3. Malcolm McDowell (Alex) in A Clockwork Orange
Few characters ever committed to screen have been as darkly sociopathic yet as incredibly engaging and charismatic has Alex DeLarge in Kubricks sexually-violent masterpiece. Apparently, during Ledgers research for The Dark Knight, he took close note of the A Clockwork Oranges protagonist particularly his psychotic mannerisms when crafting his own now iconic take on The Joker. Perhaps more than anything before it in this list you can see echoes of McDowells legendary turn in Ledgers performance; the strange way in which he holds himself, the constantly amused way in which he delivers his dialogue, and the scarily sociopathic enjoyment he seems to derive from causing chaos. Check out the clip below to see exactly what I mean: http://youtu.be/b8NJyJ_KB7o