More than 40 years ago, film critic Roger Ebert claimed that "Each film is only as good as its villain." He might not have been the very first person to make this observation, but in any event, Ebert certainly knew what he was talking about when it came to film, and his statement here is a difficult one to dispute. Both before Ebert said this, and in the years since, plenty of films have become iconic largely because of their villains.
Of the villainous femme fatale characters, none are quite as memorable or iconic as Phyllis Dietrichson from the Billy Wilder classic Double Indemnity. Played by Barbara Stanwyck, she ropes an insurance agent into a complex scheme to murder her husband for money, which ultimately has devastating consequences for all involved. Stanwyck's performance here is the one to beat, as far as classic femme fatale characters go, and she's a key reason why Double Indemnity still holds up so well.
11 Reverend Harry Powell - 'The Night of the Hunter' Few thrillers as old as The Night of the Hunter can still get the heart racing, but this 1955 classic is simply built differently to most thrillers. It's a movie about a preacher named Harry Powell and the way he pursues a widow for the money her husband left behind, in turn terrifying her two young children.
The third part of the film is where 2001's main antagonist, HAL 9000, enters the picture. HAL 9000's a supercomputer that's programmed to assist the human astronauts on board the same ship it is, though it eventually reveals itself to have a sense of morality that clashes with the humans on board.
6 The Alien - 'Alien' As far as unnamed antagonists go, none are better than the titular alien from 1979's Alien. This acclaimed Ridley Scott movie has a premise that's about as direct as sci-fi/horror movies come, given it follows a crew on board a spaceship trying to survive a deadly alien life form that's roaming around the craft, deadset on taking out every human being in the vicinity one by one.
4 Norman Bates - 'Psycho' Given he directed many iconic movies, there are plenty of great villains to be found within the filmography of Alfred Hitchcock. However, it's the director's most iconic horror movie - Psycho - that also houses the most menacing villain of any Hitchcock movie: the hotel owner with a dark secret, Norman Bates.Bates's villainy isn't revealed until the film's conclusion, which makes him a far more terrifying character on a rewatch.
Entertainment Entertainment Latest News, Entertainment Entertainment Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: screenrant - 🏆 7. / 94 Read more »
Source: screenrant - 🏆 7. / 94 Read more »
Source: screenrant - 🏆 7. / 94 Read more »
Source: screenrant - 🏆 7. / 94 Read more »
Source: screenrant - 🏆 7. / 94 Read more »
Source: screenrant - 🏆 7. / 94 Read more »