I was recently reading this post by NotPhil, it's a great read about the long path Walt Disney took to making the Wizard of Oz. It got me to go read this less than flattering review of the movie Oz the Great and Powerful, which says this about my pick for the best movie villain of all time
- Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch in the original "Oz" was the stuff of nightmares for generations.
She certainly gave me nightmares as a kid. Hamilton had this to say of the impact the role had on children:
- "Almost always they want me to laugh like the Witch. And sometimes when I go to schools, if we're in an auditorium, I'll do it. And there's always a funny reaction, like Ye gods, they wish they hadn't asked. They're scared. They're really scared for a second. Even adolescents. I guess for a minute they get the feeling they got when they watched the picture. They like to hear it but they don't like to hear it. And then they go, 'Ohhhhhhhhhh!...' The picture made a terrible impression of some kind on them, sometimes a ghastly impression, but most of them got over it, I guess... Because when I talk like the Witch and when I laugh, there is a hesitation, and then they clap. They're clapping at hearing the sound again."
So that's my pick, what is yours?
Lack of criteria means this one is going to get a lot of answers that have nothing to do with one another. Which is, in part, an excuse for my answer: Richard M. Nixon in Secret Honor.
My personal favorite is Anton Chigurh (played by Javier Bardem) from No Country for Old Men. He's both a physical and psychological villain, and portrays it perfectly.
Llewelyn was a "tragic hero" imo. I agree with your 4 star assessment, that film was the Coen brothers at or near their best. Javier Bardem and his haircut were both perfect in that film. That's a film I look forward to seeing again in 20 years in hopes that it feels close to the experience of seeing it for the first time. So good.
I would go with Darth Vader. I think the new trilogy kind've tore into the mystique he had. Seeing how he came to be the figure in the old trilogy made him more of sympathetic figure than a purely evil villain. Of course the old trilogy revealed him to be inherently good by the end of it, but the intimidation he posses in movies 4 & 5 is amazing. Heath Ledger's Joker is also a good contender, and it sticks out in my mind because the first time I saw The Dark Knight it blew me away, especially Ledger's performance.
Vader is a great choice and may have been my #1 choice if that ass-clown Lucas hadn't relegated him to the cheesiest movie cliche of all time! "Nooooooooooo!"
If only they had the guys who worked on The Force Unleashed game write the prequels. I loved the small details they included in his character, like how they didn't even give him a run animation.
How about Grand Moff Tarkin? In A New Hope, Vader is just following orders, and it seems (to everyone, the movie goers and the characters) that Tarkin is the real ring-leader here. Hell, he's the one who makes the call to blow up Alderaan after getting the (supposed) location of the rebel base, just for the hell of it. The man single-handedly wipes a planet from existence for shits and giggles (and to torture Leia more). Honestly, if that doesn't put him in the running, I don't know what does. Also dem cheekbones.
Good point. I feel Tarkin does have the real power but he just doesn't have that X factor, the intimidation that Vader has. Of course going along your lines of argument the Emperor could also be considered the best villain, since he also was directing Vader. I don't have a problem with that actually, he's one sinister, creepy looking mofo.
Roger "Verbal" Kint, from The Usual Suspects. Or. Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg, from The Fifth Element.
Good call on Mr. Soze. Verbal is only a villain for such a short part of the film though. For the majority of it, you are pitying him. Then at the end you are in awe of him and what he's been able to accomplish. Was he the bad guy? Sure, but you never dislike him. At least, I didn't. Good call.
Exactly, he's definitely the villain of the movie, but he's classy and educated and pulls one over on everyone involved. But from the stories that were told about him, and what he did on the boat, he was clearly a cold-blooded-killer through and through. But because of what we the viewer see, you kind of have an "That guys okay" kind of impression when it's all over. Despite the terrible stories about him and the history of extreme violence that surrounds him.
It's also never clear whether the stories about him really are the "spooky bed time stories" that crooks and con-men tell their kids at night. It's really unclear as to whether it's myth or reality. Soze exists but it's unclear the extent to which he is the myth. Great movie because of what it *doesn't* tell us
Exactly, when it's all said and done it eludes to everything we just saw and heard being complete bullshit or at best half truths... but still an amazing moving.Great movie because of what it doesn't tell us
Ralph was damned good in that role, perhaps he is the Wicked Witch of this young generation?
Norman Bates in Psycho. He's certainly among the creepiest. I've never felt 100% safe taking a shower since, especially when there are shower curtains rather than a glass door.
Psycho is one of those films that I've only ever seen parody of. I know its a shame that I've never seen it, given the history and lore surrounding it... but I rather enjoy my showers and don't wish to disturb that :)
Depends what you mean by best! The only one that ever scared me was that awful goddamn clown from It. Coolest? Well -- that's easy. Of the usual members of the "most significant" list -- Lecter, your pick, the Joker, etc -- I'd have to go with Darth Vader. BrainBurner puts it as well as I could. Remember watching A New Hope for the first time? Remember Obi-wan infiltrating the Death Star, and you as a kid holding your breath knowing that at every turn of the camera angle Vader might be waiting silently -- and then he finally was! Unparalleled.
I was more scared by Chuckie when I was six than by any villain before or since. Obviously, Child's Play is supposed to be comedy-horror, but when you're six, its terrifying. Now, I would never in a million years claim that Chuckie is a great villain, just that in that place and time, he was memorable.
I'd say Angel Eyes would make Chucky poop in his little dolly pants.
I can't say he's the best movie villain ever, but Dr. Phibes made quite an impression on me when I saw those movies on late-night TV as an adolescent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBo0H3oYSoo Grotesque but sympathetic ... and he was played by Vincent Price.
Cool video, definitely got me intrigued, especially as Vincent Price asks, are you ready for Doctor Phibes? -I don't know... are you on netflix?
One of my favorites is Arthur Burns (Danny Huston) in The Proposition. Great movie all around.
I've never seen the Proposition. I'll definitely check it out, thanks. Looks like it was written by Nick Cave. -cool.
My personal taste? M. Bison in the original Street Fighter movie. He captured what Bison would be like in a world where that movie was real; he was overly dramatic, his plans were complicated, and he basically viewed every hero as an ant. And for him, it was a Tuesday. If I had to pick a quality villain, one who is serious as an opponent, well that's harder. Darth Vader springs to mind because of course, but as much as I love Star Wars, Vader was always a better antagonist than a villain. Its really going to have to go to, of al people, the Green Goblin from the first spiderman. His costume sucked but as a villain he was perfect. Insane but not too insane, and more importantly, he hated Spiderman and was Spiderman's primary nemesis in the movie. Also William Da...dafoe....da...whatever.
Don't forget about Tim Curry in (spoilers) Clue.
I've never seen that movie all the way through. Is it good? There's no doubt that the Lord of Darkness is terrifying looking.
Good? Your mileage will vary incredibly. I thought it was pretty great but I like weird things. What I can assure it is, is visually stunning and aesthetically pleasing in most every regard. That matters a lot to me - film as a work of art.
It matters a lot to me too. Ill give it a gander.
It's been a long time since I've seen it so I honestly don't recall if the rest of the movie matches up to Tim Curry's performance - but I doubt it. Another good 'devil' - David Warner in "Time Bandits".
It would have to be Hugo Weaving as Haskell Moore in Cloud Atlas, or Hugo Weaving as Tadeusz Kesselring in Cloud Atlas, or Hugo Weaving as Bill Smoke in Cloud Atlas, or Hugo Weaving as Nurse Noakes in Cloud Atlas, or Hugo Weaving as Boardman Mephi in Cloud Atlas, or Hugo Weaving as Old Georgie in Cloud Atlas. Actually, definitely either Nurse Noakes or Old Georgie. Cloud Atlas really cemented my love of Hugo Weaving.
I'm not sure how, but this movie isn't even on my radar. I just saw this preview and it looks bad ass. I take it you've seen the film?
Sounds like it is worth a look, if nothing else to see Tom Hanks in something "unusual". I have a hard time watching him sometimes and then others I really enjoy his work. Sounds like an interesting cast.
It only just came out a few weeks ago here in Ireland (having been out in the US for several months) and a friend of mine who loves the book got me interested in seeing it. It turned out to be fantastic. I really loved how you'd see a character and then think "Wait a minute... Is that Hugh Grant? That is Hugh Grant!" We watched the movie and then stayed up till five chatting, and even though I had an appointment at ten it was well worth it.
I would not have thought they could have done justice to the book (which I enjoyed quite a lot), but they really did. The two are very different in many ways, but both are really good. A more literal translation of the book to film just would not have worked as well.