Since birth, we’ve been indoctrinated with a love of horror, whether we knew it or not. The first game your mother would play with you involved her hiding behind her hands and then shouting, “Boo!” We would get taught folk tales that involved a witch wanting to eat children or a wolf wearing the skin of an elderly woman. Some of us were warned of the Krampus, who’d kidnap misbehaving little boys and girls. We’d play Bloody Mary and watch old Disney films. You know, the scary ones. It was a lifetime of preparation for horror. Because deep down, we all have an innate desire to be frightened. We crave it and these characters scare us better than any others. Since this list encompasses the entire history of horror, every genre (and subgenre) is represented. Everything from creature features to kinder trauma, action movies to horror comedies are eligible. I combined characters if they worked as a duo or a group and I excluded animals (save for one) unless they were supernaturally possessed or if they had an internal monologue so that we could understand their motivations. I also only included characters from thrillers if they targeted children. This list is a celebration of horror and the icons that help us lose sleep at night.
These are the 500 Greatest Horror Characters of All Time.
300. Zelda (Andrew Hubatsek) | Pet Sematary (1989)
If you watched the original Pet Sematary, especially as a kid, you remember Zelda. She was easily the creepiest thing from that movie that left a spine-tingling impression on all viewers. Relegated mostly to flashbacks, Zelda was the Goldstein family’s dirty little secret. The older sister to then 8-year-old Rachel, Zelda suffered from spinal meningitis, a disease that caused Zelda’s spine to painfully deform as she wasted away in the back bedroom physically and mentally. The practical effects used only amplified her creepiness and here is the kicker, she was played by a man. Andrew’s voice and physicality helped make Zelda into pure nightmare fuel. Her inclusion feels like Stephen King not trusting his story to be scary enough, so he threw in a memorable hail mary to salvage a shaky narrative and he was right to do so. This should never have been a feature-length film. There’s only enough plot to make a 30-minute anthology segment. It’s a padded story with a handful of memorable moments, the best of which is Zelda.
—Vincent Kane
299. The Thing (James Arness) | The Thing From Another World (1951)
Since both took inspiration from the same source material, it’s almost impossible not to make comparisons to the John Carpenter remake, and while the remake is superior in every way, it’s still enjoyable to see what story elements are different (there are a lot of them) and what got changed for the better. It’s easier to approach both versions as their own thing, rather than trying to pit them against each other because the original really doesn’t stand a chance. And that’s not due to it being bad, quite the contrary, it’s because it has the unfortunate luck of being tied to the greatest remake of all time. Taken on its own terms, The Thing from Another World is a solid monster film. The pace is a bit slow but once they introduce the carrot monster around the halfway point, it really starts to pick up steam. It may not have the same game-changing special effects or awesome creature design but it does have an almost 7 ft tall James Arness dressed as a space vegetative causing havoc on an Arctic base and with Howard Hawks behind the camera, that’s enough.
298. Buffy (Kristy Swanson) | Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992)
While the film itself was met with mixed reviews and is often overshadowed by the television series, Kristy Swanson’s portrayal of Buffy is still remembered as a fun and entertaining take on the character. Just like her television counterpart, Buffy Summers is a seemingly stereotypical high school cheerleader who discovers her destiny as the Slayer, a chosen warrior tasked with battling vampires and other supernatural forces. Swanson’s Buffy starts as a shallow and self-absorbed teenager who only cares about fashion, popularity, and social life.
However, her world is turned upside down when she meets Merrick (Donald Sutherland), a mysterious Watcher who informs her of her role as the Slayer. Initially reluctant and dismissive, Buffy gradually embraces her newfound responsibilities as she trains to fight vampires and protect her friends and town from the evil vampire king, Lothos (Rutger Hauer). Swanson brings a balance of humor, charm, and toughness to the role, giving Buffy an air of reluctant heroism. Her portrayal reflects the film’s lighter, campy tone compared to the darker, more serious tone of the later Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. Swanson’s Buffy captures the essence of the character’s early arc—a reluctant hero who evolves from a shallow valley girl to a confident, capable warrior.
297. Lestat (Tom Cruise) | Interview with the Vampire (1996)
Upon learning that Tom Cruise had been cast in the lead role of Lestat, author Anne Rice was livid and stated Cruise could not carry the part, calling the casting “so bizarre; it’s almost impossible to imagine how it’s going to work” and “the worst crime in the name of casting since The Bonfire of the Vanities“. But in a rare turn, the author actually recanted her harsh critique of the actor after she saw it and not only personally wrote Cruise a letter of apology, she took out a two-page ad in both Vanity Fair and the New York Times calling the film a “masterpiece.”
That’s how good both Cruise and the film are, that the author herself had to publicly apologize. Gloriously gay and wonderfully camp, Interview with the Vampire is a gothic love story between two immortal men trying to raise a child together. But since this is a pulpy melodrama, the two undead queens bicker and bitch and constantly try to kill each other. It’s got all the high school soap opera trappings of the Twilight films mixed with the moody atmosphere of a Hammer horror with a touch of Grand Guignol. I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece but Rice was right to walk back her complaints, it’s an excellent vampire film that does justice to both her novel and the genre as a whole.
296. Elizabeth/Frakenhooker (Patty Mullen) | Frankenhooker (1990)
Who doesn’t want to see a lost loved one at least one more time? Especially after losing them to a tragic event like being chopped up by a remote-controlled lawnmower. Well, Jeffery doesn’t want only to see his deceased girlfriend, he wants to resurrect her and the only way he can is by using the body parts of prostitutes. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Frankenhooker. Once this previously innocent and sweet girl is brought back to life, the hooker parts take over and she can only repeat phrases from the ladies of the night. “Wanna date? Got any money?” You know, the classics. She is just a working girl walking the streets doing what she knows best, but don’t worry, Frankenhooker and feminism win in the end.
—Vincent Kane
295. The Tragedy Girls (Brianna Hildebrand & Alexandra Shipp) | Tragedy Girls (2017)
This is probably one of the most chilling entries on this list since this is something that could very well be happening at your local school today. It is just a matter of time some teenager figures out the best way to improve their social media status is to become a maniacal murderer because let’s face it, our online identity is what gives validation nowadays, right? Right?! Sadie and McKayla seem like your typical high school girls. Cheerleaders, pretty, social media obsessed. Scary enough I know. However, these girls are on a mission to hit all-time likes and shares by kidnapping an actual masked serial killer, force him to mentor them in their murderous ways while creating their own brand. These vixens are a joy to watch in this slasher satire.
—Vincent Kane
294. Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) | The Witch (2015)
Thomasin is the eldest daughter of a family of religious extremists in colonial America. (Like, the Puritans weren’t strict enough for them.) Ostracized from their community, the family builds a farm on the edge of a forest – only to have darkness and horror confound their lives. Thomasin, played by Anya Taylor-Joy in her breakout role), struggles with the problems and desires of all adolescents – rebellion, desire, freedom, and anger. All of this is compounded by the attention of a force of darkness – a witch.
Thomasin is a complicated and intriguing character. Full of life, charm and even humor, there is also a streak of rebellion and surliness. And a growing fear. She strains at the chains her family imposes on her, but in doing so she opens the opportunity for dark forces to cast blame on her for the loss of wealth, of a life, of innocence. Thomasin isn’t a bad person, but her behavior and the terror the family lives under causes her to be cast in the form of one, until her own mother can only see her as a witch who must be destroyed. In the end, she finds herself freed from one set of bonds, only to be chained to another.
—Bob Cram
293. The Frog Brothers (Corey Feldman & Jamison Newlander) | The Lost Boys (1987)
Edgar and Allen work at the local comic shop, mostly to pick up tips on how to deal with the stinking vampires. Full of adolescent attitude, the Frog Brothers are freaking hilarious and obviously deluded. Except it turns out that there really ARE vampires in Santa Carla. It’s fun to see teenage boys affecting a world-weary monster hunting vibe, and just as fun to see that super-serious attitude punctured on occasion (sometimes by Sam (Corey Haim), and sometimes by the very vampires they’re hunting). As laughable as they can sometimes be, the Frog Brothers can actually manage to kill the occasional vampire. Sometimes even on purpose.
—Bob Cram
292. Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) | The Birds (1963)
Melanie Daniels is a spoiled, rich, city girl, a protagonist in a romantic comedy who learns to life lessons from the handsome young lawyer living in the country and… (checks notes) from the dramatic assault of millions of killer birds. Actually, Melanie is much more complicated than that, and the great tragedy of the film is that she starts off strong and independent and ends up semi-catatonic and dependent on the previously described lawyer. (To be fair, this is after being attacked by dozens of birds in a dark room.) Before then, though, she’s clever, independent, brave and able to face an avian apocalypse with only a stray hair or two out of place.
—Bob Cram
291. Paul Sheldon (James Caan) | Misery (1990)
While Kathy Bates got all the glory (and golden statues) for her role in Misery, I think James Caan deserves almost as many accolades. Caan manages to give a riveting performance as the writer Paul Sheldon, bed-ridden after a bad car accident and at the mercy of a psychopathic ex-nurse. Much more restrained (literally) in his choices, Caan provides a perfect picture of a man in duress – showing fear, frustration, pain, misery and murderous rage. I really believed he’d had his ankles broken in that scene, that’s how good Caan made it look. The film is basically a two-hander, and yeah, Annie is definitely the dominant hand, but Paul and his attempts to survive are the reasons I keep coming back.
—Bob Cram
290. Donna Trenton (Dee Wallace) | Cujo (1983)
Dee Wallace portrays Donna Trenton, a mother who finds herself trapped in a horrific fight for survival. Her performance stands as the emotional and psychological anchor of the film, which focuses on a terrifyingly simple yet intense premise: Donna and her young son are trapped in a car by a rabid dog named Cujo. When she and her son drive to a mechanic’s remote farmhouse and their car breaks down, they are confronted by a massive St. Bernard that has been driven mad by rabies. As the situation escalates and they are stuck in the car under the blazing sun with no escape in sight, Donna’s desperation and maternal instincts come to the forefront.
Wallace expertly conveys Donna’s fear, determination, and physical exhaustion as she tries to protect her son while battling dehydration, exhaustion, and Cujo’s relentless attacks. The gradual psychological breakdown Donna experiences feels authentic and heart-wrenching, making the audience feel her helplessness and desperation. Wallace’s portrayal of Donna is raw and visceral. She transforms from a flawed, conflicted woman into a mother who will stop at nothing to save her child, adding depth to what could have been a one-dimensional “final girl” role.
289. Grace (Nicole Kidman) | The Others (2001)
Grace is the mother of two young children – Ann and Nicolas (Alakina Mann and James Bentley) – who each suffer from intense photosensitivity. As a result, all the shades are drawn, and the family lives in their massive house in almost complete darkness. With the arrival of new servants, the family begins to experience manifestations that may or may not be a haunting, leading Grace through fear, regret, horror, and a grudging acceptance as events reveal themselves.
I love Grace, who Kidman invests with a nervous energy that never tips over into hysteria. There’s a steely center to Grace, a resolve, that manifests itself sometimes in her overprotective nature (at least with regard to her children) and her willingness to confront things that are terrifying to her. The closest she comes to losing it is when her husband – who she believes died in the war – returns. It’s a moment where she believes she could finally be safe… but of course even that is denied her. A layered and nuanced performance by Kidman makes Grace one of the more memorable characters in this classic, M. R. James-type ghost story.
—Bob Cram
288. Maddie (Kate Siegel) | Hush (2016)
We have seen home invasion movies before 2016’s Hush and it is no different for the viewer as we yell at the screen to instruct the unsuspected victim, but this one really can’t hear you. What helped set this movie apart is that the final girl is deaf. The villain toys with his prey as he learns of her disability (or handicapableness?) and she must fight off this masked intruder by overcoming a sadistic killer but her inability to hear as well. Maddie shows a lot of grit and smarts as she goes toe to toe with the intruder by not only taking a licking but dishing out her own damage as well. Maddie is one tough cookie that isn’t defined or hindered by her disability.
—Vincent Kane
287. Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) | Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Uncle Charlie is one of Hitchcock’s most memorable villains, a seemingly normal man whose malevolence is all the more unsettling because it is hidden behind a mask of charm and familiarity. Cotten’s performance elevates Shadow of a Doubt into one of Hitchcock’s most psychologically rich and suspenseful films. Uncle Charlie arrives in the seemingly idyllic town of Santa Rosa to visit his sister’s family, including his young niece, Charlie Newton (Teresa Wright), who idolizes him and shares a special bond with him. However, as the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that Uncle Charlie is hiding a dark secret: he may be the “Merry Widow Murderer,” a serial killer who preys on wealthy widows. What makes Uncle Charlie such a compelling and terrifying villain is Cotten’s ability to maintain his character’s likability while also imbuing him with an undercurrent of malice.
He manipulates those around him, especially his niece, while still maintaining an air of superiority and disdain for the world, particularly in his cynical view of humanity. Cotten’s smooth, almost effortless transition between affable and threatening creates a sense of unease throughout the film. Hitchcock expertly uses Cotten’s performance to play with the audience’s sympathies. There are moments where Uncle Charlie’s charisma almost makes you forget the heinous acts he is accused of, only to have Cotten bring the character’s darker impulses back to the forefront.
286. Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo) | The Howling (1981)
Eddie is a brutal serial killer who is being pursued by news anchor Karen White (Dee Wallace), setting the film’s horror-thriller tone. During a sting operation, Karen meets Eddie in a seedy adult theater, where he tries to attack her. Although Eddie is apparently killed in the confrontation, his sinister presence lingers over the story. Karen is traumatized by the encounter and is sent to a remote therapy retreat called “The Colony,” where she begins to uncover the terrifying truth about Eddie and the werewolves lurking in the area.
Picardo’s portrayal of Eddie Quist is chilling because of his calm, almost seductive menace. Unlike many horror villains, Eddie is intelligent and manipulative, with an unnerving blend of charm and violence. Even before his full transformation into a werewolf, Eddie exudes an animalistic, predatory energy that makes him unsettling. His transformation scene is one of the most iconic in horror cinema, featuring groundbreaking special effects by Rob Bottin. As Eddie morphs into a werewolf, Picardo’s performance becomes even more intense, amplifying the horror as his true monstrous form is revealed.
285. Ricky ‘Jupe’ Park (Steven Yeun) | Nope (2022)
Although he’s a supporting character, Ricky “Jupe” Park is the key to unlocking the best theme of the movie. As a child actor, Jupe starred in a sitcom called Gordy’s Home, which ended in disaster when a trained chimpanzee, Gordy, went berserk on set and attacked the cast. Jupe, who survived the attack by sheer luck, has internalized the traumatic event in a peculiar way. Instead of confronting his trauma, he commodifies it—turning the horrific memory into a sideshow attraction by maintaining a private museum filled with Gordy’s Home memorabilia and charging visitors for the experience.
Jupe’s fixation on spectacle continues with his theme park, Jupiter’s Claim, where he attempts to profit off of the mysterious UFO phenomenon that haunts the rural California desert. Jupe appears charming and entrepreneurial, a man who has capitalized on his fame and survived a bizarre tragedy. However, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Jupe has not processed the trauma of the Gordy’s Home incident and, instead, sees it as part of a larger narrative of his life where he was “chosen” or special.
This delusion drives him to dangerously underestimate the alien entity hovering over his theme park, treating it as another opportunity for fame and spectacle. Jupe’s arc serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of exploiting trauma and spectacle for personal gain. His hubris in trying to tame and exploit the UFO for a live audience leads to one of the film’s most shocking and horrific sequences, as the alien entity consumes Jupe, his family, and his audience in a violent display of the very spectacle he sought to control.
284. The Gemini Killer (Brad Dourif) | Exorcist III (1990)
The Gemini Killer is introduced through a strange and terrifying series of murders that mimic the real-life Zodiac Killer’s modus operandi. Though believed to be executed years earlier, his spirit has somehow returned, using the body of Father Karras (Jason Miller) as a vessel to continue his killing spree. The character appears in the form of James Venamun, the Gemini Killer’s original identity, and Dourif portrays this role with an unsettling intensity. His eerie calmness, when recounting his murders or taunting Detective Kinderman (George C. Scott), is made all the more terrifying by the glimpses of madness and cruelty that lie just beneath the surface. Dourif’s ability to shift from soft-spoken, articulate reflections to violent outbursts adds to the character’s menace, making him feel truly unhinged yet eerily composed.
What makes the Gemini Killer such an effective villain in The Exorcist III is not just his homicidal nature but the philosophical weight behind his character. Much of his dialogue is laced with existential musings on life, death, and evil. This intellectual component makes his evil more insidious, as he seems to revel in the act of murder not only as a physical crime but as a philosophical statement against the world. Dourif’s portrayal emphasizes this duality—he’s not just a killer, but a man who takes a perverse pleasure in the horror he causes, almost like a warped artist in the medium of death.
283. Christiane (Edith Scob) | Eyes Without a Face (1960)
The title alone sets an uncomfortable tone in this early French horror film about a surgeon trying to fix his daughter’s disfigured face after a horrible accident. Imagining a set of eyes that don’t have a face is creepy enough and then we meet those eyes. We don’t get to spend too much time with Christiane before her accident. Therefore, we don’t know if she was always this deranged or did the accident fracture something or was it simply her dad’s doing by performing these heinous surgeries. Christiane’s unsettling look and murderous ways would be one of the most memorable female figures of early horror even influencing one of the greatest male villains of all time. John Carpenter once said that Christiane’s blank face was an inspiration for Michael Myers’ famous mask.
—Vincent Kane
282. Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe) | The Lighthouse (2019)
The Lighthouse is everything Eggers has ever loved or was inspired by, thrown into one giant pot. The film feels like Kubrick doing Bergman doing H.P Lovecraft. Shots linger on images far too long, the pace is glacier, nothing is ever explained and the sound design and aspect ratio are designed to make you claustrophobic and annoyed, which is a good thing. This film’s idea of answering a riddle, is to provide the audience with an even crazier riddle. Since the meaning behind the events of the film are up for interpretation, I don’t believe it’s a spoiler to say that the film juggles at least five or so explanations. The main characters could both be dead and are now in purgatory or hell, they could be the same person, there could be a force within the lighthouse that’s driving them mad or it could just be a tale of insanity.
What’s not in question however, is the power of Dafoe’s acting in it. He’s chewing up the scenery like it’s made of lobster. It’s so big and over the top, it threatens to turn the entire movie into a comedy but somehow, Dafoe makes it work. It’s calibrated in such a way, that it makes you question not only his intentions but whether or not he’s real. He could be a sea god tormenting Pattinson’s character, his character decades in the future driven mad by isolation and the drink or a manifestation of his guilt. Or he could just be a lighthouse keeper who likes to fart and jerk off constantly. It’s impossible to know and it’s a testament to the strength of this performance that it keeps you guessing.
281. Kay (Julie Adams) | Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
Kay Lawrence is a scientist at a marine biology institute, a valued colleague and insightful scientist in her own right. But all anyone remembers is that damn white bathing suit. Julie Adams does cut quite the imposing figure in the suit, though, and she’s appealing enough to attract the attention of a batrachian monstrosity “out of the Devonian age.” The titular gillman of the film.
All kidding aside, Kay is astoundingly beautiful, and even as a kid I kinda felt sorry for the Creature as he pined for her. I didn’t really think about the implications, but I ended up having Guillermo Del Toro spell it all out for me as an adult. I always wonder what the Creature must be thinking, though – is he the last of his kind? Is that why he’s so attracted to Kay? Or is it just the swimsuit? Certainly he spends the next two movies pursuing ladies dressed the exact same way. For me, though, they’re all pale reflections of Kay.
—Bob Cram
280. Professor Bernard Quatermass (Brian Donlevy / Andrew Keir) | Quatermass (Franchise)
Bernard Quatermass is the science-hero protagonist of a series of Hammer adaptations of BBC television serials. Played by American Brian Donlevy in the first two films – The Quatermass Xperiment and Quatermass 2 – Quatermass seems a very smooth and confident scientist (even though his British Rocket Group completely miscalculates the orbit of a rocket ship). Creator and writer Nigel Kneal thought Donlevy was completely miscast, and even refused to work on the first film adaptation as a result. (He did swallow his pride to work on Quatermass 2.)
While I enjoy the first two films, I much prefer the third – Quatermass and the Pit (aka 5 Million Years to Earth in the US). Quatermass was played in that film by Andrew Keir, and it’s his portrayal of a man of moral certitude, keen scientific mind, intense curiosity and personal idiosyncrasies that I most remember. Kier’s version of Quatermass is a man resistant to military takeover of his beloved rocket group, curious about (and deferential to) another scientist’s work, and concerned – even fearful – of the consequences of they mystery he’s helping to uncover. He’s the epitome of the tweed-clad, elbow-patched, pipe-smoking British scientist, but he also comes across as the science-hero version of Sherlock Holmes.
—Bob Cram
279. Mrs. Baylock (Billie Whitelaw) | The Omen (1976)
The Omen is a classic horror film that explores themes of prophecy, Satanic influence, and the coming of the Antichrist, with Mrs. Baylock playing a pivotal role in ensuring the survival and rise of young Damien, the Antichrist. She appears shortly after the mysterious and shocking death of Damien’s original nanny. Sent by a shadowy force to replace her, Mrs. Baylock’s true purpose is to protect Damien at all costs, ensuring his path toward power and destruction remains unobstructed. Whitelaw’s performance exudes an unsettling, almost otherworldly calm that makes her character immediately suspicious. There is something unnatural about her unwavering devotion to Damien, and Whitelaw brilliantly conveys this through her eerie composure and subtle expressions.
She is quietly menacing, never overtly violent at first, but always exuding a sense of sinister control over the Thorn household. From the moment she arrives, it becomes clear that she has her own agenda, and her presence is suffused with an air of dark purpose. While she initially presents herself as a loving and protective nanny, it doesn’t take long for her manipulative and dangerous nature to reveal itself. Mrs. Baylock’s sinister control becomes even more apparent as she begins to exert influence over Damien’s mother, Katherine Thorn (Lee Remick), and father, Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck). Her subtle manipulations escalate, eventually leading to acts of violence and murder in her efforts to protect Damien. The climax of her evil comes when she viciously attacks Robert Thorn, leading to one of the film’s most intense and terrifying sequences.
278. Gabriel (Christopher Walken) | The Prophecy (1995)
Despite having one of the creepiest faces and voices in Hollywood, Christopher Walken has rarely been cast in horror. He could’ve been this generation’s Vincent Price, Klaus Kinski or Christopher Lee but his weirdness just couldn’t be contained to just one genre. Since his horror performances are few and far between, each one feels like a treasure, with his role as Gabriel in The Prophecy being the crown jewel. Gabriel is a vengeful, rebellious angel who has become disillusioned with humanity. The film presents a second war in heaven, where he leads a faction of angels who resent God’s favoritism toward humans and seek to undermine the natural order. He views humans as flawed, weak creatures, undeserving of God’s love and attention.
Walken’s Gabriel is no ordinary angel—he is cruel, calculating, and filled with an icy disdain for humanity, far removed from traditional depictions of angelic beings. Throughout the film, he is relentless in his quest to find the soul of a genocidal colonel, believing it will turn the tide in his war against heaven. He is ruthless in his methods, showing no compassion for the humans he encounters. Walken’s portrayal of Gabriel as a being who has lost all empathy creates an aura of pure malevolence, yet there are moments of dark, almost sardonic humor that give the character an additional layer of complexity. He’s such an evil bastard that the devil himself ends up being the ultimate hero.
277. Duane Bradley (Kevin VanHentenryck) | Basket Case (1982)
Duane is the best brother. I mean, I have four and I’m not sure a single one of them would help me murder somebody. Not even if it was for a good reason. (Maybe Jeff.) Duane is generally the more laid back of the pair (his deformed twin, Belial, being the other), the more normal in both appearance and temperament. Belial is a twisted little murder puppet, hellbent on revenge for being separated surgically from Duane when they were young. Duane is all in as well.
I’m not sure he’s quite as angry (to be fair, he wasn’t the one thrown in the trash), but he’s more than willing to help Belial in his vengeance quest. The thing is, what Duane really wants is for his brother to be happy. Sadly, the same can’t be said of Belial – and when Duane gets a chance to form a more normal relationship with a neighbor Belial’s abandonment issues come to the fore, causing tragedy for everyone. One of my favorite scenes in Basket Case is when Duane and Belial have a discussion in the bathroom. Just two bros, hashing things out and being real with each other. Even if one of them is a mutant lump sitting on the toilet.
—Bob Cram
276. The Children | Village of the Damned (1960)
Based on John Wyndham’s novel The Midwich Cuckoos, Village of the Damned tells the story of a small, isolated English village where all the women mysteriously fall unconscious and, upon waking, discover they are pregnant. The children born from this phenomenon are not ordinary—they possess otherworldly powers and a cold, detached demeanor that make them terrifying and alien. The Children, all of whom have blond hair, glowing eyes, and a uniform, emotionless appearance, grow rapidly and display an unsettling intelligence far beyond their years. Their most frightening ability is mind control, which they use to force the adults to harm themselves or others when they feel threatened. Despite their youthful innocence in appearance, the Children are depicted as cold and calculating, devoid of any empathy or moral understanding.
The leader of the Children, David, stands out as a central figure, often shown as being slightly more reflective than the others. Yet even he is ultimately committed to the Children’s mission, which is implied to be part of a larger, global phenomenon that could lead to the eradication of humanity. Their collective hive-mind intelligence and telepathic connection give them a sense of unity and purpose that contrasts with the disorganized fear and panic of the adult villagers. The film expertly uses the Children to explore themes of alienation, the fear of the unknown, and the dangers of unchecked power. The idea that these seemingly innocent children could hold such malevolent potential taps into deep societal anxieties, particularly the fear of the next generation being uncontrollable or unrecognizable.
325-301 | 275-251
What do you think of the list so far? Which characters do you hope will make the cut?
