Men In Black was a smash hit in 1997 but while Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones were the stars, it was Vincent D’Onofrio role as Edgar/Edgar the Bug that stole the show for me.
Edgar the Bug was the main antagonist of Men in Black. After crash landing on Earth, a farmer named Edgar found its spacecraft on his land before the alien bug ate him and stripped his skin. The giant cockroach donned the “Edgar suit” as a disguise as he searched for the Arquilian Galaxy which was being protected on Earth.
D’Onofrio’s portrayal of Edgar the Bug is nothing short of magnificent. I’ve yet to see a film role played so uniquely and with such conviction. It was peculiar, grotesque, hilarious, and convincing, especially when the skin suit started to decay. It was alien theatre and 30s pulp fiction all rolled into one.
But don’t just take my word for it.