Since the beginning of cinema, many a great movie has employed a memorable antagonist to chastise a hero. Modern moviegoers have developed a love for a variety of these twisted characters, whether they take the form of Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street or the insane titan Thanos from The Avengers.The American Film Institute assembled their list of the greatest villains of all time in 2003 to commemorate 100 years of great cinema. These are the on-screen characters that have gripped audiences and stayed with them long after the final credits have rolled, leaving a legacy that will undoubtedly continue to inspire the development of new on-screen antagonists for a very long time.
1.Dr. Hannibal Lecter – ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)
Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a cannibalistic serial killer portrayed by Anthony Hopkins, is both brilliant and horrifying. In Jonathan Demme’s 1991 crime thriller Silence of the Lambs, a young F.B.I. cadet (Jodie Foster) learns that Lecter holds the key to catching a new breed of serial killer.Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of the vile cannibal, which won him Best Actor at the 1992 Oscars, terrified the audience and is regarded as one of the greatest performances in movie history.
2.Norman Bates – ‘Psycho’ (1960)
In the Psycho movie adaptations, the psychotic serial killer Norman Bates has dissociative identity disorder and thinks he is his domineering mother. Numerous actors have portrayed the character over the course of several decades’ worth of film and television adaptations, but none are as well-known as Anthony Perkins’ in the 1960 movie Psycho.Psycho, directed by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock, delves into the terrifying depths of human madness as Bates kills innocent hotel guests. Bates is a much more terrifying villain than any others we’ve seen before because he doesn’t rely on supernatural curses or undead possessions to explain-away the evil onscreen.
3.Darth Vader – ‘Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980)
Darth Vader is a legend in popular culture, with a truly imposing screen presence. In the original Star Wars trilogy, Vader, who was portrayed by David Prowse and voiced by James Earl Jones, is immediately recognisable as an evil force.Darth Vader upholds an empire’s will thanks to creations by Ralph McQuarrie and George Lucas. Vader shows interest in Luke Skywalker in Star Wars while battling to defend the Death Star. In what is regarded as the biggest plot twist of all time, Vader traps the young freedom fighter in The Empire Strikes Back and reveals his true connections to Luke.
4.The Wicked Witch of the West – ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)
The Wicked Witch, a tyrannical witch who rules the Winkie Country, terrorises Dorothy throughout Oz using spells and her minions in this time-honored classic. One of the most instantly recognisable images in film is the wicked witch, who has green skin, a flying broomstick, and a pointy black hat.The Wicked Witch of the West, portrayed by the late Margaret Hamilton, caused quite a stir when she made an appearance on Sesame Street years later.
5.Nurse Ratched – ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Nurse Ratched, who is regarded as one of history’s greatest female villains, is deserving of her place on this list. In Milos Foreman’s psychological thriller One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ratched rules over her patients with a chilly and oppressive cruelty in her capacity as Director and Head Nurse of the Salem Oregon State Hospital.In order to maintain her dominance, Ratched, who is portrayed as a power-hungry sadist, subjected patients to methods like shock therapy and even lobotomies. For her performance, Louise Fletcher received an Oscar.
