Avatar
Added by Xanadon't

on 24 Oct 2010 05:49

 
34
2773 Views   6 Comments

20 Villain-iest Villains

Sort by: Showing 20 items
People who added this item 4588  Average listal rating (3102 ratings) 8.1  IMDB Rating 8.8 
1. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Ba... (1980)


Darth Vader is perhaps the most widely recognized villain in the history of cinema...and for good reason. Vader is the ultimate destroyed and twisted soul. A walking, (heavily) breathing testament to the seductive dangers of Evil itself.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 1105  Average listal rating (568 ratings) 8.6  IMDB Rating 8.5 
2. M (1931)


One of cinema's first mass-murders, this one also had the distinction of being a CHILD-murderer and molestor. Doesn't get much more evil than that. Peter Lorre gives a stunning performance as the universally feared and loathed Hans Beckert.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 1960  Average listal rating (1277 ratings) 7  IMDB Rating 7.4 
3. The NeverEnding Story (1984)


Perhaps the most terrifying thing ever featured in a "childrens' movie" Gmork, like Darth Vader, is actually just the face of a Greater Evil.

Gmork is a sinister, sardonic, cackling vampire-werewolf with a growl that seems to emerge from a bottom-less well of pure and unadulterated hatred for all things living, beautiful, and good.

In short he is the PERFECT ambassador of Evil, specifically an evil known in this film as "the Nothing"-- a slyly brilliant concept at the heart of this movie that owes a debt to existensial philosphy. Here, "the Nothing" is the direct opponent of imagination and hope- a life-erasing, all-consuming force of apathy and despair.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 997  Average listal rating (659 ratings) 6.9  IMDB Rating
4. Hellraiser (1987)


One look into the eyes of this monster reaffirms everything you know about evil.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 4170  Average listal rating (2880 ratings) 7.7  IMDB Rating 8.6 
5. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)


Wait, you mean to tell me that not only can this thing impersonate my mother, but THAT didn't kill him. Well shit.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 5057  Average listal rating (3395 ratings) 8.2  IMDB Rating 8.5 
6. The Shining (1980)


Nobody does crazy like Jack Nicholson. The best decent into madness in movie history, and one of the greatest villains of all time. No question.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 1985  Average listal rating (1201 ratings) 7  IMDB Rating 7.3 
7. Sleeping Beauty (1959)


My favorite Disney Villain of all time, Maleficent is as bad-ass as her name. Sinister, spiteful, cruel and heartless, she terrifies equally in witch and dragon form.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 3497  Average listal rating (2407 ratings) 8  IMDB Rating 8.5 
8. Alien (1979)


A great villain know how to make a great entrance.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 2134  Average listal rating (1352 ratings) 7.1  IMDB Rating 7.5 
9. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)


Before his career in stand-up comedy (See Nightmare on Elm Street 2 through...forever) Freddy Krueger was one of the most diabolically ingenious horror creations to ever hit the screen. The razor-fingered ghoul--that's right, RAZOR-FINGERED GHOUL-- haunts teenagers in their dreams, terrorizes and eventually murders them in their sleep. Talk about evil.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 3461  Average listal rating (2226 ratings) 8.5  IMDB Rating 8.8 
10. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)


Oh man. And I thought I hated her in the book. Behold the wretchedness of Nurse Ratched.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 3097  Average listal rating (1983 ratings) 8.3  IMDB Rating 8.6 
11. Psycho (1960)


Norman Bates...one crazy, mixed up son-of-a-bitch. Played by Anthony Perkins, this has become one of the most memorable killers in all of cinema.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 3918  Average listal rating (2517 ratings) 8  IMDB Rating 8.3 
12. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)


Man, did I hate this fuck.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 638  Average listal rating (373 ratings) 7.3  IMDB Rating 7.6 
13. Dracula (1931)


Bela Lugosi's corny, genteel, smooth-talking, uber-Romanian Dracula is beyond iconic in the way its influence has endured over the years. And he can turn into a fishing-line suspended bat that bounces up and down just outside mansion windows!
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 3656  Average listal rating (2430 ratings) 7.2  IMDB Rating 8.2 
14. Jaws (1975)


Just look into the eyes of that godless killing machine. That fish fucking RUINED summer.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 871  Average listal rating (505 ratings) 8  IMDB Rating 8.3 
15. Rebecca (1940)


Mrs. Danvers, played by Judith Anderson, is one demented, scheming, utterly wicked force of villainy in this great, gothic tale. (Can you guess which one she is???) Hitch brings his talents to American soil for the first time.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 1922  Average listal rating (1387 ratings) 7.2  IMDB Rating 7.8 
16. Predator (1987)


Easily one of the greatest alien creations in movie history, the Predator creature is at once futuristic and tribal, a fearsome and savage hunter, and a wizard with sophisticated technology. It's heat-vision and impressive cloaking device were innovative and will remain vivid in our memories for years to come.

Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 1739  Average listal rating (1045 ratings) 7.8  IMDB Rating 7.8 
17. Blue Velvet (1986)


So I lied. Someone does do crazy just as well or better than Jack. And that's Dennis Hopper. This time it's as the highly disturbed Amyl Nitrite huffing, Pabst Blue Ribbon swilling, Freudian clusterfuck of a monster named Frank Booth.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 217  Average listal rating (141 ratings) 6.7  IMDB Rating 7.4 
18. Miracle (2004)


The Soviet Hockey team was America's most feared villain in all of sports. Bigger, stronger, faster, and better than everyone, they absolutely dominated the world of hockey for nearly two decades. Yeah, they were a bunch of fuckers alright.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 4091  Average listal rating (2759 ratings) 7.4  IMDB Rating 7.9 
19. Aladdin (1992)


The slimy, ever power-thirsty sadist known as Jaffar is possibly the most fully developed, well-written, expertly voiced Disney Villain of them all.
Xanadon't's rating:

People who added this item 3382  Average listal rating (2302 ratings) 7.7  IMDB Rating 8.3 
20. Die Hard (1988)


With a name like HANS GRUBER you better be a real villainous bastard. Alan Rickman doesn't disappoint.
Xanadon't's rating:



Some of the most memorable and often most purely evil of the villains in cinema. Consideration here relies heavily on depth and development of character, with a few exceptions where sheer diabolical energy may supercede all else.

Anti-heroes are distinct from pure villains, and will hopefully get their own list soon :)

It should also be noted that I've only drawn from films I've actually seen AND enjoyed.

As always, suggestions and feedback are welcome and appreciated. Thanks for viewing!

Added to




Related lists

Top 10 Anime Villains
10 item list by Steve-Sano
8 votes 4 comments
100 Greatest Film Villains by Digitaldreamdoor
99 item list by arnott
1 votes
Favorite Villain Army
7 item list by Dragon Knight
9 votes 1 comment
Bond Villains
77 item list by diabolical dr voodoo
35 votes 7 comments
Bollywood's 4 Most Memorable Villains!
4 item list by Happy Vader
8 votes 1 comment
20 Horror Icons (Villains)...
20 item list by Happy Vader
6 votes 1 comment
Spider-Man Villain Wish List
10 item list by Exclusive
21 votes 6 comments
Why do cats always play the Villain?
38 item list by I.T.log
127 votes 32 comments
Great villains in film history
15 item list by mannapuuro
10 votes 1 comment

View more top voted lists
Join listal and create your own lists and much more

People who voted for this also voted for

Best Directorial Debuts
Most anticipating films of 2011...
Best movies of 2001
DC Universe Cast - Supporting characters
2011 Movie Diary by Kris...
PG-13s That Would Have Been Better Rated R
Listal 16 Day Movie Meme - jaytoast
DVDecember 2011


Comments

Posted: 2 years, 7 months ago at Oct 27 2:28
Nice choices... most would make my list.
Posted: 2 years, 6 months ago at Oct 31 7:08
Hated, hated, hated Nurse Ratched and the Pan's Labyrinth villain!

I only like villains that have some, well, likable qualities. Like Dracula or Darth Vader.
Posted: 2 years, 6 months ago at Nov 1 11:18
Hahahaha a very nice title and of course an amazing list!!

keep up the good work!
Posted: 2 years, 6 months ago at Nov 1 15:41
Frank Booth, now thats a villain!
Posted: 2 years, 6 months ago at Nov 4 12:31
"And he can turn into a fishing-line suspended bat that bounces up and down just outside mansion windows!" - my favorite comment

Excellent list & I agree with pretty much all of them.
Posted: 2 years, 6 months ago at Nov 4 16:45
The only problem I had with Pan's Labyrinth was that I couldn't believe someone that evil could actually exist. Of course it's all fiction but it does make the story less believable.

Login or Signup to post a comment