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A legend ascended recently with the passing of Terence Stamp at 87. I first encountered him as a kid watching Superman: The Movie in 1978. He’s in that flick’s earliest moments as General Zod, on trial by Marlon Brando’s Jor-El and the Kryptonian Council. We now know that scene is there to set up the sequel, but it also establishes Superman’s dad as an influential figure in Krypton’s government and Zod as someone trying to overthrow it. 

The contrast between the two actors is undeniable. Brando’s stoicism and extreme elocution is a polar opposite to Stamp’s passionate defiance as the spinny glass thing comes down to imprison him in the Phantom Zone. You can’t ignore this guy’s power, which is why he became Superman’s greatest cinematic foe. Yes, Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor is unforgettable, but his malevolence was always cloaked by his playful nature. 

In the Superman movies, Hackman played both villain and comic relief. Stamp was no laughing matter. His arrogant charisma dominates that opening scene. He only has a few minutes of screentime, but Stamp is regally evil as Zod. Of course, they’d bring him back as the antagonist for Superman II. A villain bent on world domination with the same godlike powers as the last son of Krypton? Hell, yes. When he says, “Kneel before Zod,” I almost slid out of my seat to comply. 

Terence Stamp was magic. Irresistibly watchable whether in a lead role or a cameo. When he came onscreen, he owned you. He got my attention with General Zod and held it for decades. His icy stare and commanding tones were alternately hypnotic or terrifying, depending on the part. Stamp’s last screen appearance was as a mysterious figure in writer/director Edgar Wright’s atmospheric thriller, Last Night in SoHo in 2021. 

No one else could have played that character. In this stylish tale of past sins haunting the present against the backdrop of swinging London in the ’60’s, Stamp was right at home. This underrated modern ghost story has him supporting Anya Taylor-Joy (Furiosa) and Matt Smith (HBO Max’s House of the Dragon and the 11th Doctor Who). It is a fitting epitaph for this legendary talent. Check out his enigmatic performance now on Peacock and Hulu. 

The poster boy for Mod London back in the day, Stamp was even name-checked in the pop song “Waterloo Sunset” by the Kinks. He was known as much for his style and romantic entanglements as he was for his roles in Far from the Madding Crowd and The Collector. Producers pursued him to be Sean Connery’s successor as James Bond, but soon changed their minds when they heard his radical plans for the character. What did we miss by not having him as 007? That could have been fun. 

Stamp embodied his characters with a chill nobility. He was a wise drag queen in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, an ineffectual intergalactic bureaucrat in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and a father figure to wannabe outlaws in Young Guns. Even when he’s playing second banana to homicidal chimpanzees in Link, he’s got boss-level energy. Stamp stole scenes from no less than Eddie Murphy as his spiritual advisor in Steve Martin’s Hollywood satire Bowfinger. The guy had it going on. 

His career best was as Wilson, a British career criminal, in L.A. for a spot of vengeance in director Steven Soderbergh’s The Limey. Part character study/part revenge story, Stamp nails every moment he’s on screen as a menacing and grieving dad taking care of business. This flick is a master class in how to showcase a majestic talent in a tight story buzzing with attitude and emotion. There is no fat here. It is concise and compelling, with style to spare. 

Soderbergh expertly employs clips from one of Stamp’s earlier films, 1967’s Poor Cow, to portray Wilson as a younger man. He cuts back and forth from the past to the present effortlessly, which fills out Wilson’s history without a lot of heavy exposition. Long before Liam Neeson, Stamp set the standard for the mad dad on a mission. In The Limey, he kicks ass all over town as he searches for his daughter’s killer. 

When he exclaims to the bad guys, “Tell him I’m coming,” it hits hard. His performance is wonderfully matched by Peter Fonda, playing the daughter’s SoCal sugar daddy. The culture clash here is palpable. Fonda’s breezy vibe is contrasted by Stamp’s intensity, leading to an inevitable confrontation that is both satisfying and bittersweet. The Limey never overplays its drama or understates its violence. It’s an underrated masterpiece. Watch it now for free on Tubi or Pluto TV and see why Terence Stamp deserves all the things. 

Movie star? Cultural icon? Master thespian? Stamp could proudly claim all these titles, but he probably never would have made the effort. He was a walking contradiction. A noted collector of fine wines,  Stamp preferred drinking mineral water. He was hailed as a lothario and a fashion plate in his prime, but was also a student of Buddhism and Eastern mysticism. Modern audiences may not fully comprehend what we have lost, but Terence Stamp took a lot of the cool with him when he left. We all kneel before Zod.