My 10 Favourite Villain Performances

I've always loved a good villain. Whether comical or frightening, villains have always tended to be the standout characters whenever I see them. The thing I gravitate to the most? The performance. A character can be written well and have the best director aiding them, but if the performance is flat then there's no way we'll ever remember them. So it's that aspect that I'm going to focus on in this list. My ordering isn't to show who I think is the better villain based on their schemes or iconic status, but rather which acting performances I've enjoyed the most. Television characters have also been included in my construction of this list, making it a more definitive showing of ten brilliant performances that I love. 

10. Michael Fassbender as David - Alien: Covenant (2017)

Whilst my feelings towards the film are very mixed, it does at least give us Michael Fassbender reprising his role of David from Prometheus (2012). An android built to serve, David soon develops his own interests, namely the creation of new species. In Alien: Covenant, he has taken his obsession to frightening new levels, resulting in the birth of one of cinemas most iconic alien races. Fassbender's cold and deliberately emotionless voice makes for a brilliant, creepy antagonist. But, as well as creating a chilling presence, his performance also manages to make feel sorry for him. The loneliness he suffers and complex thoughts are all too much for him to handle. His delivery of the line "no-one understands the lonely perfection of my dreams" really hits hard, and is a beautiful summary as to how tragic his life is and how he can never be accepted.

Original upload: Blu-ray Clips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVW5QQm1ZZU

9. Ian McDiarmid as The Emperor - Return of the Jedi (1983)

Briefly seen in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), the primary villain of the Star Wars saga makes his first real appearance in the final chapter of the original trilogy. Ian McDiarmid portrays the Dark Lord with a disturbing calmness, never raising his voice. Instead, McDiarmid is convincing enough to make the Emperor almost pleasant. That is until hero Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) refuses to join his side. Suddenly McDiarmid's hidden menace his revealed as he unleashes his power, and shows us why the Emperor is the most feared being in the galaxy. Special mention must go to McDiarmid's use of what every good villain needs: a deliciously evil laugh. Sly, ruthless and all powerful, Ian McDiarmid's Emperor is the finest performance of a Dark Lord you could ever wish to see.

Original upload: Marcelo Zuniga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuPe-ly0BHM

8. Adrien Brody as Luca Changretta - Peaky Blinders (2017)

With more than a hint of Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone, the character of Luca Changretta quickly swaggered his way to the top of the villain list in this hit BBC drama. With an already stellar cast, Peaky Blinders added another top actor to its fourth series with Adrien Brody. Briefly glimpsed in the series' premiere episode, Luca Changretta's proper introduction in the following episode is the perfect summary of why I love this performance. Brody's calmness, with strong feelings of vengeance boiling underneath, makes for an unforgettable encounter with fellow gangster Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy). As the series progresses we see new layers to the character, and Brody's charisma and devilish charm makes every scene he appears in an instant modern classic. Not many characters can unsettle the legendary Peaky Blinders gang, but Luca Changretta manages to do it with such ease that you can't help but admire and fear him at the same time.

Original upload: TheKakhi Sakhvadze

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIOlWirdZC8

7. Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger - A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
The quintessential boogeyman, Robert Englund's portrayal of the demonic serial killer is now the stuff of horror cinema legend. Before he was cracking jokes and the Nightmare series gradually declined in quality, Freddy Krueger was a genuinely terrifying figure. The original film does a great job disguising Freddy's features, but Englund is still able to create a truly scary performance through well plotted body language. Then there's that deeply unsettling laugh, which never sounded as spine-chilling in the sequels. Englund also uses several different voices, whether it be a creepy whispering sound or a more demon-like low voice, giving Freddy an otherworldly guise. Though later entries turned Freddy into the star of the show, his appearance in the first film is still my favourite, and quickly turned the character into nightmare fuel for several generations.

Original upload: Movieclips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcrTqof683A

6. Roger Delgado as The Master - Doctor Who (1971-1973)
The list would feel empty if I didn't include my favourite villain from my favourite show. Equally as intelligent as his nemesis but bent on world domination, the Master is the ultimate foe to the heroic Doctor. Like the Doctor, the Master has been played by several actors throughout his time on the show, but for me, Roger Delgado's portrayal has never been topped. The first actor to play the role, Delgado embodies everything that the character is about: madness, charm, sophistication and a burning desire to conquer the universe. Such is the quality of Delgado's performance, that future show runners have made great efforts to re-create the same vibe from other actors who have stepped into the Master's shoes (most notably John Simm in series ten of the modern era). The original and the best, Roger Delgado IS the Master, and it's a performance that I don't think will be matched by any Doctor Who villain.

Original upload; DoctorWhoClips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g10uWQ7zsXM

5. Doug Bradley as Pinhead - Hellraiser IV: Bloodline (1996)

Whilst I prefer Freddy as a villain, the performance of Doug Bradley as Pinhead in the Hellraiser series is some of the best acting you'll see in a horror series. In the eight appearances he made as hell's favourite demon, I think he's at his best in the fourth instalment, Bloodline. Not only does he have more screen time than previous entries, but he also delivers some of his best lines, too. Bradley's ice-cold voice and body language work perfectly to make Pinhead an absolutely terrifying entity. Though Bloodline is a mess, Doug Bradley makes it an unforgettable experience all on his own. Possibly the most underrated performance on this list, maybe even in the history of cinema.

Original upload: ligeantia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbXYntSSuLg

4. Tim Curry as Cardinal Richelieu & Long John Silver - The Three Musketeers & Muppet Treasure Island (1993  & 1996)
Yes, I'm cheating by including two performances in one entry, but if you've seen them then you wouldn't be able to separate them either. The ultimate lesson in how to chew the scenery, these two moustache-twirling roles from Tim Curry defined him as one of the best villain actors of his generation. Both roles involve Curry attempting to overthrow and manipulate, and all with a campy edge and over the top expressions. As the wicked Cardinal, Curry also attempts to seduce, and as pirate Long John Silver, he gets to show off his singing chops. Whether you prefer him as a lover or a fighter, these performances are immensely entertaining, and are guaranteed to have you siding with the bad guys.

Original upload: Nello Haze

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiKjtOA5GqI

Original upload: Ahto Vahter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrj8EZm9ca8

3. Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter - The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The role that everyone thinks of when it comes to the great Sir Anthony Hopkins, Hannibal Lecter is an instantly recognisable figure. Soft spoken, polite and highly intelligent, Lecter knows exactly how to get under your skin, smartly hiding his inner psychotic nature. Hopkins' portrayal is vastly different to other interpretations, opting to never blink and make that unsettling noise after confessing to eating someone to FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster). Though he spends most of his time in a cell, Lecter remains frightening throughout. Hopkins turned the character into a household name, and picked up an Academy Award along the way, a testament to the legacy of this now legendary portrayal.

Original upload: ahmoda 4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeKqD2g9-ic

2. Jack Nicholson as The Joker - Batman (1989)
It's hard for me to say anything new about this performance, as I've mentioned it several times already. Nicholson seemed born to play this role. His Joker is the perfect cocktail of madness, hilarity and style. Born Jack Napier, a chemical accident leaves the Gotham gangster with a ghastly permanent grin and bleached skin. Now even more homicidal than before, the Joker shoots, poisons and laughs his way to the top of the criminal empire. If that's not enough, he killed Batman's parents, and so is undoubtedly the caped crusader's ultimate nemesis. Nicholson is hilarious in many scenes, but at the same time deeply unsettling. He's totally unpredictable and makes sure he's the focus whenever he appears. The clown prince of crime has never been better than when Nicholson donned the famous purple suit. 

Original upload: Movieclips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63iuB-cSY7Q

1. Christoph Waltz as Hans Landa - Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Not just my favourite villain performance, but my favourite performance of all time. Waltz's devious and charming SS Colonel Hans Landa is the standout in Quentin Tarantino's war epic, and launched a Hollywood career and an Academy Award win. Waltz's mannerisms and pauses between lines all serve to build upon the film's tense atmosphere. Landa is relentless in his pursuit of jewish refugees and evading the american soldiers sent to hunt down the Nazis. One step ahead of everyone else, Landa is able to charm or intimidate anybody to get what he wants, and Waltz masterfully balances this. It's a performance that gets better every time I watch it and for me, has yet to be topped by any actor in any role. A request for a glass of milk has never been so sinister...

Original upload: Movieclips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfSjs_6MZOQ