Yet another AFI film list - this one the 50 top screen heroes and villains:
- ATTICUS FINCH OF "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD" PROCLAIMED #1 HERO AND DR. HANNIBAL LECTER OF "THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS" DECLARED #1 VILLAIN
Indiana Jones, Norman Bates, James Bond, Darth Vader, Rick Blaine, The Wicked Witch of the West, Will Kane and Nurse Ratched Top the Much-Anticipated List Revealed by AFI
The American Film Institute (AFI) revealed the top 50 heroes and top 50 villains of all time in AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Heroes & Villains three-hour television event hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who earned both a hero and villain honor for his portrayal of the "Terminator." Deeply principled and idealistic attorney Atticus Finch (portrayed by Gregory Peck), from TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, was chosen as the greatest hero in 100 years of film history, while the greatest villain was revealed as the brilliant, cunning and psychotic Dr. Hannibal Lecter (portrayed by Anthony Hopkins) from THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and HANNIBAL.
Rounding out the top 10 heroes in ranking order were Indiana Jones, James Bond, Rick Blaine, Will Kane, Clarice Starling, Rocky Balboa, Ellen Ripley and
T.E. Lawrence. Joining Dr. Lecter’s circle of top 10 villains, also in ranking order, were Norman Bates, Darth Vader, The Wicked Witch of the West, Nurse Ratched, Mr. Potter, Alex Forrest, Phyllis Dietrichson, Regan MacNeil and The Queen (in SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS).
Article comments
1 - Lyz
They should do one of those for literature, except someone lame like Harry Potter would win. Lousy kid!
2 - Jim Carruthers
I watched the programme last night, and the cheesy intro aside (well not really, it was really cheese, plastic wrapped slices), I had a couple of quibbles.
Obviously, putting Terminator twice was because Ah-nold was hosting, and T3 is opening soon.
Second, while the heroes list doesn't have a lot to challenge, the compilers obviously don't have an understanding of what a villain is.
What makes a villain or a hero, and what distinquishes between them are the choices they make.
If the antagonist doesn't make a choice in what they do, they are not a villain.
In Jaws, the villain isn't the shark, it is the town officials who refuse to close the beach (and Robert Shaw for dragging his fingernails across the blackboard).
In The Exorcist, Regan isn't the villain, could it be ... SATAN!!!!!
In the Alien series, the alien isn't the villain, it is the Corporation which sends the crews to recover it at any cost.
And so on.
One other thing was that the entire focus was on the actors, with almost no mention of the writers and directors. Surely Paul Schrader and Martin Scorcese deserve more credit than Robert Deniro for the creation of Travis Bickle.
And George Lucas should get a wedgie for trying to talk about the Godfather series and implying his dreck is equivalent.
3 - cephus
I watched it also and I agree with you wholeheartedly. Good points.
4 - Eric Olsen
Jim, fine distinction of villains. Maybe they should have used a word like "heavy" or something like that to imply malevolence toward the hero as opposed to true villainy.
5 - Alan Dale
Thanks for this post and for Jim Carruthers's comments. It got me thinking, and my take on the problem is in my review of The Italian Job: http://www.blogcritics.org/archives/2003/06/13/182416.php#006167
6 - Fergus Linehan
AFI's Top 50 Movie Villains
50. Alonzo Harris
49. Auric Goldfinger
48. Verbal Kint
47. Tony Camote
46. Hans Gruber
45. The Joker
44. Baby Jane Hudson
43. Regina Giddens
42. Tom Powers
41. Joan Crawford
40. Freddy Krueger
39. Cruella De Vil
37. Harry Lime
36. Frank Booth
35. J.J. Hunsicker
34. Dr. Szell
33. Count Dracula
32. Bonnie and Clyde
30. Travis Bickle
29. Revrend Harry Powell
28. Max Cady
27. Martians
26. Cody Jarret
25. Jack Torrance
24. Gordon Gekko
23. John Huston
22. Terminator
21. Mrs. Jon Iselin
20. Man
18. The Shark
17. Annie Wilkes
16. Noah Cross
15. Amon Goeth
14. The Alien
13. HAL 9000
12. Alex DeLarge
11. Michael Corleone
10. The Queen
9. Regan MacNeil
8. Phyllis Deperation
7. Alex Forrest
6. Mr. Potter
5. Nurse Ratched
4. The Wicked Witch of the West
3. Darth Vader
2. Norman Bates
1. Dr. Hannibal Lecter
7 - Dr Dreadful
What about the unseen truck driver in Duel?
And 'Man' (20)? I know we've messed up the planet a bit, but...
And which Joker?
8 - Fergus Linehan
Top 10 Badass Characters
10. Sgt. Hartman [Full Metal Jacket]
9. Lord Voldemort [Harry Potter series]
8. Agent Smith [The Matrix trilogy]
7. Jack Torrance [The Shining]
6. Hannibal Lecter [The Silence of the Lambs]
5. Darth Vader [Star Wars trilogy]
4. Damien Thorn [The Omen series]
3. Freddy [A Nightmare on Elm Street series]
2. Alex De Large [A Clockwork Orange]
1. Norman Bates [Psycho]
9 - Fergus Linehan
Top 10 Worst Movie Villains
10. Clubber Lang [Rocky III]
9. Jack Torrance [The Shining]
8. Amon Goeth [Schindler's List]
7. Hannibal Lecter [The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal]
6. Patrick Bateman [American Psycho]
5. Frank Booth [Blue Velvet]
4. Bill the Butcher [Gangs of New York]
3. Anton Chigurh [No Country for Old Men]
2. Alonzo Harris [Training Day]
1. The Joker [The Dark Knight]
10 - Fergus Linehan
Top 10 Movie Villains
10. Jack Torrance
9. Max Cady [Robert DeNiro]
8. Scar [The Lion King]
7. Annie Wilkes
6. Pazuzu/Regan MacNeil
5. Alex DeLarge
4. Norman Bates
3. Hannibal Lecter
2. Darth Vader
1. The Joker [Heath Ledger]
Honorble Mentions;
Freddy Krueger
Dr. Christian Szell
Alex Forrest
Ivan Drago
Hans Gruber
Anton Chigurh
Alonzo Harris
Bill the Butcher
Commodus
John Doe
Magneto
The Wicked Witch of the West
Keyser Soze
Lord Voldemort
Sauron
Davy Jones
Captain Barbossa
Palpatine
Saruman the White
11 - Fergus Linehan
Villains
Mr. Blonde aka ''Vic Vega''
Jaws
Freddy Krueger
Jack Torrance
Annie Wilkes
Alex De Large
HAL 9000
Alien
Jason Voorhees
12 - Fergus Linehan
400 nominated characters
1. Darth Vader
2. Mad Madam Mim
3. Jigsaw
4. Sgt. Hartman
5. General Paul Mireau
6. Shrek
7. Professor Ratigan
8. Hook
9. Witch King
10. Cousin Kevin
11. Pennywise
12. Alex DeLarge
13. General Jack D. Ripper
14. Dr. Strangelove
15. Darth Maul
16. The Joker
17. Scar
18. Devon and Cornwall
19. The Headless Horseman
20. Olivia Flaversham
21. Oogie Boogie
22. Belle
23. Ariel
24. Simba
25. Joe Miller
26. Andrew Beckett
27. Hannibal Lecter
28. Aladdin
29. Genie
30. Buzz Lightyear
31. Woody
32. Freddy Krueger
33. Harry Powell
34. Leatherface
35. Pinhead
36. Lucius Malfoly
37. Doc Ock
38. Mr. Pernickety
39. Jack Torrance
40. Annie Wilkes
41. The Jigsaw Doll
42. Mr. Busy
43. Baloo the Bear
44. Baby Jane Hudson
45. Hans Gruber
46. Joan Crawford
47. Harry Lime
48. Big Bad Wolf
49. Mr. Grumpy
50. Bill ''The Butcher'' Cutting
51. Captain Vidal
52. Shere Khan and Kaa
53. Captain Hook
54. King Mufasa
55. Bill
56. Hades
57. Jafar
58. Queen Narissa
59. Maleficent
60. Gordon Gekko
61. Cruella De Vil
62. Mystery Villain
63. Claire Quilty
64. Clarice Starling
65. Johnny Depp
66. Bart Simpson
67. Homer Simpson
68. Beetlejuice
69. Commodus
70. Gory
71. Laurie Strode
72. Michael Myers
73. Jason Voorhees
74. Dancer
75. Barry Lyndon
76. Hard work
77. Charles
78. Rudolph
79. Batman
80. Lopidoo
81. Sam-I-am
82. Boat
83. Bill Sikes
84. Oliver
85. Hubie
86. Drake
87. Ivan Drago
88. Marina
89. Sam
90. Joker
91. Penguin
92. Mr. Tickle
93. Mr. Bump
94. Mummy Pig
95. Miss Rabbit
96. Cousin Kevin
97. Patrick Bateman
98. Norman Bates
99. Tarzan
100. Chicken Joe
101. Keyser Soze
102. John Doe
103. Gordon Gekko
104. Heat Miser
105. Swuidward
106. Jack
107. Sam the Eagle
108. Korean
109. Yoda
110. Susie
111. See
112. Squidward
113. Pirate
114. Robbie Rotten
115. Spartacus
116. Sportacus
117. Laugh
118. Stewie
119. Mamamama
120. Heather Queen
121. Favorite
122. Cross
123. Rich
124. Sparta
125. Bada
126. Hello
127. Goodbye
128. Find
129. Enemy
130. Ernie
131. Bert
132. Doll's house
133. Scar
134. Club
135. Mom
136. Dad
137. Humf
138. Nick Jr.
139. Sports Candy
140. Who
141. Difficult
142. Can
143. Cheap
144. Ho
145. He
146. Bath
147. Oh no
148. Pain
149. AAH
150. Oh
151. Talk
152. Walkie Talkie
153. Mister Spell
154. Ian
155. Sman
156. Fan
157. How
158. Hush
159. Ow
160. Ouch
161. Glasses
162. Sure
163. Tommy
164. 62
165. Don't look
166.Aah
167. Dinosaur
168. Difficult
169. Mamamamamamamamamamamaamamamamamaamamamamamamaamamamamamamamam
13 - Fergus Linehan
Top 20 Movie Villains
20. Michael Myers
19. HAL 9000
18. Jack Torrance
17. Alex DeLarge
16. Sgt. Hartman
15. Darth Vader
14. Freddy Krueger
13. Damien Thorn
12. Jigsaw
11. General Paul Mireau
10. The Joker
9. Max Cady
8. Norman Bates
7. Annie Wilkes
6. Hans Gruber
5. Voldemort
4. Biff Tannen
3. Hannibal Lecter
2. Harry Powell
1. Keyser Soze
14 - Fergus Linehan
Top 10 Movie Villains
10. The Joker
9. HAL 9000
8. Alex DeLarge
7. Jack Torrance
6. Darth Vader
5. Hannibal Lecter
4. Norman Bates
3. Lex Luthor
2. Freddy Krueger
1. Pennywise
15 - Fergus Linehan
Stanley Kubrick Villains
Vincent Rapallo [Killer's Kiss]
Sherry Peatty [The Killing]
General Paul Mireau [Paths of Glory]
Antoninus [Spartacus]
Marcus Crassus [Spartacus]
Claire Quilty [Lolita]
Dr. Strangelove [Dr. Strangelove]
General Jack D. Ripper [Dr. Strangelove]
HAL 9000 [2001 A Space Odyssey]
Alex DeLarge [A Clockwork Orange]
Barry Lyndon [Barry Lyndon]
Lord Bullington [Barry Lyndon]
Jack Torrance [The Shining]
The Overlook Hotel [The Shining]
The Grady Twins [The Shining]
Sgt. Hartman [Full Metal Jacket]
Private Pyle [Full Metal Jacket]
Mark Powell [Eyes Wide Shut]
Victor Zeilger [Eyes Wide Shut