Is it the villain the makes the name great or the name that makes the villain memorable: Hannibal Lector, Norman Bates, Nurse Ratched, Maleficent, Lex Luthor, Ebenezer Scrooge?
Karl Rove. And before him that raging a**hat, creator of the Southern Strategy, Lee Atwater. And then there was Harry Anslinger, who invented the War on Drugs. But wait, we're talking about the movies, aren't we...umm, okay, Harry again: Mighty Mouse's maleficent nemesis OILCAN HARRY!! And, of course, Maleficent herself, a-and The Joker. Wait...there are more...okay, I desist.
One of my favorite names for a villain is Alexis Machine from Dead City by Shane Stevens. Stephen King liked the name so much that he borrowed for The Dark Half.
Wormer, Heap and Moriarty--lordy what a great trio for a pastiche with Allan Grant versus all three, all played by Walter "Jack" Palance (as per the credit in his debut film role, as "Blackie" in Panic in the Streets).
It's the author putting the name on the bad guy, not the name, other 'way 'round. Gentle Goodfellow could be the vile criminal, depending on what he did and to whom (cuts up kittens...). Still, authors do a pretty good job of finding names that seem to communicate that character is a villain. Many of those already named sound like bad guys because we already know they are.
Dick Cheney
ReplyDeleteNobody will beat that one.
ReplyDeleteI always liked the evil name Sauron (who resided in Mordor) from THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Jeff.
ReplyDeleteSecond place, though, should go to Snidely Whiplash.
Yes, Snidely Whiplash is great. And Sauron.
ReplyDeleteHow about Severus Snape?
Karl Rove. And before him that raging a**hat, creator of the Southern Strategy, Lee Atwater. And then there was Harry Anslinger, who invented the War on Drugs. But wait, we're talking about the movies, aren't we...umm, okay, Harry again: Mighty Mouse's maleficent nemesis OILCAN HARRY!! And, of course, Maleficent herself, a-and The Joker. Wait...there are more...okay, I desist.
ReplyDeleteDickens was great at that sort of thing: Mr. Murdstone, Uriah Heep, Madame LaFarge, etc.
ReplyDeleteDickens is great for villains. It's hard to beat Uriah Heep.
ReplyDeleteVoldemort from Harry Potter, Mrs. Danvers, Rebecca, The Grinch, Captain Hook
ReplyDeleteCount Fosco (Wilkie Collins' THE WOMAN IN WHITE) just oozes nastiness.
ReplyDeleteUriah Heep, yes.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite names for a villain is Alexis Machine from Dead City by Shane Stevens. Stephen King liked the name so much that he borrowed for The Dark Half.
ReplyDeleteSomeone mentioned Snape, but how about Draco Malfoy?
ReplyDeleteAnd, lest we forget, Greg Marmalade, Doug Neidermeyer, and Dean Vernon Wormer.
ReplyDeleteWormer. Great one!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Deb. My all-time favorite.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Deb. My all-time favorite.
ReplyDeleteDracula.
ReplyDeleteCount Fosco.
Professor Moriarity.
Sebastian Moran.
Arnold Zeck.
Wormer, Heap and Moriarty--lordy what a great trio for a pastiche with Allan Grant versus all three, all played by Walter "Jack" Palance (as per the credit in his debut film role, as "Blackie" in Panic in the Streets).
ReplyDeleteIt's the author putting the name on the bad guy, not the name, other 'way 'round. Gentle Goodfellow could be the vile criminal, depending on what he did and to whom (cuts up kittens...). Still, authors do a pretty good job of finding names that seem to communicate that character is a villain. Many of those already named sound like bad guys because we already know they are.
ReplyDeleteAnother that comes to mind: Darth Vader.
Hitlery Clinton.
ReplyDeleteI love 'Kasper Gutman' from THE MALTESE FALCON though he's got nothing on Nurse Ratched from ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST!
ReplyDeleteThe Abominable Dr. PHibes
ReplyDelete