Hack and Slash: Horror’s 7 Most Underrated Villains
Alejandra Martinez
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Horror is a genre that’s no stranger to great villains. From slashers like Michael Myers and Freddy to possessed anti-heroes like Chucky, there’s no shortage of deliciously cruel villains in horror movies. There are, however, some villains that can get lost in the shuffle of densely packed baddies in horror films. In this piece, I’ll be highlighting seven underrated horror villains, what they bring to the table, and why they deserve their (rotten) flowers.
Dr. Phillip K. Decker, Nightbreed (1993)
A lot is going on in Clive Barker’s follow-up to Hellraiser. In some ways, it’s bloodier and grosser than his first feature, and also goofier in others. There is a common thread between the two films, however: hot villains. Dr. Philip K. Decker, as played by director David Cronenberg, is a sadistic psychiatrist who gets his kicks framing his patients for the murders he commits. Decker is always a step ahead of everyone else and never loses his cool, even when he reveals himself to Lori Desinger (Anne Bobby), the girlfriend of our protagonist Aaron Boone (Craig Sheffer). When she asks how the masked killer knows her name late in the movie, Decker answers in a low, bemused voice, “Oh, that’s a good question.” The mask comes off, and he continues: “And here’s the answer.” Someone get Cronenberg in more villain roles, please!
James Venamun/The “Gemini Killer,” The Exorcist III (1990)
The Exorcist III is an interesting departure from the rest of the Exorcist films. A more procedural chapter that takes its time and a different approach to the possession genre, it stands apart from the other entries in the franchise. One of the reasons it stands out is its stellar villain—a serial killer taunting the authorities from the dead and portrayed by the iconic Brad Dourif. James Venamun, AKA The “Gemini Killer” was a monster when he was alive, and continues his reign of terror from the grave by possessing the body of Damien Karras (Jason Miller), the priest from the original Exorcist thought long dead by everyone. His true form is revealed when being interrogated by Lt. Bill Kinderman (George C. Scott), the officer trying to get to the bottom of things.
Venamun’s cruelty remains intact in the afterlife, and it’s impossible to look away during his monologue. “Did you know you are talking to an artist?” the killer asks, before detailing his penchant for letting decapitated heads see his handiwork before they die. It’s a performance that takes the film to another, gut-wrenching level.
Pipes, Ghostwatch (1992)
In 1992, the BBC had a brilliant, devilish idea: broadcast a live mockumentary haunted house investigation for Halloween. What followed is now an infamous moment in horror and TV history. Viewers thought what they were seeing was actually happening, and widespread distress ensued. They had good reason to be concerned: Ghostwatch is an expertly made horror film that uses the format of a dry British news program to pull the rug out from under you when things begin to fall apart.
At the center of the chaos is Pipes, the name given to the malignant entity who lives in the basement of the house and possesses Suzanne Early, a young girl who lives there with her family. We hear a lot about Pipes throughout the program, learning about his past as a child murderer and monster. Pipes is rarely seen but deeply felt throughout Ghostwatch and part of what makes it such an iconic movie.
Lady Sylvia Marsh, Lair of the White Worm (1988)
Ken Russell knows that subtlety and restraint are for cowards, and one of the best examples of his outré ethos and aesthetic is Lair of the White Worm. This movie has everything: rural English folklore, horny pagan worship, and lots of hallucinogenic, blasphemous visions. There’s also Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donahoe), the evil, beautiful snake-lady devoted to stealing weird skulls and worshipping the titular White Worm (or Dionin). She’s cruel, she’s driven, and she knows how to manipulate the men and boys around her to get what she wants. And what she wants is to destroy the people who stand in her way by turning into a sick snake-human hybrid. If that’s not enough to secure her a spot on your list of favorite villains, I don’t know what to tell you!
Aunt Cheryl, Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981)
Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker is in a league of its own. The movie follows Billy Lynch (Jimmy McNichol), a teen boy who’s being raised by his neurotic, unhinged Aunt Cheryl (Susan Tyrell). When Aunt Cheryl kills someone in their house, Billy’s thrown into a murder investigation and Aunt Cheryl’s true, incestuous nature comes out. Tyrell’s performance as Aunt Cheryl is fearless and unhinged, giving an otherwise okay horror film a sharp, cutting edge. Her performance alone is enough to sell the movie and cement it as something worth watching.
Bob, Lurkers (1988)
Roberta Findlay, known primarily for her work in exploitation films and pornography, also directed several horror films. Lurkers, her horror film from 1988 has a prescient throughline about trauma decades before it would consume the horror genre, and also has one of horror’s most despicable villains: Bob (Gary Warner). The boyfriend of protagonist Cathy (Christine Moore), Bob is more than a shitty fiancée: he’s an agent of Hell. His purpose? Bring the inhabitants of an evil apartment building in New York back to their old home to fulfill their destiny of dying and repeating this cycle in the afterlife. It’s a slow-burn but deliciously cruel performance from Werner, whose bad boyfriend tendencies shift from shitty to truly unsettling.
Dark Stranger, Messiah of Evil (1973)
Messiah of Evil is as much about a haunted, possessed town cursed by evil as it is about nefarious vibes. The “Dark Stranger,” a figure that appeared in Point Dume, California 100 years before the events of the film is the source of these vibes. Rumored to be a survivor of the Donner party as well as a former minister, we get glimpses of this titular messiah of evil. Every shot of the Dark Stranger, even when he’s doing something innocuous like riding a horse, feels imbued with something sinister you can’t put your finger on. It’s a testament to the atmospheric, excruciatingly awful tension the film builds that a character with no real name holds all the power the film needs to burrow into your brain.
Categorized:Editorials
