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Menacing characters in films are my favorite; they come in all shapes and sizes and from different genres of film, below is a list of my top 10 menacing characters from film. Initially this was submitted as a list of 17 but it was honed down to a final list of only 10 – the omitted 7 characters are listed at the bottom under notable omissions. If you enjoy this list, you might also want to check out the Top 10 Badass Movie Characters.
This list isn’t all about baddies, or killers or MEN for that matter. Here I include Ellen Ripley because if you piss this woman off she will take your head off and come back for the bloody stump. The day begins normally for our heroine; it’s the run of the mill day for Ellen, travelling in space minding her own business when this little snapping alien shows up and starts feasting on her crew. Does Ellen run and hide? Cower in the corner waiting for help? No. Ellen grabs whatever she can find and fights for her life. They say ‘in space no-one can hear you scream’, I assure you if you go outside on a quiet night and listen really hard, you’ll hear Ripley kicking Alien ass somewhere in the universe.
Menace Factor: The safest place in the universe is standing behind Ellen Ripley.
We’re not safe walking alone on a dark night, we’re not safe leaving our doors unbolted and we’re not safe taking help from a complete stranger: you’d have thought slipping into a sweet sublime slumber would hold no worries for us. We’d be wrong because Mr. Krueger dwells in our dreams. After a spate of child kidnap/murders residents of Elm Street corner the accused and play catch the Molotov Cocktail, Freddy is rubbish at catch and loses, consumed in flames he makes a deal with 3 Demons where he agrees to hang loose in our dreams for a while. The Freddy we know and love is born. Try all the coffee, pills and potions you like, you’ll inevitably fall asleep and then Freddy is going to julienne you like a freshly plucked carrot.
Menace Factor: 1…..2…..Freddy’s coming for you…..
I’m not keen on men who like little girls, it’s wrong, shout, kick, scream, moan, jump up and down and have all the opinions you like; it’s still wrong. Hayley Stark thinks the same as me only unlike me she’s off to do something about it. Hayley looks young for her age and plays the cutie school girl long enough to drug her ‘older admirer’, tie him down and start to…. shall we say; perform surgery on his nether regions! There is not reasoning with Hayley, she has an answer for everything and doesn’t care for your bullshit. Top girl in my opinion.
Menace Factor: Cute as a button unless you’re a paedo.
Now Norman is the kind of guy you can take home to the family. Owns a big, albeit creepy, house overlooking his own Motel, dresses smart, albeit in the fancy new summer dress you just paid a fortune for, but a bloke that loves his mother ‘that much’ has to be respectable marriage material surely….. Doesn’t he? Alright, alright you caught me, I’m bending the truth slightly, Norman is obsessive, jealous, and he thinks women and sex are dirty (because his lovely mother says so) oh and just one more small thing…… Norman has Dissociative Personality Disorder, which means he has at least two compete personalities, the other being his dead mother, who Norman killed and now keeps her body in the creepy house I mentioned earlier.
Menace Factor: My advice? Doesn’t matter how tired you are or how hard it’s raining, keep driving.
Carrie White just goes to show that bullies can only push someone so far before they flip out and cause mayhem with their magical powers. Carrie’s not a bad girl, she just wants to get on with things, blend in with the crowd, it’s the people around her that don’t allow this to happen and end up paying the ultimate price. The decisive moment of humiliation in Carrie’s life comes at the prom, having a bucket of pigs’ blood poured over her and the pristine white dress she’s wearing gets Carrie a little mad, chaos ensues and Carrie creates havoc. I hope Carrie’s classmates enjoyed tormenting and taunting her because they ultimately pay with their lives.
Menace factor: She who laughs last, laughs longest (even if she is covered in blood).
This bloke would go through you for a short cut, literally. He’s the classic son just trying to do well for his family sake. Oh but his ‘trying to do well’ involves segmenting you into 200 portions with his trusty chainsaw or hanging you via a rusty meat hook through your cranium. Nice guy I hear you cry, ah give him the benefit of the doubt… the kids van broke down, what else was he to do on that hot Texas afternoon? Mow the grass?
Menace Factor: I’d have screamed that much too.
You’ve heard the term ‘bunny boiler’ yes? It gets used to describe anyone who becomes slightly infatuated with someone else, well; this film is where the phase was coined. Married guy meets girl, has weekend fling and thinks nothing more of it. Our Alex on the other hand has her own ideas about the relationship; Alex wants the married guy more and more and will do anything to get him, anything, including preparing him a nice rabbit stew and making sure his wife has fresh towels for bath time. How sweet of her.
Menace Factor: Ending relationships amicably since 1987.
This guy can smell you coming, has no fear and if that’s not scary enough he has a voice that could lull you into what you’d think would be a safe and peaceful slumber. When his help is needed to solve an F.B.I case Hannibal manages to escape, he eats his way through his guards face before disappearing into the great-blue-yonder. He freaks us out because we have no idea of how much he is actually capable of. Buffalo Bill is a pussy compared to Dr. Lecter.
Menace Factor: Drop of Chianti anyone?
All work and no play can make me a dull girl so I completely understand Jack wanting to dissect his squeaky voiced wife. Holed up in a snowbound vacant motel Jack is only trying to quietly finish writing his novel. When writers block kicks in and his invariably chipper wife becomes slightly more infuriating with each passing scene, Jack’s sanity skids into oblivion and he finds his hands tightly wrapped around an axe handle. I warn you guys, creep tentatively around this guy.
Menace Factor: He’d split you like a block of rotten wood.
You get switched at birth; it’s not your fault. You have Latin choral chanting as your entrance music; not your fault. You find yourself to be the spawn of Satan, well that’s not your fault either but excuse me if I don’t want to play hide and go seek with you. Damien spends the majority of his time staring absorbedly at people and making them altogether freaked out, people are dying all around him, committing suicide and it takes almost an hour and a half before someone realizes everything is connected to the sweet (if a bit eerie) Damien. Being the son of the Devil is bad enough but having to do his dirty work for him here on earth is just not fair on the little bugger.
Menace Factor: You’d honestly die to look after this child, just ask his nanny.
Notable Omissions: Captain Spaulding, Cannibalistic Mountain Men, Jason Voorhees, Pinhead, Hades (The Hills Have Eyes 2), Michael Myers, Dracula
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1 ChemEngineer
August 14th, 2009 at 1:32 am
#3 haunted me for years!
2 apepper
August 14th, 2009 at 1:32 am
I was expect Vadar, perhaps the most threatening sound effect was his breathing.
3 Dylan
August 14th, 2009 at 1:45 am
good spot for Damien. Such a creepy kid haha
4 brittney
August 14th, 2009 at 1:46 am
sahfuasdhfguilahgdashgvn ive had enough of hannibal. thats all i ever hear about if i start a conversation about movies. which i do often cause im an aspiring director.
5 Biohazard
August 14th, 2009 at 1:48 am
Awww Captain Spaulding should have soooo made it onto this list as more than a notable omission!
6 t
August 14th, 2009 at 1:49 am
What about the crazy guy from the movie saw? I thought he was a pretty menacing along with his psychological games he played on people!
7 Laura
August 14th, 2009 at 1:51 am
Norman was classic creepy. And I was scared of Freddy years before I actually saw the movie.
8 Zack
August 14th, 2009 at 1:52 am
where’s jaws? he might not be a human character, but still damn menacing!
9 Geng1s
August 14th, 2009 at 1:54 am
cant really agree with all of these.
10 optimus_grime
August 14th, 2009 at 1:59 am
this is a first for me on this site, i did not enjoy this list in any way at all. i dont agree with any of the choices on here and i dont find any of them menacing. the only one i might include is hannibal lector.
11 blitz17
August 14th, 2009 at 1:59 am
I really expected the crazy killer dude from No Country for Old Men to be on this list.
12 optimus_grime
August 14th, 2009 at 2:01 am
@ blitz17
now thats a start for a menacing villain list, javier bardem was truly chilling
13 jajdude
August 14th, 2009 at 2:05 am
Terrorized guns on the list G. Lotsa spooky critter to give the jitters, yo.
14 max
August 14th, 2009 at 2:17 am
pakau list
15 Mandie Murder
August 14th, 2009 at 2:27 am
My number 1 would be Cristopher Walken in “True Romance”.
The scene in the trailer with Dennis Hopper is my favorite scene in a movie ever.
He is such a bad-ass.
16 Arsenal
August 14th, 2009 at 2:36 am
Hey what about chuckie. Id would have been a nice mix between yesterdays list and this one. Plastic bags scared me crazy after that movie.
17 Jordan
August 14th, 2009 at 2:54 am
@ optimus_grime, have you ever heard of the saying “if you have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all”
18 whitelighter33
August 14th, 2009 at 3:10 am
Whoo-hoo! Can’t please everyone but hey, I’m pleased!
List could have had about 375 entries but hey-ho, they are SOME of the characters from movies that I find menacing. Made my Friday a little brighter anyway!
)
19 Don
August 14th, 2009 at 3:26 am
Not sure if I’m missing the point…could be. I’ve watched The Dark Knight several times and Heath Ledger’s Joker scares the sh*t out of me every time. He’s the kind of guy who can cause you to wet your pants just by giving you a look.
20 dr. Hannibal Lecter
August 14th, 2009 at 3:38 am
Heh, I just have to say it..
You all stink of fear!!
What about the clown from “It” by Stephen King. That is seriously menacing in an absurd way. Anyone else here “not very fond” of clowns because of that movie?
21 junieclemente
August 14th, 2009 at 3:44 am
just imagine hannibal chewing on you like a turkey leg…..nomnomnom….*spits tendons and bone chunks
22 banshega
August 14th, 2009 at 3:45 am
where’s the joker
23 bleumoonselene
August 14th, 2009 at 3:53 am
What about the woman from Misery? Anyway it’s great.
24 Jason
August 14th, 2009 at 3:53 am
How about Dennis Hopper’s character ‘Frank’ in the 1986 movie “Blue Velvet”, directed by David Lynch? Or Willem Dafoe’s character in the 1990 movie “Wild at Heart”, also directed by David Lynch? Both are pretty menancing!
25 Rufus
August 14th, 2009 at 3:54 am
what? i’ve never watched anything of this, so what?
26 junieclemente
August 14th, 2009 at 3:55 am
hi to all the filipinos out there!!!
27 romerozombie
August 14th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Hades from The Hills Have Eyes 2 – the remake sequel or the original sequel?
Good call on Pennywise from Stephen King’s IT.
28 oten
August 14th, 2009 at 4:21 am
i was expecting jason… he has to be at least in top 5
29 Pyderz
August 14th, 2009 at 4:38 am
Omg, you left out… ‘ He who must not be named ‘ Mr Lord Voldermort! …
30 Doghouse Riley
August 14th, 2009 at 4:40 am
Robert Mitchum as Harry Powell in “Night of the Hunter”. Don’t take my word for it, go rent the movie.
31 Chineapplepunkg
August 14th, 2009 at 4:57 am
@Pyderz (31): Don’t say his name!!! LOLruses on LOLlerskates!
I find the classic Japanese girl in a dress ( Ringu, Shutter etc) to be more menacing than 9 of these ( Freddy Krueger would be the only one who I couldn’t stand a chance with because I sleep more than a groundhog).
32 nuriko
August 14th, 2009 at 4:58 am
cool list!
33 mom424
August 14th, 2009 at 5:12 am
Pretty good picks; not too shabby but I’d have changed it up some.
What about Quentin Tarantino’s role in From Dusk ’til Dawn? Talk about menacing. Actually the only part I’ve seen him play that was at all believable. Playing it a little close to the bone maybe?
Michael Madsen as Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs? Nailed the sociopath perfectly. Still can’t watch the ear scene without squirming and looking away.
Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis in Natural Born Killers are worthy omissions as well. Very scary.
These are way more menacing than Freddy, Jason et al. Who needs supernatural beings? Twisted humans are way more disturbing – they actually happen. Even in From Dusk ’til Dawn, Tarantino was way scarier before he turned into a vampire.
34 Leanna
August 14th, 2009 at 5:23 am
very funny list, @whitelighter33! i do think “anton chigur” should have made it on, but all in all, i’d say the list is pretty darn accurate.
35 archiealt
August 14th, 2009 at 5:27 am
Nice idea for a list, i don’t necessarily agree with the choices but enjoyable none the less.
36 jfrater
August 14th, 2009 at 5:29 am
@mom424 (33): I am totally with you on that – humans are worse than supernatural beings. I think that is why I prefer thrillers to horrors
37 Sander
August 14th, 2009 at 5:34 am
John Doe, Se7en…
38 oouchan
August 14th, 2009 at 5:38 am
Like the list especially choices no 1 and 2. When I saw Jack at two I was wondering who could beat him. Damien was a perfect choice. That kid was so creepy.
I would also add Cardinal Richelieu from The Three Musketeers. (I’m a Tim Curry fan)
@dr. Hannibal Lecter (20): Pennywise was a good add! (Also Tim Curry)
39 jeff h
August 14th, 2009 at 5:41 am
Nice choice at #1. I’m not a big horror movie fan, but the Omen is my favorite.
40 Lauren
August 14th, 2009 at 5:46 am
Thoroughly enjoyed this list, loved the humour
Jack Torrance is a brilliant character; I’ve only watched the film once, but he managed to scare me senseless, and then I felt kind of sorry for him when he was running through the snow whilst not being able to speak properly and going insane.
I think a second list should be made soon, as there are plenty more freaky characters out there.
41 7raul7
August 14th, 2009 at 5:51 am
Happy Independence Day (of Pakistan)
42 braincake
August 14th, 2009 at 6:03 am
pinhead would be a good one.
43 Wyldcat
August 14th, 2009 at 6:06 am
Alex DeLarge.
44 Parallax
August 14th, 2009 at 6:13 am
Nice movie !
I preffer Carrie
http://allainjulesblog.blogspot.com/
45 Burger
August 14th, 2009 at 6:15 am
What about the Joker from The Dark Knight? He scared the heck out of me… I was high on energy drinks and it was midnight, so that might have affected it but still.
46 chubbmeister
August 14th, 2009 at 6:23 am
What’s wrong with Norman Bates’ lip in that picture?
47 Gogo Delectatio
August 14th, 2009 at 6:26 am
Oho~ Don’t forget the fava beans for Dr. Lecter. I agree that Ripley was quite menacing, and I also agree with whomever mentioned Pinhead.
48 Diogenes
August 14th, 2009 at 6:56 am
I was a little confused by the choice cuts of horror movie monsters, perhaps because they partially turned into hams through multiple sequels. Calling Weever’s Ellen Ripley a menace is a bit odd to me. I suppose you are looking at that one from the alien’s point of view. Norman Bates menacing? He mostly comes across as the opposite of menacing. Although a good photo choice of him. “I wouldn’t hurt a fly” is the menace within.
Some of my own inclusions of which come to mind:
Don Logan in Sexy Beast played by Ben Kingsley.
Archie Hall Jr. in The Sadist. The Max Cady character by Mitchum and DeNiro.(or Mitchum as Harry Powell there on the right in that tiny square)
And there’s Klaus Kinski in Auirre, The Wrath of God as the title character of coarse.
-just to name a few.
chubbmeister#46 It’s his mother’s skull superimposed.
49 Bobby
August 14th, 2009 at 7:06 am
I know one, Keyser Soze! Just the mention of his name struck fear throughout the underworld!
50 mcamp
August 14th, 2009 at 7:11 am
Number one for me would be The Jigsaw Killer/Jonathan Kramer. He is one scary dude. The way he puts people in situations to “save” themselves by doing horrible things is unique and creepy. It makes you think there is a possiblity that there really are people in the world that do these things. Gives me the shivers. I wouldn’t want to meet someone like him, EVER.
51 mcamp
August 14th, 2009 at 7:12 am
The Jigsaw Killer/Jonathan Kramer is in the Saw movies for anyone that doesn’t know.
52 acb
August 14th, 2009 at 7:18 am
SO glad someone agrees with me on Leatherface — I always have thought Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the scariest horror movie of all time. I think he should be number one…but do admit that Damien is up up there.
#20 — I totally agree, that movie scared the living sh*t out of me and I had absolutely no problems with clowns before seeing it.
53 Anthony
August 14th, 2009 at 7:24 am
How the fuck is a kid number one. The reason the kid ran wild, was because the parents never disciplined him. A good introduction with mr paddle would have shown him whos fucking boss in the house. Should the day ever arise where I get intentionally beaten and outsmarted by a child, I will kill myself.
54 Becca
August 14th, 2009 at 7:26 am
*sigh*
NONE of these are menacing to me in any way. Although I agree with some of the omissions, namely Pinhead and Captain Spaulding.
The most menacing thing I’ve ever seen was the elevator/bathroom stall old man in the original The Eye movies. Not that American crap, the ORIGINAL.
55 Shagrat
August 14th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Damian as No.#1 ??? Who are you kidding?
What about Cape Fear’s Max Cady or Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle – both played by Robert De Niro and both perennially rating in the top three to five of cinematic villains (menacing characters) by movie pundits world-wide?
Or better yet: Wolf Creek’s Mick Taylor; superbly played by Aussie actor John Jarrat. This particular actor was good enough to bring to life a character so menacing that he scared the shit out of no less a director than Quentin Tarantino; who rang him after seeing Wolf Creek and told him so, adding that Jarrat had created the most frightening and menacing character he had ever witnessed.
Damian??? F**k off! You might as well have given no.#12 to the bloody bugs in Starship Troopers
56 Nikita
August 14th, 2009 at 7:35 am
I remember watching Aliens (I believe it was the 3rd movie) in my 3rd year Womens Studies Class (Girls, Women, and Pop-culture). We discussed nature VS nurture and Ellen Ripley as a feminist icon.
She definitally kicks ass.
57 crystal
August 14th, 2009 at 7:36 am
I totally understand where ChemEngineer is coming from! For days after I saw Silence of the Lambs, I couldn’t get the image of Hannibal Lector’s face out of my mind. Luckily for me, a friend recommended the perfect antidote … he told me to rent the movie 84 Charing Cross Road in which Anthony Hopkins plays a mild-mannered bookstore owner. It did the trick.
58 frushka
August 14th, 2009 at 7:37 am
Brava Whitelighter!
Great list, and a very well-written and entertaining read!
I’m so glad the bunny boiler and ripley were on here.
Close and Weaver were so threatening in those roles.
I agree with Mom (33) and JF(36). Bad-ass humans are far scarier than bad-ass supernaturals.
I missed Kathy Bates (Misery), Javier Bardam (No Country), and sorry, Buffalo Bill gave me a lifetime of nightmares.
WTG Whitelighter!
59 undaunted warrior
August 14th, 2009 at 7:44 am
Nice list choice Wl interisting list have only seen 4 of the ones you mentioned. I most likely fall into the older age bracket on this site, but many moons ago I was watching a late night movie, about a swamp like creature – human ? that used to come out of the river – swamps and had branch like tenticals growing out of him, I cant recall who the film character was but I can honestly say that my sleep was interupted for at least 2 months.
But in the long run I will rather go for Thriller than Horror.
Well done Whitelighter.
60 liamd95
August 14th, 2009 at 8:01 am
What about Scream?!? lol or.. Oh damn i had it in my mind.. err.. totally can’t remember, oh yeah! Nope still can’t remember. Maybe it’ll come to me later.. Yay! i remember the guy from SAW.
61 liamd95
August 14th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Great list btw, don’t usually like movie lists but this was well written
62 Dr. Wolfgang
August 14th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Great list !! Hannibal is my all time favourite villan ; you can’t help but love him.
Would like to have seen Meagan – from The Exorcist…. another great character.
63 ZombieJulie
August 14th, 2009 at 8:10 am
I absolutely hated that chick from Hard Candy, that movie disturbed me so bad, I couldn’t finish it. Ugh.
64 Sue
August 14th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Am I the only one who really didn’t like Jack Nicholson in The Shining? I thought the book was so much more frightening than this movie (the remake for TV was much better, IMO) I thought Jack’s character was a little over-the-top, leaning toward comical.
65 General-Jake
August 14th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Yeah silence of the lambs was hellla freaky. The movie..scary the book…self urination factor of 10
66 Joe13
August 14th, 2009 at 8:35 am
It’s the ones who are most realistic that are the most menacing to me. I grew up in a town where there were guys like Anton Chigurh (No Country for Old Men) for real. Having one of those guys in your face, and nothing you can say won’t be turned against you. That’s the scariest shit in the world.
67 dbrownl
August 14th, 2009 at 8:55 am
i think this list would have been 100 times better if it had all beleiveable characters, who really cares about freddy and damien etal, they are horror movie “monsters” might as well put frankenteins monster on there, characters from thrillers (not horrors) are the ones that are really menacing, the ones that make you believe in them and crossing their paths is the last thing you would want ot do
68 D train
August 14th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Christopher Walken in anything.
69 Stevie C
August 14th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Brick Top – Snatch
Christopher Walken – True Romance
Mr. Blonde – Reservoir Dogs
Marselles Wallace – Pulp Fiction
Amon Goth – Schindler’s List
The Joker – The Dark Knight
Anton Chuger – No Country For Old Men
Travis Bickle – Taxi Driver
I really like the addition of Ellen Page for her role in Hard Candy which was just class
70 ThomPayne
August 14th, 2009 at 9:26 am
the Kurgan
71 plow22
August 14th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Lawrence Olivier in the Marathon Man was menacing, my teeth hurt just thinking about him.
72 xlouisx
August 14th, 2009 at 9:37 am
the chick from Inside should be on this.
but its stil an amzing list.
73 Freemont
August 14th, 2009 at 9:51 am
“I’m not keen on men who like little girls, it’s wrong, shout, kick, scream, moan, jump up and down and have all the opinions you like; it’s still wrong.”
…Are a lot of readers with pro-pedophilia opinions on listverse?
74 Aubloom
August 14th, 2009 at 10:14 am
This list needed a little more thinking. Some of the choices are ok but there are far better choices out there.
75 antlyon
August 14th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Good List
A few I think are menacing
Michael Corleone anyone who would send his own brother to sleep with the fishes is nobody to mess with.
Darth Vader
John Rambo
76 frushka
August 14th, 2009 at 10:16 am
@Simon H (Heckmondwike) (75): Ripley’s coming to get you.
77 missmozell
August 14th, 2009 at 10:22 am
chubbmeister–#46
That’s the beginning of a famous shot that Hitchcock used to show Norman’s interior rottenness, and bring the movie full circle back to the original girl who was killed in the shower.
The odd look around his lips is because Hitchcock is almost subliminaly superimposing a shot of Mother’s skeletal, grinning face over Norman’s. (Remember, it’s her voice you hear right at the end). That very disturbing image fades into a view of the back of the car as it is winched out of the swamp, the back grill echoing the skeletal smile.
78 redcaboose
August 14th, 2009 at 10:25 am
Great list. I agree that Norman Bates was one of the creepiest characters in movies. That was the first horror flick that I was allowed to go see when I was a kid, and I took baths for a month.
Another one that deserved a mention was Tony Todd as the Candyman. Man, that guy was sick.
The other actors that have been mentioned in the comments sure bring back some memories. I think that actors enjoy playing menacing characters, because it allows them to really let loose.
79 The Grey GOAT
August 14th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Some good characters on here, but this list seems a bit confusing. When I think of menacing I think more of villans, bad guys, or killers. Ripely and Hayley Stark are definitely badass but they seem more like heroines rather than menacing. BTW, I love that you mentioned Hayley Stark. Her character is amazing in that movie.
80 DJ
August 14th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I can think of a couple that were good in one flick but the sequels ruined them: Samara from “The Ring” (both the American and Japanese versions) and Jigsaw from the original “Saw.”
The twist at the end of “Saw” made the whole movie. If you haven’t seen it, check it out.
“The Ring” haunted my wife for a week. “Ringu” was arguably a better, smarter film, but the American remake was scarier.
81 MartinL
August 14th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Anyone remember the film “Five Corners,” with Jodie Foster? John Turturro played Heinz Sabatini in it: a seriously twisted piece of work. To cross his path even marginally was to invite hurt, if not death. On the night he’s going to die, he hurls his own mother out her sixth-floor window (capping a long list of atrocities casual and brutal).
But for sheer badassery on the non-villain side of the ledger, there’s Robert Duvall’s character in “Apocalypse Now” — setting up air support so he and fellow officers can go surfing on a Vietnamese river during a vicious firefight. Gotta love it!
And: @#71: yeah, truly, Olivier’s Nazi was chilling. And #49 — yup, can’t forget Keyser Soze!
82 Bluh
August 14th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Anton Chigurh (No country for old men) is a notable omission too
83 jake ryder
August 14th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Oh this list could be debated forever. For my entry HAL from 2001.
84 Simon H (Heckmondwike)
August 14th, 2009 at 10:47 am
78 frushka
I live on Milton Road, lol. Lets see what she can do…
85 pergola
August 14th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Some very interesting points raised here, which has got me thinking!
86 Maggot
August 14th, 2009 at 11:06 am
@pergola (87): Déjà vu
87 Danny
August 14th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Whats interesting is a Lot of these characters are “people” characters that are nutz or violent. they arent “Supervillian Cliches”
88 zubair kaka
August 14th, 2009 at 11:28 am
No Dennis the Menace?
89 Joe13
August 14th, 2009 at 11:41 am
For the other Christopher Walken fans, there’s a little movie called “The Addiction” starring Lili Taylor. Not a great movie but Walken’s on screen for between 5-10 minutes playing an old vampire. Chris doesn’t have to act menacing.
90 Charly
August 14th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Where the hell is Anton Chigurgh????? Ke kicks everybodys ass on this list
91 acidincense27
August 14th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Great list, and great idea having Damien as number one. I do believe it’s Jack “Torrence” rather than “Torrance”. Great list nonetheless.
92 Mabel
August 14th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Ah ha ha ha ha! I really enjoyed this list. I love scary film characters.
93 trfan
August 14th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
What, no Kathy Bates from “Misery”?
94 rebekah
August 14th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
what about alex from clockwork orange, or HAL?
95 adamislegend
August 14th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I really think Michael Myers from the Halloween series. Just the fact that he has a blank, expressionless mask, he never talks and he is super fast and sneaky would scare me way more than any other horror movie killer would.
96 FIGHTCLUB
August 14th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
WHERE IS JOCKER?
97 TerraByte
August 14th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Willem Defoe, Christopher Walken, and Kurtwood Smith. They scare the crap out of me even when they’re not acting.
98 ChemEngineer
August 14th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Norman Bates, Leatherface, and Hannibal Lecter are all based off of Ed Gein, a real person, which definitely makes them more me menacing (well creepy) in my opinion.
99 Brian
August 14th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Terrible comedy plus terrible spelling equals go back to school.
100 Brian
August 14th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Also the writing was just as horrid.
101 Stunt Man Mike…
August 14th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Put it in me Scott
102 kofeelite
August 14th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
great list
how ’bout Harvey Keitel in “The Bad Lieutenant”? THAT’S BADASS!
103 nfrillman
August 14th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Someone else may have mentioned him, but I’m not sure how Darth Vader isn’t on here. I mean he chokes you with his mind for cryin out loud.
104 Will
August 14th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
When I saw the list title, I was like “Hayley from Hard Candy had damn well better be on this list”. And then she was! Bravo!
The bit where Jeff asks if she’s going to torture him, and she says: “Torture, really? You think this is torture? I suppose you haven’t read anything from Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch?” It’s just terrifying for so many reasons.
105 Evita Lolita
August 14th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
@ 24 Jason
oh god, Frank Booth IS one menacing motherf****r! and so is Bobby Peru, his teeths alone could be counted as menacing characters!
106 chubbmeister
August 14th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
@missmozell (79):
Thanks, now that you mention it, I can see the outline of the skeleton face. Funny, I’ve seen the movie at least twice, but didn’t recall…
107 Jacynta
August 14th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
My partners parents saw the Omen just before my partner was born, they like the name so much they named him Damien.
108 Faye
August 14th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Hmmm. It’s an interesting list. I’m sure we all have our own opinions on who we feel to be menacing, however. Here’s how my list would turn out:
10. Begby from Trainspotting
9. Little Bill from Unforgiven
8. Lurtz from Fellowship of the Ring
7. Rorschach from Watchmen
6. Patrick Batemen from American Psycho
5. That damn mouse (Mr. Jingles?)from The Green Mile, because I find mice to be highly menacing.
4. The Witch King from Return of the King
3. The psycho killer from No Country for Old Men
2. Heath Ledger’s Joker
1. Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs
109 DaniBee
August 14th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
First of all, Carrie does not deserve to be here. Carrie was out for revenge, and menace does not equal revenge. Carrie wasn’t EVIL, she was… erm, well, just a bit crazy. But those girls deserved it.
Second of all, this list would have been great if it did not have the grammatic equivalent of a 3rd-Grade Book Report.
110 squid
August 14th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Oh man, Captain Spaulding is only a notable omission?
111 astraya
August 14th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
I thought people were talking about Groucho Marx’s Captain Spaulding, and thought wtf? menacing?? Maybe it’s the eyebrows, mustache or cigar.
I’ve now just done enough research to know what you’re talking about.
112 Moloch1123
August 14th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Personally, Pinhead and Jigsaw are my two favorite and most menacing characters… Good list despite them being only a notable omission and not even present.
113 archangel
August 14th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Creeeeeepy…
114 General Tits Von Chodehoffen
August 14th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Dude from american psycho was pretty menacing
115 Sarah
August 14th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
I love Carrie White! I think I can relate to her a little. . .
116 stunty
August 14th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Eric Cartman of South Park. He would made Norman Bates eat his mother.
117 atheists eat fish
August 15th, 2009 at 12:28 am
@45
My scariest movie experience was watching The Ring with my husband- I’d had a ton of coke to drink. Maybe caffeine heightens terror? Anyone else have this experience?
118 muscarius
August 15th, 2009 at 1:37 am
the girl from THE AUDITION by Takashi Miike would own this list.
119 Greg
August 15th, 2009 at 5:44 am
My top 5 scariest movie characters are
5. Lassie
4. Ernest from Ernest goes to camp
3. Spongebob
2. Papa Smurf
1. Pee Wee Herman
120 Joe13
August 15th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Thought of another one. Remember in Goodfellas, Joe Pesci played Tommy DiVito,”You think I’m funny? Funny how?” That’s the kind of menacing that gets me all sweaty just watching it.
121 mom424
August 15th, 2009 at 7:17 am
Anybody seen Sexy Beast? Gandhi (Ben Kingsley) is the very best psychopath ever. Excellent movie for anyone interested. The opening scene is hilarious.
122 Carole
August 15th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Christopher Lee as Dracula
123 krypto092108
August 15th, 2009 at 8:50 am
I thought Carrie and Freddie Kreuger were highly scary…
Carrie, mainly because there’s nothing like a vile tempered teen with Telekinesis…
124 krypto092108
August 15th, 2009 at 8:51 am
But Freddy is no, slough either….
Sorry about that, all, for clicking the submit button before finishing…
125 DrFrigmundPseud
August 15th, 2009 at 9:41 am
In no particular order (but I found would probably go for Mick Taylor as the most menacing):
Francis Begbie – Trainspotting
Anton Chigur – No Country For Old Men
Tommy DeVito – Goodfellas
Don Logan – Sexy Beast
Mick Taylor – Wolf Creek
Captain Vidal – Pan’s Labyrinth
Frank Booth – Blue Velvet
Lil’ Ze – City of God
Mr Blonde (Vic Vega) – Reservoir Dogs
John Ryder – The Hitcher
I find a realistic depiction of a psychopath far more menacing than any supernatural or OTT evil villain.
126 PJMurphy
August 15th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Remember a movie from 1994, called “Leon, The Professional”?. It starred a very young Natalie Portman, who was taken under the wing of a professional assassin.
Remember Gary Oldman’s role as Stansfield, the cop? Now that’s one menacing guy….
127 Lyrebyrd
August 15th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Gotta move Hannibal Lecter to the top of the list. He killed Miggs in the next cell just by talking to him. Scared him so much he swallowed his own tongue. He’s pretty damn good at what he does. Now that’s menacing.
128 pestonmama
August 15th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Robert Mitchum in “Night of the Hunter” still scares me and it’s 40 years later. Just the thought of him gives me cold chills.
129 Maxx the Slash
August 15th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Hayley Stark… ok, I’m all in favor of bring pedo’s to justice, but Ellen Page’s character Hayley Stark is the reason I hate Page and her career. I don’t care how many kids a person molests, they don’t deserve to be murdered by one of them. They need to be arrested. They’re going to die anyway in prison, so you might as well let a murderer that’s locked up do it. Hayley Stark is the type of vigelante that deserves to be beaten over the head with a two-by-four. She’s not a hero, she’s a bitch.
130 Yo
August 15th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Someone should of proofread this article.
131 jascott9
August 15th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Lucifer in The Passion of the Christ? Snakes crawling from his robe, and holding a weird pale (old) baby while Christ is being humliated and tortured isn’t menacing?
132 aprilweather
August 15th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
How could you leave out Barney Frank in his horror epic “Meet Me In The Men’s Room,Kid”—
133 dr. Hannibal Lecter
August 15th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
No one mentioned this one: George Bush in the oval office. Scares the crap out of me, yet somehow remains funny.
134 aprilweather
August 15th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Or Ted Kennedy in “Ted’s Excellent Adventures”–Boy,when he was drowning that young woman I was on the edge of my seat–
135 Pearl
August 15th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Im 22 and Im still afraid of Freddy…
136 Anonymous
August 15th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
This list should stress HOLLYWOOD films – a rather pretentious, overused list.
137 junior
August 15th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
This list is weak… The simple omission of Michael Meyers and Jason Voorheis is the first mistake. Ellen Ripley & Alex Forrest…??? What makes Ellen Ripley “menacing”…??? She runs from the Aliens through 4 films and only becomes “menacing” in Alien Resurrection where she is a genetically engineered hybrid created from Ripley/Alien Queen DNA. If you had included the Aliens I could buy the entry at #9. The category is “Menacing Movie Characters”, is it not? How can the shark from Jaws not be considered the main “character” of that landmark film? It wasn’t Roy Scheider that made me think twice before jumping into the ocean as a kid.
Another glaring ommission can be found in the Phantasm films. Portrayed by the incredibly creepy actor, Angus Scrimm, the Tall Man/Undertaker remains the stuff of REAL nightmares. What exactly makes Freddy Krueger “menacing”? He’s a goofy looking guy who runs around your dreams dressed in a Bert & Ernie shirt with the dinnerware strapped to his fingers. How can he be considered “menacing” when he can’t even kill a victim without cracking a joke…?
Mikey Meyers & Voorheis surpass Krueger in the menacing category simply based on the fact that neither one ever utters a word. (Except for Rob Zombie’s bastardization of Mike Meyers — yeah, Rob, let’s take the best horror film ever made and make nearly half its’ length about the touchy-feely emotions and psychological inner workings of a little boy who was in a severely abusive family setting — MICHAEL MEYERS WAS THE MOST MENACING FIGURE IN FILM BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT HE WAS A NORMAL KID, WITH A NORMAL FAMILY, IN A NICE AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD, WHO FOR NO APPARENT REASON WENT AND MURDERED HIS SISTER — JACKASS!!!!!! WE UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE MONEY!!!!!! WE GET IT…YOU LOVE HORROR FILMS!!!!!! GO PLAY THE “PAYING HOMAGE” GAME SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!!!!)
I’m so out!!!!!!!
138 DenzeLL
August 16th, 2009 at 12:02 am
I can relay to why Carrie is like that. I have been picked on by bullies and tormented since the fourth grade, and now I am on the brink of getting expelled from school because I always fight back, physically. I’m just unlucky enough that in the end, bully gets away and I’m in trouble. If I get expelled, they’ll pay. Emotionally. Muwahahahahaha! (without the blood though. I will never kill, except mosquitoes and other pests.)
139 Lenalady4
August 16th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Haha, is it wierd that I laughed my way through The Shining? And I laughed through the book. Weeeeellll, MOST of the book… The part in the film where Jack is storming down the hall after his wife accuses him of beating the kid again, and throwing some kind of wierd hissy fit was enough to keep me laughing for days. Ah, if only she knew the truth…
140 blacksunshine
August 16th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I love number eight. I’ve never really thought of that character as being disturbing. I saw her more as super bad ass
141 pigmonkeyandsuzi
August 16th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
annie wilkes from misery shoudl be on this list, she sure knows how to drag out a death O.O especially in the book
142 Mav
August 16th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
#130.. Someone should HAVE proofread your comment.
143 bill mobley
August 16th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Jet Li in Lethal Weapon (one of the sequels). I can’t remember the name of the dread locks character in Menace two society. Lawrence Tate always scares me when he gets mad.He’s so darn mean.
144 Char
August 17th, 2009 at 3:26 am
I actually know a kid, who is like 5 and doesnt speak at all. he knows how to, understands everything,stares crazily at everyone but just will not speak.. reminds me of the kid from The Omen! scary little boy :S
145 Liverboy
August 17th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Menacing? I would probably have to mention Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast.
Darth Vader though wuld have to be number one. The way he says, “Perhaps you feel you are being treated… unfairly?” to Lando is about the most menace anyone can muster in one phrase.
146 Jay Poe
August 17th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Daniel Day Lewis in Gangs of New York and There Will Be Blood.
147 psychosurfer
August 17th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
The list is too predictable, some darker characters would´ve been nice, good thing you didn´t include Vader.
I propose:
- Geum-ja Lee (Lady Vengeance)
- Capitão Nascimento (Tropa de Elite)
Both great non Hollywood movies.
148 Joost Z
August 17th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
I’d like to submit two menacing psychos from two great movies:
- Jake The Muss (Once Were Warriors)
- Francis Begbie (Trainspotting)
149 ItsJustJake
August 18th, 2009 at 10:34 am
I would have made two lists – One for the ‘Supernatural’ scaries, and the other for the ‘Realistic/Real’ ones.
150 joebecca
August 18th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Pretty good list, but the most menacing character to me is the little asian girl in the first Kill Bill movie. Not Lucy Liu’s character but that little teenage bodyguard of hers. that girl scared the heebie jeebies out of me !!!
151 sciencegeek
August 19th, 2009 at 7:41 am
Ellen Ripley is so cool!
152 Bitchtits
August 19th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
No Frank Booth? WTF
153 FallenAngel
August 19th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
I live in Texas. I was always told if I didn’t eat all my vegetables or if I disobeyed my parents, Leatherface was going to come through the bathroom window and murder me.
154 rick
August 20th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
DO NOT click the Google pays me $213 and hour advertisement. Google will not pay you anything and this scam company will automatically bill you $70 a month non-refundable. It’s buried 2 layers deep in the fine print and is very difficult to cancel.
155 ericster
August 21st, 2009 at 8:10 pm
The most menacing I could think would be that
Samara Morgan….”The Ring”,Those movies where a trip
and quite spooky. Somehow.l8
156 Jason Smith
August 24th, 2009 at 12:14 am
What about Samuel L Jackson’s charactor in Pulp Fiction? If we can go beyond just humans, I’d nominate the “green orb” from Heavy Metal as a notable ommision.
157 lucienbell
August 27th, 2009 at 2:59 am
i dont agree with i think she falls into the category of tragic villian rather than manacing villian, also leather face because T C M is overated. most of these are psychotic villians rather than menacing villians
psychotic omissions
pennywise (tim curry) from It
micheal myers from halloween
francie brady from the butcher boy
menacing ommision
Norman Stansfield ( gary oldman) from leon
John Doe (kevin spacey) from Seven
also
Jacobim Mugatu (will ferall) zoolander
Dark Helmet (Rick moranis) Spaceballs
shooter McGavin (christopher McDonald) Happy gilmore
158 LVGoober
August 29th, 2009 at 2:55 am
No matter how you rework this list, Hannibal is #1. And, Bette Davis’ “Baby Jane” deserves some consideration.
159 Tomo
August 30th, 2009 at 6:06 am
How about Heath Ledger’s Joker from the Dark Knight, I thought he was pretty menacing.
160 tailspintales
August 31st, 2009 at 9:30 pm
The Wicked Witch of the West is still the Best.
la la la
161 Joseph de Culver City
September 1st, 2009 at 11:00 am
I don’t know the character name, but the original ‘The Vanishing’ (Dutch?), not the American remake has a memorable villain. Rutger Hauer in ‘The Hitcher’ is majorly creepy as well.
Robert Mitchum from ‘Night of the Hunter’ and ‘Cape Fear’ is flat-out terrifying.
162 deadangst
September 15th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Great list Whitelighter33. Agree with every selection you made. But more so, your writing style is brilliant. Nice use of humour, and word-play. I look forward to more lists from you, even if just for the writing.
Best line – “but excuse me if I don’t want to play hide and go seek with you.” ha ha.
163 Shane
October 24th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Where is Pennywise? He freaked me out as a child.
164 oedura
January 31st, 2010 at 9:06 pm
The girl from “Hard Candy”? Seriously?
Such a crappy film.
165 kooljesus
February 9th, 2010 at 11:55 pm
WTF!!!!! weres Jasoon Vorhees!!!! were????? were??????were????? Jason Has to b der!!!
166 katerinaelaena
February 14th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
@FallenAngel (153):
That’ is freaking scary! If refusing to eat my vegetables would get me a lovely visit from Leatherface, i don’t even want to KNOW what refusing to clean my room would cause at your place! GREAT LIST! These people are definitely not the types i’d like to sit beside at a dinner party, but fascinating, nevertheless!
167 afk
May 24th, 2010 at 10:41 pm
voldermort, dude.
168 lulz trooper
July 2nd, 2010 at 11:53 pm
i fucking HATE hayley stark! i saw part of that movie and i fucking hated her. (That may of been cause i didnt know that the guy was a pedo)
169 Krovin
July 19th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
little regan mcneil! (i think thats her surname) EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKK
Hauauahhhaaa hello *twirrrly twirly head puky puky* ggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr *flying bookshelf, seat barricades door, twirly of the noggin* here, c'mere *grabbing of the neck, inconsiderate twirly of the head to other people* WHEE out the window with head 180* found day after grrr goes girly kill you tooo muahahaha. Kill 2 priests before they got the evil spirit out *faint*
170 Krovin
July 19th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Anthony – are u NUTS??? damien made a lightning conductor pierce a priests head and made glas roll out of a truuck and cut a guys head off! Take a paddle 2 him and it would snap and splinter ur heartr something! and no matter how lax mum and dad were, he killed both!