What Makes A Great Horror Villain?

[Reader disclaimer: spoilers will be discussed].

Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

When it comes to horror films, there's usually one, major selling point: the antagonist. What would any franchise be without their iconic baddie? If you picture Hellraiser (1987), the first thing that should come to mind is Pinhead. Alternatively, if you were to think of the Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th series, you'd think of Krueger and Voorhees rather than the main cast.

So what makes a decent horror villain? Is it the traumatic backstories, the distinct appearance? Well, in this writer's opinion, there are four main elements to a great antagonist: a lack of motive, unique characterisation, the omittance of dialogue and facial expression.

A Lack of Motive

The Man from Hush (2016)

What's scarier than a man set out for revenge? Well, I'd argue a man without a need for it. A lack of motive, seen in such films as Hush, The Strangers (2008) and The Purge (2013), creates an unsettling atmosphere for viewers because a villain without motive is equally a villain without conscience, and therefore someone the hero cannot be reasoned with. 

Imagine yourself in the scenario of Hush: a man attempts to break into your home and kill you. Why? Because he "can" and that's it. What would you do? In this situation, one would hope to regain control and order through bargaining or, at the very least, exploit one of their weaknesses. As human beings, we fear the unknown more than anything else, so if the thing attacking us cannot be reasoned with in any logical fashion, then we are rendered completely helpless. 

Villains with a motive are, in a way, able to gain our sympathy; villains without one leave you unable to find closure in the wake of their actions and vulnerable to their attacks, making them far more terrifying than the average horror baddie. 

Unique Characterisation

Captain Spaulding from House of 1000 Corpses (2003)

Every villain in horror history can easily be identified by their unique characterisation, but it takes a team of very creative costume designers and writers to make a truly great one; as aforementioned, the scariest villains can be the ones without motive, but that doesn't mean they have to lack personality or presentation.

Take Captain Spaulding, for example: a curator of the horrific and whimsical, a lover of fried chicken and a showman of curiosities. Sure, he has no motive for the murders he commits throughout the film (other than self defense and general amusement) but his dialogue and iconic appearance is what makes him thoroughly enjoyable (albeit terrifying) to watch. 

We fear those without motive but we also fear those who are grandiose, unabashedly violent and forthcoming with their murderous intent. There's more room for reasoning, sure, but it's just as unlikely that you'll survive. Spaulding kills for the fun of it but that doesn't mean he's a completely emotionless psychopath: he likes to have fun with his victims, prolonging their torture, much to the horror (and delight) of us, the audience.

Omittance of Dialogue

Michael Myers from Halloween (1978)

From Krueger's iconic taunts to Chucky's witty one-liners, we're all too accustomed to villains mouthing off during their confrontations with the good guys. So what about villains who don't speak a word? Arguably, the thing that makes Michael Myers terrifying (other than that lifeless, recycled Captain Kirk mask) is that he never speaks a word.

In Halloween, Myers' motives are unclear, mainly because we never hear him talk or vocalise his intention: we know his plans and mindset through the dialogue of others. His silence is arguably just as unnerving as not having a motive in the first place; verbalising their thoughts, no matter how self-indulgent or deluded they may be, at least gives us clues to the mindset of a villain. Our deductions are moot when it comes to Myers because the only things we know are what the protagonists know: we are truly observers in that sense, unable to predict his actions. So if you were to cross paths with him, you'd likely be cut down without reason, which is terrifying in that you'd never know when you were about to die.

Facial Expression

Art the Clown from Terrifier (2016)

Now let's look at the other end of the Michael Myers spectrum, from a blank expression to a pantomime-esque one. 

I'm biased here but I find Art the Clown to be one of the best modern horror villains, simply for his facial expressions. Like Myers, Art lacks the ability to talk, but the biggest difference is that what he lacks for in dialogue, he certainly makes up for in his gruesome smile and widened eyes.

Art's facial expressions, akin to that of Gwynplaine in The Man Who Laughs (1928), unsettles us due to the connotations: a smile would suggest happiness or joy, a terrifying concept when placed in the context of the villain sawing a woman medieval-style from groin to head. On the flip-side of that, Art's cold, calculated stare (as seen in the pizzeria scene) is just as scary, especially when he switches back and forth between the two expressions in a seemingly effortless fashion. 

This, coupled with Art's love of the tricycle and theatrical fun with body parts, makes him seem almost child-like, which arguably lulls you into a false sense of security. Art seems like he could be reasoned with because he presents himself as infantile at times, or naïve and vulnerable, but the truth is that he kills for fun and we know that simply through the sheer delight on his face.

- K

Exploring Villains: Clown Edition

[Reader disclaimer: I would think this is obvious but avoid reading if you suffer from coulrophobia, a.k.a the fear of clowns].

Their giggles haunt your nightmares. Their sadistic, painted grin is slapped on every poster. Clowns, those animatic monsters, have been a trending horror trope in recent years...but are they really that scary?

Origins

So, what is a clown? A guy who slaps white grease-paint on and honks his nose for a living? Well, clowns can be traced back a fair bit, the earliest instance of the word being recorded in the 1500s: they were archetypes often used in Italian comedies (commedia dell'arte), representing the lower class as hilariously stupid and inadequate people. 

He Who Gets Slapped (1924)

Clowns marry comedy and tragedy harmoniously, truly embodying schadenfreude: when we see a clown spray another in the face with a seltzer bottle, we laugh at their misfortunes because we too can sympathise with the indignation of public humiliation and betrayal from our friends. In essence, the clown character represented the people and became something both recognisable and relatable.

Tragedy into horror

It (1990)

The true frontrunner of clowns in the horror genre is undoubtedly Pennywise, a nightmare-inducing shapeshifter dreamed up by Stephen King in the 1980s. When It (1990) was released, the world was in a frenzy over this killer clown, appalled by the subversion of a children's entertainer being something of a monster.

The reason, I believe, that clowns are considered scary and phobia-worthy is because their nature is to be childlike and innocent, unseeming and jovial. What was once considered a character that we could sympathise with and laugh at has transformed into a character of deception, murderous intent and leaves you with an unwavering sense of unease (much like the trope of children and animals in horror films, which Stephen King has also explored with Pet Sematary (1989) and Cujo (1983)). 

Pennywise, however, stands out because his character is supernatural: It, so to speak, is an alien entity that landed on Earth and rises every 27 years to eat people like animal crackers. The true nature of clowns in horror is that they could be anyone, they could be a neighbour or a friend or just some entertainer hired to ruin your 6-year old's birthday party: they're one of us, masked by makeup and a fake smile.

Ranked: Iconic Clowns

So, who is the best horror clown? Well, I've listed a few of my favourites below with their name, origin movie and why (in my opinion) they cause such a visceral reaction from their intended audiences.

It (2017)

Pennywise

Played by: Bill Skarsgård
Who is he?: A cosmic entity who came to earth and rises every 27 years to feed on humans
Scare rating: 7/10. His 1990 incarnation (famously played by Tim Curry) was too whimsical and likable to be scary and I think that, despite the enlarged forehead, Skarsgård is also pretty simplistic until he bears his teeth. The wandering eyes is absolutely creepy, though.

House of 1000 Corpses (2003)

Captain Spaulding

Played by: Sid Haig

Who is he?: The owner of Captain Spaulding's Museum of Monsters and Madmen, a lover of fried chicken and murdering innocent people, and a lovable asshole.

Scare rating: 5/10. In general, Spaulding's appearance isn't hugely threatening, at least not as much as the gun he wields or the verbally abusive things he says. His look is iconic, however, and I consider him to be my favourite horror clown.

Zombieland (2009)

Clown Zombie

Played by: Derek Graf

Who is he?: Simply referred to in the credits as 'Clown Zombie', this absolute mad-lad was never actually named in the film, so your guess is as good as mine!

Scare rating: 8/10. Besides the eye-watering, gaudy outfit, I think it's safe to assume that anyone would be terrified of this guy. He's a clown and he's an undead cannibal: you do the math.

Gacy (2003)

Pogo

Played by: Mark Holton

Who is he?: Unfortunately, this one is based in reality. Pogo represents the real life serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who kidnapped and murdered young men in the 70s.

Scare rating: 6/10. On appearance alone, Pogo is more so grotesque than he is scary, but there's something unnerving about the bold colours across his mouth and eyes and the fact that he was modelled after a man who committed truly disturbing crimes.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

Klown Performers

Played by: Various people

Who are they?: As the title suggests, these are "klowns", which are basically aliens who look like interpretative versions of clowns. 

Scare rating: 9/10. Look at them. These things look absolutely insane, like caricatures of clowns on acid or Mr Blobby wearing a skin suit. The entire film is based on how people don't take them seriously because of how ridiculous they look and yet they're secretly dangerous, which I think is complete horseshit: if I saw these things coming, I'd run a mile in the opposite direction. 

Terrifier (2016)

Art

Played by: David Howard Thornton

Who is he?: Art the Clown is an enigmatic serial killer who seemingly possesses supernatural abilities and derives enjoyment from torturing his victims

Scare rating: 8/10. Art's character is, stylistically speaking, incredibly innovative and intimidating: modelled on the clown archetype of 'Pierrot', he dons a monochromatic look and a smile that would make Conrad Veidt proud. I think what makes Art perfect for horror is his silent demeanour: his lack of empathy and communication makes for a wonderfully demonic portrayal of an unhinged human being, masquerading as a clown blanc. 

Honourable mentions

Twisty (John Carroll Lynch) - American Horror Story (2011-)

Stitches (Ross Noble) - Stitches (2012)

Frowny (Eli Roth) - Clown (2014)

Gwynplaine (Conrad Veidt) - The Man Who Laughs (1928)

Clown pandemic

You might now be wondering if I am afraid of clowns and, truthfully, I have to say I'm not. I appreciate why people are afraid of them but to me, they're just performers in eccentric makeup: the only thing I find horrific about them is their constant need for audience participation...no thanks.

So, are clowns meant to be feared? Are they really that scary? I suppose that isn't for me to say but my unsolicited opinion is that there isn't anything to be afraid of. Coulrophobia, unless instigated by PTSD/severe trauma, is an irrational fear: that isn't to invalidate anybody's phobia of clowns but it is to say that there isn't a definitive reason as to why clowns are scary.

The Man Who Laughs (1928)

Many people cite Pennywise as the source of clown discomfort, as he became a popular figure in horror culture: others derive their fear from monsters such as John Wayne Gacy, who wasn't a fictional character but a real person in clown makeup, luring people into a false sense of security and butchering them. I've even heard of someone on Reddit who fears clowns due to the Joker character from the DC franchise.

It's interesting to me that such an innocent and enjoyable character has been subverted to be a thing of nightmares, a collective posterboy for perverse and chaotic death. I imagine the trope of 'evil clown' will wear out its welcome eventually: I wouldn't mind seeing a horror film where the clown is the hero/sidekick, just to subvert the subversion for once.

- K