Just when they think they have the answers, he changed the questions. Whether you loved him as a conquering babyface or hated him as a despicable heel, Roddy Piper had an effect on everyone who was watching him -- an effect that's sadly absent after his tragic death five years ago.
Another medium that Piper had an impact on was that of film. None of his films were Oscar contenders by any means, in fact, some of them could hardly be described as good, but he just made them a little more watchable. What are his best films? Let's ask IMDb!
Don't Look Back (2014) - 5.4
Don't Look Back is the most recent movie on this list. In it, a young children's author named Nora Clark moves into an old house that was once owned by her grandmother. While struggling to deal with some traumatic memories of her past that she has repressed, Nora ends up taking on an enticing new roommate and it soon becomes clear that everything is not what it seems.
Roddy Piper is in it, but his character, Eddie Starks, isn't particularly endearing, as Starks once molested Nora's new roommate when she was a child.
Jungleground (1995) - 5.4
A lot of Hot Rod's movies would be considered bargain bin fluff if he wasn't involved. Jungleground does seem like the kind of film you'd see Chuck Norris or Charles Bronson be a part of in the 80s (no offense to either actor), but with Piper involved, it makes things a bit more interesting, regardless of the film's overall quality.
Jungleground has Piper playing a cop who goes undercover in a seedy part of town called Jungleground. However, he is captured and challenged with escaping the cesspool of crime before dawn arrives.
Back In Action (1994) - 5.4
No, this isn't a movie about Piper teaming up with The Looney Toons. Instead, Back In Action is actually a pretty standard buddy cop flick starring Hot Rod, along with Billy Blanks (best known for inventing Tae Bo). The plot for the movie is honestly nothing special and to be honest, neither is the movie itself.
The plot revolves around two men -- a rogue cop (played by Piper) and an ex-green beret (played by Blanks), who seek revenge on a band of criminals for completely different reasons. Will they succeed or kill each other first?
Last To Surrender (1999) - 5.5
Even the title of this film sounds generic. Any criticism towards this film should never be seen as a knock against Piper himself, but phew! This movie is the type of flick your eyes would drift past in the action section of Blockbuster back in the day.
Last To Surrender features Piper as your typical free spirit police officer who teams up with a Chinese police officer (played by Ong Soo Han). Why do they team up? To take down a drug kingpin. Again, it isn't Piper's fault, it's just a tired plot.
Hell Comes To Frogtown (1988) - 5.5
Outside of a film that will appear a bit later on this list, this is the film most people remember Piper starring in. The best description for Hell Comes To Frogtown comes from Jason Cook of The Spitting Image: "It's no cinematic masterpiece, but were there any talking mutant frogs in Citizen Kane?"
In Hell Comes To Frogtown, the Earth is in a post-apocalyptic state after a nuclear war that turned people into mutated frog monsters. If this sounds ridiculous to you, just wait until you hear the name of the character that Piper portrays. In the movie, Hot Rod plays a character named Sam Hell, so ... Hell Comes To Frogtown.
A Gothic Tale (2008) - 6.3
A more recent showing from the former host of Piper's Pit, A Gothic Tale is an oddity in this list as Mr. Piper isn't really one of the main characters. He serves as the narrator of the film, but since he still plays a major role in the film, it belongs on the list.
The plot of A Gothic Tale revolves around three people who are intertwined by their connection to a figure that is known as The Stranger. A Gothic Tale could be seen as a cheaper version of a Twilight Zone episode, but Piper's presence makes things interesting.
Clear Lake (2012) - 6.6
Clear Lake is a low-budget drama in which Piper plays an overprotective father named Wayne who is being cared for by his son Jimmy. If you read this description and couldn't understand why a role like this was given to Piper, you could be forgiven for your confusion.
If you're curious as to how the movie plays out, someone uploaded the entire movie onto YouTube, so you're free to give it a look. It's not high art, but it certainly is a film and it does give Piper a chance to stretch his acting chops.
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011) - 6.8
Released the same year as the live-action Green Lantern movie starring Ryan Reynolds, it goes without saying that the animated Green Lantern: Emerald Knights is a far better viewing experience. The plot focusses on Hal Jordan telling ancient Green Lantern legends to newcomer Arisia, as the entire Green Lantern Corps team up to combat a massive cosmic threat.
In one of the best parts of the film, a warlord named Bolphunga (voiced by Piper) searches for a worthy opponent only to be pointed towards the legendary Green Lantern, known as Mogo. It's massively entertaining and Piper does a great job with his character.
Fancypants (2011) - 7.1
Wrestlers tend to really put on exaggerated characters, but it still can be mind-boggling to see what they're like in real life. Fancypants, a comedy that came out the same year as Green Lantern: Emerald Twilight, showcases this in a fascinating way. It's is about a wrestler who actually hates conflict and is moving towards the end of his career.
Before becoming an actor, Piper was a world-famous professional wrestler, so him appearing in a movie about the industry makes total sense. Fancypants may not be perfect, but it's certainly a charmer of a film.
They Live (1988) - 7.3
The one you've all been waiting for. They Live is a classic John Carpenter film that has only gotten more iconic with the passage of time. If you don't know where that famous line about being all out of bubblegum came from, well, this is it.
Piper plays John Nada, a drifter who discovers that America is being manipulated by extra-terrestrial forces through the use of a special pair of sunglasses. Cue conspiracy, shootouts, and one of the greatest fights in the history of cinema. Seriously though, They Live is awesome and if you haven't seen it, you absolutely need to.