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Who's your most chilling movie villain?

76 replies

InceyWinceySpidy · 01/05/2023 22:35

Something came up earlier on a quiz show and I was trying to explain (to DH who's never seen it) "Misery" and the hobbling scene. I happened to comment it was probably the most awful thing I've seen, cinematically. She plays such a calm yet menacing psychopath. And the shock of that particular scene is like nothing I'd seen before.

It got us talking about who plays the most bone chilling villain. Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men is quietly terrifying as well.

And then of course, the brilliant Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal. He plays him superbly, but did he frighten me more than the woman from Misery? Probably not.

Who's your most terrifying film villain, and why?

OP posts:
Bremusa · 02/05/2023 14:32

Rutger Hauer in The Hitcher. Really menacing and believable.

MintJulia · 02/05/2023 14:33

Jack Nicholson in The Shining. Or the man in Sleeping with the Enemy.

Still makes me feel queasy..

Purplecatshopaholic · 02/05/2023 14:46

Jackienory · 02/05/2023 10:38

Kevin Spacey : Se7en

Defo this for me - he’s amazing in the role, absolutely chilling.

ThreeRingCircus · 02/05/2023 14:47

Not a movie but Tobias Menzies playing Black Jack Randall in Outlander. He's an utter bastard.

takemetotahiti · 02/05/2023 15:56

Robert De Niro in Cape Fear.
Truly chilling

reddingweddy · 02/05/2023 16:19

Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. There are very few Hannibal Lecters but there are men like Gaston everywhere.

spacechimp79 · 02/05/2023 16:20

@bravotango I was thinking about him too even though it's not a film. I don't think I've ever detested anybody as much as JP.

Mittens1717 · 02/05/2023 16:34

Eightiesgirl · 02/05/2023 13:30

NRFT so sorry if he's been mentioned before but mine is Mick from Wolf Creek.

Yes! Came on here to say this but couldn't think of his name

PrincessHoneysuckle · 02/05/2023 16:41

Max Cady in Cape Fear (Robert Deniro)

catlovingdoctor · 02/05/2023 16:43

Colonel Tavington in The Patriot. (Played by Jason Isaacs). Chilling, brutal and utterly cold-hearted.

Swingoutsistersledge2 · 02/05/2023 16:48

Patrick Bergin who played Martin in Sleeping with the Enemy . Honestly he had me terrified . Brilliant actor .

ThatshallotBaby · 02/05/2023 16:48

The Governor in Walking Dead. So charming, and yet so dastardly

SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 02/05/2023 18:34

Judith Anderson as Mrs Danvers in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rebecca”. So, so creepy.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 02/05/2023 18:38

TakemedowntoPotatoCity · 02/05/2023 00:06

The freaky clown in It.

Only when Tim Curry is playing him, but in that case I'd definitely agree

Greensleeves · 02/05/2023 18:43

Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.

katniss44 · 02/05/2023 18:47

The baddy in Red Dragon played by Ralph Fiennes.

Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley because he was so nonchalant about doing such awful things. Also a very realistic character.

Agree Annie Bates from Misery was brilliant.

The evil Aussie from Wolf Creek.

Percy Wetmore from The Green Mile.

Iamblossom · 02/05/2023 18:53

I watched this yesterday, so it is on my mind but James Norton plays Robert Hendy Freeguard in a film called Rogue Agent on Netflix at the moment, based on a true story, and I thought he was fairly chilling.

Iamblossom · 02/05/2023 18:56

ThreeRingCircus · 02/05/2023 14:47

Not a movie but Tobias Menzies playing Black Jack Randall in Outlander. He's an utter bastard.

I went to school with him. He's an extremely nice person in real life if that helps. But agree, utterly dark in that role. Bravo Tobias.

Willowtre1 · 02/05/2023 19:14

The hillbillies in Deliverance. To add to all the other excellent shouts on here!

Giselletheunicorn · 02/05/2023 19:37

Lots of male villains here. Adding a female to the list:

Nurse Ratchett in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - pure evil....

XLáBealtaine · 02/05/2023 19:40

Not a film, but chuck magill, better call saul. I think he triggered me badly because his perception of himself was that he was honorable.

Sherrystrull · 02/05/2023 20:05

PinkFootstool · 01/05/2023 22:40

The Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

No explanation needed tbh....

This!

ThreeRingCircus · 02/05/2023 20:16

Iamblossom · 02/05/2023 18:56

I went to school with him. He's an extremely nice person in real life if that helps. But agree, utterly dark in that role. Bravo Tobias.

Show quote history

I'm glad he's lovely in real life! I found it hard to watch him in The Crown as I kept thinking of him being so evil in the Outlander role. The sign of an excellent actor I suppose!

padsi1975 · 02/05/2023 20:20

John Lithgow in Raising Cain. Bolton in GOT also gave me the gawks.

wheresit · 02/05/2023 20:26

Honestly the only time I've been scared by a movie was watching The Shining a few months after my own husband had had a breakdown and tried to kill himself. (It was a terrible, terrible time and he's recovered and fine now btw.)

I don't usually find movies scary, and I'd seen the Shining before and been bored with it, but that got to me, it felt very real that a man could just flick and murder people.