Luke
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CibbuanoTop 10 Villains in Film
October 15th 2006 01:09
Villains are almost always the most interesting thing in a good movie. The good guy, well, he's good - sometimes there's not much you can do with that unless he's flawed in some way. But the villain... well, you've got a whole range of fucked up and evil stuff you can explore. They always say it's more fun to play a villain.
So in no particular order, here are 10 great villains from the movies.
Szell Laurence Olivier, "Marathon Man" (1977)
There's nothing more satisfying than seeing a legend and all-round class act like Laurence Olivier really sink his teeth into a villainous role like Szell. Villains don't come much better than greedy Nazi dentists with bayonets hidden up their sleeves. Olivier made his comeback on this role... he hadn't been in a film for about 6 years as no studio was willing to insure him (he was old and everyone was under the impression that he was too frail and sickly to work). This stellar performance put him back on the map.
Darth Vader James Earl Jones, David Prowse, "Star Wars" (original trilogy) (1977, 1981, 1983)
Oh come on, how could I do a list of all-time great film villains and not include Darth Vader? The guy is just so iconic. And that voice! Emperor Palpatine is sinister and creepy, for sure, but he's no cyborg giant super-warrior noble arsehole like Darth Vader.
Uncle Charlie Joseph Cotton, "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943)
From the opening scene where he lies on his bed, smoking a cigar like some sort of lounging demon, right through to all his charm and dark words, Joseph Cotton's 'Uncle Charlie' is one of the most casually menacing creatures to ever be put on the screen.
Brick Top Alan Ford, "Snatch" (2000)
In a film full of wised-up gangsters and hard cunts, Brick Top is the hard cunt to end them all. It takes a special kind of talent to come across villainous enough to eclipse a whole gallery of tough and dangerous rogues, but Alan Ford manages to do just that. Ford is a British character actor, and I've only ever seen him in small roles outside of this film, but his performance in 'Snatch' is something to marvel. Every line he speaks is barely-constrained venom squeezed between his teeth. Brick Top is a man without mercy.
El Guapo Alfonso Arau, 'Three Amigos!' (1986)
El Guapo! No villain has made laugh and smile as much as the Mexican bandit-king El Guapo. Arou works mainly behind the cameras as a director and writer and it's a shame he hasn't acted in more films, as I really love his work in 'The Three Amigos!'. Special mentions goes to his loyal and loving sidekick Jefe, they have a great rapport throughout the film, and I was never more sad to see a villain go then when it was time for El Guapo to take his final bow.
Max Cady, Robert De Niro, 'Cape Fear' (1991)
Nudging out De Niro's memorable turn as Al Capone in 'The Untouchables' is his larger-than-life portrayal of vengeful ex-con Max Cady. De Niro embodies his villain in the flesh and becomes an absolute monster. If there's one thing he does well it's dumb brute anger. His words here are like demented logic, his presence absolute. He is pretty much the entire film.
Pando, Bryan Brown, 'Two Hands' (1999)
When director/writer Gregor Jordan hit upon the idea of casting Bryan Brown as his principal villain in the Aussie gangster/comedy 'Two Hands', he couldn't've known he was onto gold as solid as this. Brown had mostly played heroic types and well-meaning scoundrels before this, but there was always a latent arrogance that seemed to inform his characters, so when it came time for him to play stubby-wearing Bondi crime boss Pando, well - he really nailed it! Brown plays Pando with the right amount of charm to endear himself to the audience, and his line delivery has never been funnier than here. As a direct knock-on from this, Brown would virtually repeat the performance in the film 'Dirty Deeds', albeit with less charm - so it's not as good.
Bill The Butcher Daniel Day-Lewis, Gangs of New York (2002)
Put a screen-chewing character like Bill The Butcher in the hands of a talented son-of-a-bitch like Daniel Day-Lewis and you get one of the best big screen villains of recent years. I think most people will agree, regardless of whether they liked the overall film or not, that Daniel Day-Lewis was one of the best things in 'Gangs of New York'. Bill The Butcher is a morally righteous, arrogant, callous and cruel self-made King. He embodies all that is wrong with America, and does it so engagingly too.
Frank Henry Fonda, Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
I'm a sucker for performances that go against type. There's nothing I like more in a film then when an actor completely surprises me. One of the best examples of this is Fonda's turn here as cold-blood mercenary Frank. For a man who was best known for his roles as the warm, caring every man of many American film classics, he sure does do a good villain! The look of disgust and shock on his face in the final moments of the film are amazing, if only for their uniqueness. This was the only villain Fonda ever played.
Don Logan Ben Kingsley, Sexy Beast (2000)
Speaking of surprising performances, I've never been more susprised than when I saw Ben Kingsley play Don Logan. For a man best known for playing Gandhi, he really pulls out all the stops to play this animal of a villain here. Don Logan is a relentless foul-mouthed force of bad taste, fury and head-fuckery. Kingsley is only in the film for about half of it's screen-time, if that, but his performance is so big that he can be felt throughout it. His character and it's importance to the movie would've fallen flat completely had it not had some assured and sizeable villain-weight behind it. That Kingsley, a slight and small-looking man usually relegated to more stuck-up and regal kind of roles, would be able to express the beastial nature of this low-life gangster to the degree that he does here... well, it's not something I think anyone would've seen coming from his direction. Well done!
Well, that's 10. There are heaps of good ones I can think of that didn't make it (a lot of actors playing against type - ala Tom Cruise in 'Interview with a Vampire' or 'Collateral' - come to mind) but I have to limit omyself in these things otherwise I'll go on and on and on for ages.
Obviously, the perception is all mine, so let us know some others that I've missed or dissed!
So in no particular order, here are 10 great villains from the movies.
'Is it safe?' (1976)
There's nothing more satisfying than seeing a legend and all-round class act like Laurence Olivier really sink his teeth into a villainous role like Szell. Villains don't come much better than greedy Nazi dentists with bayonets hidden up their sleeves. Olivier made his comeback on this role... he hadn't been in a film for about 6 years as no studio was willing to insure him (he was old and everyone was under the impression that he was too frail and sickly to work). This stellar performance put him back on the map.
'There is no escape. Don't make me destroy you.'
Darth Vader James Earl Jones, David Prowse, "Star Wars" (original trilogy) (1977, 1981, 1983)
'Never lost a penny in my life, Mr. Green. I guess heaven takes care of fools and scoundrels.'
Uncle Charlie Joseph Cotton, "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943)
From the opening scene where he lies on his bed, smoking a cigar like some sort of lounging demon, right through to all his charm and dark words, Joseph Cotton's 'Uncle Charlie' is one of the most casually menacing creatures to ever be put on the screen.
'You're a devilish little cunt there Liam. But I got no time for grassers. Feed 'em to the pigs Errol. What the fuck are you two looking at?'
Brick Top Alan Ford, "Snatch" (2000)
In a film full of wised-up gangsters and hard cunts, Brick Top is the hard cunt to end them all. It takes a special kind of talent to come across villainous enough to eclipse a whole gallery of tough and dangerous rogues, but Alan Ford manages to do just that. Ford is a British character actor, and I've only ever seen him in small roles outside of this film, but his performance in 'Snatch' is something to marvel. Every line he speaks is barely-constrained venom squeezed between his teeth. Brick Top is a man without mercy.
'El Guapo only kills men. He does not kill crying women!'
El Guapo Alfonso Arau, 'Three Amigos!' (1986)
El Guapo! No villain has made laugh and smile as much as the Mexican bandit-king El Guapo. Arou works mainly behind the cameras as a director and writer and it's a shame he hasn't acted in more films, as I really love his work in 'The Three Amigos!'. Special mentions goes to his loyal and loving sidekick Jefe, they have a great rapport throughout the film, and I was never more sad to see a villain go then when it was time for El Guapo to take his final bow.
'I am like God, and God like me. I am as large as God, He is as small as I. He cannot be above me, nor I beneath Him be. Selatius, 17th Century.'
Max Cady, Robert De Niro, 'Cape Fear' (1991)
Nudging out De Niro's memorable turn as Al Capone in 'The Untouchables' is his larger-than-life portrayal of vengeful ex-con Max Cady. De Niro embodies his villain in the flesh and becomes an absolute monster. If there's one thing he does well it's dumb brute anger. His words here are like demented logic, his presence absolute. He is pretty much the entire film.
'Jesus Jimmy, my testicles are like a fucking pair of pikelets.'
Pando, Bryan Brown, 'Two Hands' (1999)
When director/writer Gregor Jordan hit upon the idea of casting Bryan Brown as his principal villain in the Aussie gangster/comedy 'Two Hands', he couldn't've known he was onto gold as solid as this. Brown had mostly played heroic types and well-meaning scoundrels before this, but there was always a latent arrogance that seemed to inform his characters, so when it came time for him to play stubby-wearing Bondi crime boss Pando, well - he really nailed it! Brown plays Pando with the right amount of charm to endear himself to the audience, and his line delivery has never been funnier than here. As a direct knock-on from this, Brown would virtually repeat the performance in the film 'Dirty Deeds', albeit with less charm - so it's not as good.
'On the seventh day the Lord rested, but before that he did, he squatted over the side of England and what came out of him... was Ireland.'
Bill The Butcher Daniel Day-Lewis, Gangs of New York (2002)
Put a screen-chewing character like Bill The Butcher in the hands of a talented son-of-a-bitch like Daniel Day-Lewis and you get one of the best big screen villains of recent years. I think most people will agree, regardless of whether they liked the overall film or not, that Daniel Day-Lewis was one of the best things in 'Gangs of New York'. Bill The Butcher is a morally righteous, arrogant, callous and cruel self-made King. He embodies all that is wrong with America, and does it so engagingly too.
'People scare better when they're dying.'
Frank Henry Fonda, Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
I'm a sucker for performances that go against type. There's nothing I like more in a film then when an actor completely surprises me. One of the best examples of this is Fonda's turn here as cold-blood mercenary Frank. For a man who was best known for his roles as the warm, caring every man of many American film classics, he sure does do a good villain! The look of disgust and shock on his face in the final moments of the film are amazing, if only for their uniqueness. This was the only villain Fonda ever played.
'I won't let you be happy, why should I?'
Don Logan Ben Kingsley, Sexy Beast (2000)
Speaking of surprising performances, I've never been more susprised than when I saw Ben Kingsley play Don Logan. For a man best known for playing Gandhi, he really pulls out all the stops to play this animal of a villain here. Don Logan is a relentless foul-mouthed force of bad taste, fury and head-fuckery. Kingsley is only in the film for about half of it's screen-time, if that, but his performance is so big that he can be felt throughout it. His character and it's importance to the movie would've fallen flat completely had it not had some assured and sizeable villain-weight behind it. That Kingsley, a slight and small-looking man usually relegated to more stuck-up and regal kind of roles, would be able to express the beastial nature of this low-life gangster to the degree that he does here... well, it's not something I think anyone would've seen coming from his direction. Well done!
Well, that's 10. There are heaps of good ones I can think of that didn't make it (a lot of actors playing against type - ala Tom Cruise in 'Interview with a Vampire' or 'Collateral' - come to mind) but I have to limit omyself in these things otherwise I'll go on and on and on for ages.
Obviously, the perception is all mine, so let us know some others that I've missed or dissed!
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Comment by Vixter
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How could anyone forget such a villain...
I think we need to do a supervillain list...and one of my favourites here would have to HAVE to be Skeletor.
Comment by Homer Joyce
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Comment by Luke
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I love Rutger Hauer as the android in Blade Runner, that's a good villain too, but I haven't seen the Hitcher.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by The Voices in my Head
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How could you not love a man who, albeit a smidgen twisted, does not hurt the average joe...he hurts only those who are bottomfeeders of society really.
I find him very sexy...of course, here we go again with the fact that he is witty, intelligent, well-read and writes beautifully. I think I have some kind of naughty fetish...
Voices~
Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Couldnt agree more Homer, Rutger as The Hitcher would come near top of my list.
Off the top of my head, a few faves-
There has to be a Bond villian in this list so i will choose The Man With The Golden Gun (Christopher Lee)
Sepico (Andy Robinson) in Dirty Harry
John Christie (Richard Attenborough) in 10 Rillington Place
The Reverend (Robert Mitchum) in Night Of the Hunter
Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) in The Man Who Shot Liberty valance
John Doe (Kevin Spacey) in Se7en
Gary Oldman in Leon: The Professional
Comment by Bob Short
Comment by Homer Joyce
I'm slowly compiling my list ...
Jeffrey DeMunn as Andrei Chikatilo in Citizen X ...
I've mentioned this film to a lot of people who have never heard of it ...
My interest was sparked by reading about Chikatilo himself (the Russian serial killer responsible for over 50 murders of young children) ...
< big fan of true crime ...
DeMunn as Chikatilo is frightening because he plays the role so well that after leaving the cinema, you start suspecting the next door neighbour because of his sheer inconspicuousness and ordinariness in public...
Homer ...
Comment by MelissaA
Fun Facts
I'd also add to the list:
- Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) - The Matrix
(And don't forget the girls)
- Glenn Close in 2 roles - Fatal Attraction
& 101 Dalmations as Cruella De Vil - my kids would probably put her at the very top of their list.
- Jamie Gumb (Ted Levine) – Silence of the Lambs – forget Hannibal Lecter – this guy creeped me out more.
- Freddy Krueger - Nightmare on Elm St
- Count Dracula
- Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix)- Gladiator
- The plant from Little Shop Of Horrors
-Biff Tannen - Back to the Future,
-Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) in Face/Off,
And my lighter moment villian would have to be Dr Evil from the Austin Powers movies.
Comment by Aaron
Aaron.
Comment by MelissaA
Fun Facts
He does rate a mention - I just think the actual guy they were hunting down in silence of the lambs was a far creepier villain.
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
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What about Lee Van Kleef in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?
Rutger Hauer stole the show in Bladerunner. He was as ruthless as a four year old in mans body.
Comment by Shani
Comment by Josh Z
Skeletor too is awesome. I mean, that laugh? GOLD!!
I like Dr Evil myself. Again, some great dialogue and was ready to really destroy everything.
Alan Rickman was scene stealing as the Sherrif of Nottingham. The reason to watch that movie was to see him out act Kevin Costner. Which wasn't hard.
My younger brother is pushing for Richard the III who was, as he so eloquently puts it, a shit face.
Hitler wasn't a nice guy either.
Comment by BenP
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
What a great question. I have a couple:
Romper Stomper - Russell Crowe before he got too famous and stroppy and dabbled in dodgy bands. Excellent film, compelling.
Clockwork Orange - Malcolm McDowell as charismatic delinquent Alex DeLarge. Strangely alluring film.
The music in both films adds to the string feeling of suspense and impending violence.
Tracy
Comment by somu
GoodFellas, Casino, The Heat are some of my favourites of R.D.Nero.
Comment by Lilla
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I loved this question, it really got the old grey matter ticking over.
I'm going to have to go with John Travolta in Face Off, Swordfish and Pulp Fiction. Not too dark, but very menacing - almost likeable.
My favourite cartoon villan (which I couldn't leave out) was Hades in Hercules.
But I think my favourite of all favourites is the untouchable villan - the system, government, establishment, or church. The 'bad guy' who masquerades around behind the scene, manipulating everyone's lives like in the Bourne Identity, Cospiracy Theory, Da Vinci Code, Pay Check, Cypher, and a million others...
Lilla
Comment by Keira
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Adam Sandler is evil personified!
But seriously,
The Tall Man from Phantasm was one creepy bad dude!
Rugter Hauer as John Ryder in The Hitcher.
Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector.
Witchiepoo from H.R. Pufnstuf gave me the heebie jeebies when I was a kid!
Comment by DuskDevi
Rucks and Rolls
Rugby World Cup 2007
1. Darth Vader - already mentioned, absolutely agree.
2. the Evil from Twin Peaks...from Laura's dad to Bob(?) to Agent Cooper...
3. Kaiser Sulze...legend. Evil legend. Not condoning evil here...
4. Castor Troy - already mentioned, absolutely agree.
5. Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham in 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'
6. Lucy Liu as O-Ren Ishi in 'Kill Bill Vol 1'
7. Sarah Michelle Gellar as that thing in 'Cruel Intentions'
8. Julie Newmar as Catwoman
9.Barbara Carrera as Fatima Blush in 'Never Say Never Again'
10.Tim Curry as the Devil in 'Legend'
Comment by Lilla
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Thanks for reminding of 5, 8.
They were Delicious and Purrr-fect!
Lilla.
Comment by Lilla
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Comment by DuskDevi
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I didn't mind Halle Berry's CatWoman. She was sassy and slinky and she looked hot!...although I prefer her outfit/costume before she slashed it...you know, when she was robbing the jewelry store. Less flesh, more threat.
Julie Newmar was 5'10" of pure C-attitude (sorry, couldn't resist) Saucy and camp and sexy.
Umm...more villains:
- Liam Neeson as R'as al Ghul in 'Batman Begins'...makes me want to turn to the Dark Side...yum!
- James Cromwell as the CoD in 'LA Confidential'.
- Christopher Walken as Max Zorin in 'A View to a Kill'...sexy in an oddly creepy way...
- Rebecca Romijn as Mystique in 'X-Men 1,2,3'
Comment by DuskDevi
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Halle Berry's CatWoman is not a villain. She's the hero in cats clothing. She's a bit like Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to give to the poor...except she's the poor here!
Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt, Michelle Pfeiffer, etc...they were all villainous although Pfeiffer's CatWoman was angst ridden to hell!
Comment by Homer Joyce
Homer ...
Comment by Luke
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Voices In My Head - good call on Hannibal. I liked him in Silence of the Lambs and Manhunter (a bit more understated but Brian Cox rules), but I haven't seen 'Hannibal' the movie and I thought he was overused in Red Dragon and I hate the idea of the Hannibal prequel coming out soon. I think they've overdone the character... he was good when he was on the sidelines and not overused, but he's kind of become a cliche - a lot of films have ripped off the 'hannibal'-type villain.
JohnDoe - Lee Marvin rules. Also, if I had to choose a Bond villain I would've gone Lee, Walken or even Sean Bean.
Melissa A - Some good ones, a few of those you said almost made my list (Smith, Commodus).
Damo - Angel Eyes nearly my list too.
Josh Z - Dr Evil and the Sheriff of Nottingham are definitely hallmark laugh-out-loud villains but I let El Guapo have their post in my top 10 because he's so underrated.
Tracy - Shit, I completely forgot Hando!
Is there something wrong with me - I always think of McDowell as being the 'hero' of Clockwork Orange!
Keira - next you'll be saying the spiders in Arachnophobia.
DuskDevi - I love Mystique, especially in X-Men 2. She went from being one of my least favourite characters in the first film to my absolute favourite character in the second. Yet to see the 3rd.
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Comment by DuskDevi
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You are so right!!
But please try to ignore this...No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try.
'Star wars; Revenge of the Sith' was a blight on the Empire.
When you think of Darth Vader, think of;
David Prowse - 6'7" body
Sebastian Shaw - face
James Earl Jones - that voice.
Mix them up and then breathe....like you're breathing through a scuba lung...
Comment by Jay
I can do the breathing thing quite well actually - in fact I apparently breath like that when I'm asleep having had too much to drink. My GF calls me Darth Jay-dar. Did I really just admit that?!?
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Gosh, I hadn't realised that about Russell Crowe and his crappy band...I thought that happened later...thanks for the insight.
Tracy
Comment by Luke
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check out the picture of them - ewwww!
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So what d'ya reckon? Qualifier or not?
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Comment by Lilla
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Why Poor Mary Poppins, I thought she was good?
Lilla
Comment by Lilla
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I loved this post, but what about the Good Guys, whose are yours and everyone's favourites, I'd love to read about it, if you decide to do one ...?
Lilla.
Comment by Luke
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like I said - they're too boring!
no, wait, I am thinking of some now.
I'll do one next Monday - Top 10 Heros. Nobody steal it okay? Credit to Lilla.
Comment by DuskDevi
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I don't know about anyone else, but that's when I started to think There's Something Wrong About Mary.
Can't wait for Top 10 Heros
Comment by Lilla
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Very good.
I am all confused about the whole Mary thing, anyway completely, having just read 'The Secret Teachings of Mary Magdelaene.' My original thought was that maybe people had confused all three Mary's with Nanny McFee - Homer may be right after all.
Thanks Homer ...
Lilla.
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Comment by MelissaA
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Good call by the way with the Wicked Witch of the West.
Put her together with my earlier suggestion of Glenn Close in 2 movies and we have 2 women - although I've counted mine twice, so can we call that 3?
I think the trick is that the women get the guys to take the fall for them. ; )
Comment by Luke
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I think it's just more likely that there are more male villains to choose from. If I had to choose a female villain I'd go with the woman from Play Misty For Me - such a psycho!
Comment by DuskDevi
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and what about Homer's Mary Poppins contribution?
Comment by MelissaA
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Comment by Lilla
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Something came up on Tracy's "road Trip" blog about a movie I had forgotten I had forgotten!
BUKAROO BONZAI - talk to me about it please ... tell me someone out there in movieland has also seen this film.
As I said on Tracy's site, I'm beginning to think that someone spiked my drink or something and I had halucinated the whole thing. I can't remember ...lol
Has anyone seen it ... Anyway, the villans were Lectoids from the Planet 10 (8th Dimension).
I'll check back in a few days ...
L
Comment by JohnDoe
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I got my copy about 2 years ago and the film still offers one fo a kind entertainment from it's kooky cast.
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Comment by Bob Short
Of Course, Buckaroo Banzai is no heel. He's a caring sharing good guy who'll take a break in the middle of one of his band's songs because he senses someone is sad.
The Tall Man from Phantasm is a rocking good villian as is the Creepy Thin Man from Charlie's Angels. Arguements for being short and fat.
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Comment by Keira
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The Ordinary Fear Of God = TOFOG
Thirty Odd Foot Of Grunt = TOFOG
Wasn't too drastic as they could keep all the same merchandise.
I think woman villans work more behind the scenes sort of thing - they arent shown as being crazily evil, but subtle bitchy evil. Which is worse in real life but doesnt show up as well in film.
The Alien in Alien/s was a female?
And it's actually hard to think of female villans... Demi Moore from Charlies Angels 2, the girls from Kill Bill, Veruca Salt from Charlie and Choc Factory?
Comment by BenP
Female villains I can think of off the top of my head:
Cruella De Vil
Ursula from the Little Mermaid
(as mentioned before) Demi Moore in Charlie's Angels 2
Eve in All About Eve
(as mentioned before) Wicked Witch of the West
Faye Dunaway in Supergirl ( I just read a review of Supergirl, that's why I thought of her)
The Queen from Lion Witch and the Wardrobe
Parker Posey in Josie and the Pussycats
Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction
Rebecca de Mornay in Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Milady in 3 Musketeers
There's heaps, really. And that's just thinking of major villains, not "supporting villains" a la all those evil Bond girls, or Mystique in X Men. The likes of Veruca Salt I don't count as villains because she's not opposed to the hero.
Comment by Luke
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Comment by Whatever
WHATEVER
Would like to add - Matt Damon in Dead Poets Society, The Talented Mr. Ripley & The Departed
- John Jarrat in Wolf Creek
- Wicked witch of the West (hello?!) in The Wizard of Oz
- I forget names, but the killer in Fargo
- Sean in Circle of Friends
- Nikki Reed in Thirteen