Going to (Robert) California: James Spader's Creepiest Performances Before The Office

Along with Amy Adams nabbing the role of Lois Lane and Anne Hathaway slipping into Catwoman's leather ensemble, James Sprader's new gig as the boss of bosses on The Office is among the best casting news we've heard this year. His character, Robert California, was the highlight of the otherwise draggy season finale, alternately entrancing viewers and freaking them out with his creepily intense vibe. It's an acting style that's familiar to any follower of the actor's big screen work. After getting his start mostly playing straight-up assholes in movies like Pretty in Pink and Mannequin, Spader began to take a walk on the wild and weird side around the time of 1987's Less Than Zero and hasn't looked back. Here are his five creepiest roles on the big screen:

John and Rick Wesford
Film: Jack's Back
Story Blurb: Exactly 100 years after the infamous Jack the Ripper murders terrorized London, the world's most notorious serial killer strikes again here in America. A virtuous doctor (Spader) investigates the case, as does his n'er-do-well twin brother (Spader again).
Creep Factor: Moderate. Spader is actually supposed to be playing the good guy(s) here, but his intense dedication to tracking down the reincarnated Ripper constantly keeps you questioning the stability of his sanity.

Graham Dalton
Film: sex, lies and videotape Story Blurb: An uptight housewife (Andie McDowell) agrees to be interviewed on camera by her husband's old college roommate (Spader) about her general dislike of sex and intimacy. Eventually these two damaged souls make sexytime themselves. Or do they?
Creep Factor: High. Did we mention these tapes are for Graham's private use? Because that's plenty creepy right there. On the other hand, his female subjects don't seem to mind sharing intimate details with him, so he must be doing something right.

Dr. Daniel Jackson
Film: Stargate
Story Blurb: The discovery of an ancient teleportation device leads an Egyptologist (Spader) and a hard-nosed soldier (Kurt Russell) to an alien planet, where they battle the forces of the sun god Ra (Jaye Davidson... hey, whatever happened to that guy, anyway?)
Creep Factor: Low. Maybe we're just too accustomed to Michael Shanks' version of Daniel Jackson, but Spader's version of "dorky scientist" plays more like "unwashed shut-in." If we were Russell, we wouldn't want this guy along for the interstellar journey either.

James Ballard
Film: Crash
Story Blurb: After surviving a terrible car accident, a film producer (Spader) finds that he can only get aroused when behind the wheel of an automobile that's about to careen off the road.
Creep Factor: Off the charts. This David Cronenberg-directed film is twisted in general (for its small, but devoted fanbase, that's one of its chief charms) and Spader's almost frighteningly committed performance enhances its strangeness.

E. Edward Grey
Film: Secretary
Story Blurb: A novice secretary named Lee (Maggie Gyllenhaal) gets more than she bargained for when she starts working for a lawyer (Spader) who has a thing for submissive girls that don't mind introducing a little physical pain into their lovemaking.
Creep Factor: Moderate. Edward and Lee may be one of the most charming BDSM couples (Google it...as long as you're not at work) in movie history. We think that's a compliment.

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