I now present to you a list of the top bad guys ever to
grace the screen. Now, this list
does not include horror movie icons, and please do keep a relative mind,
because when considering the evil deeds of say, mass puppy-murdering Cruella
DeVil, to corporate ice queen Miranda Priestly, they’re really not in the same
playing field (except for in the greatest hair-dos category).
And so, without further ado, and in no particular order
other than greatness of character and portrayal, I give to you the breakdown of
evil incarnate.
1. Hilly
Holbrook from The Help. This woman
is like your bitchy sorority fake friend, only with more power. She’s all about the gossip, all about
appearances, and she is all about ruining your faith in mankind. Emma Stone’s protagonist
character ends up taking her down a few notches, but not without the help of
some trusty sidekicks: Octavia Spencer’s outspoken Minnie (here’s a fun tidbit
about Spencer, she played the Three Minute Death Cage sign-in woman in the
Tobey McGuire Spiderman, whose line “The so-and-so corporation is not
responsible for any injuries you may, and probably will sustain while
fighting?” is one of the best moments in the movie), and Jessica Chastain’s bubbly,
out of place, blonde bombshell housewife is just a delight.
2. The Duke
from Moulin Rouge. The Duke is
what happens when obsession becomes your reality, and with him, it is a scary
thing. He does not understand the
whole, true love has to be true for both parties involved, and because
of him, the entire male population of Paris loses its highest form of entertainment, a wonderfully
historic landmark is closed and abandoned, hundreds of people are out of jobs, and the
girl dies. Nice going, Duke.
3. Miranda
Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada.
She’s not happy unless everyone around her is wringing their hair out in
anxious stressful unhappiness, which is the worst kind. Considering that she’s the Editor in
Chief of the biggest fashion magazine in the world, that’s a lot of people
she’s making unhappy. The fact
that she doesn’t care, but then makes you ok with it by not wearing makeup in
one scene, and proving that you're an idiot if you think fashion doesn't apply to you, is a true work of evil genius.
That's all.
4. Hopper from
A Bug’s Life. Now here is a bug
who just doesn’t have an ounce of happiness, a heart, or a sound means of survival. I mean, basing your food supply on some
cute little ants with big eyes?
That’s just poor planning.
But there’s a reason the ants provide the food every year; Hopper,
through the voice of Kevin Spacey, is purely terrifying. By his scheming, he turns the entire
ant colony against one of their own (who in turn ends up saving them in the
end), is nothing but
ungrateful to his own brother, and makes really scary bug-bone-squeaking noises
when he moves.
5. Angel Eyes
from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
Just watch this scene, where he shoots a guy after eating his food for breakfast.
And
this one, where he tortures the lovable Tuco.
Still not
convinced? Here’s the cherry on
top, the best scene of the entire movie, the final epic shootout.
6. Bill the
Butcher from Gangs of New York.
This guy is the original Crime Lord, just look at that entourage that follows him everywhere. He’s got an entire city
in his back pocket. Politicians,
policemen, petty thief’s, and store owners would all do anything for him. Even the son of his sworn enemy that he
laid rest many years before in front of said son’s eyes, who is bent on killing
him for revenge, steps in front of a bullet for him. Now there’s a complicated mess. He runs the city, and makes everyone’s decisions for them,
just ask. This guy’s not just
doing it for the fame or the money though, he’s doing it because in his mind,
he knows its right, it’s the only way, and having someone with his morals and
beliefs, with every single person who should be above such things playing a
pawn to his king, that’s scary. If
that’s not convincing you, his slicked-back, oily hair is enough to give you
nightmares. He does wear some
really great clothes though.
7. John Doe
from Seven. Now I’ve never even
seen this movie, but this guy is really a genius. A murdering genius.
A murdering psychopath genius using the Bible and The Seven Deadly Sins
as a motive, who’s also played by
Kevin Spacey (his voice, mannerisms, and eloquent speech patterns really lend
themselves to bad guys. See also,
Verbal Kint from Usual Suspects).
He orchestrates a year-long build-up (greed, gluttony, sloth, lust, and pride) to a masterful climax (envy and wrath), knowing
it was going to happen before it does, fulfilling all seven sins. Now I don’t know about you, but a
murderer who plans on someone being murdered without even having to do the murdering
is pretty evil in my book.
8. Cruella
DeVil from 101 Dalmations. She
wants to kill and skin hundreds of innocent little puppies all in the name of
vanity. A person with real moral
motives, even if you don’t agree with them is dangerous, but a person whose
motive is so flippant is even more scary, because they are spontaneous. Imagine what she would be like if she
were in Bill the Butcher’s, or John Doe’s shoes. Her last name is devil for crying out loud! She also wins the best theme song
award.
9. The Joker
from The Dark Knight. How terrifying
is someone who’s just messing with the city just to see what happens? Really freaking terrifying. This someone also happens to wear clown
paint on his face (and makes one of the greatest entrances ever by pulling of a
clown mask only to reveal another), smash people’s faces onto pencils to make a
point, hides explosives inside
somebody’s stomach, burns mountains of money because money doesn’t matter, all
for the sake of pure chaos. If
there’s anything more unsettling than an individual, it’s the chaos and
aftermath that he creates. It’s
his ability to make others like him.
To spread like a disease.
10. Darth Vader
from Star Wars. The ultimate pawn
with a tragic beginning (that was tragically presented as Star Wars Episodes
I-III). Darth Vader is more
machine than man, lives in a space station that's no moon and has a laser that can destroy an entire planet, and doesn’t even have to be near you to choke the
last few breaths of life from your lungs.
He’s the best lightsaber-weilder since, well, anyone (except for maybe
Yoda and his uncharacteristic agility in Episode II, one of the few redeeming
qualities of that series), he is content with killing his own son because, well,
orders, and his voice is intertwined with that ominous
heavy breathing that very well might be the last thing you hear.
(photos collected from molempire, fanpop, jimmychoosonthetreadmill, happilyeverafterwiththem, googleimages, miramax, filmaffinity, cablecarcouture, digitaltrends, and acomicvine)
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