5. Big Trouble In Little China (1986)
Honestly, picking a favorite scene in this one is a Sophie’s Choice-level impossibility, but we like this one. Russell’s best John Carpenter collaboration is also when his swagger hit its stride. Behold, and tremble!
4. Elvis (1978)
This little-seen TV movie marked the first Carpenter/Russell team up. In this scene, Kurt channels the through-the-ringer, vulnerable Elvis about to embark on what would be his career’s final act.
3. Used Cars (1980)
This early Robert Zemeckis joint finds Russell continuing to shed his “Disney kid” image and doing a cannonball into the R-rated comedy pool. In this scene Russell is joined by Gerrit Graham and Squiggy from Laverne and Shirley in creating one of the funniest and quotable scenes in ’80s movies.
2. The Thing (1982)
It takes a special kind of actor to stand out in one of the most special effects driven films of all time, but Russell and his arctic sombrero were more than up to the task. One of the most incredible set pieces of the era.
1. Escape From New York (1981)
Could it come from any other source? Russell finds his inner Clint here as he squares off against the great Lee Van Cleef. Great one-liners abound in the film that kicked off phase two of Russell’s unique body of work.