good job, I don't know. Maybe you were too busy eating your popcorn to notice that he seemed to be totally BORED with the part. The only glimmer that he was even aware he was in a movie, let alone that he was playing THE Lex Luthor, was when he first saw Lois and the kid on the boat with him. The look on his face with the toothbrush in his mouth .. now that was good.

 

[Spoarz™]

Hackman for me, but I loved Spacey too!

Yep, same here.

 

[CLARKY]

You're all insane. How anyone could think Spacey actually did a good job, I don't know. Maybe you were too busy eating your popcorn to notice that he seemed to be totally BORED with the part. The only glimmer that he was even aware he was in a movie, let alone that he was playing THE Lex Luthor, was when he first saw Lois and the kid on the boat with him. The look on his face with the toothbrush in his mouth .. now that was good.

hey bud, have you noticed that I'm not part of the Spacey lovers?
Just the post before yours.
Anyway, I don't know if he was really "bored" by the role, but I noticed he was ... well not at 100% of what I think he can do.
When I heard K.Spacey was Lex Luthor I was deceived because I didn't think he would be good. Then I thought "well, he's a brilliant actor, he should theorically be effective ... OK!" and I watched the film ... and I was deceived by him. I think what you take as "bored", I take it as "I'm the buddy of Bryan, let's just have fun, I don't need to make efforts."
This being said, I say this apart from what the story gave to him and apart from the vision of B.Singer.
Am I clear enough in my poor english language?