10 of the Best Film Villains in Cinema - Part 1

Over the years, Hollywood has supplied us with quite a few memorable villains. Obviously I can't talk about all of the best ones here, but I think I can cover the best ones over a series of articles.
Please note, this isn't the villains being ranked - such a task seems impossible to me - it's just a collection of some of the best (or worst, depending on your perspective) villains.

Harry Potter (Franchise)

Voldermort

A more contemporary villain, Ralph Fiennes' chilling Voldermort is one of the most famous villains in the world, thanks to the global success of the Harry Potter novels and the films. He's undeniably threatening, thanks to his power (his magical abilities are second only to the mighty Dumbledore) and his bizarre physical appearance. The pale skin and virtually non-existent nose are all crucial to making him as scary as he is - as well as Ralph Fienne's suitably scary performance. 

Lord of the Rings (Franchise)

 Sauron

He takes two forms throughout Peter Jackson's epic trilogy. The first is a tall, metallic monster, wiping out anything in its path. The second is a bright, burning eye, menacingly watching over his desolated lands. Both equally powerful and frightening, although the second truly gets to me. It's the mental capabilities he has which make him properly scary.

Toy Story 3

 Lotso

Ugh. This guy. Yeah. I hate him too. On the outside, he's plush. He's pink. He's a hugger. He smells of strawberries. He is in fact, one of the most hideous individuals to ever grace cinema screens. His final moment of tyranny is the worst. He effectively stops Woody and the rest of the toys from surviving, a truly villainous feat. He gets his comeuppance though, thankfully...

Jaws (Franchise)

The Shark

Nicknamed "Bruce" on set, the monster of Steven Spielberg's 1975 thriller had a massive impact on society at the time. First off, Spielberg is a master of suspense. Combine that with a genuine premise and a previously unseen threat, you can see why people were so damn scared of Jaws. Although it packs less of a punch these days, it's still pretty scary. And the shark isn't even real.

Star Wars (Franchise)

Darth Vader

Despite turning good in the end, Darth Vader is one of the two antagonists in four (including his spell as Anakin in Revenge of the Sith) of the Star Wars films. Those four films are commonly considered the better films of the franchise too, rightfully so. His powers are scary. His demeanour is scary. His outfit is scary. Damn, even his breathing is scary. It was a brilliant creation by George Lucas, even if his final scene in Revenge of the Sith was slightly... awful.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Nurse Ratched

Have you seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest? If you haven't, you will not understand what makes Nurse Ratched such a good villain. It isn't necessarily her personality, but her actions. She is cold, spiteful and cruel and, as we see towards the end of the film, vengeful. She too is given a taste of her own medicine, but her powerful grasp over the inmates of the asylum is dangerous enough.

The Exorcist

Regan MacNeil/Pazuzu

Firstly, I am very sorry for inflicting the above image on you (it's not even the worst one), but the possessed antagonist of The Exorcist is absolutely abhorrent. It's without a doubt the scariest film I've ever seen (check the blog archive - to the right - for my review), this is mainly due to the demonic possession of the young girl by Pazuzu, a foul mouthed, powerful devil. The image is scary, but the film is haunting.

Batman (Franchise)

 The Joker

You may prefer one or the other, but both Jack Nicholson's Joker and Heath Ledger's Joker are equally brilliant, merciless and chaotic. Nicholson's is a colourful, delirious maniac, who would like nothing more than ruthless, pointless murder. Ledger's joker is darker, more sinister, with the same satanic motives. I can't chose between the two of them, but they're both darkly amazing.

The Shining

 Jack Torrance

We all know that Jack Nicholson is a master at portraying the most delirious and mental characters around, partly because the man himself has a few screws loose. He's a genius though, one of the most intelligent men alive, which allows him to become such crazy characters. From Randall McMurphy to the Joker, to Jack Torrance. The villain of Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of is insane, scary and harrowing. Watch if you dare.

Dracula (Franchise)

Dracula

There have been so many Dracula films. Christopher Lee was a good Dracula, but the best vampire is certainly the one played by the brilliant Bela Lugosi in the early 30s Universal horror films (some of which - by the way - are immense, Frankenstein and the first two sequels especially). His performance is something not seen previously, different from other monsters, different from even Nosferatu. It's a boundless performance.