This document lists and describes the best movie villains from thriller genre films. It ranks Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs as the most terrifying due to Anthony Hopkins' chilling portrayal of the intelligent yet psychopathic cannibal. Second is Frank Booth from Blue Velvet, an aggressive psychopathic rapist. Third is religious serial killer John Doe from Se7en. The document also provides brief descriptions and notable scenes for other highly frightening villains such as Max Cady from Cape Fear and Annie Wilkes from Misery.

1. Best Villains of the Thriller
Category
By
Spencer Johnston

2. Number Five: Max Cady (Cape Fear
1991)
• Robert De Niro’s Max Cady is
terrifying due to his unpredictably
as well as his ability to stalk the
Bowden family within the
constraints of the law.
• He stalks the Bowden family
before following them to their
boat house by tying himself to the
bottom of their car.
• Most terrifying scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=6vO-XDUiRqU

3. Number Four: Annie Wilkes (Misery)
• Annie Wilkes is another
character who is so fearsome
due to her unpredictability, in
a split second she can go
from a seemingly harmless
caring nurse into a violent
psychopath.
• She keeps author Paul
Sheldon hidden away in her
house and disables him so
that he cannot leave.
• Most terrifying scene:
http://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=E55ni_xc4ww

4. Number Three: John Doe (Seven)
• John Doe is a religiously
motivated killer obsessed with
the seven deadly sins who
makes an elaborate plan to
‘make the world a better
place.’
• Spacey’s deadpan deliverance
helps to make this character
so peculiar and unique yet
strange and intimidating.
• Most terrifying scene:
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=1giVzxyoclE

5. Number Two: Frank Booth (Blue
Velvet)
• Frank Booth is almost more
surreal than the whole of
Eraserhead. An aggressive,
psychopathic rapist Frank Booth
is as terrifying as he is shocking.
• He is holding a man and his son
captive in order to get sexual
favors from a woman. Booth’s
rage. It is still pondered today
what is in that tank.
• Best Scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=u5VU8GJcg24

6. Number One: Hannibal Lecter (Silence
of The Lambs)
• Hannibal Lecter was only on
screen for about 20 minutes in
Silence of the Lambs yet
Anthony Hopkins managed to
win the Best Actor Oscar for
the part, that’s how terrifying
this character is.
• Intelligent and Sophisticated
yet Vindictive and extremely
psychopathic Lecter is the
ultimate villain. The
Cannibalistic killer helps Clarice
Sterling find murderer Buffalo
Bill in exchange for information
about Clarice’s life.
• Most Terrifying Scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=s3nIw30hn4U

7. Honorable Mentions
• The Shark (Jaws)
• Jack Torrance (The
Shining)
• Verbal Kint/Keyser Soze
(The Usual Suspects)
• The Joker (The Dark
Knight)
• Aaron Sampler (Primal
Fear)
• Francis (Martha May
Marcy Marlene)