Top 10 Cyclopes

[00:00:00]This is where we distinguish ourselves from the last crew. Activate emergency high-speed self-contained escape pack crisis response units.

[00:00:08]>> Welcome to Watch Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most iconic oneeyed creatures of all shapes, sizes, and animation styles across film and TV history. [music] We will not be including characters who at one point or another had both of their eyes, nor characters named Cyclops despite having two eyes. That is cheating. And I can see he's got his daddy's eyes.

[00:00:31]>> Number 10, the Cyclops. The seventh voyage of Sinbad. They just don't make him like this anymore.

[00:00:37][music] >> To the boats quickly.

[00:00:42]>> He's scary. He's ugly. He'll put you and your whole crew in a cage if you step out of line. And we love him for it.

[00:00:48]Director Ray Harryhausen revolutionized the stopmotion genre with this film, introducing the term dynamation to define his process of projecting liveaction footage behind his puppetry stage.

[00:01:02]>> Despite the revolutionary new CGI techniques we have today, there really is nothing like the practical movie magic of this cyclops. Also, he fights a dragon. Come on, what's cooler than that? Number nine, Pleley, Lilo, and Stitch. If you thought we'd make a list about the greatest oneeyed characters without this fierce alien, you must be from the planet Planar.

[00:01:24]>> Hold everything. Earth is a protected wildlife reserve. Yeah, we've been using it to rebuild the mosquito population, which need I remind you is an endangered species.

[00:01:35]>> Agent Pleley is an Earth expert and a gender non-conforming icon who embodies both pure chaos and all-consuming anxiety. Honestly, he nailed the human experience. Look, another one. And another one. Why? It's a whole flock.

[00:01:50]They like me. They're dazzling my flesh with their noses. Though initially loyal to the Galactic Federation, Pleley becomes a part of Lilo and Stitch's Ohana and ultimately sets out to protect them. But most importantly, Pleley is a comedy legend. No shade to Jumba, but he is the clear star of that intergalactic duo. Sorry, >> don't let those two get on my ship.

[00:02:13]Number eight, Steuart. The Despicable Me and Minions universe. Love him or [music] hate them, The Minions are arguably the most culturally recognizable figures in film today.

[00:02:24][crying] >> You might not know the Pope's full legal name, but we bet you can name this oneeyed and one goggled minion. Yes, Steuart is a cyclops, just a little yellow one. Many minions fade into the background, following orders in their uniform denim. But not our Stewart.

[00:02:46]>> You scound off to them.

[00:02:49]>> He's been with us since the beginning of the franchise, causing mischief and shouting banana to the delight of audiences around the world. We will say new standout James may soon give Stuart a run for the title of best cyclopian minion. But maybe the two can collab on a monster movie sometime soon.

[00:03:09]Banana. Hungry for more monstrously good content? Scan the QR code on screen to join us on Watch Mojo's 247 pop culture liveream. We promise we'll stop talking about minions if you do. Number [music] seven, the Cyclops: Wrath of the Titans.

[00:03:24]If you're looking for a classic, horrifying, [music] mythologically accurate Cyclops, this is your guy.

[00:03:30]>> You got to be kidding me. After not appearing in Clash of the Titans, us Cyclops fans at home were hungry for some moninocular madness from this fantastical franchise. Thankfully, the sequel delivered. This Cyclops was intentionally designed to look humanlike despite being created with CGI.

[00:03:52]Watching him attack, you can feel how menacing and imposing he is with every stomp and clump of his club. He's a 30- foot tall monster, sure, but this depiction makes him feel real. Has anyone ever wondered if he has real feelings, too? We sure do.

[00:04:06]>> Not.

[00:04:10]>> Number six, Plankton. Spongebob Squarepants. As far as animated TV villains go, is there anyone more devious than Sheldon J. Plankton?

[00:04:19]>> This is no ghost. THIS IS PLANKTON STEALING ME BOOTY.

[00:04:25]>> Hear me, crabs. When I discover your formula for Krabby Patties, I'll run you OUT OF BUSINESS. I WENT TO COLLEGE.

[00:04:34]>> If we're looking at evilness per cubic inch of single eyeball, he breaks our scale. He might not crush buildings or eat people, but his entire life's goal is to run a small local business into the ground by plagiarizing their most famous recipe. [music] >> Impressed? Now, let's reveal that secret formula. [laughter] >> And then a close- second mission. total world domination. His schemes never get old. He's graced our screens since the late 90s, and we plan to revel in his hilarious, easily thwarted undersea atrocities till we're old and pruny. We assume they will still be producing new episodes of Spongebob Squarepants when we're on our deathbeds.

[00:05:12]>> Sorry, Mr. Plankton, but I quit.

[00:05:16]>> Sweet Neptune, she is going to eat me.

[00:05:22]>> [screaming] >> You can forget that letter of recommendation.

[00:05:26]>> Number five, Re Crow. Whoever said a Cyclops had to be evil. Some cyclopes have a kind heart and a gentle spirit.

[00:05:34]Enter [music] Re.

[00:05:35]>> He visits the Sears sometimes. He doesn't speak much.

[00:05:39]>> So I've noticed, except to be sarcastic to people who wish to be friends.

[00:05:43]>> Or just with those who already are his friends. This 80s fantasy film delivers us a friendly giant who drops [music] countless pearls of wisdom with spear in hand. Another practical movie magic beast. Re was played by Bernard Brlaw who was just a huge guy.

[00:05:59]>> I will stay.

[00:06:00]>> Be careful.

[00:06:01]>> Towering over his co-stars at 6'7. They slapped a prosthetic eye on his forehead and a legend was born. Fun fact, Re's eye was actually an animatronic which was controlled by the film's creature crew. A moment of silence for Reel, who made the ultimate [music] sacrifice for a young Liam Niss. Where would we be without him?

[00:06:22]>> Number four, Leela Futurama. She may be the most developed, evolved, and complex Cyclops on this list and in the universe, [music] probably.

[00:06:31]>> Look, I don't know about your previous captains, but I intend to do as little dying as possible. [laughter] >> Sign to paper. Leela is a nononsense spaceship captain, but she's also a vulnerable and relatable character who we've loved to watch over the decades long run of Futurama.

[00:06:48]>> I'm sorry you saw that, Fry. I usually try to keep my sadness pent up inside where it confessed her quietly as a mental illness.

[00:06:56]>> Yeah, I do that with my stupidness.

[00:06:58]>> In the sci-fi and fantasy genres, it is always refreshing to see a strong female lead who knows her stuff, [music] however many eyes you may have.

[00:07:05]Thankfully, depth perception is of no mind when it comes to piloting a craft in the great beyond. We would trust her with our lives.

[00:07:14]>> Please don't stop playing Fry.

[00:07:17]I want to hear how it ends.

[00:07:19]>> Number [music] three, Tyson, the Percy Jackson franchise. Did you think we'd forget about the defining Greek mythins inspired teen series?

[00:07:27]>> Hi, brother.

[00:07:28]>> In the Percy Jackson world, gods, demigods, and creatures are not just fantastical beings. They're friends.

[00:07:34][music] And like any good mythological tale, of course, we have a lovable Cyclops in the form of Tyson, Percy's halfb brotherther and full ally.

[00:07:43]>> Mist, >> it makes the mystical look normal.

[00:07:46]>> Side effects may include handsomeness, headache, self-esteem, and low self-esteem.

[00:07:50]>> And just know that if the camp wasn't in danger, I wouldn't be wasting this on you.

[00:07:54]>> Wasting what? Oh.

[00:07:55]>> He's been depicted in the film and TV adaptations of the books, both in similar fashions.

[00:08:00]>> [music] >> Tyson's a regular kid, albeit tall, with a single CGI eyeball at top his forehead. While the effects may leave a bit to be desired, we can't help but adore Tyson. He's a true hero who's always looking out for his team. Yes, that was another eye pun.

[00:08:16]>> Welcome to Camp Halfoot.

[00:08:19]>> Usually there's more s'mores than less ground assaults.

[00:08:23]>> Number two, Mike Wazowski, Monsters, [music] Inc. He's green, he's slimy.

[00:08:28]He's our next comic.

[00:08:30]>> Hey, just thing on. Hello. Hello.

[00:08:32]Testing, testing. Hey, good evening. How are you? How are nice to see you?

[00:08:36]>> Mike Wazowski is so much more than Sully's sidekick. He basically solved the energy crisis in Monstropolis with one eye and impeccable comedic timing.

[00:08:44]Does he want to throw Boo in the garbage? A little bit. Yeah. But hey, he was just trying to have a romantic evening out with the stunning Celia, who also deserves an honorable mention on this list.

[00:08:53]>> So, uh, are we going anywhere special tonight? Uh, I just got us into a little place called um Harry Housins.

[00:09:02]>> Harry Housins. But it's impossible to get a reservation there.

[00:09:05]>> Not for googly bear.

[00:09:08]>> In terms of special effects, Mike Wazowski was actually created completely practically. That is a real guy. He just looks like that. Okay, we're obviously kidding, but could you imagine? And if you didn't already know, Harry Housens is an homage to the affforementioned director. The Cyclopian race is really all one big family. I don't believe it.

[00:09:27]>> Google.

[00:09:29]>> I'm on the cover of a magazine.

[00:09:33]>> Number one, Polyphimas, the Odyssey. Of course, this list would be nothing without the original Cyclops in all of mythos, the son of Poseidon. While there have been a few depictions of Polypheis across film history, [music] we're going to make the bold claim that Christopher Nolan's adaptation will henceforth be the defining film Cyclops. Its on-screen impact is as gargantuan as the monster itself. Once you hear that scream, you are never going to forget it. As for how Polyphimas came to [music] life, Nolan seriously brings us back to practical roots. The team constructed a 60 ft mechanical puppet inside of Nester's cave in Greece, which was piloted by actor Bill [music] Irwin. The design, the execution, and the performance all came together flawlessly. If only Odysius could have left well enough alone.

[00:10:17]>> I think it's asleep. [screaming] Did you see all of your favorite cyclopes on this list? Were our picks justified? Did I make enough eye puns?

[00:10:26]Let us know in the comments.