Top 5 Killers in Horror Movies

Have any of you ever had a bad guy that you wanted to the beat the snot out of one of the good guys? People talk about rooting for the underdog all the time, but what about rooting for the killer? Feeling glad that some arrogant yokel who does nothing more than take up unnecessary space gets toasted by Jason, or Freddy…. finding comfort in knowing that the wonderful air we breathe is no longer wasted on some loser?

I know I have. And I’ve compiled a small list of some of my favorite horror movie bad guys:

Hannibal Lecter

The great Anthony Hopkins as the cannibalistic serial killer, Hannibal. He is so creepy and downright convincing in his first role as Hannibal in Silence of the Lambs that in 1992 he won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

I know Hannibal is no where near as vicious in the sense of gruesome, but in the sense of psychological mind screwing, there is no one better.

From talking a bozo in a separate jail cell to commit suicide by swallowing his tongue, to joyfully eating human flesh, Anthony Hopkins delivers a villain almost as gruesome as the mutants in The Hills Have Eyes. The Hannibal Trio will leave you feeling disturbed long after the credits have rolled, and I for one contribute it to Anthony Hopkins.

Jigsaw

The evil no-gooder in Saw 1 through 35 (Ok so that might be a stretch but with the popularity these movies have I feel confident they could easily have 35 installments before it’s all over.)

Although I am not a huge Saw fan (as anyone who has read my blog previously knows that I am not for horror that could be reality unless it’s based on a true story) I must confess that Jigsaw is downright twisted. Twisted in a manner that I have yet to see matched in any other villain. I often have marveled at the creativity and imagination of Stephen King but I think that the writers of Saw, James Wan and Leigh Whannell, definitely give him a run for his money.

The psychological aspects of the Saw movies is amazing in its translation, not losing any ground by being externalized on film. Admittedly I have only seen the first two but based off the series increased popularity I cannot imagine it has wanned. The blood and gore is superbly realistic, and serves well to magnify the fear factor that Jigsaw instills in his viewers.

It scared the BeJeBees out of me. So much so that I can’t even watch any more of them. That should tell you something (about the movie being worth the watch; not that I am a big sissy who can’t handle her psychopaths.)

Michael Myers

Say what you want, but I loved numbers 1-4 or 5 of the Halloween movies. And I even loved H2O - Michael 20 years later. I think #6 was a little lame but I have not seen it in so long that I can’t quite remember.

One thing I do remember however, that is not cool about this series is that in one of them, 4? I think? Jamie Curtis’s character Laurie Strobe is killed by Michael Myers. Yet she comes back for the 20th anniversary release of H2O.

So what did I miss? Can any of your fellow horror fans fill me in? Perhaps it was addressed in #6 and I am having a case of B-movie Blockage? (Yes, I just made that up.) Did she just break her back in the 4 story fall out of the hospital window?

Anyway, John Carpenter is one of my favorites as he always manages to appease the cheesy and campy requirements of classic B-movies. There is always nudity; there are always people running off by themselves; the bad guy never dies, and stupid people manage to act…. well….. stupider! A major thumbs up in my book!

Leatherface

What can be said about Leatherface that has not already be said or written? This guy has absolutely zero remorse, total dedication and determination to the hunt, and always finishes off the game with a tasty meal. And who will the guest of honor be? Why YOU of course, served with a side of veggies and potatoes.

Sure this movie could be a reality. After all, Jeffrey Dahmer really did exist. But for some reason this movie does not freak me out others do. This one is just plain badass good.

I know that typically the original versions are rarely surpassed by their predecessors. I too, typically prefer the original over any remakes. But the quality of cinematography and visual graphics has progressed so that in the horror genre, provided you have decent actors and a relatively competent director, the remake far surpasses the original but does not “take away from” the original.

For me, that is the case with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Both the 1974 version, and the 2003 remake are decidedly great gore-fest film and both scare the hell out of me. Leatherface and his chainsaw wielding thirst for bloodshed never wane and never run out of gas. Bare in mind the original version is not truly bloody, rather it suggests the carnage much in the style of famed Alfred Hitchcock.

(Another prime example of this is the Rob Zombie’s Halloween versus John Carpenter’s Halloween. Both awesome movies, and both with their own identity.)

Jason Voorhees

Yup. Jason from Friday the 13th fame, numbers 1 through 11. And Yup - you heard me right. 11.

I didn’t love all of them. One that especially comes to mind is where Jason is made into a Cyborg (number 10 I think.) Another prime example of moldy cheese. But Jason is one determined bastard and he’ll literally stop at nothing to kill anyone and anything he decides to place in his path.

The first 3 are definitely staples of any horror fan’s vault and I love nothing more than curling up with a bucket of popcorn and a glass (or bottle) of wine (yes wine and popcorn taste good together!) and buckle up for the campy antics and typical B-film goodness that I know is in store for me. Sure I fuss at the stupidity even though I know whats going to happen; it’s required.

Jason is alot like Freddy Kruger (who would be number 6 on my list if I were to go beyond number 5. Which I’m not.) Both cannot be killed and even if you decapitate them, they will be back, guarenteed. Even if you bury the head in the North Pole and the body in the South Pole; they will be back. You thought we only had two constants in life? The 2 being taxes and death? Well make Jason coming back again and again and again, constant number 3.

Conclusion

So there you have it. My favorite top 5 evil, no holds barred, no prisoners taken, kickass killers. Who are your favorites? Who did I leave out??

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