10 Great Movies Starring Doctor Who Actors You Need To See

You could probably fill this entire list with fantastic John Hurt performances if you wanted to, such was the great acting skill of the legendary actor. The Elephant Man, V For Vendetta, Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone, Midnight Express and 1984 are just a few fantastic performances by the man who would play The War Doctor in the 50th Anniversary Special, “Day Of The Doctor.”

Perhaps the most impactful movie in John Hurt’s extensive filmography is Alien, however. The sci-fi horror masterpiece directed by Ridley Scott is a pop culture staple and went on to spawn an entire franchise of gradually diminishing sequels, the nadir of which was two crossovers with the Predator.

In case you don’t remember, Hurt plays Kane the unlucky first victim of the xenomorph. Hurt is the first person in cinematic history to be attacked by a facehugger and later have the newborn xenomorph explode out of his chest.

It is a shocking moment that has become an icon in cinematic history and, although it has been repeated many times throughout the franchise and in various spoofs, these have never quite lived up to the impact of this moment in the first movie. Despite his relatively short screen time, Hurt gives a great performance, and it will stick in your head long after you watch the movie.