OT: Poll: Greatest Movie Villains of All-Time

[eidolon21]

Write in Candidate >> Prince Rupert (James Mason) the evil brother in Prisoner of Zenda (1952) A truly great villain and I want to add one of the "coolest" villains I have ever seen
in a movie. Also one of the best sword fights (up and down circular stairs) ever.
Its a great movie I highly recommend it.

 

[Still in State College]

Loved Richard Lynch in the 1988 classic Bad Dreams.

 

[WDLion]

For purposes of this poll, only human villains, no monsters, animals, robots. You may choose 3!

This is such a difficult task for me as there are SO MANY phenomenal villains. I thought it would be fun.

Randall Flagg

 

[kijanacat]

Henry Fonda. And it isn’t close. He brought his self-righteous vampirism to every role.

 

[NittanyChris]

Very tight battle between Chigurgh and Vader for Silver & Bronze!

Definitely Chigurgh for me on this one. His character is, without a doubt, one of the most fascinating psychopaths ever created on film. The coin flip scene has me on the edge of my seat every single time I watch it!

 

[Nitt1300]

Little Bill was the good guy in the movie.

there were no good guys in that movie- which is what made it great

 

[katchthis]

Travis Leich in the Hunters series is crazy scary . I was trying to find the clip were he ate peanuts in the plane right next to a peanut allergy kid and his mom . It was soooo wrong . Here’s another clip .

 

[soulkitchen74]

Somehow the Corleone family was erroneously
included in this list. They are legitimate businessmen.

Board!

Board! This board owes an apology!
This board owes an apology. Apology, Board!

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

Satan - The Exorcist

The demon in The Exorcist is Pazuzu.

 

[Obliviax]

The joker, to me, was the best villain performance. I also voted for Hannibal. But my third vote would have been for Hans Gruber.

 

[doublehaul]

Captain Bligh. Basically starved his crew and cut water rations to water his rubber trees. Mean, nasty bastard. Unfortunately part of his story is true.

 

[Sviatoslav]

Richard Gere's character in Internal Affairs was a real POS.
Hans Gruber was one of my favorites.
Denzel in Training Day?
Gary Oldman in The Professional

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

1. Hannibal Lecter
2. Joker
3. Hans Landa

 

[PSUoh90]

Dallas Carter in Friday Night Lights.

 

[GastonLion]

I've got a tie with Hans Landa & Warden Norton. Both of these guys were evil personified and lacked any conscience. I thought both played their roles to perfection. They also got their just desserts at the end of the films.

 

[Nitwit]

Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

I've got a tie with Hans Landa & Warden Norton. Both of these guys were evil personified and lacked any conscience. I thought both played their roles to perfection. They also got their just desserts at the end of the films.

They're also unique in that they were mostly just doing their jobs and basically acted 'lawfully' when doing their deeds. Could argue Landa's murder of Von Hammersmark exceeded his authority, but no way he gets in trouble for that.

 

[83wuzme]

Anton Chigurh. For two reasons.

1 -- it's what he represents. The unstoppable nature of evil and death. No matter how good you are or how hard you try, "you can't stop what's coming". The good guys -- Tommy Lee Jones, in this case -- are no match for death and its inevitability. Death doesn't care if you're a high-paid bad guy (Woody Harrelson's character), an innocent man pulled over onto the side of the road, or a gang of Mexican drug runners. It can snatch you in an instant.

2 -- that hair cut.

1 - Yeah , but Chigurh is shown to be only human. A very dangerous and maybe possessed human, but human. He can be hurt and his death might be imminent at the end of the story.
There’s an odd scene where he is driving across a bridge and takes a shot at a crow, apparently missing completely. Why does he do this ? The image of a crow represents death. It is as if he is trying to assassinate death itself and fails. Ultimately, he is not in control of his fate and would see himself as subject to the same toss of the coin as everybody else.
2 - I had a haircut that looked a lot like his when I was in High School ( 1979 ). It didn’t attract girls and nobody was afraid of me.

 

[fkkkjm]

The joker, to me, was the best villain performance. I also voted for Hannibal. But my third vote would have been for Hans Gruber.

I was very sad to see Rickman pass away. Seemed like a genuinely good guy and a great actor.

 

[83Joe]

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. The Thief.

 

[jmorovich]

And just a few others to consider if you expanded your list (though your list is a good one):

Bane

 

[Post_ShockTherapy_MackDaddy]

For purposes of this poll, only human villains, no monsters, animals, robots. You may choose 3!

This is such a difficult task for me as there are SO MANY phenomenal villains. I thought it would be fun.

Is it too late to add "Baby Boomers" to your list? Oh, that's right ...you said MOVIE villians, not real life.

 

[HazletonLion]

• Warden Rudolph Hazen in the original longest yard was a rotten human.
• My favorite movie Tombstone it's a toss up between Curly Bill & Johnny Ringo.
• In the poll i voted for Colonel Landa

 

[kgilbert78]

This one scared me the most !!

Wasn't she on the BOT??

 

[kgilbert78]

Captain Bligh. Basically starved his crew and cut water rations to water his rubber trees. Mean, nasty bastard. Unfortunately part of his story is true.

breadfruit trees

 

[ILLINOISLION]

Wasn't she on the BOT??

Thought that was our AD.....!

 

[Obliviax]

Has Simon Bar Sinister been mentioned yet? That nose! Those teeth! That hair! dude was always up to something...thank God for Underdog.

There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!

 

[NittanyChris]

 

[McCloudersportLion]

Danny Glover in Saw

 

[Aardvark86]

For purposes of this poll, only human villains, no monsters, animals, robots. You may choose 3!

This is such a difficult task for me as there are SO MANY phenomenal villains. I thought it would be fun.

A very strange list. Some true villains, some arguably anti-heroes

 

[LionDeNittany]

For purposes of this poll, only human villains, no monsters, animals, robots. You may choose 3!

This is such a difficult task for me as there are SO MANY phenomenal villains. I thought it would be fun.

It's Darth Vader and it isn't close IMO.

Even that scene at the end of Rogue One where he makes an appearance is chilling.

Second place is this guy... French Film.

 

[NittanyChris]

It's Darth Vader and it isn't close IMO.

Even that scene at the end of Rogue One where he makes an appearance is chilling.

Second place is this guy... French Film.

Respectfully disagree. Vader is one note. A cartoon character, really. He is no where near as interesting as the incredibly complex human villains like Lecter and Chigurgh.

 

[Nittany_93]

Max Cady in Cape Fear. Always preferred the older version with Mitchum.

 

[LionDeNittany]

Respectfully disagree. Vader is one note. A cartoon character, really. He is no where near as interesting as the incredibly complex human villains like Lecter and Chigurgh.

Hannibal Lecter isn't a human. He is a character. As is Vader.

LdN

 

[NittanyChris]

Hannibal Lecter isn't a human. He is a character. As is Vader.

LdN

We simply disagree. Lecter is endlessly fascinating. Vader is boring and one note. It's ok to disagree. As long as you're not too upset about being wrong.

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

We simply disagree. Lecter is endlessly fascinating. Vader is boring and one note. It's ok to disagree. As long as you're not too upset about being wrong.

Gotta lean towards Vader...what he lacks in complexity (which is a shame, because the Anikan to Vader stories could’ve been done so much better) he more than makes up with his iconic look. I mean, is there a more recognizable villain - voice, helmet/mask, red saber - than the Dark Lord of the Sith?

That said, I have no problem with Lector winning (he’s definitely in my top 3).

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

This would be an incredibly hard list to put together. I'll add the character Joey Garza from Larry McMurtry's Streets of Laredo. Gene Hackman as Herod in The Quick and the Dead.

Joey Garza was a fascinating character, but his portrayal in the film was SO subpar to his character in the book (hate to be THAT book is better than the movie guy, but in this case...)

 

[LionJim]

Max Cady in Cape Fear. Always preferred the older version with Mitchum.

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It was on TCM last week. Hard movie to watch; nobody does creepy villain better than Mitchum.

 

[androcles]

...best all-time killer not even on the list...
....Pennsylvania’s very own Jack Palance...

 

[walleye38]

For purposes of this poll, only human villains, no monsters, animals, robots. You may choose 3!

This is such a difficult task for me as there are SO MANY phenomenal villains. I thought it would be fun.

You forgot the greatest villain of all time, Hitler.