This article will try to give an account of some of the best interpretations of the role of Lucifer in cinematography. As hinted through the title, it will however only consider the human version of the so-called anti-Christ; in other words, it will not be about the red-skin horned and hooved demonic version of said character. As such, stunning performances as Tim Curry’s devil in Legend or the more comic-relief version of Satan in Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiney will be excluded from this article. Other renditions that did not make the cut include TV series such as Lucifer (Tom Ellis gives a fantastic performance and his monologues about his father are shrewdly written) or Supernatural; this is simply because the vast number of episodes give more time for character development and I was searching for something more unique. One last title that was purposefully left out was The Prophecy (with Christopher Walken and Viggo Mortensen) mainly because this trilogy would deserve an article of its own.
The three picks that made the final list are hence Angel Heart, The devil’s advocate and Constantine. The article will not cover the movies themselves or the plot, but will rather focus on the different devilish representations of Lucifer and the characteristics the actors attributed to their role.
Angel Heart – 1987
Luis Cypher, an enjoyable play on the word Lucifer, interpreted by Robert De Niro enters the scene as a wealthy man with an agenda; he is merely searching for a man who had made a deal with him and then vanished. He only wants the score to be settled. Elegantly dressed in black, cane in hand, with long hair knotted behind his head, Robert De Niro’s Lucifer may be considered peculiar only for his slightly long fingernails and the big ring with a pentagram that he wears. In his first appearance he sits in a chair, elevated on a wooden base, similar to a throne; he will appear from time to time, only to check up on the main character. In a particular scene, the way he slowly peels an egg-shell and then eats the egg succeeds in creating a tense atmosphere and his occasional smile is of no comfort whatsoever.
De Niro’s Lucifer is the Devil of Favors and Deals, and as he puts it:
“I don’t like messy accounts”
The devil’s advocate – 1997
Al Pacino gives altogether a totally different take on Lucifer as he portrays the Devil of Appetites and Desires; elegant and well groomed, he is the embodiment of what the Rolling Stones would have called “a man of wealth and taste”. He is almost always present on scene, ubiquitous in his grandeur and egotism, either speaking a number of different languages (probably knowing all of them, given that he is the devil), quoting the bible, making cultured remarks or dabbling in sin and pleasure. The fact on which he insists is that it was he who gave people free will – it is not his fault if others are overwhelmed by greed, lust or any one of the other cardinal sins; he does not need to fuel man’s desire, he merely represents it.
The fact that he has a law firm also implies the importance he attributes to deals. In fact, when the main character asks him if they are negotiating, he promptly replies:
“Always”
Constantine – 2005
I will not dare to try to explore the world of Constantine and the source material of the comic book (Hellblazer); what I have to say about Peter Stormare’s role as Lucifer is centered around appearance and presentation. He arrives only in the last ten minutes of the movie, differently from the two previous examples, and descends in a white immaculate suit while his naked feet are drenched in a tar-like substance – this creates a striking visual juxtaposition; he has some tattoos on his neck and darker veins near his forehead. He is closer to that demonic representation the audience is used to, especially when there is a close-up on his face and his dilated pupils and wide-open eyes pierce through the screen. He is the Devil of Chaos and Insanity; Peter Stormare’s drastic mood changes give his Lucifer that dimension of unpredictability and impulsivity. When the archangel Gabriel starts referring to him as “son of perdition” and “most-unclean”, he laughingly says:
“I do miss the old names”
Final verdict
As much as each one of these interpretations has its own worth and flavor, making the movies worth watching, it is impossible for me not to have a greater appreciation for Al Pacino. This is because of a simple monologue that he has; it has nothing to do with what he says about divinity and God, but rather my appreciation stems from the way he delivers the speech. I will leave the link to the clip that I am referring to down below, that way you can see for yourself if it is to your liking or not.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yA7HUlJsW8
I would give these interpretations 9 out of 10 pentagrams.
Link to the Italian version: https://quirkyhorizons.com/niente-corna/