TOP TEN: Movie Villains
Who's the baddest baddie of them all?
 | The Alien from Alien |
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I want to be clear that this is for the alien from Alien, not Aliens, and yes, to me there is a difference. While both films are good I thought the alien in the first film was far scarier and far more ominous than in the second film. The screen grab I used above is from what I consider one of the scariest scenes of all time as Dallas is patroling the pipes only to find himself face to face with death brought to life.
The other thing that makes the alien from this film so great is that it is practical effects. That is a puppet you see above and that thing was scary as shit. On top of that, will any of us ever forget the first time we saw a chest burster? Let's create one more memory and visit it again below.
 | Darth Vader from Empire Strikes Back |
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One thing that makes a truly great villain is the ability to be terrifying without going out of your way to really scare your enemy. Of course my #10 choice of The Joker is an exception to the rule, but when people are bad just because they are bad is far scarier and Darth Vader is a prime example.
Let's forget that the prequel films were ever made for a second and that Hayden Christensen didn't ruin our impression of one of the most daunting figures in cinematic history. Remember when Vader choked that poor sap for speaking against the Force? How about when he was ready to toss his own son into the carbonite chamber? Or, if we are talking Luke, how about when he cut off his hand? This guy is a friend of no one.
Of course he was softened up in Return of the Jedi, but he is the exact reason people love Empire Strikes Back the most out of the entire Star Wars saga, and there is no contesting that.
 | Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs |
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I really feel like typing anything after looking deep into those eyes is a waste of time. Lecter is a fucking madman, and while I should pay him some respect by offering up a few words I will just advise you to roll the footage below. The performance says more than anything I could possibly type would.
 | Hans Gruber from Die Hard |
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Hans Gruber certainly belongs on this list, but the real question is where and is #2 too high? I have a feeling several people will look at this and say he should definitely be at #2, if not #1. However I am sure there are other camps that feel he shouldn't even be on the list.
The people in that final group are obviously drinking far too much, because this guy is not only a thief, but he is a cold blooded killer and Alan Rickman plays him absolutely flawlessly. Hell, I almost added the Sheriff of Nottingham from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves because Rickman is so good.
If you don't think Hans deserves the #2 spot just take a peek at the clip below and then tell me what you think.
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Awesome list! There is nothing the people love to see more than the bad guys! And your #1 is right on the money. Kevin Spacey is a great actor and I really don't think any other actor could have pulled off John Doe anywhere near as good as he did. I have two honorable mentions for your list…Robert DeNiro as the "over-seer" from Angel Heart and Sharon Stone's role as that money hungry cheating life ruining tramp from Casino. Women…
I never really thought of Sharon Stone from Casino, but that is a great call! Since I didn't have any women on this list perhaps top ten female villains is in order along with my idea for top ten anti-heroes! Thanks for the comment!
I don't think her character could really be classified as a villain but that bitch sure was crazy!
Great list, but I really ant to dwelve on the psyche of a true villain. What's a villain? "a deliberate scoundrel or criminal" says the dictionary, but I would add that a true villain must also be cunning, heartless and a heartfelt sociopath, and should scare the bejesus right off your skin; you would not want to encounter none of these people in a dark alley. So here goes my list.
1) John Doe "Seven"
2) Anton Chigurh "No Country for Old Men"
3) Hannibal Lecter "Silence of the Lambs"
4) Freddy Krueger "Nightmare on Elm Street"
5) Coronel Vidal "Pan's Laberynth"
6) Jack Torrance "The Shinning"
7) Agent Smith "The Matrix"
8) Alex Forrest "Fatal Attraction"
9) Darth Vader "The Empire Strikes Back) -hard to choose this one. After witnessing the birth of Anakin Skywalker's alter ego played by cute as a buttom Hayden Christensen, it's hard for me to consider him a villain any more.
10) Alien in "Alien"
Keith Ledger – Joker – The Darknight
Margaret Hamiltom – Witch – Wizard of the Oz
Ian McKellen – Magnet – Xmen
Glenn Close – Alex Forrest – Fatal Attraction
That's all in my list.