by Cameron Tejeda | staff writer

Villains come in many shapes and sizes. However they all have a few things in common: they’re all creepy, evil, and the best at what they do. Psychopathic clowns? Check. Ruler of the galaxy? Check. Killer sea creature? Check. Halloween is almost here, so I’m counting down the ten best movie villains of all time. This list will contain some SPOILERS, so read at your own risk.

 10. Bane – The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

He was the only one of Batman’s opponents who physically beat him in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy. Bane comes across extremely big and menacing. He’s a muscle-bound fighter, but he’s also smart. His master plan held the entire Gotham City hostage. In one of the best fight scenes ever, Bane breaks Batman’s back! He spiritually and physically crushed one of the most beloved superheroes of all-time. So, at number ten is the man who broke the bat.

 9. Norman Bates – Psycho (1960)

 He has a strange fascination with taxidermy and runs the Bates Motel. Norman is a very messed up individual, who takes on the  persona of his his mother, whom he murdered. When he’s not acting as his mom, he talks to and takes care of her corpse.  Anthony Perkins played this psychotic character wonderfully, and let’s not forget the famous shower killing scene.

8. Pennywise – It (1990)

At number eight, it’s the clown who lives in the sewers of Maine and preys on small children. The movie itself may not have been the best, but Tim Curry’s performance as Pennywise is phenomenal. Also, one of my favorite horror movie scenes is in the film. It involves Pennywise the clown in a storm drain, and a young boy named Georgie playing in the rain with a paper boat.

7. Michael Myers – Halloween (1978)

Halloween is often regarded as one of the best horror movies ever, and Michael Myers is a prime reason for that. I always thought that one of the creepiest things about Myers was that he never talks in the movie. There also seems to be something supernatural about him, as in the last part of the film he disappears despite his severe injuries. This just makes the man in the iconic mask even more unnerving.

6. The Shark – Jaws (1975)  

Some people refer to this monster as “Bruce”, but I’m simply going to call it “The Shark”. I’ve heard that this animatronic shark scared a lot of people back in the 70’s from swimming in the ocean. That alone solidifies it as one of the best foes put on screen. Steven Spielberg didn’t show the shark early in the movie, which allowed it to be even more terrifying because it created suspense. I certainly wouldn’t want to be in the water with this great white.

5. Freddy Krueger – A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

 One, two, Freddy’s coming for you… Yeah that’s the song this villain inspired. If I ever heard that late at night when was home  alone, I’d probably curl up in my bed whimpering until the sun came up. Freddy Krueger was a child killer, until an angry mob of  parents burnt him alive. And I think this is one of those moments when we just can’t feel sorry for the guy. His spirit lived on  however, and he haunts children with his claws and burnt face in their dreams. It’s pretty scary to think that you could actually die  in a dream, but this psychopath makes it a reality.

4. T-1000 – Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

The T-1000 terminator was the perfect match to take on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800. Robert Patrick plays this villain, and he’s considerably smaller than Arnold (seven time Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champion). But it doesn’t matter, because the filmmakers made the T-1000 way more technologically advanced. It can morph to look like anybody, and can change to liquid metal. This set up amazing action sequences, and made me actually think that this machine could destroy the invincible Arnold Schwarzenegger.

3. Hannibal Lecter – The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

What’s worse than a psychopathic cannibal? The answer is… an intelligent psychopathic cannibal. Lecter is introduced to us as a killer who is locked up and  interviewed by the main protagonist. This is because the FBI believes Hannibal Lecter can help them capture a new serial killer named Buffalo Bill (he is also super creepy). The reason Lecter is such a menacing and disturbing character is because he’s smart. He manages to escape from his cell in the movie and wears a guard’s face that he cut off! I mean the guy is sick, but he knows his stuff. Another thing he wears is the iconic face mask that keeps him from biting the guards. Anthony Hopkins is truly phenomenal and chilling as Hannibal Lecter.

2. Darth Vader – Star Wars (1977)

 He’s the biggest menace of the galaxy, and a Sith Lord who can choke you out with a single motion of his hand. Darth Vader is no one you’d want to mess with. When the Imperial Officers in the movies screw up, they all look scared and nervous when confronting him. They know he doesn’t like to fail. I’m pretty sure everybody can recognize Vader. Everything about him screams iconic: His suit, mask, voice, and even the sound he makes when he breathes. On top of that, he wields a red lightsaber that he uses to slice his enemies down in battle. Darth Vader might not be your father, but you should still follow his orders.

1. Joker – The Dark Knight (2008)

The Joker is probably just as, if not more iconic than the previous villain on this list. His laugh, purple suit and the clown face, are all signature Joker features. But in The Dark Knight, he was so realistic and much more frightening. He wears makeup instead of the traditional story of how he fell into a vat of chemicals. Heath Ledger was amazing as this character. He gave such a great performance. Even the little things he did were spectacular, like the creepy voice and the little tongue flick he did throughout the movie. One thing that makes a great villain is when you can actually see where they’re coming from. During the scene when Joker is talking to Harvey Dent in a hospital, some of the stuff he says about the world makes sense. It just makes it that much more scary. The Joker also has different, and very disturbing stories he tells about how he got the scars around his mouth. The film never explains a certain background for the Joker, so it makes the character even more fascinating. He was a really great match for Batman. Not physically, but mentally. The Joker challenges Batman’s morals, and is always one step ahead of the World’s Greatest Detective. So to end this list, I’ll leave you with a simple question: Why so serious?