Bruce Dern Movies: Villain Showcase
Bruce Dern built much of his career playing memorable antagonists and morally complex characters. This watch order celebrates his mastery of villain roles, from western outlaws and psychological menaces to calculating criminals and unstable veterans.
These performances showcase Dern's ability to find humanity in dark characters while delivering genuinely unsettling portrayals. Each film features him as a primary antagonist or deeply flawed antihero, demonstrating why he became a reliable character actor for complex, morally ambiguous roles.
There are 2 other watch lists available - see the links up above.
List not ranked (sorted by Release Date)
Support Your Local Sheriff!
A drifter takes on the job of sheriff in a wild west town purely for the money, planning to leave if trouble gets too serious.
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The Cowboys
When his experienced cattlemen abandon him for gold mining, rancher Wil Andersen must train a group of young boys to help drive his cattle herd to market. Under Andersen's guidance, the boys learn the hard work of being cowboys while facing the dangers of the frontier.
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Posse
A politically ambitious marshal leads an elite posse on a mission to capture a notorious train robber and his gang in this western thriller.
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Family Plot
A fake psychic and her taxi driver boyfriend become entangled with dangerous kidnappers while searching for a missing heir in this Hitchcock thriller.
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Black Sunday
An Israeli anti-terrorist agent races against time to stop a terrorist plot targeting the Super Bowl, involving a disgruntled Vietnam veteran working with the Black September organization.
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Tattoo
An unbalanced tattoo artist becomes dangerously obsessed with a model he meets during a body-painting photo shoot, determined to permanently mark her with his art.
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After Dark, My Sweet
Three desperate criminals attempt to kidnap a wealthy child in a scheme they hope will change their fortunes.
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Diggstown
A recently released ex-con sets up a high-stakes bet in a boxing-obsessed town, wagering that his aging fighter can defeat ten local opponents within 24 hours.
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Wild Bill
A biographical drama following the legendary gunslinger Wild Bill Hickok as he arrives in the lawless town of Deadwood and reconnects with his old flame Calamity Jane.
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The Hateful Eight
A group of bounty hunters and strangers take shelter from a blizzard in a remote cabin, where tensions rise and deadly secrets emerge in this tense Western thriller.
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Other Film Series
A Better Tomorrow
A landmark Hong Kong action series exploring themes of brotherhood, loyalty, and redemption through stylized gunplay and emotional drama.
Con Artists
Films about grifters, swindlers, and confidence tricksters who use deception and manipulation to separate marks from their money.
Dirty Harry
San Francisco Inspector Harry Callahan's uncompromising approach to justice across five iconic cop thrillers.
Kathryn Bigelow
Oscar-winning director known for intense action thrillers and politically charged dramas that explore violence, masculinity, and moral complexity.
Pusher
A Danish crime trilogy exploring Copenhagen's criminal underworld through different protagonists, plus an unconnected English remake.
The Joker
A collection of major live-action Joker portrayals across different Batman film universes.