A tribute to the the top 15 greatest villains ever to appear on the big screen.
Artwork by Mia Nogueira
Everyone loves a hero. Some applaud their admirable attributes, compelling the hero to defy all limits even in the bleakest of times. Others are simply dumbfounded by their daring enterprises, from rescuing the damsel in distress to deactivating a doomsday device seconds before imminent destruction. Whether it be the geeky yet honorable Peter Parker, or the vengeful yet daring Batman, heroes always leave their fans in awe, aspiring to one day be as noble and valiant as their idols.
But what drives heros? What brings out all of their heroic attributes and future escapades? What makes a hero, a hero?
The villain, of course!
Movie goers have been having a love affair with villains since the birth of motion pictures in 1903, and it’s easy to understand why. Here are the people we love to hate. Their vulgarity and malevolence make us cringe, weep, and loathe their dastardly plot. They’re awful, ghastly, and yet so much fun to watch. And so, let us commemorate the brave men and women who sacrificed their time – and sanity – for the sake of greed, fame, and world domination.
So pull up a chair, gather your minions, and twirl your moustache, because here are the Top 15 Greatest Movie Villains!
# 15: Commudus of Gladiator (2000)
Played by the creepily intimidating Joaquin Phoenix (Two Lovers), this corrupt Roman emperor stands out from the crowd because of his incessant thirst for power, along with his monstrous undertakings in achieving it. Murdering his father, slaughtering the hero’s family, and wooing his sister are only a few of his horrendous – and frankly just bizarre – endeavors throughout the film. Creepy, sneering, and threatening, Phoenix portrays this crooked villain with avidity in an Oscar-worthy performance.
#14: Hannibal Lector of Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Having become somewhat of a Hollywood icon, Anthony Hopkins (Wolfman) portrays a cannibalistic evildoer who slaughters, dismembers, and then eats his victims. Being one of many unique movie serial killers, what really makes Hannibal special is Hopkins, who seems to coat every word with baleful intent as he speaks. Hopkins’s presence on screen is dark, menacing, and animalistic, making him a character I would not want to have for dinner.
#13: Annie Wilkes of Misery (1990)
How far can a scary, creepy, and intensely obsessed fan go? As far as Annie Wilkes is concerned, pretty far. Kathy Bates (Valentine’s Day) delivers a flawless performance as the sweet, homely, and deadly Wilkes, who takes obsession with a celebrity to a whole new level. Kidnapping and torture highlight Wilkes’s foul deeds in this horrific Stephen King classic. Crazed, dark, and infatuated, Wilkes is one character that puts fear in fame.
#12: Mr. Glass/Elijah Price of Unbreakable (2000)
The Superhero, according to riveting and comic-book-crazed terrorist Elijah Price, is often exaggerated. Comic books portray mythology that is – while not always entirely truthful – roughly based of reality. It is these twisted philosophies that drive Elijah Price to commit horrendous, monstrous, and immensely destructive deeds. Samuel L. Jackson (Iron Man 2) plays a calm and nonchalant villain, who battles the hero with his wits, his cunning, and his supposed friendship. Technically speaking, Price only has a few minutes on screen where the audience is actually aware that he’s a villain. But despite this twist, Price’s genius in his actions – although not revealed until the end – makes him an always threatening, and always plotting, villain.
#11: The Dentist/Orin Shrivels of Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Now here’s a guy who really makes me afraid of laughing gas. With that being said, I have yet to find a funnier, wilder, and more hysterical villain in Hollywood history. Not only does Shrivels love his job as a dentist – leading to the hilarious song Dentist – but Shrivels is also simply a sadist, who enjoys any means of inflicting pain on others. Steve Martin (Cheaper by the Dozen) is a riot as a guy who loves his job so much that he literally dances, jumps for joy, and sings as he drills through his hopeless victims’ teeth. If it’s true that there’s a job for everybody, Shrivels proves that every evil, sadistic, and insane sadist should pursue a healthy career as a dentist.
#10: Anton Chigurh of No Country for Old Men (2007)
As incredibly evil as this character is, it’s immensely difficult to substantiate his placement on this list without ruining this daunting and horrific film’s impact on first-time viewers. I won’t say much, but what I will say is that Chigurh – played by Javier Barden (Eat, Pray, Love) – is a killer. It’s a plain, bland, and simplistic description, but it holds entirely true. All I can really say is watch the movie, and it will be well understand when I say: Chigurh is a killer. Enough said.
#9: Norman Bates of Psycho (1960)
Often considered the first real horror classic, Hitchcock’s brilliant thriller Psycho features also probably the first real horrific villain: Norman Bates. What makes this villain so compelling is not his insanity, nor his cryptic, yet blunt, lines. What propels Bates as a character is actor Anthony Perkins (Destroyer) who is chillingly twisted in his every movement. The way he saunters, his sinister glare, and much more makes Bates unforgettable. This is one brutal killer that’ll make any weary traveler think twice before entering an old, lugubrious motel.
#8: Alien of Alien/Aliens (1979/1986)
Let me start by saying I have a general distaste for monster/slasher movies. It’s for that very reason that creations such as King-Kong, Jason, Predator, Michael Meyers, or any other masked killer/monster will not appear on this list. They’re generic, they’re cliché, and let’s face it, they’re never that interesting to watch. The exception? Alien. Now here’s a monster that’s not only scary, but masterfully and uniquely created. This isn’t the usual horror-movie killer. Alien is a parasite; a symbiotic creature that feeds on other life forms in order to survive. Not only is the concept compelling, but simply the creation of Alien is captivating. From puppetry to animatronics, a lot went in to making Alien, and it shows. And it’s for that reason that Alien is, and always will be, the great intergalactic nightmare.
#7: Harlen Maguire of Road to Perdition (2002)
Who ever thought photography could be so malevolent? With that being said, Harlen Maguire is one of the most under appreciated villains to ever appear in cinema. Maguire, flawlessly portrayed by Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes), is a gun for hire, taking pride in his work by capturing his victims on camera post-slaughtering. This creative and disturbing concept makes this character intimidating, eerie, and terrifying. While it’s true that Maguire only has about 30 minutes of accumulative screen time, and very few lines, his rarity only adds to his odiousness. But I guess nobody can display this character’s blunt evil better than Maguire himself: “I love taking pictures. And I love what I do.”
#6: Judge Frollo of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
It’s hard to know where to begin with this self-righteous religious extremist. He murders a woman, tries to drown her baby, imprisons and tortures gypsies, burns down a house with an entire family locked inside, attempts to burn a woman at the stake – but not before offering her freedom in return for sex – and he does it all in the name of God. Oh, and did I mention this is a Disney movie? And a G rated film? That being said, this is one of the most controversial villains on the list. As colorfully animated as this Disney classic is, Frollo makes the film as twisted as it is heartwarming. Not to mention the menacing voice of Tony Jay (Broadway performer), who makes the character sound even dastardlier than he appears.
#5: Alex Forrest of Fatal Attraction (1987)
Alex Forrest, played by Glenn Close (101 Dalmations), is somewhat like a Taipan snake; she’s beautiful, stunning, and exotic, but if you try to touch her, she’ll bite your head off. However, unlike the deadly Taipan snake, Forrest will also stalk, intimidate, and attack her victim’s loved ones. In this twisted love story, Forrest seduces and has an affair with family-man Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas, Wall Street), an act which Gallagher soon regrets and hopes to forget. Forrest, on the other hand, is one mistress who will never forget, nor forgive. This vindictive female fiend excels not only because of Close, who portrays the sexuality and barbarity of the character with outstanding conviction, but also because of director Adrian Lyne’s (Unfaithful) dark and mysterious filmography, which seems to depict Forrest as more of a ghost than an angry mistress. Hunting, stalking, and slashing, Forrest is one foxy coworker who proves that attraction can truly be fatal.
#4: Alex DeLarge of A Clockwork Orange (1971)
It’s difficult to say what exactly motivates teenager Alex – played by Malcolm McDowell (Easy A) – to commit such horrendous deeds. Acting somewhat like a spoiled child, Alex parades through the streets at night with his gang of blunt vassals, carrying out monstrous acts of mischief, which includes (but is not limited to) assault, thievery, rape, and ultimately murder. If you haven’t already guessed, Alex is not your ordinary juvenile delinquent. He’s a monster, plain and simple. However, with that in mind, it must be acknowledged that there have been countless killer and psycho teenagers portrayed in a plethora of movies. So what makes Alex worthy of the #4 spot on the list? First of all, McDowell delivers a phenomenal performance as Alex. So phenomenal, in fact, that McDowell actually had trouble finding work after the movie’s release, simply due to his believability in the film’s appalling role. And let’s face it; if anyone can make a villain seem to come to life on screen, it’s film genius Stanley Kubrick (Eyes Wide Shut). Don’t believe me? Watch Jack Nicholson (The Bucket List) in The Shining. In addition, the screenplay for the film is pure poetry. Most characters, including Alex, seem to speak in an odd jargon that is probably only coherent in Kubrick’s mind. Alex, through his vulgarity and monstrosity, is an engaging villain, and will always be the pinnacle of teenage rebellion gone wrong in cinema.
#3: The Joker of The Dark Knight (2008)
Over the years, there have been countless renditions of the classic Batman villain the Joker, ranging from Mark Hamill’s (Star Wars) wheezing depiction of the hysterical mastermind to Jack Nicholson’s creepy portrayal of the caped crusader’s archenemy. But, in the end, Heath Ledger (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnasses) laughs his way to the top as the greatest Joker ever to appear on screen. Unlike previous Jokers, Ledger is able to bring out the ruthless nature of this classic villain, making him much more threatening, scary, and engaging. But what truly sets Ledger’s Joker apart from the crowd are his manipulative antics, gravitating him towards being more of a devil-like figure within the movie. The Joker isn’t fighting for money, power, or fame; he’s fighting for the souls of Gotham. Without purpose or reason, the Joker sets forth to implement anarchy and chaos in the city, granting the opportunity to destroy the city to the citizens of Gotham themselves. Another excellent addition to Ledger’s Joker is his makeup and costume design, which proves to be much more vulgar and grotesque than previous renditions. Overall, the Joker is a rebel without a cause: a true representation of evil incarnate.
#2: Col. Hans Landa of Inglorious Basterds (2009)
Christoph Waltz (The Green Hornet) won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his superb portrayal of the wicked and twisted Nazi “Jew-Hunter” Hans Landa in 2010. Movie critic Roger Ebert stated that Waltz “…created a character unlike any Nazi — indeed, anyone at all — I’ve seen in a movie: evil, sardonic, ironic, mannered, absurd.” But can one stellar actor truly make a villain worthy of such praise and commendation? In this case, absolutely. Waltz’s depiction of this sophisticated and dastardly villain is bold, laudable, and yet surprisingly subtle. Waltz never overacts, nor does he ever seem to be forcing through his villainy. Waltz, throughout the film, seems genuinely evil, no question about it. His smile, his chuckle, and even the way he struts into every scene with gusto, all send chills down my spine. As for the character, Hans Landa – as you might expect – is not your average corrupt villain. He has no minions, no grudges, nor really any masterful schemes. He is simply compelled to commit horrendous acts due to the fact that – as blunt as this may seem- that’s just who he is. Always crazy, always corrupt, and always polite, Landa is one scary hunter who deserves every accolade he receives.
#1: Archibald Cunningham of Rob Roy (1995)
“Love is but a dunghill… and I am but a cock who climbs upon it to crow,” states English aristocrat Archibald Cunningham to his recently impregnated mistress, shortly before telling her that he wants nothing to do with her, nor the child, with a ghastly smile on his face. Shortly afterward, Cunningham’s young and naïve victim hangs herself. Hate him yet? If not, don’t worry, he’s even worse to our hero. He tortures him relentlessly, steals all of his money, kills all of his best friends and allies, shoots his dog, burns down his house, pillages his village, and rapes/impregnates his wife. And he does it all with a wicked grin on his face. If that’s not pure evil, I’m not sure what is. Tim Roth (The Incredible Hulk) delivers what I would argue to be the greatest work of acting ever seen in cinematic history as this terrifying villain. Acting almost euphorically, Roth seems to sway into every scene, as if conducting a cruel and twisted ballet with the audience. Roth’s every movement is intentional, and it becomes obvious from the moment he steps on screen. But what really makes Cunningham so tremendously evil is the clash between his cultivated and animalistic behavior. During much of the movie, Cunningham seems seasoned and suave. While still immensely evil, he acts with composition, smiling politely even at his enemies. But, throughout all this sophistication, a glimpse of animalistic monstrosity can be seen in his performance. While his savage nature comes out quite obviously in numerous scenes throughout the movie, I appreciate it even more when it is poorly hidden under cultivated clothes and polite gestures. I can, without hesitation, say that this man has no conscience. But, whether he’s a misguided soul or a sociopath, he remains to be the greatest villain to ever appear on the big screen.
Well, there they are! The best, and most horrendous, movie villains of all time.
And always remember: behind all great characters is a dastardly villain, chuckling in the shadows and plotting their imminent doom.
