The scarier the villain, the greater the movie, and here’s why


With so many movie genres out there, it’s impossible to decide which kind of movie we love the most. After all, you can’t go wrong with a good ol’ comedy. A rom-com will always put a smile on your face. A superhero movie will always get your blood pumping, and horror movies will always put your heart in your mouth. Yet, have you realized that a lot of the movies that you love have scary villains in them? Perhaps it’s Pennywise, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Freddy Krueger, Chucky, or even Norman Bates. All of these villains will get you hiding behind a cushion and holding your breath – but what is the science behind this? Is a movie greater with a scarier villain?

Going down in history

If you look at cult classic movies, you’ll probably recognize a few of them. Titanic will always be on the list, the Wizard of Oz will always take us to new lands, and Moulin Rouge will always get our toes tapping. Yet, many of the movies within the cult classic genre are horror movies that come complete with some of the biggest and baddest villains of all time. So, why is that? Well, it seems that there are many reasons as to why we are drawn to scary villains, but it’s fair to say that they are definitely more popular than we let on – especially if we don’t want to admit that we like them. After all, we love to hate a villain.

The scarier the villain, the greater the movie, and here’s why

They are free

In a world full of rules and regulations, we can often feel as though our actions are being judged. This can make us feel caged and can make us feel as though we do not have any freedom. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why we love a scary villain so much? The scarier the villain, the more free they are. They do not care about rules or societal norms, they do not care what other people think about them, and they do not care how their actions affect others. For some reason, we are drawn to this independence. Maybe we want this for ourselves? You know, without sending loads of people to the fishes…

The acting is on point

If you’ve ever tried to make your entrance into the world of acting, you’ll know that it’s pretty darn difficult. Although most actors like to believe that they have the skills to take on any role that comes their way, almost any actor can take on the role of the lead star. They have certain normal qualities about them that make them approachable, and they are often just like people you will meet on the streets. Yet, those actors that can take on the role of the villain have an even more impressive set of acting skills. They can take on different personas and take on a manipulative character, and they are much more intriguing than the lead characters. Because of this, scary villains keep us entertained throughout these movies, and are normally much more successful than those without scary villains.

The scarier the villain, the greater the movie, and here’s why

We envy their power

Do you ever feel as though you don’t have enough power or conviction over certain aspects of your life? You wouldn’t be alone in that thought. Many people struggle to maintain power within their own lives and like to watch scary villains to see what their life could be like. While we don’t want to run amok around a city and watch the world burn, we do envy the control and the effect that these scary villains have on the lives around them. Perhaps this is why they are so popular?

Have you ever wondered why you love scary movie villains so much? What’s more, have you ever wondered why these movies are so popular? Well, it seems as though the answer may lie much closer to home than you would think…

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