By Dave Siderski (Who else would it be by?)

The term villain is defined as: “a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot.” The best of them exhibit behavior that is so offensive that they grab the audience’s attention and move them emotionally. My personal favorite villains are the ones with a dual nature. They exhibit abhorrent behavior while also showing their human side from time to time. Without further ado, here are my ten personal favorite villains.

10. JR. Ewing. Dallas (1979-91)

J.R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, was such a sleaze bag that when he was shot in the 1980 season finale, just about anyone on the show could be considered a suspect, including his own wife. J.R. is the eldest son of oil tycoon and entrepreneur Jock Ewing. His legendary father leaves J.R. with big shoes to fill. J.R’s motto is lie, cheat, steal and do anything to stay on top. He constantly schemes to cheat his brother Bobby out of his part of the company. Fidelity to his wife, Sue Ellen? Forget it. This guy is a serial philanderer. Even his mother can’t stand him. J.R. Ewing was a villain who captivated and infuriated television audiences for over a decade.

9. Hannibal Lecter. Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins, is a brilliant psychiatrist with a taste for fine wine and the classics. However, he has a dark side. Hannibal is a cannibal. Eventually, he’s caught and set to prison. When a serial killer nicknamed Buffalo Bill emerges, FBI detective Clarice Starling, played by Jodie Foster, seeks out Lecter to help them out with the investigation. Lecter develops a fascination with Clarice while she is both offended and fascinated by him.
Hannibal’s attempts at psychological manipulation are both compelling and chilling to watch. Hannibal Lecter is so dangerous that they strap him to a dolly and put a mask on his face when he’s not in his cell. In the end, he helps Clarice and the FBI catch Buffalo Bill. However, Lecter escapes from his prison cell in a particularly gory scene. Hannibal Lecter is on the loose again. Hide the women and children!

8. Terminator. The Terminator (1984)

In his breakout role, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a Cybernetic superman sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor, mother of John Connor leader of the resistance movement in the future. The Terminator is completely devoid of feelings or mercy. He just has a relentless, unwavering commitment to fulfill his mission and lays waste to anyone who stands in his way. Nothing stops the Terminator. He walks through bullets, fire and anything else that Sarah and her companion from the future Kyle throw at him. Ultimately, however, Sarah manages to defeat the Terminator, surviving to give birth to John. In the second and third films, the Terminator transforms from killer to protector. He is equally relentless in his mission to protect John Connor and keep him from harm. This transformation makes the Terminator character even more fascinating.

7. Gordon Gekko. Wall Street (1987)

Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas, is perhaps the most realistic villain in film history with behavior reminiscent of men such as Ivan Boesky and Bernie Madoff. Gekko doesn’t kill his victims or inflict physical harm. He just ravages them financially, ruining lives on a mass scale to fatten his wallet. Gekko is the author of the infamous statement: “greed is good”. The question is good for who? He takes the impressionable Bud Fox under his wing, corrupting him and teaching him the dirty secrets of insider trading.
Bud idolizes Gekko, however, his feelings turn when Gordon lies to him about his intentions about his father’s airline. Gordon initially promises to help Bud turn Blue Star around but is secretly planning on breaking it up. Bud finds out he’s been double crossed and conspires with Gekko’s bitter rival, Sir Lawrence Wildman to thwart his plan. Ultimately the feds bust Gekko with the help of Fox. Like Boesky and Madoff, Gordon Gekko’s greed, avarice and massive ego cause his downfall.

6. Freddy Krueger. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Freddy Kruger, played by Robert Englund, is the best villain of the horror film genre in my view. In life, he was a serial child murderer, burned to death by an angry mob. In death he has become something much worse. As a ghost with knives for fingers, he terrorizes and torments the children of Elm Street in their sleep. Freddy thrives on fear generating as much as he can before he moves in for the kill. You combine this with his odd sexual appetites and you have someone who is both compelling and odious to watch on screen. In each movie Freddy is ultimately defeated but keeps coming back again and again to torment a new generation of Elm Street children. Even those that survive are ultimately scarred for life. Freddy is truly the epitome of evil.

5. Catherine Tramell. Basic Instinct (1992)

Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell is the sexiest killer you’ve ever seen. Under the guise of being a writer of murder novels, Catherine lures men into her web and kills them. She is immediately targeted as a suspect in the death of her boyfriend Johnny. Police officer Nick Shooter, played by Michael Douglas, knows Catherine is dangerous but she manages to seduce him anyway. The infamous uncrossed legs scene at the police station is just one sign of her utter brazenness. Nick tries to resist her but the sex is just too damn good. Catherine manages to successfully frame Nick’s former lover, Dr. Beth Gardner, played by Jeanne Tripplehorn, for the murder of his partner, Gus. Nick, thinking she’s the killer, is forced to shoot her. The movie ends with Nick and Catherine having passionate sex and the camera pans to an ice pick under the bed. We all know what comes next!

4. Alex Forrest. Fatal Attraction (1987)

What is it about Michael Douglas that attracts such psychotic women? Michael, as Dan Gallagher, is a happily married man with an attractive wife and beautiful daughter. Nevertheless, he’s attracted to the dark side. Enter Alex Forrest played by Glenn Close. She’s hot and sexy and Dan just can’t resist. Dan realizes he’s in trouble when Alex tries to kill herself at the first hint of rejection. He tries to break off the relationship while Alex becomes more and more psychotic. In a particularly gruesome scene, Glenn breaks into his house and boils his daughter’s pet rabbit to death. Eventually Michael has to confess the affair to his wife Beth, played by Anne Archer. In the compelling final scene, Alex breaks into the house and attacks Beth with a knife. Dan tries to choke her to death but Alex just won’t die. Finally, Beth finishes the job with a gunshot to the chest. As the old saying goes: “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!”

3. Tony Soprano. The Sopranos (1999-2007)

Tony Soprano is a complicated and fascinating villain. As boss of the DiMeo crime family, he is capable of great ruthlessness and rage. Among Tony’s most heinous acts include: killing his own cousin and nephew in cold blood, ordering the murder of his best friend’s son, participating in the murder of one of his best friends (Big Pussy), and, most gruesomely, beating business associate Ralphie Cifaretto to death. Tony Soprano is not a man you want to cross.
However, Tony has his share of everyday problems just like any other guy. Hell, his mother and uncle conspire to try and kill him. Tony’s holier than thou wife, Carmela, loves to scapegoat him for all the family’s problems while living in luxury off the money he makes (like she doesn’t know what he does for a living). He has two bratty and entitled kids. All of this leaves him with panic attacks which forces him into therapy with Dr. Melfi. A rough, tough mob boss in therapy, what a terrific storyline!

2. Dexter Morgan. Dexter (2006-2013). Dexter might be the most fascinating villain that we’ve ever seen on screen. The concept of serial killer as protagonist seems outrageous on the surface but Showtime brilliantly makes it work. From early in life, Dexter shows the signs of the serial killer he would become. His father Harry, a police officer, recognizes these dangerous impulses and teaches him “the code”, which allows Dexter to satisfy his insatiable blood lust without getting caught.
By day, Dexter is a husband, father, devoted brother to his sister Deb and police department blood spatter expert. However, by night, his dark side emerges and he stalks his prey, Miami’s most horrific serial murderers. Dexter is relentless with the unique ability to track down the likes Trinity and the Ice Truck killer and dispense his own unique form of justice. Watching Dexter try to balance his two disparate lives provides compelling drama. This character is singularly unique in the intense ambivalent feelings he evokes from the audience.

1. Tony Montana. Scarface (1983)

Tony Montana was one ruthless sonofabitch. A Cuban immigrant, he starts off as a small crook before eventually rising to the top of the drug world. Tony quickly gets into conflict with his boss, drug lord Frank Lopez. Frank plans a hit and tries to kill him but fails. Tony turns the tables murdering Frank, taking over his operation and stealing his wife, the lovely Elvira, played by Michelle Pfeiffer.
However, the power goes to his head. Tony’s obsession with money alienates his friends and his new wife. Finally, he gets pinched for money laundering. His partner, Sosa, will help get Tony off on the charges if he helps them assassinate a journalist who’s been trying to expose Sosa. Ironically, Tony’s conscience is his downfall, refusing to go through with the plan when he realizes it involves killing the man’s as well.

Tony returns home and shoots his best friend Manny in cold blood for having the temerity to marry his sister Gina. Sosa then sends his hit squad and decimates Tony’s crew. Tony kills a number of Sosa’s henchman, uttering his famous last words of: “say hello to my little friend”, before getting mortally wounded and tumbling from the balcony into the pool below. As the old saying goes, he who lives by the sword, shall die by the sword.

Honorable Mention:

Sissy Spacek’s portrayal of Carrie White in the 1976 film “Carrie”. This was a tough omission from the list. Anyway, these are my top ten favorite villains in television and film history. For all of you readers out there, I’m curious what your personal favorites are.

[si-contact-form form=’3′]