It’s that time of year to celebrate Halloween with pumpkin and apple picking, costume parties, and of course, horror movies. There are hundreds of horror movie villains fueling our nightmares, but a select few truly deserve their renowned status. For the most infamous and horrifying villains, keep reading…
5. Regan MacNeil from The Exorcist
Not exactly your typical twelve-year old.
Regan MacNeil is a twelve-year old girl whose parents are caught in the middle of a divorce. Her mother is a famous actress, which I guess is an attempt to explain why it takes her so long to realize her daughter is possessed.
Though Regan is a young girl, who should theoretically be easy to take in a fight, she’s also currently possessed by a demon named Pazuzu. Pazuzu, for those not up on their Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, is the king of the demons and is often depicted with the body of a man, a dog-like face, and wings. To make matters worse, while possessed Regan has the ability to levitate, spin her head around, and walk down the stairs on all fours…upside down. Getting thrown up on is the least of your problems if you came across her.
She’s got her eye on you.
4. Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Being chased is scary. Being chased by someone with a chainsaw and skin mask is terrifying.
Leatherface is the son of the cannibalistic Sawyer family, known for making barbecue and chili out of their victims. Rarely seen without one of his human flesh masks, he is a chainsaw wielding serial killer. Leatherface never speaks in his films though. Clearly he’s more of the strong silent type.
The upshot of Leatherface chasing you is that he is dependent on his family, and usually kills on their command. Without any autonomy of his own though, he might be more dangerous. He’s also loosely based on the real-life serial killer Ed Gein, which makes him even scarier.
He’s a maniac.
3. Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street
FYI: Locking your door won’t help.
Originally a child murderer, Freddy got out of jail on a technicality. The parents of the victims chased him to an abandoned shack and he was burned alive. Instead of accepting death, he became a Dream Demon with the ability to enter people’s dreams and kill them while they sleep.
The ability to kill you while you sleep makes Freddy a formidable enemy. While in the dream world, Freddy cannot be killed, is able to regenerate, shape shift and has telekinetic powers. Fortunately, his powers are limited outside of the dream world and then he can be killed. Of course, that’s easier said than done, as anyone who’s ever had a nightmare would know.
The original Edward Scissorhands.
2. Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th series
Jason is always watching.
Though not the actual killer in the original Friday the 13th (that honor went to his mother, Pamela Voorhees) Jason returns with a vengeance. After drowning due to negligent camp counselors at Camp Crystal Lake, Jason is restored to life by his mother using some form of magic.
Known for his trademark hockey mask, Jason really has a thing against campers. He’s a silent predator with superhuman strength, durability, intelligence, and of course…immortality. Incredibly inventive with his murder and mayhem, Jason actually has the most kills of any horror film slasher, including Michael Myers.
Plus he went to space in Jason X. Now that is dedication.
1. Michael Myers from Halloween
Always double tap.
Considered the original slasher film, John Carpenter’s classic introduced viewers to the insane world of Michael Myers. Don’t be fooled by the altered Captain Kirk Mask, Myers is said to be evil incarnate upon murdering his older sister at the age of six. After escaping the psychiatric hospital, he’ll stop at nothing to kill the rest of his family.
Inspired by the “voices” in his head, Myers possesses superhuman strength, endurance, stealth, and the ability to heal. Though explosions and decapitation can kill him, he seems to be incredibly adept at avoiding these situations. It’s actually more than likely that he’s already in your room watching you.
Go ahead and check your mirror.