Top 7 Anthony Hopkins Movies

by Helen Earnshaw | 7 June 2015

Anthony Hopkins is one of the greatest actors to have ever graced the big screen and has delivered some iconic and unforgettable performances during his career.

Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs

Hopkins remains one of the most recognisable stars and continues to mix and match his roles and show off just how versatile an actor he is.

Kidnapping Freddy Heineken will arrived on DVD & Blu-Ray tomorrow and we take a look at some of Hopkins' best movies.

- The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Hopkins may have delivered a wide range of terrific performance during his career, but The Silence of the Lambs is the film and role that he will always be known for.

This thriller classic dominated the box office when it came out in 1991 becoming the highest grossing film of that year. Not only did this film earn five major academy awards, but it made Hopkins a superstar. Hopkins stars as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a smart psychiatrist who also happens to be a disturbing cannibalistic serial killer.

FBI agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) turns to Lecter in hopes that insight into him can help her stop another serial killer. Hopkins delivers a charismatic yet chilling performance that is sure to give you the chills no matter how many times you watch it.

It is a movie that is as great now as it was when it was released back in 1991 and Hopkins made sure the Lecter will go down as one of the greatest movie villains of all time.

- Nixon (1995)

We have seen Hopkins take on a number of biopic roles during his career - perhaps the most memorable and success came in 1995 with Nixon.

This biographical film follows the complex life of former United States president Richard Nixon. Hopkins starred in the lead role of Richard Nixon despite not being the obvious choice for the role initially.

He proved his critics wrong by delivering an amazing performance that earned him an Academy Award nomination. This was the third Best Actor Oscar nomination of his career - however, he lost out to Nicolas Cage for Leaving Las Vegas.

Hopkins captured the deeply flawed person Nixon was while managing to gain the audience's sympathy simultaneously.

Nixon is a complex and interesting look at this infamous American President - while Hopkins doesn't look much like Nixon, he nailed the mannerisms, and some of his rants in the film are just unforgettable.

- The Remains of the Day (1993)

The Remains of the Day was a Merchant Ivory movie that was released back in 1993 and was an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro.

The movie saw Hopkins team up with director James Ivory, while Emma Thompson, James Fox, and Christopher Reeve were some of the other names on a terrific cast list.

Hopkins took on the role of butler James Stevens, who sacrificed body and soul to service in the years post World War I realizes too late how misguided his loyalty has been.

The Remains of the Day is one of Merchant Ivory's greatest movies - and that is largely thanks to wonderful central performances from Hopkins and Thompson. This is an engrossing and intelligent movie that is as riveting as it is totally heartbreaking.

The movie was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture Best Actor and Best Actress for Hopkins and Thompson.

- The Elephant Man (1980)

This biopic follows the man whose physical deformities made him notoriously known as the elephant man. Dr. Frederick Treves (Hopkins) finds John Merrick (John Hurt) working as sideshow act, and decides to bring him home. Treves quickly realizes that Merrick has a heart of gold and could teach high society a thing or two about dignity and class.

Hopkins' character may not have been the lead role, but the kindness and humanity he brought to the role made him a standout.

David Lynch is in the director's chair for the film and The Elephant Man is a powerful and poignant depiction of John Merrick in a movie that stays with you long after the credits roll.

The scenes between Hurt and Hopkins are some of the best in the film as we two actors at the top of their game and delivering wonderful performances.

The movie was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Hurt - sadly, Hopkins was overlooked in the Best Supporting Actor category.

- Fracture (2007)

Hopkins returned to the big screen in 2007 when he teamed up with Ryan Gosling for Fracture - Gregory Hoblit was in the director's chair for the first time since Hart's War back in 2002.

This crime drama follows Ted Crawford (Hopkins), a structural engineer who shoots his wife and signs a confession admitting to it.

This seemingly open and shut case takes a thrilling turn when Crawford insists on going to trial and defending himself. Willy Beachum (Gosling), the prosecutor sent to put Crawford away, quickly learns he has quite the cunning adversary on his hands.

Fracture is a courtroom power struggle and sees Hopkins deliver another great performance in a villainous role - he really does seem to excel when he plays a baddie.

The film's best moments are when Hopkins and Gosling go head to head in a search for the truth and they both bring drama and intensity to their performances.

- Thor (2011)

This Marvel superhero-based film was an instant hit in theatres capturing audiences with its simplicity and action packed development. The film follows Thor (Chris Hemsworth), who is set to inherit the throne from his aging father, king of the Norse gods, Odin (Anthony Hopkins).

Things are set to go as planned until Thor's brutal and thoughtless actions against their enemies force his father to banish him to earth as punishment.

Hopkins portrays Odin with strength and truly captures the fatherly component of the character teaching his son a life lesson. Although Hopkins' role is short in the film, his regal presence is felt throughout.

In recent years, we have some high profile actors making the leap into the Marvel Universe alongside some of Hollywood's younger stars. While this is not a role that tests or stretches Hopkins in any way, he does give a terrific performance - the early scenes where he and an arrogant Thor are at loggerheads are some of the film's best moments.

- Kidnapping Freddy Heineken (2015)

This film captures one of the most audacious and infamous crimes in recent history. When low-level career criminals Cor Van Hout (Jim Sturgess), Willem Holleeder (Sam Worthington) and friends are turned down for a bank loan, they decide to solve all of their problems in one fell swoop by kidnapping Freddy Heineken (Hopkins).

Heineken, heir to the brewing empire and one of the wealthiest men in the Netherlands and his driver are captured and held for 21 days before a ransom of 35 million Dutch guilders is paid - equivalent to - 15 million Euros and still the largest sum ever paid as a ransom for a single person.

However, the reality of life on the run and the pressures of guilt soon begin to infect the group as it starts to unravel from within.