The 13 Most Iconic Villains in Horror History
The 13 Most Iconic Villains in Horror History
Posted by
SexiVixxEN
267 days ago
As Jason Vorhees prepares to hack his way through the woods surrounding Camp Crystal Lake (and through a fresh batch of unsuspecting college co-eds) in the highly-anticipated Friday the 13th reboot, take a peek at our list of the most memorable evildoers in horror movie history.
13. Damien Thorn, The Omen
What do you get when Satan impregnates a jackal? The Antichrist, of course ... in the form of a five-year-old named Damien, whose piercing black eyes and blacker heart prove that not all little boys are made of snips and snails and puppy dog tails. Some are just made of pure evil.
12. Jigsaw, Saw
Without a doubt, John Kramer is Saw's cold-blooded killer, but Billy -- the tuxedo-wearing, tricycle-riding puppet that delivers pre-recorded messages to Jigsaw's victims -- is the frightening and unforgettable face of the franchise.
11. Regan MacNeil, The Exorcist
Sure, the Omen's Damien Thorn was one heck of a creepy little boy, but The Exorcist's Regan MacNeil -- a 12-year-old girl possessed by an ancient demon named Pazuzu -- was downright dreadful. With the mouth of a sailor, the voice of a phlegmy fiend, and the strength of ten bodybuilders, Regan could insult you, scare you, and kill you all while being restrained in bed.
10. Chucky, Child's Play
Don't get me wrong, this film is campy, cheesy, and downright crummy, but there's no doubt that you'll give Cabbage Patch Kids a second look once you've witnessed Chucky -- a cackle-happy killing machine possessed by the soul of serial murderer Charles Lee Ray --- carve up, blow up, and shoot 'em up on the screen.
9. Ghostface, Scream
This simple Halloween costume became an overnight icon in '96. With a rumored fourth Scream film in the works, Ghostface, Father Death, The Woodsboro Killer -- whatever you prefer call him (or her) -- will most likely return to wreak havoc in October of 2010, solidifying the slayer's status as a worthy member of this list.
8. Jack Torrance, The Shining
"Here's Johnny!" 'nuff said.
7. Jason Vorhees, Friday the 13th
With a penchant for terrorizing horny camp counselors and a kill rate higher than Michael's and Freddy's combined, Jason Vorhees -- the hockey mask-wearing, machete-wielding madman from Camp Crystal Lake -- is seemingly unstoppable. So is the franchise. With the highly-anticipated 12th installment being released today, expect a big box office return and much more bloodshed in the coming years.
6. Leatherface, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Between the rattle and hum of his trusty chainsaw, his blood-soaked butcher's apron, and his mask made of human skin, Leatherface -- a cannibal hailing from rural Texas -- singlehandedly ignited the slasher boom of the seventies and set the stage for the breakout success of 1978's Halloween.
5. Norman Bates, Psycho
Dissociative identity disorder? Check. Unresolved mommy issues? Check. The most memorable on-screen murder in cinema history? Check. Quite possibly the most unnerved and unnerving movie villain, Psycho's Norman Bates is undoubtedly the granddaddy of 'em all.
4. Freddy Krueger, A Nightmare on Elm Street
With a ghastly bladed glove, a dingy red-and-green striped sweater, and a disfigured face only a mother could love, Freddy Krueger -- a child murderer who manipulates teenage dreams from beyond the grave -- continues to terrify people of all ages nearly 25 years after claiming his first on-screen victim, Tina Grey, in 1984's Wes Craven classic, "A Nightmare on Elm Street."
3. Jaws, Jaws
With razor-sharp teeth, an insatiable thirst for blood, and an Academy Award-winning film score courtesy of John Williams, Jaws bit its way onto the big screen and into the record books in the summer of '75 by devouring Amity Island's innocent beachgoers and scaring up more than $470 million at the box office.
2. Michael Myers, Halloween
The horror genre is rife with deranged men in masks, but none casts a darker shadow than Halloween's Michael Myers, a mentally-unstable man-boy who stalks his prey with a simple yet deadly kitchen knife. His other weapon? The scariest horror movie theme song EVER. Babysitters beware!
1. Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs
Despite being on screen for a measly 16 of the film's 118 minutes, Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter made great use of his limited time by terrifying film fans with the thickest skins (and Clarice Starling) with his deadly combination of intimidation, intelligence, and hunger for human flesh. Oh, and that creepy voice.
13. Damien Thorn, The Omen
What do you get when Satan impregnates a jackal? The Antichrist, of course ... in the form of a five-year-old named Damien, whose piercing black eyes and blacker heart prove that not all little boys are made of snips and snails and puppy dog tails. Some are just made of pure evil.
12. Jigsaw, Saw
Without a doubt, John Kramer is Saw's cold-blooded killer, but Billy -- the tuxedo-wearing, tricycle-riding puppet that delivers pre-recorded messages to Jigsaw's victims -- is the frightening and unforgettable face of the franchise.
11. Regan MacNeil, The Exorcist
Sure, the Omen's Damien Thorn was one heck of a creepy little boy, but The Exorcist's Regan MacNeil -- a 12-year-old girl possessed by an ancient demon named Pazuzu -- was downright dreadful. With the mouth of a sailor, the voice of a phlegmy fiend, and the strength of ten bodybuilders, Regan could insult you, scare you, and kill you all while being restrained in bed.
10. Chucky, Child's Play
Don't get me wrong, this film is campy, cheesy, and downright crummy, but there's no doubt that you'll give Cabbage Patch Kids a second look once you've witnessed Chucky -- a cackle-happy killing machine possessed by the soul of serial murderer Charles Lee Ray --- carve up, blow up, and shoot 'em up on the screen.
9. Ghostface, Scream
This simple Halloween costume became an overnight icon in '96. With a rumored fourth Scream film in the works, Ghostface, Father Death, The Woodsboro Killer -- whatever you prefer call him (or her) -- will most likely return to wreak havoc in October of 2010, solidifying the slayer's status as a worthy member of this list.
8. Jack Torrance, The Shining
"Here's Johnny!" 'nuff said.
7. Jason Vorhees, Friday the 13th
With a penchant for terrorizing horny camp counselors and a kill rate higher than Michael's and Freddy's combined, Jason Vorhees -- the hockey mask-wearing, machete-wielding madman from Camp Crystal Lake -- is seemingly unstoppable. So is the franchise. With the highly-anticipated 12th installment being released today, expect a big box office return and much more bloodshed in the coming years.
6. Leatherface, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Between the rattle and hum of his trusty chainsaw, his blood-soaked butcher's apron, and his mask made of human skin, Leatherface -- a cannibal hailing from rural Texas -- singlehandedly ignited the slasher boom of the seventies and set the stage for the breakout success of 1978's Halloween.
5. Norman Bates, Psycho
Dissociative identity disorder? Check. Unresolved mommy issues? Check. The most memorable on-screen murder in cinema history? Check. Quite possibly the most unnerved and unnerving movie villain, Psycho's Norman Bates is undoubtedly the granddaddy of 'em all.
4. Freddy Krueger, A Nightmare on Elm Street
With a ghastly bladed glove, a dingy red-and-green striped sweater, and a disfigured face only a mother could love, Freddy Krueger -- a child murderer who manipulates teenage dreams from beyond the grave -- continues to terrify people of all ages nearly 25 years after claiming his first on-screen victim, Tina Grey, in 1984's Wes Craven classic, "A Nightmare on Elm Street."
3. Jaws, Jaws
With razor-sharp teeth, an insatiable thirst for blood, and an Academy Award-winning film score courtesy of John Williams, Jaws bit its way onto the big screen and into the record books in the summer of '75 by devouring Amity Island's innocent beachgoers and scaring up more than $470 million at the box office.
2. Michael Myers, Halloween
The horror genre is rife with deranged men in masks, but none casts a darker shadow than Halloween's Michael Myers, a mentally-unstable man-boy who stalks his prey with a simple yet deadly kitchen knife. His other weapon? The scariest horror movie theme song EVER. Babysitters beware!
1. Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs
Despite being on screen for a measly 16 of the film's 118 minutes, Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter made great use of his limited time by terrifying film fans with the thickest skins (and Clarice Starling) with his deadly combination of intimidation, intelligence, and hunger for human flesh. Oh, and that creepy voice.
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