What is Keyser Soze?
1.
Character played by Kevin Spacey in the 1995 movie, "The Usual Suspects." The character is most remembered for a story about him, told to a police officer in the movie:
"He's supposed to be Turkish. Some say his father was German. Nobody ever believed he was real. Nobody ever knew him or saw anybody that ever worked directly for him. But to hear Kobayashi tell it, anybody could have worked for Soze. You never knew; that was his power. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. One story the guys told me, the story I believe, was from his days in Turkey. There was a gang of Hungarians that wanted their own mob. They realized that to be in power, you didn't need guns or money or even numbers. You just needed the will to do what the other guy wouldn't. After a while, they come into power and then they come after Soze. He was small-time then, just running dope, they say. They come to his home in the afternoon, looking for his business. They find his wife and kids in the house and decide to wait for Soze. He comes home to find his wife raped and children screaming. The Hungarians knew Soze was tough, not to be trifled with, so they let him know they meant business. They tell him they want his territory, all his business. Soze looks over the faces of his family. Then he showed these men of will what will really was. He tells him he would rather see his family dead than live another day after this. He lets the last Hungarian go, waits until his wife and kids are in the ground, and then he goes after the rest of the mob. He kills their kids. He kills their wives. He kills their parents and their parents' friends. He burns down the houses they live in, the stores they work in. He kills people that owe them money. And like that, he's gone. Underground. Nobody's ever seen him since. He becomes a myth, a spook story that criminals tell their kids at night. 'Rat on your pop and Keyser Soze will get you.' But no one ever really believes."
Soze's character was based on real-life murderer John List, who murdered his mother, wife, and three children, then disappeared for 18 years. When he was found and captured, he had started a completely new life as Robert Peter Clark.
The term "Keyser Soze" has become synonymous with someone who is elusive and legendary - someone who everyone hears about, but noone ever meets in person.
He owes me money, but I can't collect - he's harder to find than Keyser Soze.
2.
The devil himself.
Keaton once said, "I don't believe in God, but I'm afraid of him."
Well I believe in God, and the only thing that scares me is Keyser Söze
See
3.
STOP!
Unless you want the ending of a GREAT movie spoiled for you, DO NOT read any of the definitions below. The Usual Suspects is probably one of the best mysteries ever. If I were to make a list of the best crme films of the 90's it would rank number 2 (just under Pulp Fiction). The character Keyser Soze is a rarely seen, nearly mythical crime kingpin who is involved in drugs, murder, and possibly international terrorism (as hinted in one scene). Most believe he is not real, but rather boogeyman story or name-drop to intimidate people. In the end of the movie, the shocking identity of Keyser Soze is finally revealed. Go watch The Usual Suspects and see it for yourself. Do not let this great ending get ruined for you!
The background story of Keyser Soze as told by the character Verbal Kint:
"He's supposed to be Turkish. Some say his father was German. Nobody ever believed he was real. Nobody ever knew him or saw anybody that ever worked directly for him. But to hear Kobayashi tell it, anybody could have worked for Soze. You never knew; that was his power. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
One story the guys told me, the story I believe, was from his days in Turkey. There was a gang of Hungarians that wanted their own mob. They realized that to be in power, you didn't need guns or money or even numbers. You just needed the will to do what the other guy wouldn't. After a while, they come into power and then they come after Soze. He was small-time then, just running dope, they say. (We see all of this in flashback) They come to his home in the afternoon, looking for his business. They find his wife and kids in the house and decide to wait for Soze. He comes home to find his wife raped and children screaming. The Hungarians knew Soze was tough, not to be trifled with, so they let him know they meant business.
(Flashback: Hungarian cuts one of the children's throats)
They tell him they want his territory, all his business. Soze looks over the faces of his family. Then he showed these men of will what will really was.
(Soze shoots two Hungarians, then shoots his children and his wife as the last Hungarian watches in surprised horror)
He tells him he would rather see his family dead than live another day after this. He lets the last Hungarian go, waits until his wife and kids are in the ground, and then he goes after the rest of the mob. He kills their kids. He kills their wives. He kills their parents and their parents' friends. He burns down the houses they live in, the stores they work in. He kills people that owe them money. And like that, he's gone. Underground. Nobody's ever seen him since. He becomes a myth, a spook story that criminals tell their kids at night. 'Rat on your pop and Keyser Soze will get you.' But no one ever really believes."
See
4.
He is a legendary character from the movie: The Usual Suspectsof mysterious identity and mythical proportion, known for his incredibly extensive and unyeilding brutality.
Said of Keyser Soze:
"The way I hear it, Soze is some kind of butcher. A peerless, psycho, fucked-up butcher."
"Keaton always said, "I don't believe in God, but I'm afraid of him." Well I believe in God, and the only thing that scares me is Keyser Soze."
See
5.
To leave your friends at the bar for whatever reason. See
Dude - you totally keyser sozed on us last night. What happened?
6.
Keyser Soze is real.
He is a real character. He is not a "filmstar".
There is a Keyser Soze out there everywhere. Who knows who it could be. Me? No.
Think about your job.. why are you doing that job.. would it benefit anyone but your company? You bet you, Keyser Soze. You could be working for him and not even know it. He calls the shots.
Keyser Soze is an effective method of scaring children. Go to sleep or Keyser Soze will get you.
See
7.
There is no Keyser Soze.
Keyser Soze does not exist.
