# Who are the best villians in movie history? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 7, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131 "2008-12-07T14:53:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/61 "2008-12-08T19:39:02Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Scarlett O’Hara Does being a Shiksa qualify one as a villain? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/62 "2008-12-08T19:47:27Z")
Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer), aka Sergius Bauer, in _Gaslight_. The only movie I’ve ever been to where the audience actually hissed the villain. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/63 "2008-12-08T20:31:17Z")
Some of my unmentioned favorites: Ian McKellan as **Magneto** had some depth to him. **Asami Yamazaki** from the Japanese film [Audition](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audition_(movie)). Cruella De Ville (How could nobody have mentioned her yet?) Graf Orlock, the rat-faced vampire wfrom “Nosferatu.” the Borg Queen from [Star Trek: First Contact](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_First_Contact) (A great villain, even if she did seem to contradict the collective nature of the Borg.) and last but definitely not least…that sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania…[Dr. Frank’n’Furter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6wKRWFOoE&feature=related). ---
**Author:** ![Runestar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/74df32/32.png) [@Runestar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runestar)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/64 "2008-12-08T20:39:00Z")
Donovan Grant in **From Russia With Love** ---
**Author:** ![MissIntent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/97f17d/32.png) [@MissIntent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissIntent)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/65 "2008-12-08T20:56:18Z")
Seconding Jaws. Considering the effect that shark had on getting people out of the water, I think he could be argued as one of the scariest villains of our time. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/66 "2008-12-08T21:06:16Z")
Jack Torrence deserves a mention, I’d imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/67 "2008-12-08T21:41:02Z")
Rosemary’s Baby has Guy Wodehouse. He lets his wife be drugged, raped and impregnated by Satan without letting her in on the plans because he wants to get his big break in show biz. His explanation to her is “They promised me you wouldn’t be hurt and you really haven’t been, have you? If you had a baby and it died, it would be much worse. And we’re getting so much in return, aren’t we, Ro?” In response she spits on him. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/68 "2008-12-08T21:50:32Z")
Nurse Ratchet from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/69 "2008-12-08T22:10:18Z")
De Niro goes **wonderfully** over the top as Max Cady in [_Cape Fear._](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Fear_(1991_film)) So does Gary Oldman as crooked DEA agent Max Stansfield in [_Leon_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_(film)) (a/k/a _The Professional)._ Both are the sort of villains who like to show off their erudition via rants-during-the-action. ---
**Author:** ![vison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e47774/32.png) [@vison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vison)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/70 "2008-12-08T22:32:13Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > George Lucas, hands down. Not only did he create one of the greatest villians of all time, he then, systematically destroyed not only the image of that villian by turning him into a whiny little prick, but the entire franchise as well, before moving on to savage the Indiana Jones franchise as well, with promises of more havoc to come. His actions have caused grown men to cry, and millions more dread his next cinematic work, terrified that he’ll rape again. Amen. ---
**Author:** ![vison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e47774/32.png) [@vison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vison)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/71 "2008-12-08T22:37:47Z")
Missed the edit window. One of my fave villains is The Alien from “Predator”. I love that movie. Don’t know why, but I do. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/72 "2008-12-09T13:19:39Z")
carnivorousplant: > [@](#): > > Does being a Shiksa qualify one as a villain? No, being a cold-hearted social-climber does. ---
**Author:** ![YoudNeverGuess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a587f6/32.png) [@YoudNeverGuess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YoudNeverGuess)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/73 "2008-12-09T13:35:55Z")
Annie Wilkes in _Misery_ ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/74 "2008-12-09T13:50:43Z")
> [@tirial](#): > > Odd you should say that, as it leads into something I was going to post. > Killed a mob boss played by Jack Palance, who deserves his own mention in this thread. The bad guy he played in “Shane”, Jack Wilson, was a memorable (and nasty) piece of work - including the classic introduction where he walks into the bar and the dog slinks out under the door. Also, Nicholson’s Joker cross-contiminated personal care products to “get that grin- agin and agin” (“Love that Joker!”) AND mutilated Jerry Hall & drove her to suicide. Ledger tho- pure chaotic evil. Malcolm McDowell’s Alex in A CLOCKWORK ORANGE Chris Lee’s Dracula- No romance or elegance or sadness a la Lugosi, Chaney Jr, Carradine, Palance, Jordan, Langella or Oldman- just ravenous hunger. Peter Cushing’s Victor Frankenstein, most of all in CURSE OF F… Freddy Kruger ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/75 "2008-12-09T13:57:08Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > carnivorousplant: > > No, being a cold-hearted social-climber does. Actually, Scarlett thinks like a social climber, but most of her actions are based on necessity. She will wililng to lie, cheat, steal, marry her sister’s fiance, and marry Rhett all for very practical reasons. The only impractical thing about her is her childish dream of Ashley Wilkes. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/76 "2008-12-09T14:10:27Z")
Tim Roth as Archibald Cunningham in _Rob Roy_. Seemingly just a fop, he can handle a rapier pretty well and is just pure e-e-e-evil. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/77 "2008-12-09T14:25:09Z")
Speaking of unspeakably evil Englishmen: Col. William Tavington (Jason Isaacs) in _The Patriot_. He burned down a church filled with refugees, for crissakes! Isaacs also plays Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies, and is similarly sleekly amoral in those… ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/78 "2008-12-09T14:30:09Z")
Scorpio as portrayed by Andy Robinson in “Dirty Harry.” What a murderous, hateful, slime that character is; his death is one of the more satisfying moments in cinema. ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/79 "2008-12-09T14:31:02Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > A good villian in an otherwise mediocre movie was Philip Seymour Hoffman’s bad guy in “Mission Impossible III.” I don’t remember much else about the movie, but I remember his villian being so believable. He wasn’t a super evil genius or a wisecracking invincible cartoon bad guy. He was just a sociopathic asshole who had no scruples about killing to get his way. Hoffman played him absolutely straight and he was real as could be. Very nasty peice of work. Agreed. He was the ONLY memorable thing from that movie, but man was he memorable. I can still remember that nasty look on his face as he takes off in a helicopter after being freed from his armored truck.. Someone here described it as banal indifference, and it was a good description. He looked at Tom Cruise like he was a pimple that needed squeezing. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131/80 "2008-12-09T14:33:42Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Jack Torrence deserves a mention, I’d imagine. Damn you, **Drain Bead**! You stole my nomination! > [@DesertDog](#): > > Tim Roth as Archibald Cunningham in _Rob Roy_. Seemingly just a fop, he can handle a rapier pretty well and is just pure e-e-e-evil. And you too, **DesertDog**! Seriously, these are \*awesome \*villains. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-best-villians-in-movie-history/476131.md?page=5)