The Terminator
The 1984 film of the same name features Arnold Schwarzenegger as a seemingly unstoppable cyborg assassin sent back in time to prevent the birth of John Connor by killing his mother. One of the great lines to come out of this movie is “I’ll be back” spoken by the Terminator to a desk clerk in a police station. The cyborg then commences to drive a car through the station. This line pretty much sums up the movie; no matter how much damage is done to the Terminator, he continues to come back over and over again.
The Wicked Witch of the West
Although the Broadway musical, Wicked, has put a more positive spin on this witch’s character, let’s not lose sight of the fact that she is one of the most chilling villains of all time. Margaret Hamilton’s delivery of the line, “I’ll get you, my pretty…and your little dog too!” has given children the willies since the release of The Wizard of Oz in 1939.
Darth Vader
Darth Vader’s solid black costume, inhuman plastic mask, and ominous breathing make him one of the greatest villains ever. Never mind that he repents in the end and rejoins the good guys. His evil is intensified by John Williams’s brilliant score. No one will forget the first sight of Vader in all his dark glory stepping into the gleaming white hallway of the rebel ship. Genius. Pure genius.
Hannibal Lector
Hannibal Lecter’s cold stare as he gazes through the glass at Clarice, his logical and calm reasoning, make him a diabolical villain. His carefully chosen words ooze into our psyche, sending shivers down our spines. It is the fact that he is the last person we would ever take for a killer if we came across him on the street that frightens us; he is almost courtly in his manner, but savage when it comes to murder.
The Joker
Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of the Joker in the 1989 version of Batman is truly creepy. Let’s face it, it doesn’t take much to make Jack Nicholson creepier, but the green hair, white face, and bright red lips somehow manage it. But this performance alone is not what makes the Joker one of the greatest villains. No, it is the more recent portrayal of this character by the late Heath Ledger that truly puts the Joker among the greats.
The darker, edgier Joker played by Ledger is a true evil mastermind.
2 Comments
i like this list, nicely chosen although im sure a lot of people will add their personal favourites.
Too bad you forgot the best villain ever. Absolutely nothing can beat Andy Robinson as Scorpio in DIRTY HARRY. Pure evil, pure insanity. Robinson should have played the Joker!