50 Greatest Movie Villains #30-21

30. Catherine Tramell

“You know I don’t like to wear any underwear, don’t you, Nick?”

Sharon Stone rattled windows and broke down barriers in this role.  As the sociopath author of a murder suspense novel, the thrill of this film is not knowing if Catherine Tramell is really the killer or not, it is that at some point Stone makes the seductress so appealing, you almost want her to be the killer and hope she gets away with it.  Sex and Psychology are like peas and carrots, and while this film exploits that combination to the fullest degree, Sharon Stone makes it about more than a woman who enjoys sex.  As far as women and sexuality is concerned, Sharon Stone destroyed the stigma that women couldn’t be just as dominant as men and brought a new light to women in power outside the “Working Girl” idealism.  She is the ultimate femme fatale.  Sex, brains, and cunning.  Like men ever had a chance.

29. Jabba The Hutt

Welcome to the most repulsive gangster of aliens.  All of the Hutts are pretty grotesque but Jabba has his own unique style of ickyness.  None theless there is something kind of awesome about the giant worm like thug and after we got to see Carrie Fisher in her Slave Leia costumes, most of his deep belly laughing crimes seem almost forgiveable.  Who wouldn’t forgive him for putting Leia in that costume?  Besides he gets payback at the end.   Jabba is a great villain that you love to hate.

A Clockwork Orange

“Oh bliss! Bliss and heaven! Oh, it was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh. It was like a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now. As I slooshied, I knew such lovely pictures!”

The first time I saw Clockwork Orange and was introduced to the character Alex DeLarge I was floored, completely incapacitated by Malcolm McDowell’s performance, but just the bizarre nature of who and how Alex became this sinister creature.  DeLarge is flawlessly maniacal with his gang of friends who live for the ultra-violence.  His desire and urge for perfection can be reflected by his adoration of Beethoven, and his repulsion and loathing for people who don’t fit his ideals of that perfection.  Speaking in strange tongues, almost fluid as music itself DeLarge inflicts his intolerance for others in a most sadistic and brutal way.  Watching the transformation of Alex’s mind unwind is a truly entertaining, while awful, sight to behold.  Though I have many loons in my top twenty, Alex has a special place in my heart.

27. Col. Hans Landa

Inglourious Basterds

Psycho

“fals-fals-fals-falsity. Because birds really eat a tremendous lot. But -I-I don’t really know anything about birds. My hobby is stuffing things. You know – taxidermy.”

Each time I watch Psycho, I look for subtle signs, moments where Norman shows he is a little crazy, but it never happens.  The situations with “mother” make sense, but Norman was just as polite and insecure in ever scene, until the monster is revealed.  The story of Norman Bates is horrific, but also tragic.  His sweetness and eagerness to please is evident, but when the truth of who and what he is becomes revealed the character becomes more than a savage killer.  It becomes completely melancholy, for all those that suffered because of Norman’s illness.  Anthony Perkins was riveting in the role, and unfortunately for him never really got the opportunity to be another character outside Norman.  Maybe his fate was somehow linked with Normans.  Norman Bates is a character that will live on forever.

25. Jack Torrance

The Shining

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

If Jack Torrance is the result of uber boredom we are in for a generation of crazy people.  Stephen Kings novel “The Shining” could not have been more aptly realized with anyone other than Jack Nicholson playing Jack Torrance.  His slow trangression from caring family man into destructive violent killer is without question the worst case of cabin fever with a haunting ever displayed in film.  Together Nicholsons performance and Kings creation make this a terrifying character.

2001: A Space Odyssey

I know I’ve made some very poor decisions recently, but I can give you my complete assurance that my work will be back to normal. I’ve still got the greatest enthusiasm and confidence in the mission. And I want to help you.

The most villainous computerized space traveler save one is without a doubt Hal 9000.  The slow progression into his terrifying deception and rational cruelty is the “X” factor that really propels 2001: A Space Odyssey.  The creepy feel of the solitude of space is perfectly contrasted by the even colder companion of Hal 9000, the most frightening computer in space.

23. Michael Myers

Halloween Series

I always found the most terrifying part of Michael Myers to be the fact that he was this souless creature that never really spoke.  He didn’t run, his motives were basically based on the fact that he was bonkers.  If that’s not convincing enough he’s relentless conviction to kill whomever he deems his prey is truly bone chilling.  Remakes have been made and in some cases Michael is still scary, but in the first Halloween he is nail biting scary.

22. Saruman

Hunt them down. Do not stop until they are found. You do not know pain, you do not know fear. You will taste man-flesh.

There are numerous villains in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, but none quite so remarkable to me as Saruman.  It’s true his character is the most present villain, but Sauron’s ominous eye in the backround is no slouch, along with the menacing Witch King that Frodo often meets up with.  And no one can forget that terrifying Balrog from the deep caves of Moria that fought our hero Gandalf to the death.  All these characters are memorable and viscous, but Saruman was so much more villainous than any of them.  He betrayed his fellow wizards and turned dark, while destroying the very magical forest that he used to love.  In some awful breeding session he created the Urk-hai, his own army soldiers of Orcs meant to destroy his neighbors the Rohirrim.  All of the horrible and devilish things he created with nothing but the desire for power and a spot at the dark lord Saurons side.  All of those things aside it was Christopher Lee’s performance that made this character really come alive.  Utterly amazing.

21. Woo-Jin Lee

Remember this: “Be it a rock or a grain of sand, in water they sink as the same.”

Oh Dae-Su is kidnapped for reasons unknown and imprisoned for fifteen years in an apartment sized room.  After dealing with mental anxiety, hallucinations, to his own suicidal behavior, he becomes released into the world only to learn he has been blamed for the murder of his wife.  He has five days to find his captor and seek his revenge.  After suffering the torment and unimaginable loss he has, he will stop at nothing to reach his goal.  All of this torture by a man the name of Woo-Jin Lee.  A simple case of revenge gone mad.  Oldboy gives us the most awful taste of revenge cinema has ever seen, and at the hands of Woo-Jin Lee his torment and evil is something anyone who sees this movie will never forget.