With Halloween approaching, we’re reviewing all the greatest horror films, and like every year, they’re always the same because ultimately, we can’t do without these classics of the seventh art.
Of course, a horror film wouldn’t be a real horror film without a “villain,” this character often vicious, mysterious, childish… One thing is certain: no matter how much we hate them, a part of us can’t help but admire them, but why?
Maybe they embody what we dare not be, perhaps out of fear or because of great weakness. Or perhaps they captivate us because they are everything we are not and everything we will never be. Although the reasons remain somewhat vague, one thing is certain, in cinema, the embodiment of evil fascinates us as much as it scares us.
A look back at four great villains that have marked cinema and our minds.
Norman Bates in Psycho (1960)
What we admire might not be the villain himself, but the explanation behind his actions: his double identity. At times he is Norman Bates, a hotel manager, and at other times he is this old woman who murders young women with a knife.
Jack Torrance in The Shining (1980)
Forty years later, this character still terrifies us. He is probably one of the most impactful villains in cinema in this film, which is nothing less than a descent into hell. The scene where he chases his son with a baseball bat still haunts us.
Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
We all remember Anthony Hopkins, masterful in the role of Hannibal the Cannibal. A character that seemingly has nothing admirable – a murderer and a recurrent cannibal – yet, he is among the most intriguing and captivating characters in cinema. His ability to remain stone-faced in any circumstance, even when recounting chilling anecdotes, makes him a compelling character.
The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008)
While the choice of Heath Ledger to portray the Joker was initially criticized, upon the film’s release, everyone praised the actor’s performance.
The public’s admiration for this mythical character perhaps stems from the fact that he dares to oppose Batman, the superhero and embodiment of power.
One, two, three, or even eight decades later, certain villains of the seventh art continue to fascinate and captivate us. Whether it’s because we enjoy being scared or simply because their mysterious appearance intrigues us, this is a good opportunity to watch or re-watch all the greatest horror films before Halloween.
