To prepare ourselves for the true horrors that lie in the dark of the cinema when we go to see ‘Lights Out’ – we are taking a look at the most terrifying horror villains of all time. From your Jack Torrance’s to your Pennywise, this list has it all. So grab your popcorn, and make sure your feet aren’t hanging off the side of the bed as we delve into the worst of the worst.
1. Diana (‘Lights Out’)
Diana will linger in your mind for a long time after leaving the cinema. Unfortunately for characters and audiences alike, Diana can only do her haunting when the lights are out. (Beware when going to sleep tonight!) Her shadowy appearance is one of her many disorientating qualities.. that invokes extreme paranoia in anyone she chooses to terrorise. And she also has an apparent personal association with the people she chooses to haunt – who will she choose next?
2. Pennywise (‘It’)
Only known as ‘It’, this demonic entity has the ability to embody any figure but usually takes the form of Pennywise the Clown. This particularly terrifying villain (created by author Stephen King) has the ability to represent a person’s deepest, darkest fear… as we find when he returns to terrorise a group of friends (years after they were traumatised by the nightmare inducing clown as children).
3. Samara Morgan (‘The Ring’)
A face which haunted many in the mid-2000s, Samara is an eight year old girl who was murdered cruelly by her adoptive mother. Samara created the notorious ‘ring’ tape from beyond the grave in an attempt to convey the suffering and trauma she experienced. She’s sure to turn up in your nightmares after crawling out of television sets, and killing the viewers of her tape within seven days as part of her murderous and vengeful rampage on the living.
4. Hannibal Lecter (‘The Silence of the Lambs’)
In 2003, Hannibal Lecter was ranked the number one greatest villain by the American Film Institute. Hannibal is a psychiatrist and serial killer, who enjoys eating his victims and prefers to murder people who don’t have manners. Hannibal is extremely smart and cunning, his deceptive nature makes it even more difficult for his victims to escape.
5. Leatherface (‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’)
Leatherface wields a chainsaw, enjoys murdering then eating people and wears human skin masks on his face. As if his persona isn’t enough to scare you, Leatherface was based on the real-life serial killer, Ed Gein. If Leatherface isn’t lugging around his trusty chainsaw looking for victims, he can be found showing off a big sledgehammer. This is one villain you don’t want to have a chance encounter with.
6. Jason Voorhies (‘Friday the 13th’)
In the 2009 reboot of the 80s classic, the notorious masked murderer named Jason seeks vengeance for his mother’s death. Utterly relentless and seemingly unstoppable, he stalks then murders his intended victims while wearing his signature white hockey mask.
7. Freddy Krueger (‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’)
Burnt-face, home-made razor blade glove and a deal with the ‘Dream-Demons’? Sounds just like Freddy Krueger to us. He can enter the dreams of his victims and brutally murder them, which in return results in their real life deaths. Enough to cause insomnia, amirite?!
8. JigSaw (‘Saw’)
JigSaw is a strategic and meticulous villain who captures people who in his opinion don’t have an appreciation for their lives, and puts their will to live to the test. Usually victims have the option of surviving and being disfigured, or facing their ultimate end. (Isn’t that lovely?) If JigSaw’s methods weren’t already crazy and gruesome enough, he cuts out a puzzle piece shape from each of his victim’s skin to keep. (Jigsaw you are a gross villian. 😷)
9. Jack Torrance (‘The Shining’)
Struggling writer Jack Torrance decides to rebuild his relationship with his family by accepting a job at a deserted hotel in Colorado. The family believe this is the ideal solution for all of their problems, and think it could even spark some creativity in Jack’s writing. Fair to say they were wrong. A serious case of cabin fever coupled with a looming presence of the supernatural, Jack’s downward spiral is one to truly unnerve anyone.
10. Michael Myers (‘Halloween’)
On Halloween night at the young age of six – Michael Myers murdered his older sister, her boyfriend and their mother’s boyfriend.. resulting in him being put in a mental hospital. Years later he manages to escape, and begins to stalk his younger sister all while on a murderous rampage. His stoic and unemotional nature, not to mention that mask make him an extremely unnerving villain.
Now we’ve got your attention… go and see ‘Lights Out’ in UK cinemas from August 19.
