If you say you’re a horror movie fan, that’s not really giving a lot of information. There are so many different types of horror movies and sub-genres of horror movies that two big fans of horror movies may like completely different films. While zombies, vampires, and werewolves all have their place, one of the most intriguing type of horror movie villains are psychopaths.
Human, yet incredibly evil, psychopaths are able to pass themselves off as another normal human being, yet how can you know that person standing next to you in an elevator is evil incarnate? While there are literally dozens and dozens of great psychopath movies, here is my list of the top ten movie psychopaths, based on charisma of the character, and scariness (so even though Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” is a classic, you won’t see it on this list).
10. Highwaymen 2003
This movie stars Jim Caviezel as the protagonist, Rennie Cray, a husband whose wife was murdered by Fargo, a serial killer who gets kicks murdering women with his 1972 Cadillac El Dorado. Most of Fargo’s body are prosthetics, but he managed to make his car like an extension of his body, and he travels around the country murdering women, and leaving clues to taunt Rennie as he tries to follow him from town to town. Fargo is cruel and taunting, and he picks his victims out and hunts them down. While the movie is an iffy B movie, Fargo is a great modern psychopath.
9. The Good Son 1993
Macaulay Culkin as Henry Evans proves that you don’t have to be an adult to be psychotic. Something about having a boy that young with no regard for human life whatsoever is creepy beyond belief. How often can a movie show a child smile, and you become chilled to the bone?
8. Silence of the Lambs 1991
Hannibal Lecter is one of the most infamous and bone chilling psychopaths to ever grace the big screen. Even more amazing is how long Lecter stays in your nightmares and gives you chills, considering in the movie “Silence of the Lambs,” this cultured, eloquent, and articulate cannibal and serial killer only has 17 minutes of total screen time.
7. Peeping Tom 1960
You have to hit the vaults to find this classic treasure. This movie was so disturbing that Director Michael Powell’s career never recovered after he directed this extremely controversial film. This film features the psychopath as the main character, as insane voyeur Carl Boehm films his female victims’ dying gasps as he impales them with a sharpened camera tripod. Even 50 years later this film is still scene as a ground breaking film in psychological horror.
6. The Night of the Hunter 1955
Movie psychopaths don’t come much more terrifying than the one portrayed by Robert Mitchum. He plays “The Reverend” Harry Powell, a religious fanatic who is on a crusade to rid the entire world of what he calls “perfume smellin’ things.” Reverend Powell is a twisted and murderous misogynist well known because of the switchblade he conceals in his pocket (take a guess at what he uses that for) and he has the words “Love” and “Hate” etched on his knuckles. Mitchum’s portrayal of this psychopath will stay with you long after the movie is over.
5. American Psycho 2000
Kudos to actor Christian Bale, who adopted a perfect American accent and a male model’s physique to play the part of white collar psychopath Patrick Bateman – a Wall Street hot shot by day who spends his spare time as a blood thirsty butcher in this gory cinematic gem. The scene where Bateman uses an axe to hack apart a rival piece by piece while dancing to Huey Lewis’s “Hip To Be Square” is well deserving of its infamy.
4. The Shining 1980
Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, writer turned mad man. “Here’s Johnny!” “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…” One of the most convincing movie psychos of all time, that big insane grin and evil eyed look is so well known it’s part of main stream cinema history.
3. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer 1986
What is so frightening about this film is how mundane the act of violent murders are to the psychopaths in this film. It’s just normal, like picking up the mail, or shopping for some groceries. This film starts with a blue collar type of guy teaching a friend how to murder without getting caught. This is loosely based on a real life story of a serial killer, and Michael Rooker’s portrayal is unsettling because he seems like such a common man. After watching this movie, even you’re most normal of neighbors can seem threatening, if you’re the paranoid type.
2. No Country for Old Men 2007
Javier Bardem as sociopath Anton Chigurh is nothing short of evil personified in this film. Anton Chigurh almost took the top spot on this list, but one man barely held him off. Ice water doesn’t even begin to explain what runs through this psychopath’s veins, and the inventive weapon, refusal to stop, and the strange code of honor (heads or tails to see if you live or die—Friend-O) makes him even more terrifying. This is one of the best and most interesting psychopaths ever, which is appropriate since this is one of the best movies to come out in years.
1. Cape Fear 1991
Robert de Niro’s character, convicted rapist Max Cady, goes to prison. His defense attorney had a document that could have gotten him acquitted because the rape victim, a 16 year old girl, was promiscuous, but knowing what his client was like, he hid the document. In prison, Cady learned to read and vowed revenge. After 14 years in prison he tracks down the lawyer, starting by killing people related to the family. The scene involving a bed and hand cuffs is one of the most disturbing in the history of psycho movies, and Max Cady is too insane, too vengeful to bump out of #1, even if it was close.
Any honorable mentions list could include dozens of psychos, but this list is the top ten movie psychos of all time, and each film will deliver the chills and psychological horror that you yearn for.
Contributor: Shane Dayton
This is a good list, but what about Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) in Misery?
Classic psycho *****.
javier bardem is great in #2. good movie too
to me american psycho cemented my belief in anything christian Bale does. I will watch a movie if I hear he is in it. My favorite part is where he seems generally perplexed on how to get the cat into the atm machine. psycho gold!
Great list….based on the new Dark Knight trailer Heath Ledgers portrayal of the Joker should become a classic movie psycho!!!
Oh Yes! Kathy Bates in Misery!! You dirty bird!
#6 just explained something in the rocky horror picture show, eddie has love and hate etched on his knuckles and its probably a reference to this movie. and this just makes me a huge dork for noticing that.
crimsonchrissi: the dirtybird comment is one of the best in the movie! And when she catches him just out of bed and says “your color is very hectic!” love it.
Anything with Hannibal in it! And I think Zigsaw is a pretty bad dude, too. Lol @ crimson…dirty bird indeed! =)
i didnt buy in to american psycho at all-seemed pretentious
could add:
gary oldman as stansfield in ‘leon’ (the professional)
matt damon in ‘talented mr. ripley’
I’m not going to lie. Whenever i watch American Psycho i laugh so hard as does my girlfriend. i dont know but i guess its because he is so crazy its funny. from the ” do you want some f*cking potato pancakes” to the atm saying to feed the cat. Anyone else have this reaction?
I definately agree with Kristo, after American Psycho and the awesome job Christian Bale did in it I became a big fan, and in my opinion he can do no wrong in a movie. The guy is a great actor.
Juggz: it was the first time I had seen Bale in a movie too – I was blown away and I will now watch anything he is in knowing it will be top quality! I pick a lot of my movie choices by the actors.
dantheman: I think I would be a little worried about that….
I’m pretty sure American Pshyco was meant to be taken lightly…more of a dark,(and graphic)comedy, or satire. The fact that he kills people while listening to Phil Collins and Huey Luis is a riot in itself.
Amon Geoth from Schindler’s List has to be around here somewhere. Holy ***** when he’s taunting the Jewish maid it made me shudder.
And when Scorcese played the psycho passenger in Taxi Driver, it’s one of the creepiest scenes in movie history. Though come to think of it Scorcese has directed some other great pyschos: Travis Bickle, Tommy DiVito, Frank Costello, Nicky Santoro, and Bill the Butcher.
Come on, where is the original psycho? Sure it might not be as scary, but Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) as a cross-dressing murderer sounds pretty crazy to me.
I have Peeping Tom on DVD. Didn’t think it was very good. The main character wasn’t very convinving as a psychopath at all, although his method of killing was great.
I really enjoyed Kevin Costner as Mr. Brooks. Easily one of the creepiest most psychotic roles out there…
I vote yes to Kathy Bates! Scared me away from old women for about a month.
-Andrea Carlena Beauman. (Still waiting quietly for that list)
Great list, but I still get annoyed when ‘Stanley Kubrick’s’ The Shining has no reference whatsoever to Stephen King, the man who wrote the story that the movie is based off of. If anyone was good at creating psychopaths, it was Stephen King.
I LOVE American Psycho, I’m glad to see it on the list!
I think Hannibal should be number one, he scares me!
Where are the female psychos? This list should have been named Top 10 Male Cinematic Psychopaths. What about Single White Female, Carrie, Kathy Bates in Misery, Charlize Theron in Monster…
Why are all of these psychos men? There are some pretty scary female psychos in movies. Jessica Walter in Play Misty for Me scared me to death. It was how she could be so normal and sweet one minute and the next she’s hacking a maid to bits with shears. Creepy!
there have many a lot of great women psychopaths
glenn close in fatal attraction
juliette lewis natural born killers
drew barrymore poison ivy
has anyone seen hard candy with ellen page of juno? wanted to see it
Where is Jigsaw from the Saw? It’s not fait. I find Jigsaw the greatest psycho ever :/
Oh yeah Juliette Lewis was crazy psycho in Natural Born Killers. I saw Hard Candy. Definitely creepy. Ellen Page is from Halifax like me wahoo.
no country for old men…
has my vote for best movie psycho.
holy *****!
Good List!
I love Silence of the Lambs. I’d be cool if they made a remake.
you can’t remake a movie like that anthony hopkins is the only person who could ever play that role
ben kinglsey in ‘*****y beast’ freakin intense!
Hand hits forehead, man I can’t believe I forgot Kathy Bates. You guys absolutely got me on that one! Thanks for all the comments. Most of the other movies brought up just missed the cut–it’s actually pretty hard to get a top 20 list of psychos. Thanks again, glad ya’ll enjoyed!
Amanda is right, Jessica Walter scared me silly! She was very convincing as a crazy killer psycho*****!
-Andrea Carlena Beauman (Still waiting quietly for that list)
What about The Hitcher with Rutger Hauer? The little kid in Identity? C’mon!
kathy bates in misery is classic. i also think that kevin spacey’s portrayal of john doe and the original psycho killer from hitchcock’s “psycho” deserve top spots. the final minutes of psycho still give me the creeps every time i watch it.
I love when lists have detailed explanations about each choice. Good job Shane Dayton.
What about John Malcavich in Con-Air. Jab at Jamie.
…Or Steve Buscemi as Garland Greene in Con Air. He didn’t even do anything, he was unnerving by mere suggestion… surely a true psycho…
This one’s out of the blue-Patty McCormack in “The Bad Seed”. A blonde-haired blue-eyed 9 year old girl who is evil personified. People who displease her start dying and her mother begins to realize the kid’s responsible. Chilling and well-done movie. And what about the psycho in “Seven”?
I just went and saw No Country for Old Men last night and it blew my mind. The thing that really creeped me out was that there wasn’t any background music. It made it seem so real to me and that much more scarier. He definitely takes the cake for best psychopath in my book
no Kathy Bates in Misery, she was MESSED UP! and completely psychotic
Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet. Best of all the Dennis Hopper psycho roles, by far.
Lyrebyrd: great film and Hopper was great in it!
I am so glad to see Anton from No Country For Old Men on here, he was so fricken creepy yet i thought he was the absolutely best actor in the film.
I love his silenced shotgun and his Air-Pressure Cattle Gun.
anyone who hasn’t seen No Country For Old Men should definately go see it. worth every penny.
A couple of classics, Tommy Udo(Richard Widmark) from THE KISS OF DEATH. The scariest psychopath played by a woman is the Wicked Witch from THE WIZARD OF OZ.
WHOA!
How is it possible to leave out John Doe from Se7en???
Kathy Bates from Misery?
Jack Nicholson from Batman?
Otherwise, the list is pretty good
Robert Mitchem is so good in Night of the Hunter, and everything else he was in. That’s quite a sweeping statement, I realise, but I stand by it.
It’s such a shame that the censorship buried Peeping Tom, because not only was it not exploitational (at least not on the same level as, say, Driller Killer etc), it’s a really good film. It’s nice that it’s getting more appreciation these days, even if it is too late for Powell. Shame.
Robert Mitchum played Max Cady in the original Cape Fear made in the 50s. He’s more understated than Robert Deniro’s over-the-top characterization in the later Cape Fear, but still very creepy/scary in a way that only Mitchum could be.
natural born killers??
monster? and freddie got fingered?
tom green’s pretty messed up
Hand that Rocks the Cradle – Rebecca De Mornay She really creeped me out.
Oh and Sevens psycho was played by Kevin Spacey. He has played some other notable psychos too.
The original and the newer version of No Country For Old Men are extremely good movies! The dude was a *****ing psycho though… no wonder he’s #2!!
monster?? and freddie got fingered???
tom green is a messed up dude
oh and, with all respect to heath ledger, this new batman coming out looks to be pretty good and heath looks like he played the role of the joker with perfection. its tragic that someone that great and that diverse of an actor is dead…
sorry to bring down the mood haha
woops.. didnt mean to do that
chsrocket47: Not cool dude….. not cool…..
I’m seconding No Country for Old Men, but Ben Kingsley in *****y Beast (one of my favourite movies) was terribly disturbing. Michael Madsen as Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs robbed me of sleep. And anything done by either Kathy Bates or Steve Buscemi (he rules!)is going to be too believable.
American Psycho is filled with so many great quotes! Just like Falling Down starring Michael Douglas!
Where is D. Fense from Falling Down?
nice list for the top 10 White Male Movie Psychopaths.
i’m really starting to think that listverse is very misogynistic. Several lists that are top 10 “people of some sort” are all white men, then a SEPARATE list comes out that is the same subject, but “oh, here are the women/blacks/etc.”
hannibal lecter is a little too high, meaning he should be closer to #1.
iknow i have already showed my fear on previous lists, but you HAVE to include rebecca demornay from “the hand that rocks the cradle” on a list about psychos. shudder
copperdragon; misogynistic? I think not. In the pool of movies with psychopaths in memorable roles, what proportion do you figure are either black or women? It is only recently that decent roles have been available for blacks or for that matter women ( with a few notable exceptions). Its just the math….
I’m glad to see you put American Psycho on the list. It’s one of my favorites. And dantheman, I totally agree with you. My boyfriend and I laughed our asses off throughout the movie, especially the axe scene. The way that he did that funky walk and went on and on about the bands discography… It was just goofy.
jfrater-
great list as always, totally missing The Bad Seed. Patty McMoRmick puts Macauley Caulkin to shame, as it’s essentially the same movie they made, but she did it first, in black and white. The other thing is that Michael Corleone from the Godfather is an excellent psycopath. Killing all those people plus your brother for betrayral means you’re a psychopath.