SIR Michael Caine's role in movie classic Get Carter - filmed in the North-East - has earned the title of nastiest screen character of all time.

As Jack Carter, he became a legendary anti-hero, throwing an adversary from the top of a multi-storey car park in Gateshead among his acts of violence. He was chosen by movie experts at Total Film magazine, who have compiled a countdown of the all-time greatest screen "nasties".

Callous Carter is a psychotic gangland killer in the 1971 film, which broke new ground at the time for its cold, graphic scenes of bloodshed.

He beats ruthless figures such as Wall Street's Gordon Gekko and Melvin Udall, from As Good as it Gets, to make the number one slot.

Carter is seen looking on without emotion as a car sinks into the River Tyne with a woman trapped in the boot.

The soulless character sneers when an associate, Keith - played by Alun Armstrong, from Annfield Plain, County Durham - takes a severe beating on his behalf then simply throws money at him telling him: "Get yourself some karate lessons."

Caine told the magazine: "We made it very violent for the time because I had this bee in my bonnet that British films treated gangsters as though they were stupid or funny."