They're wicked and foul with the stench of 40,000 years. But what would movies be without them? While most are truly quite horrific, others are actually funny. But throughout the many years of cinematic history, one fact has always remained constant about movie villains... we love to hate them.

Following is our list of the top best movie villains and bad guys of all time, in no particular order. For the purposes of inclusion on the list, a movie villain is defined as the antagonist of a film's plot, but doesn't necessarily have to be human... as you'll see! {googleads}


Snow White Witch

Lucille La Verne as the voice of The Queen/Witch - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Even the magic mirror knows this one's not the fairest one of all. Watching the Queen make that magic potion is not only movie magic, but pure evil as well


Cruella DeVille

Betty Lou Gerson as the voice of Cruela De Vil in One Hundred One Dalmations (1961) It's no coincidence we start the list off with animated characters. No one did villains better than Disney, and one of the best was Gerson's Cruella. Glenn Close's rendition wasn't bad either.


Miss Gulch

Margaret Hamilton as Miss Gulch, The Wicked Witch of the East, and the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939) We always thought Miss Gulch was scarier than the Wicked Witch. The way she rode that bicycle... [author shivers]


Anton Chigurh

Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old Men (2007) One of the baddest bad guys equipped with one of the most sadistic weapons ever on film. Take our word for it, don't piss this guy off lest you suffer a fate more suited for a feed lot.


Jame Gumb

Ted Levine as Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) The only character more creepy than Hannibal Lecter himself. Oh wait, Miggs wasn't so pleasant either was he?


Heath Ledger Joker

Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008) Say what you will about Jack Nicholson's rendition, but the sadistic pleasure on display by Ledger can't be denied a spot on the list. {googleads}


Hal 9000

Douglas Rain as Hal 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey Kubrick missed a bit on the date, but hit big with Hal. Shows that movie villains don't have to be human (or alive) to be evil.


Eve Harrington

Anne Baxter as Eve Harrington in All About Eve (1950) Sometimes evil is used to accumulate fame and success. Victimless villain? Hardly!


Jack Torrence

Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance in The Shining (1980) Jack does yet another Jack. But this time he's the villain in one of the scariest movies ever, and he's never a dull boy.


Keyser Soze

Keyser Soze in The Usual Suspects (1995) The biggest, baddest, meanest movie villain that never was. Watch the movie and you'll know what we mean.


 Martians

The martians in The War of the Worlds (1953 & 2005) In either version, the martians are bad dudes with nothing on their minds except destruction and conquest. But in the 1953 version they're prettier.


John Doe

Kevin Spacey as John Doe in Se7en (1995) Can calm, cool, and collected make a good movie villain? Just watch the movie and decide for yourself. Would UPS really have delivered that package?


Travis Bickle

Robert DeNiro as Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (1976) A disturbing example of how fighting corruption and crime can go horribly awry. If you've ever taken a first date to a porno movie, you might not get it however.


The Joker

Jack Nicholson as Jack Napier and The Joker in Batman (1989) We can't remember the last time an actor has had as much fun playing a movie villain. "I'm givin' away free money, and where is the Batman? He's at home washing his tights!"


Bonnie and Clyde

Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Has America ever rooted for cinematic villains harder than in this one? Well... besides the O.J. Simpson debacle.


Jaws

The mechanical shark in Jaws (1975) Before the dinosaurs, the holocaust, Peter Pan, UFOs and Indiana Jones, there was Bruce the shark - 25 feet of squeaky rubber and clunky gears. And we're still not sure if it's safe to go back in the water.


Alex Forrest Fatal Attraction

Glenn Close as Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction Is it any surprise Glenn Close shows up so many times on this list? She looks civil enough, but boy does she know how to do villain! And we're not even including TV. No, no, please not the bunny!


Max Cady

Robert DeNiro and Robert Mitchum as Max Cady in Cape Fear Both actors, both versions, equally effective. Listen, when your bad guy begins speaking in tongues....he's a baaad guy!


Alien

The alien in Alien (1979) Another example that illustrates how villains need not be human to be effective. Gave a whole new meaning to acid reflux.


Tony Montoya

Al Pacino as Tony Montana in Scarface (1983) As funny and over-the-top as he is dangerous, but Tony is the ultimate drug lord in the ultimate criminal gangland... early '80s Miami. Oh, by the way,Tony would like for you to meet his little friend.


 Voldemort

Ralph Fienes as Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter Series Perhaps he can't be named, but he sure can be villainous. After the fallout from Rowling's little Dumbledore secret, perhaps we need to include the Hogwart headmaster on the list.


Darth Vader

David Prowse as Darth Vader in the Star Wars series THE villain of an entire generation of moviegoers. Or is the voice of James Earl Jones actually more villainous? And by the way, is it still a spoiler if we tell you Darth Vader is Luke's father? Just wondering.


Hannibal Lecter

Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs Just don't try to count him in your census lest you become a side dish to a legumous repast.


Norman Bates

Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in Psycho (1960) Many villains in the Alfred Hitchcock arsenal come to mind, but none carry the impact of this seemingly passive hotel nightclerk. He's not so bad until that pesky Oedipus Complex kicks in.


Freddie Krueger

Robert Englund as Freddie Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) The stuff of well, nightmares. Don't child killers get special treatment in prison?


Godzilla

Godzilla in Gojira (1954) Our first look at the repercussions of an atomic world. One tough hombre as even fighter planes can't bring down this bad guy.


Joan Crawford

Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest (1981) A villain of a different sort... a villainesse if you will. But villainous nonetheless. "I can handle the socks." Watch it and you'll understand.


Frankenstein

Boris Karloff as Frankestein's monster in Frankenstein (1931) Karloff in any of his numerous roles works, but with this one he started the whole Universal monster craze.


Ronald Niedermann

Mikael Spreitz as Ronald Niedermann in The Girl Who Played With Fire (2010) A big burly bear of a man that resembles a cross between Dolf Lundgren and Leslie Nielson... only a bit more menacing. Possesses a unique genetic abnormality called congenital analgesia which makes him unable to feel pain. What a great physical trait for a movie villain!


Bane

Thomas Hardy as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises (2012) - From DC comics Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 to The Dark Knight's main foe. One bad dude!


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