We are all fond of a good jump scare or a storyline which has us looking over our shoulders leaving the cinema. A movie which leaves us wondering if there actually is someone standing in that dark corner of your room or is it the pile of clothes you left there earlier. With Halloween just around the corner we can truly show our appreciation for these villains at their prime. A baddie can make or break a movie, some movies are simply iconic due to their villains we can’t help but root for.
We all know some of the Halloween classics such as Michael Myers. Who doesn’t think of him when you want to watch a movie at Halloween? The Sanderson sisters in Hocus Pocus are also a top favourite, guaranteed to make an appearance at some point. There’s also Ghost Face in Scream, another classic which is nearly guaranteed to be found, whether on the big screen or it’s your caretaker in primary school jump-scaring your class by knocking at the windows in the mask- just me? Okay.
Horror movies are guaranteed to leave an impression, even if you have never watched one before we all know the iconic characters. From Carrie White and The Nun to Annabelle and Chucky we all know the stars of these movies which leave us terrified of the dark or terrified of the doll you’ve had since you were 7.
While these are great characters, a good villain doesn’t have to be found in a horror film, some favourites include Ursula from ‘The Little Mermaid’ or Umbridge from ‘Harry Potter’. While they may not kill or possess anyone, they are still terrifying or leave a lasting impression.
Stepping away from the classics, I asked around who people’s favourite villains were and I got a wide variety of responses. There’s definitely a baddie for everyone, even the non-horror loving people out there.
Voldemort was a crowd favourite, for someone without a nose he found a way to stick his nose everywhere, from living inside a journal to literally being reborn, Voldy was the baddie who just doesn’t go away and puts up a decent fight.
It would be rude not to mention Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber who completely stole the show in ‘Die Hard’. Rickman has been called the greatest action movie villain in Hollywood history and his performance did not go unrecognised. Goldfinger was also mentioned as someone who captured everyone’s attention in the 1964 Bond film, unlike other bond villains Goldfinger’s greed makes him an especially unpredictable opponent leaving the audience wondering if 007 has finally met his match.
Finally, Heath Ledger’s Joker in ‘The Dark Knight’ did not go unmentioned, a character which can not be replaced as well as said to be one of the greatest villain introductions in cinema history. The dedication Ledger had to this performance really showed and left audiences with a chill down their spine, Ledger’s iconic villain performance as the Joker will never be forgotten.
Jade McNamee
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