"It's A Little Overplayed": Oliver Stone's Oscar-Winning 1986 War Movie Loses Accuracy Points From Expert
A longstanding and well respected Hollywood staple, Willem Dafoe is one of modern cinema's most prominent success stories. A frequent collaborator with acclaimed filmmakers like Wes Anderson, Robert Eggers, and Yorgos Lanthimos, Dafoe's best movies have earned him four Academy Award nominations to date across the course of a long and storied career, with the actor featuring across virtually every genre of film imaginable. However, while Dafoe's career may be thriving, the same cannot be said for many of his film characters.
✕ Remove Ads
Much like The Lord of the Rings' star Sean Bean, the actor's dramatic charges have an unfortunate habit of dying before the credits roll, often in comically brutal fashion. Dafoe is more than aware of the status quo when it comes to his characters' frequent movie deaths, admitting in an interview with Empire magazine that he loves watching his characters bite the dust onscreen. Accordingly, with a host of options to choose from, narrowing down Willem Dafoe's greatest movie death is quite the challenge.
10 Shadow Of The Vampire (2000) Max Shreck / Count Orlok Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist
Success!
Shadow of the Vampire RDramaHorror
Shadow Of The Vampire is a horror comedy film that reimagines the making of the 1922 German silent film Nosferatu. The film stars John Malkovich as F.W. Murnau, the director of Nosferatu, and Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck, the actor playing the vampire Count Orlok. The story takes a fictionalized approach to the filming of Nosferatu, suggesting that Schreck was actually a real vampire.
Release Date May 15, 2000 Runtime 92 Minutes Cast John Malkovich , Willem Dafoe , Udo Kier , Cary Elwes , Catherine McCormack Director E. Elias Merhige Main Genre Drama Writers Steven Katz Studio(s) BBC Film , Saturn Films , Long Shot Pictures , Pilgrim Films Expand
It's somewhat ironic that Willem Dafoe's bow in 2000's Shadow of the Vampire stands as one of his more obscure roles, particularly given the fact that the actor received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination off the back of his performance. The movie chronicles a fictionalized account behind the making of 1922's Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, with the additional twist that the actor charged with playing the movie's Count Orlok turns out to be a real vampire.
✕ Remove Ads Related 10 Gothic Vampire Movies To Watch Before Robert Eggers' Nosferatu
Ranging from cinematic classics to contemporary standouts, the best movies to prepare audiences for horror maestro Robert Eggers' fourth feature film.
Posts
Taking on the role of the aforementioned Max Schreck, Dafoe turns in one of his most chilling performances to carry the movie in impressive fashion. Appropriately for the star of the show, Schreck also goes out in memorable style, burned to a crisp in the sunlight against the backdrop of an unforgettably unhinged rant from John Malkovich's Frederich Murnau to conclude the film.
9 At Eternity's Gate (2018) Vincent Van Gogh Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist
Success!
At Eternity's Gate PG-13Drama
At Eternity's Gate portrays the final years of Vincent van Gogh, the renowned yet troubled artist, as he resides in Arles, France. The film explores his creative process and the profound connection he establishes with the landscapes that inspire his iconic paintings.
Release Date November 15, 2018 Runtime 111 minutes Cast Willem Dafoe , Rupert Friend , Oscar Isaac , Mads Mikkelsen , Mathieu Amalric , Emmanuelle Seigner , Niels Arestrup , Anne Consigny , Amira Casar , Vincent Perez , Lolita Chammah , Stella Schnabel , Alexis Michalik , Vladimir Consigny , Arthur Jacquin , Solal Forte , Vincent Grass , Clément Lhuaire , Alan Aubert-Carlin , Laurent Bateau , Frank Molinaro , Montassar Alaya , Didier Jarre , Thierry Nenez , Johan Kugelberg Director Julian Schnabel Writers Jean-Claude Carrière Expand ✕ Remove Ads
Earning rave reviews off the strength of his raw performance, Willem Dafoe's bow as iconic Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh in 2018's At Eternity's Gate saw the actor receive his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor. The movie also offers a dramatized theory behind the painter's mysterious death; while van Gogh is widely acknowledged to have shot himself, At Eternity's Gate depicts his demise as accidental manslaughter rather than suicide.
Willem Dafoe Academy Award Nominations
Movie
Category
Platoon (1986)
Best Supporting Actor
Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
Best Supporting Actor
The Florida Project (2017)
Best Supporting Actor
At Eternity's Gate (2018)
Best Actor
✕ Remove Ads
It's a creative decision that invites haunting introspection about whether one of the most talented human beings in the history of civilization died in a freak accident rather than as a result of his own demons. It's an exceedingly evocative demise to boot, with Dafoe's charge poignantly electing to take responsibility for the gunshot as a self-inflicted wound rather than blaming the real culprits; two young boys who were playing at cowboys-and-Indians.
8 The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) J.G. Jopling Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist
Success!
9/10 The Grand Budapest Hotel RAdventureComedyDrama
From director Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel stars Ralph Fiennes as Gustave H., the renowned concierge of the film's titular hotel. Fiennes is joined by Tony Revolori as Zero, a newly hired bellhop who serves as Gustave's partner-in-crime throughout the film. An older Zero, played by F. Murray Abraham, serves as the narrator for the story, which chronicles the adventures of Gustave and Zero after Gustave is framed for the murder of the wealthy Madame D., his patron and lover.
Where to Watch streamrentbuy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Release Date March 28, 2014 Runtime 100 Minutes Cast Willem Dafoe , Jude Law , Edward Norton , Jeff Goldblum , Saoirse Ronan , Adrien Brody , Tilda Swinton , Ralph Fiennes , Tony Revolori Director Wes Anderson Writers Wes Anderson , Hugo Guinness Studio(s) Searchlight Pictures Distributor(s) 20th Century , Searchlight Pictures Expand
Earning nine Academy Award nominations upon release in 2014, The Grand Budapest Hotel is widely regarded as Wes Anderson's best movie. The film also marked the third collaboration between the director and Willem Dafoe, with the actor stepping into the menacing boots of J.G. Jopling. A ruthless henchman and assassin in the employ of Adrien Brody's Dmitri Desgoffe-und-Taxis, Jopling relentlessly hunts Zero and Gustave in pursuit of the priceless painting, Boy with Apple.
✕ Remove Ads
Willem Dafoe & Wes Anderson Collaborations
Movie
Role
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
Klaus Daimler
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Rat
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
J.G. Jopling
The French Dispatch (2021)
Albert the Abacas
Asteroid City (2023)
Saltzburg Keitel
Regrettably, for the sinister hit man, that's exactly how he meets his end. Jopling shuffles off his mortal coil in a darkly comical sequence that exemplifies the whimsical tone of Anderson's picture perfectly, with Zero pushing him off a cliff from behind as Dafoe's charge attempts to dislodge a dangling Gustave. Disappearing over the precipice with a howl of comical despair, even the most cynical of viewers will have a hard time keeping a straight face during this one.
✕ Remove Ads 7 John Wick (2014) Marcus Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist
Success!
31 9.4/10 John Wick RThrillerAction
John Wick is the first entry in the action-thriller franchise directed by Chad Stahelski and starring Keanu Reeves. Retired hitman John is brought back into the field when the dog his recently deceased life left him is murdered. Full of rage and equipped with unparalleled combat skills, John begins to track down the ones responsible for the act of violence and lays waste to any who dare to cross his path, sending panic throughout the criminal underworld.
Where to Watch streamrentbuy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Release Date October 24, 2014 Runtime 101 Minutes Cast Keanu Reeves , Adrianne Palicki , Willem Dafoe , Bridget Moynahan , Jason Isaacs , Alfie Allen Director David Leitch , Chad Stahelski Main Genre Thriller Writers Derek Kolstad Studio(s) Thunder Road Pictures , 87Eleven Productions Distributor(s) Summit Entertainment Expand
Willem Dafoe possesses such an extensive filmography that it's easy to forget that he had a role in one of the most successful action franchises of all time. The 69-year-old played supporting cast member Marcus in 2014's John Wick, an elite assassin and marksman who served as a mentor to Keanu Reeves' titular character. Unfortunately, this proves to be his downfall, with John's old friend tortured and killed on the orders of Michael Nyqvist's Viggo Tarasov for double-crossing him.
Led by Ana de Armas, John Wick spin-off Ballerina is slated for release on June 6, 2025.
✕ Remove Ads
In one of Dafoe's most badass death sequences, Marcus meets his end on his own terms, breaking free from his tormentors and taking out two guards before being gunned down and finished off by Tarasov. Despite the indignity of his character being savagely tortured beforehand, Dafoe goes out with a bang, departing the John Wick universe with an epic sign-off for the ages.
6 The Card Counter (2021) John Gordo Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist
Success!
The Card Counter Not Yet RatedThrillerActionAdventure
The Card Counter, directed by Paul Schrader, follows William Tell, a former soldier turned gambler who excels in counting cards. Oscar Isaac stars as Tell, a man haunted by his past and seeking redemption. As he navigates the world of high-stakes poker, he encounters a young man seeking revenge and a mysterious financier. The film explores themes of guilt, justice, and personal reparation.
Where to Watch streamrentbuy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Release Date September 10, 2021 Runtime 112 minutes Cast Tiffany Haddish , Tye Sheridan , Willem Dafoe , Oscar Isaac Director Paul Schrader Writers Paul Schrader
An acclaimed 2021 crime drama spearheaded by Oscar Isaac as gambler William Tell, Dafoe takes on the principal role of The Card Counter's lead villain. The Spider-Man star portrays Tell's nemesis, Major John Gordo, a "civilian consultant" guilty of perpetrating war crimes in Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison. Convicted for his participation at Abu Ghraib while Dafoe's charge walked free, Isaac's charge eventually gets his revenge on Gordo, taking out his foe with his bare hands during the movie's final act.
✕ Remove Ads
The two men can be heard roaring in pain as they struggle for superiority, with a bloodied and wounded Tell eventually emerging victorious.
While his brutal end takes place off-screen, Gordo's demise represents one of Dafoe's most memorable deaths because, despite not being able to see anything, the audience can hear every single bit of the pair's "dramatic reenactment" of their time together in Abu Ghraib. The two men can be heard roaring in pain as they struggle for superiority, with a bloodied and wounded Tell eventually emerging victorious in harrowing style to cap The Card Counter's ending.
5 To Live And Die In L.A. (1985) Eric Masters Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist
Success!
8/10 To Live and Die in L.A. RActionCrimeDramaThriller
To Live and Die in L.A. follows Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William Petersen) as he hunts down Eric "Rick" Masters (Willem Dafoe), a ruthless counterfeit artist responsible for killing his partner. Directed by William Friedkin, the film explores the gritty underworld of Los Angeles, highlighting themes of vengeance and obsession while portraying the high-stakes world of federal law enforcement.
Release Date November 1, 1985 Runtime 116 minutes Cast William Petersen , Willem Dafoe , John Pankow , Debra Feuer , John Turturro , Darlanne Fluegel Director William Friedkin Main Genre Action Writers Gerald Petievich , William Friedkin Expand ✕ Remove Ads
Based on the novel of the same name, To Live and Die in L.A. is a neo-noir action thriller from The Exorcist director William Friedkin featuring Dafoe in his sixth career feature film appearance. The American plays Eric Masters against the backdrop of one of Friedkin's best movies, a counterfeiter who serves as the 1985 film's chief antagonist. To Live and Die in L.A. also bears the prestigious honor of being the first film that one of Dafoe's characters dies in, going out in a spectacular manner befitting of the occasion.
...Masters accidentally lights himself on fire attempting to do the exact same thing to John Pankow's John Vukovich.
One of Dafoe's most memorable and darkly comical deaths, Masters accidentally lights himself on fire when he is shot attempting to do the exact same thing to John Pankow's John Vukovich. The latter adds insult to injury by continuing to unload his gun into Dafoe's screaming charge as Masters burns to death in harrowing fashion, serving as the coup de grâce for one of the actor's most brutal demises.
✕ Remove Ads 4 Wild At Heart (1990) Bobby Peru Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist
Success!
Wild at Heart RCrimeDramaThriller
Wild at Heart is a 1990 film directed by David Lynch, based on the novel by Barry Gifford. The story follows Sailor Ripley, played by Nicolas Cage, and Lula Pace Fortune, played by Laura Dern, as they embark on a violent and surreal road trip across the American South. The film intertwines elements of romance, crime, and dark fantasy, earning the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Release Date August 17, 1990 Runtime 125 Minutes Cast Nicolas Cage , Laura Dern , Willem Dafoe , J.E. Freeman , Crispin Glover , Diane Ladd , Calvin Lockhart , Isabella Rossellini , Harry Dean Stanton , Grace Zabriskie , Sherilyn Fenn , Marvin Kaplan , William Morgan Sheppard , David Patrick Kelly , Freddie Jones , John Lurie , Jack Nance , Pruitt Taylor Vince , Gregg Dandridge , Glenn Walker Harris Jr. , Frances Bay , Blair Bruce Bever Director David Lynch Main Genre Crime Writers Barry Gifford , David Lynch Expand
A crime drama from Twin Peaks creator David Lynch, 1990's Wild At Heart sees Dafoe take on the role of Bobby Peru, one of the acclaimed movie's main antagonists. A sinister and unsettling villain who attempts to force himself upon Laura Dern's Lula, Peru is the epitome of the word "scumbag", a career criminal who gets his just deserts in gloriously satisfying fashion.
Dafoe stars alongside Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, and Crispin Glover.
✕ Remove Ads
In one of Dafoe's most memorable death sequences, Peru is shot multiple times by a police officer during the botched robbery of a feed store. Clearly not content with what would be considered a vanilla death by his high standards, Dafoe's stricken charge falls to his knees to land chin first on his own shotgun. The impact sees the hapless Peru blow the top of his own head off in cartoonishly gory fashion for one of the actor's most comical and unforgettable demises.
3 The Lighthouse (2019) Thomas Wake Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist
Success!
10/10 The Lighthouse RHorrorFantasyDrama
The Lighthouse is a psychological thriller directed by Robert Eggers. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson star as Thomas Wake and Ephraim Winslow, two lighthouse keepers who begin to experience strange and supernatural phenomena after they get stranded on a remote island in the 1890s.
Where to Watch streamrentbuy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Release Date October 18, 2019 Runtime 110 minutes Cast Robert Pattinson , Willem Dafoe , Valeriia Karaman Director Robert Eggers Writers Robert Eggers , Max Eggers Studio(s) A24 Distributor(s) A24 Expand
Horror virtuoso Robert Eggers has swiftly carved out a reputation for himself as one of the most exciting filmmakers plying their trade in cinema today. The director is also known for his frequent collaborations with Willem Dafoe; the actor has appeared in every single one of Eggers' movies bar 2015's The Witch. Dafoe plays Thomas Wake in 2019's The Lighthouse, a psychological horror widely regarded as one of the finest films of the 21st century.
✕ Remove Ads
Willem Dafoe & Robert Eggers Collaborations
Movie
Role
The Lighthouse (2019)
Thomas Wake
The Northman (2022)
Heimir the Fool
Nosferatu (2024)
Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz
In keeping with tradition, Dafoe's character bites the dust in exceedingly brutal fashion, even by his standards. The actor turns in a brilliant jump scare in line with The Lighthouse's wacky aura by unexpectedly appearing from out of the blue to attack Robert Pattinson's Thomas Howard with an ax as he reaches for a cigarette. Despite wounding his foe in a valiant effort, Wake is overpowered and thrown to the floor by Howard, who proceeds to cave his skull in with one savage swing of the weapon.
✕ Remove Ads 2 Spider-Man (2002) Norman Osborne / Green Goblin Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist
Success!
8.8/10 Spider-Man PG-13ActionAdventureSuperhero
Spider-Man is the first film in Sam Raimi's trilogy starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. Released in 2002, the film introduced superhero fans to a live-action Norman Osborn, played by Willem Dafoe, who is transformed into his villainous alter ego, Green Goblin, after being forced out of Oscorp Industries. At the same time, Peter Parker is grappling with his newfound abilities as the iconic wall-crawler.
Where to Watch streamrentbuy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Release Date May 3, 2002 Runtime 121 Minutes Cast Tobey Maguire , Willem Dafoe , Kirsten Dunst , James Franco , Cliff Robertson , Rosemary Harris , J.K. Simmons , Joe Manganiello Director Sam Raimi Writers David Koepp Studio(s) Marvel , Columbia Pictures Distributor(s) Sony Expand
One of Willem Dafoe's best villain roles, Spider-Man's Norman Osborn, better known as the Green Goblin, arguably represents one of the actor's most impressive performances. Once a warm and affable individual, Osborn becomes deranged and villainous after a failed experiment turns him into the Green Goblin, with Dafoe capturing each side of the character's various personalities in scarily convincing fashion.
The Academy Award nominee's demise as Osborn is also one for the ages, one that lands with an extra emotional heft given his alter ego's status as such a wicked villain. Slyly attempting to impale Spider-Man with his flying glider, the Goblin accidentally skewers himself in spectacularly gruesome fashion instead, after Tobey Maguire's charge leaps out of the way at the last second courtesy of his spider-senses.
✕ Remove Ads 1 Platoon (1986) Sergeant Elias Grodin Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 star5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist
Success!
10/10 Platoon RDramaWar
Platoon is a war drama directed by Oliver Stone, featuring Charlie Sheen as a young soldier experiencing the harrowing realities of Vietnam. Released in 1986, the film chronicles his moral struggle within a divided platoon, led by the contrasting characters of Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger. Platoon offers a raw depiction of the harsh conditions and ethical dilemmas faced by soldiers, contributing to its critical acclaim and multiple Academy Awards.
Where to Watch streamrentbuy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Release Date February 6, 1987 Runtime 120 Minutes Cast Tom Berenger , Willem Dafoe , Charlie Sheen , Keith David , Forest Whitaker , Francesco Quinn , Kevin Dillon , John C. McGinley Director Oliver Stone Main Genre War Writers Oliver Stone Expand
Contentiously Dafoe's most celebrated and memorable career role, the American's bow as Sergeant Elias Grodin in Oliver Stone's Platoon earned him his first Academy Award nomination. Although Dafoe and fellow cast mate Tom Berenger would ultimately go on to lose out on the Best Supporting Actor Oscar to Michael Caine, the actor produces one of his most iconic characters in the 1986 war film, a status quo due in no small part to his greatest movie death.
2:00 Related "It's A Little Overplayed": Oliver Stone's Oscar-Winning 1986 War Movie Loses Accuracy Points From Expert
Military history professor Bill Allison takes a look at scenes from Oliver Stone's 1986 movie, Platoon, rating them for their real-life accuracy.
Posts ✕ Remove Ads
The goosebumps-inducing war movie moment sees Elias shot down by NVA troops after he is left for dead by Berenger's villainous Sergeant Barnes. Accordingly, this means that his comrades witness Grodin's harrowing death from their helicopter as they evacuate. The iconic image of a dying Elias with his arms thrust into the air has become synonymous with Platoon and the Vietnam War itself, an unforgettable moment that wouldn't be possible without another demise from the ages from Willem Dafoe.
