The Satans I have known

News that Bradley Cooper, star of The Hangover (and bit-player in Wet Hot American Summer, let's not forget), has been cast in the roll of Satan in a new adaptation of Milton's Paradise Lost has Salon's Drew Grant wondering what, exactly, makes for a good Satan:

How are we all feeling about Cooper as Lucifer? On the one hand, the angel that's as beautiful as the Morning Star (and twice as vain) seems like a perfect fit for the cocky "Hangover" actor. On the other, we haven't really seen enough of Cooper's serious acting chops to say whether or not he could pull off such a meaty role. Sure, he's pretty enough, but could he be delightfully, tragically evil?

We look at some of the best portrayals of "the big L" and weigh in on our favorites.

Was Pacino as "John Milton" better or worse than Randy Newman as Lucifer? Salon has the answers.