By THE STAFF
After completing work on this weekend’s Hollywood Issue, we asked the staff for their favorite movie villains. Here are ours. Who is yours?
Charles Boyer as the insinuating Gregory Anton in “Gaslight” who convinces his wife, played by Ingrid Bergman, that she is going crazy. “Only I’ve been noticing you are forgetful lately … losing things. Oh, please dear, don’t look so concerned. It’s probably nothing.”
It’s very hard to choose, so I will use the strict criterion of which one I quote most often in day-to-day life, which is Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber in “Die Hard”: “You ask for miracles, Theo. I give you the F.B.I.”
Two who come to mind quickly are the Wicked Witch of the West from “The Wizard of Oz” and Mrs. Danvers from “Rebecca.” One so over the top and the other so subtly evil.
David Bowie as the Goblin King in “Labyrinth.” Because the greatness of a villain is directly proportional to the tightness of his pants.
A tie: Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (Lee Emery), “Full Metal Jacket” — because he’s funny in a way no family newspaper can handle. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), “Die Hard” — “‘And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.’ Benefits of a classical education.”
Keyser Söze from “The Usual Suspects.” “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”
Harry Lime, from “The Third Man.” Dastardly enough to sell fake penicillin to sick children, but self-effacing enough to be dead for the first, what, 4/5 of the movie.
The Evil Queen from Snow White, the creepiest woman ever to appear on screen!
Jack Nicholson as the Joker.
Count Tyrone Rugen, from “The Princess Bride,” for inspiring Inigo Montoya’s famous vendetta line, “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die.”
The most villainous of them all – Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Beyond terrifying.
Gary Oldman as the corrupt cop in “The Professional.” Over the top pyscho performance, “Oh those poppers, Gary!” Close second, Dennis Hopper in “Blue Velvet.”
Heather Chandler in “Heathers” for being Heather and inspiring so many more.
The Nazi bad guy from “Indiana Jones” who gets the burn on his hand in the first scene and gets his face melted in the last scene, right after he sneaks a peek at the ark and says, “it’s bootiful.”
udith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rebecca” — for her crazy, over-the-top facial expressions, and her awesome hairdo.
Mr. Darcy before he becomes cuddly.
Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Because of the look in his eyes and the calm tone of his voice.
Judith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers, the evil housekeeper in “Rebecca,” 1940.
Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) from “No Country for Old Men.” Because he reminded me a lot of my dad.
I’ll be a nerd and say Darth Vader.
Faye Dunaway’s portrayal of the Lady de Winter in the 1973 version of “The Three Musketeers” and its “Four Musketeers” sequel. A stone-cold ice queen who would stop at nothing to slake her thirst for power and riches, Milady has components of almost all the types of villains we included in our photo portfolio: she was equal parts vamp, madman, home wrecker, fire starter, sociopath, siren, hothead and tyrant.
Ed Harris as Viggo Mortensen’s tormentor in David Cronenberg’s “A History of Violence” (2005). It’s the mangled eye and the complete absence of anything remotely resembling a conscience.
The Terrible Trivium from “The Phantom Tollbooth” — the trippy movie version, which I watched repeatedly as a child. It’s faceless, much like Ryan Gosling, and keeps pushing up its sleeves to reveal emptiness where its wrists should be. Terrifying.
Glenn Close in “Fatal Attraction.” Every good villain starts out with a vaguely menacing charm, and I love watching Close make that transformation from beguiling to bunny-boiling batty.
“Jaws.” There’s no negotiating with sharks. Especially that one. The fin, the music, the underwater camera angles. I still can’t swim in the ocean without at least a touch of shark anxiety.
Wicked Witch of the West — the immense relief (along with the horror) at her melting tells it all.
Kevin Spacey as Verbal Kint in “The Usual Suspects.” He so thoroughly embodied the role of the small-time con man with cerebral palsy it was shocking to see his transformation at the end of the film.
Anton Chigurh from “No Country for Old Men.” The hair. The weapon of choice. The psychotic determination.
NY Times
Charles Boyer as the insinuating Gregory Anton in “Gaslight” who convinces his wife, played by Ingrid Bergman, that she is going crazy. “Only I’ve been noticing you are forgetful lately … losing things. Oh, please dear, don’t look so concerned. It’s probably nothing.”
It’s very hard to choose, so I will use the strict criterion of which one I quote most often in day-to-day life, which is Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber in “Die Hard”: “You ask for miracles, Theo. I give you the F.B.I.”
Two who come to mind quickly are the Wicked Witch of the West from “The Wizard of Oz” and Mrs. Danvers from “Rebecca.” One so over the top and the other so subtly evil.
David Bowie as the Goblin King in “Labyrinth.” Because the greatness of a villain is directly proportional to the tightness of his pants.
A tie: Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (Lee Emery), “Full Metal Jacket” — because he’s funny in a way no family newspaper can handle. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), “Die Hard” — “‘And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.’ Benefits of a classical education.”
Keyser Söze from “The Usual Suspects.” “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”
Harry Lime, from “The Third Man.” Dastardly enough to sell fake penicillin to sick children, but self-effacing enough to be dead for the first, what, 4/5 of the movie.
The Evil Queen from Snow White, the creepiest woman ever to appear on screen!
Jack Nicholson as the Joker.
Count Tyrone Rugen, from “The Princess Bride,” for inspiring Inigo Montoya’s famous vendetta line, “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die.”
The most villainous of them all – Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Beyond terrifying.
Gary Oldman as the corrupt cop in “The Professional.” Over the top pyscho performance, “Oh those poppers, Gary!” Close second, Dennis Hopper in “Blue Velvet.”
Heather Chandler in “Heathers” for being Heather and inspiring so many more.
The Nazi bad guy from “Indiana Jones” who gets the burn on his hand in the first scene and gets his face melted in the last scene, right after he sneaks a peek at the ark and says, “it’s bootiful.”
udith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rebecca” — for her crazy, over-the-top facial expressions, and her awesome hairdo.
Mr. Darcy before he becomes cuddly.
Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Because of the look in his eyes and the calm tone of his voice.
Judith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers, the evil housekeeper in “Rebecca,” 1940.
Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) from “No Country for Old Men.” Because he reminded me a lot of my dad.
I’ll be a nerd and say Darth Vader.
Faye Dunaway’s portrayal of the Lady de Winter in the 1973 version of “The Three Musketeers” and its “Four Musketeers” sequel. A stone-cold ice queen who would stop at nothing to slake her thirst for power and riches, Milady has components of almost all the types of villains we included in our photo portfolio: she was equal parts vamp, madman, home wrecker, fire starter, sociopath, siren, hothead and tyrant.
Ed Harris as Viggo Mortensen’s tormentor in David Cronenberg’s “A History of Violence” (2005). It’s the mangled eye and the complete absence of anything remotely resembling a conscience.
The Terrible Trivium from “The Phantom Tollbooth” — the trippy movie version, which I watched repeatedly as a child. It’s faceless, much like Ryan Gosling, and keeps pushing up its sleeves to reveal emptiness where its wrists should be. Terrifying.
Glenn Close in “Fatal Attraction.” Every good villain starts out with a vaguely menacing charm, and I love watching Close make that transformation from beguiling to bunny-boiling batty.
“Jaws.” There’s no negotiating with sharks. Especially that one. The fin, the music, the underwater camera angles. I still can’t swim in the ocean without at least a touch of shark anxiety.
Wicked Witch of the West — the immense relief (along with the horror) at her melting tells it all.
Kevin Spacey as Verbal Kint in “The Usual Suspects.” He so thoroughly embodied the role of the small-time con man with cerebral palsy it was shocking to see his transformation at the end of the film.
Anton Chigurh from “No Country for Old Men.” The hair. The weapon of choice. The psychotic determination.
NY Times
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