best movie villain ever???

[danchez]

OK, I know this movie came out last year but I am watching it again tonight. I must say that Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker is pure genius. I can only think of 2 great movie villains: Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector & Heath Ledger's Joker. What say you?!?

[Truckman]

James Cagney as Cody Jarrett - "White Heat"
Humphrey Bogart as Duke Mantee - "The Petrified Forest"
Daniel Day-Lewis as Bill Cutting - "Gangs of New York"

...Ben

[danchez]

"White Heat" - 1949 - haven't seen it
"The Petrified Forest" - 1936 - haven't seen it
"Gangs of New York" - 2002 - only seen bits and pieces

I don't have anything against older movies, your first two are just a bit before my time and I haven't seen them. I will have to put them on my Netflix list.

[venchka]

Robert DeNero in Cape Fear, Taxi Driver, Heat, I could probably go on.
Master Blaster Thunderdome
Al Pacino in the Godfather series
The Alien in Alien
there will be others

With DVDs and Netflix nothing is before your time. Think outside the tube. Or flat panel.

The Japanese gangster in Black Rain. Really bad dude.

[Gambit]

I've always really liked Alan Rickman's villians (Severus Snape, "Max" in Die Hard, Sherriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood) but just not in the same class as Ledger's Joker.

[jtillery]

Daniel Day Lewis was great in gangs. While Ledger's joker was good, I still partial to Jack Nicholson's version.

Defoe in spiderman was good.

[Cajungaltx]

I think Ledger did a great job.

Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector is definitely one of my favorite 'bad guys'.

But my all time favorite - Kevin Spacey in Se7en. Holy crow he was a sick &^%$!

From his journal: What sick ridiculous puppets we are / and what gross little stage we dance on / What fun we have dancing and ****ing / Not a care in the world / Not knowing that we are nothing / We are not what was intended.

I like understated evil. I think that is what makes the character 'more' evil.... because it's not an 'in your face' thing... it's that deceitful.. hidden.... don't know it when you glance at it... kind of thing.

Hannibal Lecter: Why do you think he removes their skins, Agent Starling?
[sarcastically]
Hannibal Lecter: Enthrall me with your acumen.
Clarice Starling: It excites him. Most serial killers keep some sort of trophies from their victims.
Hannibal Lecter: I didn't.
Clarice Starling: No. No, you ate yours.


Elijah Price (Samuel Jackson) in Unbreakable... he was really good...

Jack Nicholson... "Here's Johnny!!!!"

[venchka]

You're good Donna. On target.

Any actor like Nicholson, Pacino, De Nero, etc. who can play more than one vastly different villian gets my vote.

[Cajungaltx]

Originally Posted by venchka

You're good Donna. On target.

*lol* Thanks!

[jtillery]

Al Pacino in Devil's Advocate was awsome. You cant get more evil than that.

[Cornbread]

You guys are So. Lame.

Darth Vader

/done

[MHampton]

Originally Posted by Cornbread

You guys are So. Lame.

Darth Vader

/done

I agree. Episode 3 showed just have dark he really was. The scene with the young ones killed me.

[Jenny Z]

The more I watch Health Ledger's Joker, the more impressed I am by it. He's definitely in my top 5.

[brad]

Originally Posted by jtillery

While Ledger's joker was good, I still partial to Jack Nicholson's version.

+1

I felt that Ledger was playing Nicholson playing The Joker all the way through it and his performance fell flat for me. Nicholson had the maniacal rage down (rage at the accident that left him a freak, rage at the system, rage at the organization of his former criminal life)... Ledger's was just a psychopath that liked to dress up like a clown.. and I kept seeing a pale imitation of Jack.

[Jenny Z]

Jack's was too cartoony for me... granted, the Joker went through a cartoony phase in the comics. It fit well with the movie at the time.

Ledger's seemed a bit more noir, and definitely more psychotic. I mean, the pencil trick... c'mon. I didn't really get that impression of him at all... seemed like a different character.