FunKay's Look at Villains - The Film & TV Edition

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Okay so you’re probably thinking 'Isn't there already one of these in the Potluck Forum?' well you'd be right. FunKay's Look at Villains has been a solid success thus far and I hope it continues to be, but when I received a PM from the new overlord of the Movies & TV forum, Dave, for a separate thread right here in the Movies & TV section, I couldn't resist. So here it is, what I hope will become a weekly Tuesday tradition.

Now, our first villain is someone I was planning on doing this Friday for the other thread, however I'll be using him here to start off with (which mean Cavity Creeps on Friday, so JGlass is happy). He's one of film's creepiest villains and a devious, dark and downright diabolical demon, he is:

Reverend Harry Powell

Reverend Harry Powell is a fictional character inspired by disturbing real events. He's a ruthless man of God who goes from town to town in the 1920's and 30's preaching his own gospel. He twists and distorts and out-right manipulates his way into people's lives, especially those with lots of money. He's spent time in jail on multiple occasions and it's here where the story of The Night of the Hunter really begins for Powell. He shares a cell with a man who robbed a bank. The man refuses to tell where the money he took is, but for Powell it doesn't matter as he goes off to seduce his cellmates wife while he hangs for his crime.

Powell travels down the Ohio River to discover the now widow of his cellmate. She's a pretty woman in her 20's, and is naive. She's easily seduced by Powell, who brutally murders her with his trademark switchblade, continuing his search for the money. He realises that the children of the deceased know where it is and while playing up to the young daughter, the son remains unconvinced, something which is proved to be wise when Powell figures out where the cash is and attempts to snatch it from the children. The kids escape, travelling to a house belonging to a woman who takes in orphaned children as Powell continues to pursue them, a soldier of death riding across the wastelands of Ohio. Powell eventually discovers the children but is foiled as the police apprehend him. His plan in ruins and the children safe from his devilish grasp, Powell is hung for his crimes.

The Facts:
- Married and then murdered many widows
- Preached a gospel of evil
- Has a fanatical hatred of women and sex
- Manipulative and cunning

Powell is played marvellously by Robert Mitchum in the film version of The Night of the Hunter and it is by far one of the creepiest performances ever. Mitchum strikes a fine balance between sinister and charismatic, making the character believably convincing, but also foul and wretched. Powell is a man of darkness, relentless in his pursuit, but he's not always able to keep his emotions in check and as such I can't give him the full grade, but he comes damn close:

8/10​

Next Time: Smith's a very common name.

 

[Dave]

Thanks for helping me out, FunK.

I have not seen The Night Of The Hunter but my Grandfather talks about it fondly. He, like me, shares a love of all things film and horror. Although this movie movie doesn't exactly fit the bill as a horror movie, it is as close to it as you will get without being called such. I remember on one occasion, when my Grandfather and I were talking, he mentioned Harry Powell and at such a young age, the way he painted the picture of our greedy antagonist, it sent shivers down my spine.

However, I have yet to fin a good copy of The Night Of The Hunter to find out just how chilling a performance Mitchum gave as Harry Powell. That being said, the picture you have now painted of him has given me extra impetus to go and find one.

An 8/10 is a damn respectable score for a movie villain that thrived in the 50's and shows that sometimes older does mean better. This movie, in particular seems to work well for Mitchum's character within the film0noir category. Honestly, having heard of him beforehand and watching parts of the movie on Youtube, I think I agree with the scoring. A chilling performance in a movie that probably lent itself to his character more than anything.

Next up, it has to be Agent Smith from The Matrix, right?

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

So this week we take a look at someone whose strength lies in numbers. Someone who's crafty and looks damn good in a suit. A man with a common name, but a not so common purpose.

Agent Smith

Smith is one of the main players in the Matrix franchise. He's the central antagonist, and is considered the flip-side of Neo, the central protagonist (or so the third film in the series claims). Smith however would begin as someone very small in the giant world of the Matrix. Smith is an 'Agent', someone who keeps balance in the Matrix by terminating anyone deemed too instable. Smith leads a group of three agents in the first Matrix film to take out Neo. Smith is the apparent leader and more powerful of the three and even kills Neo at one point, only to be defeated by a resurrected Neo. It is presumed that Smith is deleted. How wrong they were.

Smith returns in The Matrix Reloaded where he has been 'set free' or 'unplugged' from the Matrix. He is but a free man. His powers have changed also. Before he was able to jump from one human body to another, know he is able to replicate himself onto another, retaining their memories. He begins to duplicate himself over and over again, believing in an unseen purpose that ties Neo and himself together. By The Matrix Revolutions, Smith is almost in total and utter control of every human in the Matrix. Smith even takes over the deity like Oracle, giving him the power of foresight. He engages Neo in a final battle where he totally and utterly batters Neo, claiming his purpose is to end life. Neo however outwits Smith who becomes confused by Neo allowing himself to be assimilated, and is destroyed by the other antagonists in the Matrix series, the Machines.

The Facts:
- Superhuman attributes
- Develops independence from the Matrix
- Ability to copy himself onto another person
- Copies himself onto almost everyone including the Oracle and nearly Neo
- Believes his purpose in life is to end life itself

Smith is a scary idea for a villain. He's a remorseless killer who has the power to take your entire life without killing you, rather he becomes you. That in and of itself is a scary thought. Hugo Weaving plays Smith and he's pretty damn good at it. He plays the character with a cold edge and you can see he clearly enjoys doing it. He's arguably the most consistent player throughout the entire series and it's pretty damn fun to watch him. I hadn't realised that Smith was so evil. He's got a pretty damn diabolical resume and as such I have to award him:

9/10​

Next Time: The number 3 mean a lot to this TV killer.

 

[JGlass]

Interesting, I learned a lot about Smith here. I didn't watch the third movie, so learning about how Neo finally killed him was pretty sweet. I'm guessing Neo sacrificed himself as well when the machines killed Smith? If Neo died, then who killed the machines, or do the machines win? That would be a sad day for humanity.

I agree with the 9/10. While Smith is just about as bad as you can get, the machines were the really evil ones, he was just a soldier for the regime. An extremely dedicated, deadly soldier, yes, but a soldier nonetheless.

No idea who next week's villain could be.

 

[Dave]

Smith is a great villain and a villain that I grew up with. The Matrix series being what it was, it really needed a great villain to balance it out and Smith is exactly what they were looking for. The fact that I grew up on these movies perhaps makes me slightly biased towards him but he is just the quintessential bad guy.

Dangerous at all times, Smith was an ever-present worry for the real Earth-dwellers and given that there is hundreds of Agents, Smith really is a menacing figure in his finely-polished suit and tie. What I love about Smith is that he is the only one who seems able to keep up with Neo. He is remorseless and unwavering in his pursuit of ultimate control and his personality is cold as ice. When you couple that with the fact that he is able to replicate himself with any human being in existence, it is not hard to see why you have given him a glowing score. He is brutally cunning and merciless and 9/10 is a great score for him.

His fights with Neo are the highlights of the Matrix series and it is simply because he is the equal and opposite of Neo at all times. I know that our protagonist finally gets the better of him but throughout the film series, Smith is a deadly killer that will do anything to eliminate Neo and his band of renegades. A joy to behold, Smith really brought life to the Matrix series.

As for next week, I know who it is because I suggested it and I can't wait to see it.

 

[LSN80]

One of the things I loved about Agent Smith was the idea behind his character was a foreign one at the time. His ability to make physical alterations to the Matrix, its inhabitants themselves, being able to dodge bullets and inhabit the bodies of other humans, at anytime. But even though his main objective was to keep order within the Matrix, he was able to bend the rules of the Matrix himself. This, is essence, not only made him the quintessential bad guy, but it made him a contemporary one as well. We've seen other movies since, anything from Jumper to Wanted, incorporate such characteristics, but Smith was the first.

Along with being a contemporary, he was the quintessential bad guy. He was emotionless, soulless, with no empathy or regard for others. He manipulated others in order to get what he wanted then disposed of them without remorse. His attempts to possess both Neo and Morpheus at times during the franchise were the epitome of arrogance, as he was essentially attempting to inhabit "The One" and the Leader of Zion respectively. His taunts to Neo during the final battles were outstanding. The can you feel it? Can you feel it, Mr. Anderson?" was stuff of legend that Ill never forget, as he taunted the seemingly overmatched Neo. Couple this was the fact that his goal was to end humanity and all, and a 9/10 seems about right for him.

As one other note, Hugo Wearing was brilliant in the role. There were no redeeming qualities or even the remote hint of humanity in Agent Smith, because Wearing was so good. As FunKay said, he really put himself into the role, as he was the most consistent character throughout.

As for next week, I dont have the slightest clue. I can't think of what villian had #3 mean alot to them, although Ill likely kick myself when I realize the connection when revealed.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

A really good touch before Neo even enters the Matrix, was that his boss talks and looks like Agent Smith, as if the program of 'tormentor' presented a certain look and character to whoever represented it, be it the boss or Smith.

The problem that Smith faced in the latter 2 films, was that the potential behind the character was a lot further ahead of the actual practicalities.

Take the fight between Neo and the Smiths in Reloaded; the first time you watch it it's amazing because its unlike anything seen before (to that scale and duration I mean.) Yet when you watch it now, after around a minute maybe you understand you may as well be watching a computer game as the physical actors are taken out of the equation.

It's amazing CG, but Smith is a villain that depends not on his fighting skills, but on his personality and character traits. He has a slow and deliberate manner of speaking, he rarely smiles and when he does it's maniacal. For me the moment that encapsulates his character best is the interrogation with Neo in the first Matrix. From the un-tying of his file, to his little pauses and facial expressions reading through the charges and to the first clue that there is something greater and unexplainable going on; "What use is a phone when you can't... speak?" We'd only seen him chasing Trinity earlier, then this scene lets the audience know this isn't a guy to fuck with.

Just re-read LSN's post which reminded me of another great touch; his continual habit of calling Neo 'Mr Anderson' as it was such a dismissive little nuance.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

This week’s character was a personal request from Dave. Last week I hinted that 3 meant a lot to this guy. It plays into his killer nickname as well as a series that the actor portraying him is arguably most famous for being in. This killer is none other than:

The Trinity Killer - Arthur Mitchell

The Trinity Killer is one of the United States of America's most notorious murderers. He began killing 30 years ago and has left a trail of death and destruction across the USA. The name stems from the cycle in which the killer's victims are done:

1: He kills a young woman in a bath using a chokehold, before slicing her throat and watching her face in a mirror as she dies
2: He kidnaps a married mother of two and forces her to jump off of an abandoned building
3: He bludgeons to death a father of two with a hammer

To complete the cycle, the ashes of Miller's sister are spread with the victims are pointing towards the ashes. The cycle is repeated across the country. This is all done while Miller manages to balance his home life with his wife and Christian Aid Work which he uses as a cover for his murders across the country. The cycle stems from the real life deaths of members of Miller's family. His sister died in the bath, his mother committed suicide by jumping from a building and his father was beaten to death (possibly by Miller himself).

Dexter Morgan is fascinated by Miller and befriends him. The relationship starts off friendly with Dexter even meeting Miller's family, but he soon learns that Miller is an abusive husband and rules his house with an iron fist. Morgan almost kills him after Miller almost strangles his own son. Morgan soon discovers that Miller holds further secrets. First off, he has a secret daughter. The daughter was witness to a murder of Miller's as a child and is from prior relationship to his marriage. The daughter, Christine, is obsessed with winning the love of her father, but ultimately only makes things worse and eventually kills herself. The other major secret we learn is that Miller actually has four victims in his cycle with the first of each being a child whom Miller kidnaps, drugs and buries alive.

The final twist in the tail of the Trinity Killer is a dark one indeed. Dexter Morgan finally tracks Miller down and murders him, but not before he tells Dexter that he'll end up just like him. We, the viewer, also learn that Miller has killed Morgan's wife and left their infant child in a pool of blood, similar to how Dexter himself become a sociopath.

The Facts:
- Mass murderer
- Ability to balance home life with murder sprees
- Causes his daughters own suicide
- Kills Dexter's wife

Miller is played by the wonderful John Lithgow who is usually a magnificent actor and here was no different. Lithgow manages to bring a charisma to Miller while also retaining the dark, sadistic and twisted portions of the character. As you can tell, Miller isn't exactly the nicest guy in the world. He's pretty much the ultimate serial killer and has a track record second to none. He does however occasionally fall into a trap that is his own anger and leads to several problems for Miller.

9/10​

Next Time: Dun-dun, dun-dun, dun-dun, dun-dun, dun-dun...

 

[Dave]

Trinity is one of the best TV killers of our generation and giving him 9/10 is a great result. For one thing, the initial character comes from Dexter and that is ashow that never really seems to get the credit it deserves. Still, of all the villains in the show and on TV, this one was the only one that I really wanted to see being examined.

As I watched Dexter and Miller jostle for supremacy, I remarked to myself how good TV can be and how John Lithgow managed to bring his character to a dangerously brilliant level. As FunKay said, his character is a mix of sheer charisma and utterly devastating danger. He remains a character that will simultaneously puts the fear fo God in me and leave me wanting more. Words cannot describe how good John Lithgow was in this role and he really brought his own personality to the show.

As for Mitchell, he really is the paradigm of what a good serial killer is. Yes, Dexter managed to get the better of him in one instance but you could make a case that Mitchell left a much bigger hole in the life of Dexter. I honestly thought that Mitchell was one of the creepiest and most sadistic killers that I have seen on TV and even Dexter found it difficult to deal with his persistent nuances.

Mitchell is a great character and is a joy to behold. I sincerely think that he is the best serial killer to line up against Dexter and perhaps one of the spine-chilling deviants ever.

Awesome work, FunK.

Next week, it has to be Jaws, right?

 

[nightmare]

The Trinity Killer took Dexter & turned it upside down. An already great show was brought to greater heights by including the charater played by John Lithgow. His acting ability had gone unnoticed at times until this run on screen & its a shame more folks dont enjoy his work.

Trinity gave Dex a run for his money to say the least. He always seemed to be one step ahead & definately put a bigger dent in the life of our freind Dex than he left on Trinity. The fact that his character had evaded the 'great' Lundy all these years was a testament to his genius as a killer. The attention to detail & meticulous pattern was an insane idea to be able to keep going all those years. Down right pure evil.

I have made a few people start watching the show because of his character. Many of them havent ever seen an episode till that season & now i have them reading the books as well.


Great choice.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

So following a break to recharge my batteries, the movie edition of the Look at Villains returns with a look at one of the most famous monsters in film history. A killer so scary it made you stay away from the water and whose arrival was brought to our attention by arguably the most well known piece of music in film history, I can of course only be talking about:

The Jaws Franchise Sharks

The killer shark from the original Jaws first came to the attention of audiences across the world in 1975 when he attacked off the coast of an island in New England. To be more exact, he attacked the residents of Amity Island and it was the job of Martin Brody (Rob Scheider) to stop the shark from killing any more people. After several failed attempts to kill the shark and capturing the wrong shark, Brody turns a hunt to kill the shark into something much more personal as he sets sail with professional shark hunter Quint and marine biologist/consultant to Brody, Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss). The trio drink and have a good time before being attacked by the deadly killer. The shark devours Quint and as Brody believes Hooper to be dead, he is the last man standing. He soon realises that the shark has a propane tank in its mouth and shoot it with a rifle, causing it to explode and kill the fiendish creature.

In Jaws 2, Brody does battle with yet another shark. Having to defeat it by himself after the townspeople don’t believe him, Brody sets sail to stop the shark from consuming some teens (including his sons), Brody once again emerges victorious. In Jaws 3D, Dennis Quaid stars as one of Brody’s sons who holds an important role in a waterpark in Florida, where a baby shark kills several visitors to the park. Once it’s killed, it becomes quickly apparent that a mother shark is nearby and the Brody Boys (as the other son is visiting) have to take out that shark. In Jaws: The Revenge, the plot returns to its origins in Amity Island where an incredibly odd twist occurs; Brody’s wife (Lorraine Gary) becomes convinced that another shark is stalking her family and she leads a team consisting of one of her sons, his friend and Michael Caine playing a character named after a sandwich (seriously, his name’s Hoagie) to take down the final shark, this time electrocuting it until death.

The Facts:
- Personal stalkers of the Brody family.
- Killed many people between them.
- Caused huge amounts of terror and hysteria as people refused to go into the water.

Make no mistake here, Jaws is a terrifying threat and a truly incredible movie monster. When you can scare people out of doing something pretty ordinary like swimming, you know you’ve got a successful monster on your hands. But at the same time, that’s all Jaws is, a monster. There are no plots, ploys or schemes. There isn’t any real brains behind the brawn as it’s all monstrous killing. It works but it doesn’t make him much of a villain, more a brainless killing machine. For that reason I give the shark:

4/10​

Next Time: They advertised Kit Kats, how bad can they be?