Tom Atkins never quite seemed to get his due in Hollywood. If it weren't for auteurs like John Carpenter (really, just John Carpenter), audiences wouldn't know the man. Atkins typically popped up in supporting roles back when he was more active. But, every now and then, he's had a role that either nearly crossed the line from supporting to leading, or was just flat-out leading (the latter an unfortunate rarity). These are Atkins' best films, and suffice it to say he made each one of them better just by being there.
12 The Fog (1980)
The Fog may waste Jamie Lee Curtis, but it doesn't waste Atkins, who makes his feature film debut here. Carpenter's follow-up to Halloween is equally atmospheric, if not quite as effective.
But that's not to say The Fog falls short of expectations. Really, it's only devastating flaw is that it's simply not long enough. Another 20 minutes of build-up would have done it good, especially considering it's the fog's encroachment on the isolated and charming Antonio Bay that makes the movie so creepily memorable. And it's Atkins' Nick Castle (not so coincidentally the name of the actor who portrayed Michael Myers in Carpenter's Halloween the year prior) who propels the majority of the narrative, especially early on.
11 The Ninth Configuration (1980)
Written, produced, and helmed by The Exorcist author (and director of the underrated The Exorcist III) William Peter Blatty in his directorial debut, The Ninth Configuration is an admirable film if not also a bit of a convoluted one. That said, the cast is genuinely amazing, as is Blatty's mastery of a grim yet not uninvitingly intriguing tone.
That said, it's also a film of two distinct halves, with the first showing a bit of looseness and humor while the latter half becomes rigid and severe. The Ninth Configuration is the second of three installments in Blatty's so-called "Trilogy of Faith," with the bookending works being The Exorcist and The Exorcist III. And it really does partially function as an Exorcist film (in terms of tone, not narrative content), making Blatty's film an excellent addition to a Blatty binge night, provided the dreadful Exorcist II: The Heretic is excluded. However, Atkins fans shouldn't expect much to his role in the film.
10 Escape from New York (1981)
Escape from New York is one of John Carpenter's best, and it's sad he won't be involved with the impending reboot. The director pulled Atkins back in after working together on The Fog, but unfortunately his Rehme in Escape from New York is a cameo at best.
He's essentially the right-hand man to Lee Van Cleef's Hauk. Hauk is the man who sets Snake Plissken up, and Rehme is more or less his enforcer. It's sad there wasn't more for Atkins to do, but at least he is in Escape from New York to some degree.
9 Creepshow (1982)
One of George A. Romero's best movies, Creepshow is the definitive anthology film. Primarily based on the works of Stephen King (who even leads one of the segments, though to divisive results), Romero's film is about as lighthearted and funny as a legitimately frightening, intermittently very bloody, movie can be.
Atkins portrays an overbearing father to the boy whose imagination inspires the stories, and one might even argue he's abusive (a rare instance of Atkins playing against likable type). But, once all the stories have wrapped up, the boy gets his voodoo-infused revenge.
8 Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
Revled by fans at the time of release, Tommy Lee Wallace's Halloween III: Season of the Witch has nonetheless shown itself to be a fantastic scary movie all its own. And it is, by a long shot, the most Atkins has ever gotten to do in a film (including The Fog).
Season of the Witch really is Atkins' show, with him perfectly pulling off a tired doctor whose prone to a drink. And he does that just as well as he plays the same tired doctor pulling himself up by his bootstraps, pushing logical fear aside, and doing what he can to solve a mystery that could very well be nationwide. And, as the finale informs the audience, that's exactly the scope of the damage...and the damage is coming. Halloween III's ending does not get nearly enough credit. Talk about gutsy nihilism in narrative....
7 The New Kids (1985)
Friday the 13th director Sean S. Cunningham has only directed two other films that are even remotely worth watching. The first is the slow-burn thriller A Stranger is Watching, starring Rip Torn. The second is the breezy The New Kids, which features Atkins' lined up with A-listers such as James Spader, Eric Stoltz, and the now disgraced Lori Loughlin.
The film, co-written by Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal's father, Stephen, follows to orphan siblings who move in with their uncle Charlie (Atkins). He plays a source of wisdom throughout the film, especially once the dastardly hooligans that make up the film's antagonists come into the picture.
6 Night of the Creeps (1986)
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Night of the Creeps may not have been Atkins' biggest box office success, but it's still the film that gave the actor his most famous line: "Thrill me." Atkins' is at his best when his character doesn't seem to care (but actually does), and that's exactly what he's doing throughout Night of the Creeps.
As a whole, the film's greatest asset is its tone. It's incredible the balance the film strikes between horror and comedy, to the point it's only gotten better over time. Night of the Creeps is a product of the '80s, but specifically a product of creatives in the '80s who were inspired by the creatives of the '50s. Sit down, say "Thrill me," and enjoy.
5 Lethal Weapon (1987)
Certainly Atkins' most mainstream film, Richard Donner's Lethal Weapon is an action classic. And, as grieving father and corrupt businessman Michael Hunsaker, the actor gets a few solid scenes.
Hunsaker is certainly integral to the plot, even if Atkins is dispatched halfway through. His daughter's death is what sets the narrative in motion, and the complexity behind the motive (which directly involves him) is what keeps the story moving.
4 Maniac Cop (1988)
The first of a trilogy, Maniac Cop is a mostly average slasher film bolstered by the grimy sensibilities of director William Lustig. Not to mention, there's a host of A-level B-stars such as Bruce Campbell, Atkins, and Robert Z'Dar as the titular Maniac Cop.
Atkins portrays Lieutenant Frank McCrae, who seems like the one cop who can actually take on Officer Matt Cordell, the reincarnated cop with a thirst for blood. And, like most cop characters, his fate is of the ill variety. But, throughout the first two thirds of the film, Atkins has quite a bit of meaty material to work with, at least for such a stereotypical role.
3 Two Evil Eyes (1990)
Atkins isn't in much of Two Evil Eyes, but at least he's in the half that's remotely worth watching. Specifically, the first half, the George A. Romero half as opposed to the Dario Argento half.
Both stories in Two Evil Eyes are inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe, and while the second story is led by Harvey Keitel and is based on the more famous The Pit and the Pendulum, it's still a mess. But, "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" is rock solid. A ghost story led by Adrienne Barbeau (in a case of perfect casting if there ever was one) as a conflicted woman with a desire for money but also a level of discomfort with how she and her partner are getting it. Barbeau always should have been a bigger star in the industry,
2 My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009)
Patrick Lussier's My Bloody Valentine 3D marked the first time Atkins had appeared in a theatrical film since 1993's Bruce Willis-led Striking Distance. And, fortunately for the film, Sheriff Jim Burke is one of the film's bigger roles.
At least throughout the first two-thirds. Once Sheriff Burke gets a little too close to Tom Hanniger (Jensen Ackles) on a front porch, his role in the narrative is...substantially decreased. But, at least it's always a pleasure to see Atkins on the big screen, even if that pleasure has come too far and
1 Drive Angry (2011)
Patrick Lussier gave Atkins fans another treat with a major role in the Nicolas Cage and Amber Heard-led Drive Angry. Unfortunately, to this point in time, the 2011 film has remained his last substantial role in a widely-released motion picture.
Atkins plays the role of Captain who, as one might surmise, is on the tail of Nicolas Cage's character. To be fair, he has just escaped from Hell. Atkins gets a little less to do in Drive Angry than he had in My Bloody Valentine 3D, but who better to fill out a cop role. After all, what's plastic on the page can become organic on the screen with the right actor, and Atkins' has consistently proved himself to be the right actor for the roles he's played.
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