10 FAVORITES (65): Scariest Villains

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought that my latest edition of 10 FAVORITES would be a scary one.  When one thinks of Halloween, one usually tries to think of scary things.  And then I started thinking about the things that frightened me as a kid.  Of course, the obligatory scary movies made their way into my mind and several of their iconic gory images.  Then I decided that I wanted to share with you, my readers, which Movie villains from my childhood used to scare me the most.  Now, as these villains had to be scary to me when I was a kid, there had to be a cut-off date.  The Movie and its villain had to appear in the cultural lexicon before I was at least 11 or 12 (which is when I started not being so scared by images and faces I would see on the Silver Screen!).  So the Films on this list had to be released before 1990 (Apologies to Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Lord Voldemort!).  That being said, it is good that I chose this day to share this list: Friday, October 26 (I figure if Friday the 13th is unlucky, then Friday the 26th must be doubly unlucky!).  So, without further adieu, here are:

THE 10 SCARIEST VILLAINS

(FROM MY CHILDHOOD!)

VILLAINS #10
TIE:
Jack Torrance, The Shining (1980)
and
Annie Wilkes, Misery (1990)
These two are together mainly because they are both from two of Stephen King's most popular books.  But growing up, Jack Nicholson's face through that door at a terrified Shelley Duvall and Kathy Bates (in her Oscar-winning role) hobbling a bedridden James Caan were frighteningly crazy.

VILLAIN #9
The Skeksis, The Dark Crystal (1982)
As a kid, these brilliant creations by Muppet mastermind Jim Henson did exactly what they were supposed to do: frighten the children in the audience into not liking them.  Their evil, opportunistic world was dark and scary enough for the children to be wowed by the film's ultimate conclusion.

VILLAINS #8
TIE:
Monstro, Pinocchio (1940)
and
The Great White Shark, Jaws (1975)
These two go together as they are my "Villains of the Deep" (so to speak!).  Of course I saw Pinocchio before I saw Jaws (as most kids probably did!).  Monstro was one of the most frightening of Disney's villains (at least to me!) and when I saw Steven Spielberg's blockbuster, I was reminded of the scare I had watching the Disney classic.

VILLAIN #7
The Devil, The Exorcist (1973)
Who knew that sweet little Linda Blair had such a nasty mouth on her?  If you see this film as a kid (and you're raised with Catholic conceptions of Hell and damnation!), you worry that you will end up like Linda Blair and spew bile and spin your head and say horrible vile things to people.  With the latter, this film handed me a ready-made excuse!

VILLAIN #6
Norman Bates, Psycho (1960)
My father always tells the story of how his uncle took him to see this film when it first came out.  My father was only 12 at the time.  Alfred Hitchcock was a master of terror and my father learned halfway through this film how good at his job he was.  So good in fact my father ran screaming out of the theater when "Norman's mother" attacked investigator Martin Balsam.

VILLAIN #5
Mola Ram, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
I was very young when I saw this movie and well the video below should be explanation enough.  (I mean, I still can't watch this scene all the way through!)

VILLAIN #4
The Wicked Witch of the West, The Wizard of Oz (1939)
These days (thanks in part to a certain musical!) the lady with the green skin is not as frightening.  But when you're a little kid seeing this cackling flying woman threatening sweet Judy Garland (and her little dog too!), you can't help but be terrified.

VILLAINS #3
Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, The Star Wars Trilogy (1977-1983)
Darth Vader was an imposing figure enough in the first film (with that booming intimidating voice of James Earl Jones!).  By the third film, we learned he was Luke's father and was turned by an evil Dark lord.  And then we meet this Dark lord, the Emperor himself.  And boy is he a piece of work!  I mean, if it takes Vader to kill him, then you know he has to be bad!

VILLAIN #2
The Alien Queen, Aliens (1986)
In James Cameron's really well-done sequel to Ridley Scott's brilliantly terrifying 1979 sci-fi classic, we learn that the Alien from that first film was one of many.  A colony of Aliens run by a predatory and vicious Queen. The terrifying actions of this monstrous "bitch" (as Sigourney Weaver's Ripley succinctly puts it!) were so frightening to me as a kid.  To me, the Alien Queen is the scariest female villain (or "villainess") of all-time.  As for the men, see below.

AND...
VILLAIN #1
Freddy Kreuger, Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
More than Jason or Michael Myers or Leatherface or any of the other villains listed above, Freddy was truly the stuff of Nightmares.  Wes Craven cemented his master of horror/slasher film status with Robert Englund's terrifying interpretation of a deformed man who kills teens in their dreams.  He was menacing, gory and all kinds of scary.  I mean he even killed a young Johnny Depp!

10 FAVORITES (40) - Just Wild About Harry - Part 2!!!

SPOILERS, SPOILERS and more SPOILERS lie within this post today people.  So if, for some reason, you were not one of the millions of people who saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 over the weekend or you, like some sort of hermit, avoided reading J. K. Rowling's phenomenal book, then I suggest you stop reading now.

After seeing the final film in what is the most successful film series in cinematic history, I found myself loving and remembering so many scenes within the movie that thrilled me, made me cry and just overall entertained me.  So for 10 FAVORITES this week, as a follow-up to last week's, I am going to discuss:

THE 10 BEST SCENES IN

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART II

SCENE #10

Meeting Aberforth Dumbledore

When our favorite trio make their way to Hogsmeade Village outside Hogwarts, the Death Eaters' alarms are set off.  They need a place to hide and are brought into the Hog's Head Pub by a crusty old man.  Hermione immediately recognizes him as Aberforth Dumbledore, Professor Dumbledore's older brother.  Aberforth (played perfectly by Ciarán Hinds) guards the only secret passage into Hogwarts that is not overrun with Death Eaters.  He tells the trio very little and questions if Harry truly understood the Albus Dumbledore that Aberforth knew.  After Harry pledges his loyalty to the Dumbledore he learned from, Aberforth reluctantly helps them get into Hogwarts.  The Battle is about to begin!

SCENE #9

The Killing of Bellatrix Lestrange

I loved this moment, both in the book and now in the movie.  Crazy Bellatrix Lestrange (the delicious Helena Bonham-Carter) tries to curse Ginny Weasley...big mistake.  She's now angered the "Big Mama," Molly Weasley (the marvelous Julie Walters).  Molly proceeds to throw spell after spell at Bellatrix and suddenly Little Miss Loopy-Pants is no more.  Now Bonham-Carter has enchanted me playing high-born ladies and Queens of England (A Room With a View, The King's Speech), but its nice to see this crazy-ass woman (meaning Bellatrix) finally get what she deserves.  I know I was applauding, along with the rest of the audience at my screening, when Molly did what she had to do to protect her daughter.  Go Mama Weasley!  Curse that Bitch!

SCENE #8

Ron & Hermione in the Chamber of Secrets

This was the scene everybody was waiting for and talking about.  It was also the toughest for stars Rupert Grint and Emma Watson to film as it features the all-important snogging (you know, kissing!).  During the Battle of Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione take the Hufflepuff cup (a Horcrux) to the Chamber of Secrets to obtain a fang of the long dead Basilisk (which helped destroy the first Horcrux back in the 2nd book/film, The Chamber of Secrets).  After Hermione stabs the cup with the fang, that part of Voldemort's soul is destroyed and water washes over the two heroes.  In celebration, Hermione grabs Ron and kisses him passionately.  Let the "Woo-hoos!" commence.

SCENE #7

Chatting with Helena Ravenclaw

On the heels of her well-deserved Emmy nomination for HBO's Boardwalk Empire, Kelly MacDonald has an integral part of the Summer's biggest movie as the Ravenclaw House ghost, Helena Ravenclaw (daughter of House founder Rowena Ravenclaw and more commonly called The Grey Lady).  Harry is convinced that Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem (a type of crown) is a Horcrux and he must speak to Helena to find it.  In this scene, MacDonald gives an enigmatic and ethereal portrayal of a very damaged woman.  After some coaxing, Helena reveals to Harry that the diadem is in the massive Room of Requirement.  She wishes the diadem destroyed as Voldemort tainted it with "dark magic" and Harry promises to see it destroyed.

SCENE #6

Hermione Plays Bellatrix

To get into Gringott's Bank and to see what else in inside Bellatrix Lestrange's vault, Hermione must take some Polyjuice Potion and become the crazed Death Eater.  It is a delightful moment (before the excitement of the Gringotts vaults!) where we get to see Helena Bonham-Carter flex her acting chops as she plays Hermione playing Bellatrix.  It is a testament to her versatility as an actress.

SCENE #5

Snape Finally Reveals His Truth

Too many, this was the most powerful scene in the film; and while I don't necessarily agree with them, I will not deny its emotional relevance.  After a bloody and brutal death at the hands of Voldemort (and Nagini), Snape allows Harry to take his memories to the Pensieve.  It is in this scene where audiences finally understand what this man was truly all about.  We see Snape's life as an outcast child, his close friendship with Harry's mother, his jealousy of Harry's father, his willingness to turn against Voldemort, the murder of Lily and James Potter, his vow to protect Harry, his arguments with Dumbledore and his unrequited love for Lily.  All this within a matter of seconds (and the truly powerful performance of Alan Rickman!) make this a masterful sequence and has us rethinking our judgement of the Professor we loved to hate.

SCENE #4

Dumbledore Visits King's Cross

When it seems like Voldemort has placed his final killing curse on Harry, we (the audience) are transported out of the Forbidden Forest and into a white-washed and Heaven-like version of King's Cross Station in London (which is a fascinating accomplishment to anyone who has ever actually been in King's Cross Station!).  Here, Harry meets with his mentor Professor Dumbledore (the perfect Michael Gambon) and we get a little much-needed exposition.  It turns out only a part of Harry needed to die, the part of Harry that was Voldemort's accidental Horcrux.  That part lies under bench in King's Cross now and is all fetus-y and gross...and dying.  Dumbledore also reveals to Harry that he can "choose" to go back if he wishes.  Above, is a storyboard sketch of the King's Cross scene for the film as Warner Bros. is not revealing any pictures of the scene for promotional purposes.

SCENE #3

Neville Comes into His Own

This was the scene I was praying would not be cut as it is such a joyful moment for anyone who loves a story about a so-called "underdog."  And thank the movie gods that it wasn't.  After an impassioned speech to Voldemort and his cackling Death Eaters over Potter's (seemingly) dead body, Neville takes the coveted Sword of Godric Gryffindor and puts it to fantastic use.  He sees Ron and Hermione tirelessly trying to kill Voldemort's frighteningly large snake, Nagini (which turns out to be the final Horcrux), and his one swing of the sword slices the villainous reptile in half.  The audience at my screening cheered (so did I!).

SCENE #2

Harry (and Professor McGonagall!) Confront Snape

Under Voldemort's rule, Snape is running Hogwarts like it is Nazi camp.  When word that Harry is near, Snape files the students into the Great Hall to threaten and force them to reveal his whereabouts.  Harry comes forth and gives a grand "How Dare You..." speech to Snape regarding taking Dumbledore's place.  The Order of the Phoenix (The Weasleys, The Lupins, Shacklebolt et al) enter to back him up and before Snape can put his hands on Harry, McGonagall steps forward.  And what results is ALL KINDS of AWESOME!!!!

AND...

SCENE #1

Harry Uses the Resurrection Stone

This is the scene that practically wrecked me emotionally.  I knew it was coming.  I had read the book, but there is something about seeing it dramatically represented before you (whether its in the way you pictured or not!) that just tugs at your spirit.  As Harry is entering the Forbidden Forest to face his fate against the Dark Lord, he opens his Golden Snitch and out pops the Resurrection Stone (the final Deathly Hallow).  As he stares at his parents, his godfather and his favorite teacher, he begs them to be with him and they assure him that they "Always will."  And every shot of his mother's face in this scene (the charming character actress Geraldine Somerville), just had me bawling like a baby.  My brother now says that he can't take me anywhere.

The series has come to an emotional and highly profitable end.  Many Harry Potter fans will be seeing the film again and again over the next month (I might include myself in that group!).  We will likely not hear from the Wizarding World again until the DVD comes out (So for all those wishing the Potter franchise to just go away, you'll have to wait at least another six months!).  To all my fellow witches, wizards, squibs and muggles alike: Harry, you made us believe in magic and your world will live on in all of us.  Thank you J.K., for all you have given the universe.  Your creation shall live forever!

10 FAVORITES (39) - Just Wild About Harry!!!!

"It All Ends."  That is the statement that reads along the bottom of every poster for what is anticipated to be one of the biggest movies of the year: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.  Yes, the final installment of the Harry Potter film series is set to thrill and chill audiences this weekend as it opens on Friday July 15th.  It is a film that has been considered almost 15 years in the making since the first of J. K. Rowling's enigmatic novels took the world by storm back in 1997.  To some, it is almost the end of an era, as many of the younger generation feel they have grown up with the boy wizard (and his film counterpart, Daniel Radcliffe).  But what is it that has made this "Wizarding World" so fascinating to millions and millions of readers, viewers, geeks and nerds alike?  This week's 10 FAVORITES (in no particular order) is devoted to the reasons why the Harry Potter phenomenon has amassed such numbers over the past decade and how it will influence the culture for years to come.  And yes, I am aware that several media critics have discussed this topic ad nauseum already, but I feel it is fitting for this blog to address this overwhelming phenomenon as it comes to end (sort of...depending on Ms. Rowling's future plans!).

THE 10 REASONS

WHY WE LOVE HARRY POTTER

PLOT POINTS: IT ADVOCATES GOOD MORALS

It has always intrigued me that several religious notables vocalized criticism of Rowling and her canon because of its use of magic and witchcraft, calling it "Devil's work" and "Unfit for children."  But the famed author espouses a moral code within the series to which even fundamentalist Christians have aspired.  The moral of the tale (to paraphrase Ms. Rowling): Love is the Ultimate Power and it is the Choices we make that define our destiny.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: THE BEST SCHOOL IMAGINED

Who wouldn't want to go to a school like Hogwarts?  Sure, it has its typical classroom fare like History (History of Magic), Life Sciences (Herbology) and Chemistry (Potions).  But it also includes a plethora of exciting courses that anyone would be delighted to take like Transfigurations, Charms, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures and (lest we forget!) Defense Against the Dark Arts.  Why weren't my schools like this?!?

THE FILMS: THE BEST CAST EVER ASSEMBLED

No film franchise has ever had a cast like this.  Not only are they great characters, but the producers got some of the best character actors to fill these roles.  And how can you NOT have a great ensemble when you are picking from the best and brightest of the British stage and screen.  I mean, look at this list of actors and tell me you don't respect at least ONE of these names: Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham-Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Gary Oldman, Emma Thompson and need I go on?!?!?

CHARACTER-WISE: THE WUBBY WE HARDLY KNEW

I know what you're thinking: What in the heck is "a wubby?"  "A Wubby" is a type of character that appears in a story or movie (or TV show) that audiences often have a distaste for, but will occasionally surprise audiences (and other characters!) with random acts of kindness or chivalry or just plain nice behavior.  In the Harry Potter series, we have a clear "wubby," and that is Professor Severus Snape.  Snape is Harry's Potions master and seems to hate everything about Harry without even saying five words to him.  As the series progresses, we discover Snape's true motives and where his loyalty (and his heart!) in fact lie. (No SPOILERS people, READ THE BOOKS...or Watch the films!)

STORYLAND: LEAPING ACROSS MULTIPLE GENRES (AND MULTIPLE MEDIUMS!)

Okay, I'm gonna gush for a few minutes.  Rowling is a brilliant writer, plain and simple.  And a brilliant writer is just like a brilliant chef: knowing the ingredients, the measurements and how to combine it all to make a perfect dish.  Rowling, in her novels, utilizes the right elements of a multitude of genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Mystery, Horror, Romance, Drama and even Comedy!  Not only does the story appeal on so many levels, but Rowling has matched herself up with a crack marketing team.  They have managed to stamp Harry Potter on every type of media, even getting on "the ground floor" of newer technologies.  This is the kind of empire we writers dream of creating.

CHARACTER-WISE: THE ULTIMATE MENTOR

We all learn from people, but there is always that one person who gives us our most valuable lessons.  In Harry's case, he has one of the best.  Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (seriously, "Brian?") seems to be leagues ahead of everyone even before he opens his mouth.  He definitely takes to Harry like a father-figure.  And on top of all that, like Obi-Wan Kenobi or Gandalf the Grey, he makes a sacrifice that most of Pop Culture's best mentors make.

IT'S IN THE DETAILS: WE'VE GOT MAGIC TO DO!

Do I really need to explain the Power of Magic to you all?  If I do, stop reading now!

CHARACTER-WISE: THE ULTIMATE VILLAIN

You gotta love a villain whose very name sparks fear within the people of the very world he wishes to control.  Lord Voldemort (or Tom Riddle, depending on what you wish to call him!) is a baddie through and through.  He yearns to rid the Magical world of Muggle-born Witches and Wizards (even though he, himself is Muggle-born!).  And he is so frightening that is very reappearance in the fourth novel/film made readers/audiences squeamish.  Plus, who tries to kill a baby? REALLY, A BABY?!?!?

PLOT POINTS: YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FRIENDS!

One of my favorite things in any book, film, TV show, stage production, etc. I have enjoyed is the core relationship of the story.  And in Harry Potter, we have one of the most enduring and fascinating friendships we have ever seen.  From the minute the trio meet to final sentences of The Deathly Hallows, Ron and Hermione are the truest friends to Harry and he certainly never forgets it.  They are a family in every sense of the word from the very beginning.

AND...

HARRY POTTER IS ONE OF THE ULTIMATE HEROES

His destiny is foretold even before he takes his first steps or speaks his first words.  His background is one of isolation and neglect.  As unlikely (and, at times, unwilling) a hero he may be, Harry Potter grows from a wide-eyed 11 year-old to a courageous and intelligent leader.  He is willing to risk everything he holds dear to defeat the very evil that has tried to destroy him since his birth.  If that's not a hero, I don't know what is!!!

As the Harry Potter film series comes to a close, I hope all of you will think of the things you like about the world that J.K. Rowling created.  And I hope to see you all at the Movies this weekend!!!

ALSO:

Coming to Broadway Baby of CA this week:

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS

A NEW WEEKLY COLUMN!

It will discuss the various happenings in the world of Pop Culture, Entertainment and the Media.

First up, The 2011 Emmy Nominations: Who Got a Nod and Who Got Snubbed!

Look for that in the coming days.

10 FAVORITES (12) - Villain Actors

First of all, let me apologize to all those who read my blog regularly (if there are any!) and were hoping last week for a new 10 FAVORITES list. Thanksgiving week was a bit of a distraction and things slipped away from me. As a gift to the disappointed readers, I will do two lists of 10 FAVORITES this week (one today and one tomorrow). And next week, I will begin another month-long Holiday edition of 10 FAVORITES (all related to Christmas and New Year's, of course!).

The first of this week's two 10 FAVORITES lists is about actors, but not just any actors. There are many actors who can play all sorts of roles. But there are a limited amount of actors who can play the villains (and play the villains well, I might add!). Yes, there are several specific characters who are villains that we know and love (some people freakishly so!), but it is the actors who make characters like these so good. And some of these actors make their careers out of playing nasties, baddies and thieves (OH MY!). Today, I devote this list to:

THE 10 BEST VILLAIN ACTORS

HONORABLE MENTION

Mark Strong

This actor has only fairly recently been snapping up all the good villain roles, fighting Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes and Russell Crowe in Robin Hood all within the last year alone. He first came to my attention in the 2007 so-so fantasy film Stardust, in which his vicious Septimus (below) was a secondary villain to that of Michelle Pfeiffer (someone who also plays villains quite well, see my view of Batman Returns).

VILLAIN ACTOR #10

David Warner

The great character actor David Warner has almost always played a baddie. In one of his first films, 1963's Tom Jones, he played Albert Finney's nasty and cruel cousin, Bliful. Since then, he has played villains in BOTH film and television including the 1978 miniseries Holocaust (as Michael Moriarty's wicked Nazi commander) and the 1982 cult classic TRON (as the mean corporate raider, his game counterpart Stark and the voice of the evil computer itself). Below is his appearance as a Cardassian interrogator torturing Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) on a 1992 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

VILLAIN ACTOR #9

Miranda Richardson

Ladies, don't hate me, but Ms. Richardson is the ONLY woman to make this list. Maybe someday I will do the "Best Villain Actresses" to make up for it. And sure, women can be just as mean and villainous as the boys because Miranda Richardson is ample proof of that. Her performance in the great NBC miniseries Merlin as the wicked Queen Mab (below) is absolutely delicious. She followed that with a role in the miniseries Alice In Wonderland as, who else, the Queen of Hearts. Whether it is playing the aggravating Rita Skeeter in Harry Potter (not really a villain, just annoying to Harry) or the arrogant mother of Queen Victoria in The Young Victoria (with Mark Strong!) or a murderer in Sleepy Hollow (SPOILER!), she is just one of the best Villain Actresses and worthy to be on a list with the guys.

VILLAIN ACTOR #8

Christopher Lee

Ah, the great Christopher Lee has had such a career (and a resurgence in the last decade!). He has played evil wizards (in The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and evil Jedis (in the Star Wars prequels). He also had a legendary career in the Hammer Horror films of the 1960's and 1970's as Count Dracula (below). He was the first to tackle the role after Bela Lugosi had made the character so iconic. And, if nothing else, it is his deep tenor speaking voice that makes him so well known and so fitting for a villainous role (see The Last Unicorn where he voices the embittered old king).

VILLAIN ACTOR #7

Robert Mitchum

My mother was never a fan of the late Robert Mitchum and, based on some of his film roles, there was good reason! He played the evil Max Cady in the original Cape Fear and terrorized Gregory Peck (who was always Atticus Finch to me!) and his family. He also played the corrupt and wicked Reverend in Charles Loughton's The Night of the Hunter (below), which is considered his best and most famous role by many critics.

VILLAIN ACTOR #6

Christopher Walken

This is probably everybody's favorite crazy bad guy. The timber of his New York-style voice can sometimes make the ickiest of characters feel nervous. Even in one of his earliest stage roles, the Broadway production of the play The Lion In Winter, Walken played the nasty French dauphin. There truly is no one like him and there never will be. Take a look at him as a vicious (Sicilian) mobster brutalizing the late Dennis Hopper in Quentin Tarantino's violent and crazy True Romance.

VILLAIN ACTOR #5

Gary Oldman

I've said this before and I will say it again: Gary Oldman is one of the most underrated actors. Recently, he has been playing more good guys rather than the bad guys we love him as (see him in Christopher Nolan's Batman films as Jim Gordon or as Sirius Black in the Harry Potter films). But his roles as nasty and wicked bad guys made audiences realize how good an actor he is. See him as Punk's bad boy Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy or as the vicious Senator politically attacking Joan Allen in The Contender (and those aren't the worst of the baddies he's played). Of course, who could forget him as the title character in Francis Ford Coppola's retelling of Bram Stoker's Dracula. And then there is his dastardly role as a terrorist on Air Force One in, well, Air Force One (below), which is one of the finest performances of his career.

VILLAIN ACTOR #4

Tim Curry

If anyone has made a career out of playing character parts that are mean, dastardly, shady or even flat-out villains, it's Tim Curry. There really isn't much more to say about him. Just take a look at his long list of credits on IMDB. Or, better yet, just look below at his tour-de-force performance in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. His version of the classic "Sweet Transvestite" has never ever EVER been matched. He is forever linked to this role, whether he likes it or not!

VILLAIN ACTOR #3

Vincent Price

Probably the ultimate master of horror, Vincent Price just dripped with elegance and villainy in any role he played. His credits are too many to list, so like Tim Curry above, go to IMDB and take a look at the long list (literally, almost all horror films and villains!). His iconic laugh is so chilling, it even begins the trailer for one of his most famous films, House on Haunted Hill, the classic horror flick in which Price invites several people to his macabre mansion where things "go bump in the night" and beyond (below).

VILLAIN ACTOR #2

Ralph Fiennes

One of the best actors around today, Ralph Fiennes has a powerful presence and clear voice to match. Though he is great as a romantic leading man (Wuthering Heights and The English Patient), it is evil and nasty villains that we really love him for. Just remember him as a mob boss after Colin Farrell in In Bruges or the voice of the Pharoah Rameses in the highly underrated animated musical The Prince of Egypt (he even sang!). But it is two villainous roles that Fiennes will forever be noted for. The first he did way back in 1993 for Steven Spielberg in the masterpiece film Schindler's List. His Nazi commander Amon Goethe is one of the most bone-chilling and psychologically masterful performances ever captured on film. However, it is his role as Harry Potter's wizard nemesis Lord Voldemort that Ralph Fiennes will be remembered. As Voldemort, Fiennes brings the same chills and cunning he brought to Schindler's List (just look below at the trailer for the last movie, sorry no clips as Warner Brothers is very protective of the Potter franchise).

AND...

VILLAIN ACTOR #1

Alan Rickman

Hard to believe that Professor Snape would be higher than Lord Voldemort, eh? But Alan Rickman has been frightening (and delighting) audiences as villains ever since playing the evil Hans Gruber in Die Hard in 1988. Since then, he has amassed fans from films like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (below, where he is the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham) and Sweeney Todd (as the cruel judge Johnny Depp's Sweeney is after with a vengeance). And, of course, as Professor Snape in ALL of the Harry Potter films, well let's just say he makes being mean look so good.

So, there you have it: THE 10 BEST VILLAIN ACTORS. It should not be a surprise that almost all of them (save Christopher Walken and the late Robert Mitchum) are British. Maybe "the Brits" just do bad better than "the Yanks." Tomorrow, I will give you all another of my 10 FAVORITES, but it will be a much happier subject: Sesame Street!

10 FAVORITES (6) - Halloween PART II: Witches & Wizards

HALLOWEEN EDITION #2

It is the second week of October and this month's 10 FAVORITES are dedicated to the holiday of Halloween. The icons, the images, the symbols and the monsters all define the day. This week, I focus on people with magical powers. In short, the Witches and the Wizards of our cultural lexicon. Witches have been part of our history since...well, since forever. The very idea of witchcraft and wizardry has perplexed philosophers, enchanted children, excited audiences and even angered the religious community. There are so many famous magical characters but I have narrowed my favorites down to my usual list of 10 (11, if you count the Honorable Mention!). So, with a wave of my wand, let's begin!

10 FAVORITE WITCHES AND WIZARDS

HONORABLE MENTION

The Wizard of Oz, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Okay, let's get this SPOILER out of the way. He isn't really a Wizard. He's just a guy from the Midwest who landed over the rainbow in the Land of Oz and was declared its new ruler. But just the power and cadence of his name within the original L. Frank Baum story (and the many adaptations of said story including the beloved 1939 edition) means things will be resolved. For many of us, he was the first Wizard we new about and we have no other name for him other than "The Wizard."

WITCH OR WIZARD #10

The White Witch, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

Witches and Wizards are powerful beings and, like the Great and Powerful Oz, this Witch ruled a magical world. But her rule was an iron fisted rule filled with cold Christmas-less winter and she terrorized her subjects by turning lawbreakers (as she deemed them) into stone. Her cold emotionless demeanor (perfectly portrayed on film in 2005 by the brilliant Tilda Swinton) was equalled by her hatred for the Christ-like lion Aslan and all the good he represented in the C.S. Lewis created Narnia.

WITCH OR WIZARD #9

Sabrina, Sabrina: The Teenage Witch

This series has its fans and it has its detractors. But the charming and innocent titular Witch first appeared in a series of comics (created by the people behind Archie). In the 1990's, she transported to Primetime TV (ABC's TGIF night) where the spunky Melissa Joan Hart took on the role and played it for almost an entire decade (going way beyond teenage years!). The success of the series prompted an animated version that also was quite popular with the Saturday morning crowd.

WITCH OR WIZARD #8

Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty

As I said when I talked about Sleeping Beauty in my 100 Movies List, Maleficent is one of my all-time favorite Disney villains because of her motivation. Sure, she takes it WAY too far, but we all get upset or angry when we feel slighted or snubbed. Maleficent has such massive power and pure anger that she declares herself the "Mistress of ALL Evil!" and no one dares contradict her.

WITCH OR WIZARD #7 - TIE

The Witches of Eastwick, The Witches of Eastwick AND The Halliwell Sisters, Charmed

I put these two trios together because they represent the modern fantasy about Witches and covens. Men and boys everywhere (at least the ones born in my generation and after) think about the sensual and out-and-out hotness of both of these sets. The first (which appeared in John Updike's novel and its 1988 film adaptation) are just three women who have a strong connection and (subconsciously) call upon a devilish and charming man to turn their world around. The latter (which appeared on the smash-hit WB series that has legions of fans) was another Eastwick-like coven that fought demons and villains while still trying to deal with everyday life.

WITCH OR WIZARD #6

The Sorcerer, Fantasia

Sure, some of you may be wondering why this guy (who does NOT speak a word in Disney's musical masterpiece sequence of The Sorcerer's Apprentice) is so high on my list. Let me explain. As a kid, this guy frightened me. The darkness of his first appearance, the coldness of his glare, and just the manner in which he enters the room intimidated me. For me, Wizards were either kindly like the phony Wizard of Oz or this polar opposite, who could put the fear of God into the sweet and iconic Mickey Mouse.

WITCH OR WIZARD #5

Samantha Stephens (and her mother, Endora), Bewitched

Bewitched is one of the most beloved series of the 1960's. Elizabeth Montgomery's sweet and resourceful Samantha and Agnes Moorehead's catty and sarcastic Endora were immense reasons why the show was (and IS) so popular. We always loved when Samantha would twitch her nose or snap her fingers AND we grinned (with guilty pleasure) when Endora would purposely get her daughter's husband's name wrong!

WITCH OR WIZARD #4

Gandalf the White, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

I just think Middle Earth was a better place because of wise and powerful beings like Gandalf the White. He was a magnificent wizard, a great fighter and companion, and a beloved grandfather figure who could advise and make decisions. In my opinion, he is the best character in the series and competes to be one of the greatest characters created in literary history. J.R.R. Tolkien's fantastical opus was brilliant enough on the page and was brought to even greater heights when Sir Ian McKellan played the part of Gandalf in Peter Jackson's grand film versions.

WITCH OR WIZARD #3

Merlin, The King Arthur legend

There have been so many adaptations of the Arthurian legend from action films to TV series to musicals to animation to even Monty Python! Throughout the many adaptations, Merlin the Wizard tutor of the young Arthur has been an integral part of the legend. To many, Merlin is considered the ultimate Wizard, which is very understandable. But there are two franchises that eclipse the power of this mystical sorcerer (for me, at least).

WITCH OR WIZARD #2

Harry Potter (and Friends), The Harry Potter series

J.K. Rowling's tremendously successful franchise has gotten children (families, even) reading again and they are all fascinated by the Wizarding world of Harry, Ron, Hermione and all of their friends and teachers. Even the last two films in the franchise (Rowling's seventh and last book is being split into two parts to cover as much as they can of the 700 page novel) are so eagerly anticipated that the studio is sticking to the announced release date (despite not being able to convert the first part into 3D in time).

AND...

WITCH OR WIZARD #1

The Wicked Witch of the West AND Glinda the Good, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz AND Wicked

The Wizard himself was an absolute phony, but the two Witches in Oz (each from different sides of the spectrum, at least in Baum's version) were the true powerful beings in the land. The Green one was wicked, villainous (or misunderstood depending on which version you pay attention to) and just HAD to have those shoes! The Good one was beautiful, kind (or stuck-up, once again, depending on which version you pay attention to) and taught us the final moral of Dorothy's journey. Plus, how many Witches, who serve as supporting characters in one of the most beloved books/films of all-time, get to be the stars of their very own Broadway smash-hit musical?!?

So, there you have it: The Best Witches and Wizards from Pop Culture. Next week, more magical beings as I explore the many magical creatures from folklore, fairy tales and modern films. Enjoy October and...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!