Movie Villains. There can’t be heroes without them! But what makes some more villainous than others? We take a look at seven of the best iconic movie villains that scared you silly and made movie goers everywhere cringe behind their seats for years and years.
Freddy Krueger
Freddy Krueger was the benchmark for scariness for anyone who grew up in the 80s. The burnt face, the dirty red and green sweater and the razor sharp knife-glove combined perfectly to produce sheer terror. This terror was further compounded by the fact that Freddy could appear in your dreams and if he killed you, you died in real life! He first appeared in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and went on to kill a host of teens in the many movie sequels. Freddy even managed to sink his claws into a young Johnny Depp in the original Nightmare on Elm Street, something the entire female population has been trying to do ever since.
Dr. Hannibal Lecter
Hannibal Lecter can only be described as a complete nut-bar. Worldly, sophisticated, charming with a dash of cinnamon…I mean …psycho. Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ first appeared in Thomas Harris’ 1981 novel, Red Dragon. Despite this, most people know him from Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal in the 1991 film, Silence of the Lambs – the film adaptation of the sequel to Red Dragon. The role won Anthony Hopkins an Academy Award for best actor and downright creepiness. In fact Hopkins did such a good job, Hannibal Lecter was voted by the American Film Institute as the number one movie villain of all time. He celebrated the achievement with a nice Chianti.
Eye of Sauron
Who would have thought that just an eye could be so evil. This fiery orb of doom managed to turn the wizard Saruman the White into his evil stooge. Together they commanded the gruesome Orcish armies of Middle Earth to carry out their unholy bidding. Still, Sauron’s unrelenting gaze wasn’t enough to stop Frodo Baggins from destroying the ring within the pits of Mordor. Maybe next time Sauron might think about reincarnating with a fiery pair of arms as well, just to cover all his bases.
The Witch from The Wizard of Oz
While the Wicked Witch was super scary she did have reason to beef with Dorothy. She dropped a house on her sister for Heaven’s sake! But instead of turning Dorothy in to the Police like a normal person, this Wicked Witch took matters into her own hands – by sending wave after wave of creepy flying monkeys after her. The Wicked Witch eventually met her doom when Dorothy doused her in highly corrosive H2O. Come to think of it, I’d be a little witchy too if I couldn’t take a shower…EVER!
Darth Vader
Before we had a chance to feel sorry for Darth Vader because of his troubled upbringing, this shiny helmeted space Nazi instilled fear into thousands of movie goers everywhere. Darth’s relentless search for his son Luke Skywalker, saw him commit crimes on a galactic scale. From blowing up entire planets to putting the financial squeeze on Lando by shutting down Cloud City for a couple of days, this super villain did it all. Darth eventually redeemed himself in Return of The Jedi by throwing Emperor Palpatine down a dangerous hole in the floor of the Death Star. Surely health and safety should have picked that up?
The Alien
When Alien was released in 1979 it completely redefined the science fiction horror genre. This menacing space ghoul, designed by H. R. Giger went on to star in several sequels and spin offs including the Alien vs. Predator franchise. The original Alien was played by Nigerian, Bolaji Badejo, a 7 foot 2 inch design student who’s long limbs could pass as alien-like from within the monstrous costume. The creepiness of the Alien was furthered by the parasitic-like way it reproduced. It laid it’s spawn inside live human hosts, eventually bursting out of their chests like pop tarts.
Voldermort
When Tom Marvolo Riddle changed his name to Voldermort, his scariness instantly increased by at least 70 per cent. This dark magic Adolph Hitler was obsessed with destroying those with no magical abilities and in the process purifying the wizards blood line. The only person who could stop him from carrying out his evil plan? Harry Potter. When Voldermort wasn’t chasing small children around the schoolyard he was indulging in his other evil pass time – chatting up airline hostesses. To this day his sleek dome and nose-less face are enough to scare any celebrity contemplating a face lift.
Iconic Movie Villains That Scared You Silly
Well I hope you weren’t reading this article before bed time. If you were, take comfort in the fact that only one of these villains can attack you in your dreams. So unless you dream about Freddy Krueger, you should be o.k.
