Rather than limit this to b-movies, I'm just going to say movies in general. However, the criteria here are fairly specific. What I'm looking for are insane characters, male or female. Not just a little delusional, obsessive, power-mad or quirky, mind you, but insane. Full-bore barking mad.
I'm going to start the list off with one of my favourites.
1 - Jack Torrance - One of Jack Nicholson's best performances as the Overlook Hotel's homicidal winter caretaker.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bb/The_shining_heres_johnny.jpg/190px-The_shining_heres_johnny.jpg)
1. Jack Torrance
2. Rev. Harry Powell
3. Rhoda Penmark
4. Henry Lee Lucas
5. Hannibal Lecter
6. The Joker (Ledger)
7. Ace Ventura
8. Niles/Holland Perry
9. Norman Bates
10. Bozo (Toxic Avenger)
11. Frank Booth
12. Mickey Knox
13. Baby Jane Hudson
14. Aguirre (Kinski)
15. Dr. Joseph Javorski
16. Renfield
17. Dr. Frank N. Furter
18. Alex (Clockwork Orange)
19. Dr. Richard Vollin
20. The Invisible Man
21. Evil Ed
22. The Crimson Executioner
23. Max Cady (deNiro)
24. Dr. Gogol
25. Howard Beale
26. Bill Foster/D-FENS
27. Santo (Kinski)
28. The Toolbox Murderer
29. The Hollow Man
30. Anton Chigurh
31. Billy Chapman
32. Drake Sab***h
33. The Irishman (Braveheart)
34. Farmer Vincent
35. Jay Porter
36. Kevin Spacey (Seven)
37. Don Maxwell (Maniac)
38. The Maniac (Joe Spinell)
39. Krug (Last House on the Left)
40. Robert Montgomery (Night Must Fall)
41. Cody Jarrett
42. George Harvey Bone
43. Johnny Barrett (Shock Corridor)
44. The Sadist (Arch Hall Jr.)
45. Matthew (Scream Bloody Murder)
46. Ray Sinclair (Something Wild)
47. Caligula
48. Kevin (Sin City)
49. Leatherface
50. Gene Tierney (Leave Her to Heaven)
51. Jill Banner (Spider Baby)
52. Bennett (Commando)
53. Herbert West
54. Mother Firefly (Devil's Rejects)
55. Kesslee (Tank Girl)
56. Mad (Jubilee)
57. Evelyn Draper
58. Nora Desmond
59. J. Frank Parnell
60. Joan Crawford (Faye Dunaway)
61. The Night Rider
62. Vic Vega, "Mr. Blonde"
63. Dr. Tolian Soren
64.
2. Reverend Harry Powell as played by ROBERT MITCHUM in THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/15/Nightofthehunter.jpg)
3. Patty McCormack's Rhoda Penmark in The Bad Seed
(http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l367/Derf64/RhodaPenmark.jpg)
No.4 - Henry Lee Lucas as portrayed chillingly by the underrated Michael Rooker! :thumbup:
(http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/greycat/henry__portrait_of_a_serial_killer/michael_rooker/henry1.jpg)
5. Hannibal Lecter
"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti."
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2007/facelift/lecter0103.jpg)
He is the greatest cannibalistic psychiatrist ever. :thumbup:
No.6 The Joker (played by the late Heath Ledger)
(http://www.aussiehunks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/2079985289aeca865640oin6.jpg)
You know who's really crazy?
Patient7.
Don't count that, I just like to make dumb quips.
No.7 Ace Ventura
(http://d.yimg.com/movies.aunz.yimg.com/2005/photos/main/2636.jpg)
8 - Niles/Holland from The Other.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2223/2498840730_3023dce41f.jpg?v=0)
"We all go a little crazy sometimes...haven't you?"
9. NORMAN BATES!!!!
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l79/RCMerchant/untitled-139.jpg)
Nuff Sed!
10. Bozo (Toxic Avenger)
(http://www.fortheretarded.com/images/toxicavenger2.jpg)
11 - Frank Booth - Dennis Hopper turns in a performance that is disturbing on one level, funny as hell on another as the psychopathic, maniacal, sadistic, homicidal, obsessive, Pabst-drinking, gas-huffing villain in Lynch's Blue Velvet.
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/78/171427632_232699ce65.jpg?v=0)
Mickey Knox
(http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/9313/naturalbornkillerscz1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
"It's just murder. All God's creatures do it. You look in the forests and you see species killing other species, our species killing all species including the forests, and we just call it industry, not murder."
13. Baby Jane Hudson (Bette Davis)
(http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/morrisawilliams/BabyJane002.jpg)
Klaus Kinski in any one of his films.
(http://www.kult-movies.com/bio_pics/KLAUS_KINSKI.jpg)
14. Joseph Javorski, noted scientist.
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p67/lillyjay_2006/Yuccaflatsbeasts.jpg)
"Touch a button. Things happen. A scientist becomes a beast."
15. Renfield (Dwight Frye)
(http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/morrisawilliams/dracula1931DwightFrye1.png)
16. Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Rocky Horror)
(http://listverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/rhps-franksmockglovel.jpg)
Quote from: Rev. Powell on August 25, 2008, 09:08:04 PM
14. Joseph Javorski, noted scientist.
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p67/lillyjay_2006/Yuccaflatsbeasts.jpg)
"Touch a button. Things happen. A scientist becomes a beast."
Flag on the moon. How did it get there?
Quote from: Rev. Powell on August 25, 2008, 09:08:04 PM
14. Joseph Javorski, noted scientist.
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p67/lillyjay_2006/Yuccaflatsbeasts.jpg)
"Touch a button. Things happen. A scientist becomes a beast."
Should he count? He's already on the monsters list and was formerly a kind scientist, thouroughly irradiated before going mad.
17. Alex (A Clockwork Orange)
(http://www.craptasticvoyage.com/pictures/ACOA.jpg)
18. Dr. Richard Vollin,the Poe obbsessed ,homocidal sadist from the RAVEN!
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l79/RCMerchant/dvd-image3.jpg)
"Yes....I LIKE to tor-ture!!!"
The Invisible Man! Homicidal nut-job!
(http://www.movieforum.com/movies/titles/hollowman/images/invisibleman.jpg)
20. Evil Ed (Fright Night)
(http://www.lavenderlounge.com/blog/images/stephen_geoffreys.jpg)
No.21 - The Crimson Executioner - Mickey Hargitay plays a psychotic old rich guy who puts on a red swim cap, zorro mask, and red tights to torture unsuspecting models visiting his castle for a photo shoot in
Bloody Pit of Horror.
(http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue05/infocus/crimson/closeup.jpg)
22. Max Cady (Cape Fear '90)
(http://deniro.jvlnet.com/stranglecapefear.jpg)
Not quite sure if he qualifies, but how about Bill the Butcher from Gangs of New York?
(http://www.imagesjournal.com/2002/reviews/gangsny/pic2x.jpg)
Of course, maybe he's just homicidal, not barking mad.
PETER LORRE as Dr. Gogol in MAD LOVE
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/41/Madlovepeterlorre.jpg)
The numbering's off...
23?. Howard Beale, NETWORK
(http://albanysinsanity.wnymedia.net/blogs/files/2007/11/howard-beale.jpg)
"I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"
26. D-Fens (Falling Down)
(http://bdzuver.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/4.jpg)
No.27 - 'Santo' (Klaus Kinski) from "Bullet For The General"
28.Camereon Mitchel as the deranged Toolbox Murdererer!!!
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l79/RCMerchant/untitled-143.jpg)
"Sometimes...I feel like...a...motherless...child..."
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l79/RCMerchant/pdvd_048.jpg)
Quote from: circus_circus on August 26, 2008, 04:05:43 PM
26. D-Fens (Falling Down)
(http://bdzuver.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/4.jpg)
Karma for that one, because I absolutely love that movie. But was he crazy, or a sane man in a crazy world? :buggedout:
Quote from: KYGOTC on August 26, 2008, 12:16:20 AM
The Invisible Man! Homicidal nut-job!
(http://www.movieforum.com/movies/titles/hollowman/images/invisibleman.jpg)
How does Hollow Man sound for #29.
(http://www.culturevulture.net/Movies/images/hollowman.jpg)
30 - Anton Chigurh - Not really barking mad, but stone cold insane.
(http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/ach.jpg)
No.31 - Billy Chapman - Probably the most recognizable killer Santa in the storied history of bad movies from the holiday classic
Silent Night Deadly Night.
(http://www.badmovies.org/movies/silentnight/silentnight4.jpg)
"PUNISH!" :hatred:
32. Drake Sab***h (Gary Busey in Black Sheep)
(http://b6.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01138/61/29/1138229216_m.jpg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg-OxAgkg-Q
Quote from: Allhallowsday on August 25, 2008, 12:43:29 PM
2. Reverend Harry Powell as played by ROBERT MITCHUM in THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/15/Nightofthehunter.jpg)
Rev. Powell, a madman? Are you
INSANE?
Now, this fella, on the other hand, is just plain
NUTS...
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff259/allhallowsday/WILLIEWONKAAXE.gif)
The Irishman From Braveheart
(http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i169/darksider66/irishman.jpg)
Side note...D-Fens rules...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM8qT9Xop5k
RORY CALHOUN as Vincent Smith in MOTEL HELL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlo7JFpqwK0
Howzabout Jay Porter (Jeffrey Tambor) in And Justice for All. His insanity is supposedly only temporary, but he's an entertaining nutbasket. I looked for a good You Tube video, but I couldn't find one, so you'll just have to see the performance some other way if you aren't familiar with it.
Are we on 33 or 34?
Anyway, I nominate Kevin Spacey from Seven.
(http://www.blogdecine.com/images/2007/12/20060818zk.jpg)
Quote from: Torgo on August 26, 2008, 10:13:41 PM
Are we on 33 or 34?
Anyway, I nominate Kevin Spacey from Seven.
(http://www.blogdecine.com/images/2007/12/20060818zk.jpg)
#36?
I suppose I should compile a master list on the first post and straighten out what number we're on.
Anyway, for sheer madness, it's hard to beat former Vaudevillian turned just plain villian, Don Maxwell, from the 1934 classic, Maniac. Just an amazing performance. Not good, just amazing.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=nfa9XetyzIE
Quote from: AndyC on August 26, 2008, 10:32:53 PM
I suppose I should compile a master list on the first post and straighten out what number we're on.
Anyway, for sheer madness, it's hard to beat former Vaudevillian turned just plain villian, Don Maxwell, from the 1934 classic, Maniac. Just an amazing performance. Not good, just amazing.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=nfa9XetyzIE
I love that scene. Part of him freaking out and grabbing the girl is what I used for a clip for the review that is coming up soon.
Speaking of MANIACs...
35.Joe Spinell as the MANIAC....!
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l79/RCMerchant/pdvd_008.jpg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4KZVMvLceQ
36?
Krug from
Last House on the Left(http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m49/Joe_the_Destroyer/krug.jpg)
Sadie may have been a little more messed up, but Krug was still the brains of the sadistic, perverted operation they ran. And he always made sure to get Junkie's yum-yums.
BELA: gross!!! Excellent choice.
ROBERT MONTGOMERY in NIGHT MUST FALL...
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Robert_Montgomery_in_Night_Must_Fall_trailer.jpg)
No36 - Cody Jarrett (James Cagney) from "White Heat".
37.? 38.? 69? Fergitaboutit.
George Harvey Bone (Laird Cregar) - HANGOVER SQUARE
(http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/morrisawilliams/large_LAIRDONE.jpg)
I'm guessing this is #38. Get on that master list, AndyC!
Johnny Barrett (by the end) in SHOCK CORRIDOR.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZHNHeNm8YQ
Observe the depths of his madness, as he is attacked by six beautiful "nymphos"--and resists!
#39 I nominate Mickey Hargitay as the Crimson Executioner in The Bloody Pit of Horror!
http://www.youtube.com/v/Yb3_-KyyeRc&hl=en&fs=1
Arch Hall Jr. The Sadist
Quote from: I am Kirok! on August 27, 2008, 12:10:06 PM
#39 I nominate Mickey Hargitay as the Crimson Executioner in The Bloody Pit of Horror!
http://www.youtube.com/v/Yb3_-KyyeRc&hl=en&fs=1
Sorry Trek, already put him in at No.21... ish? I think... :question:
You didn't post a picture, so I missed it while I was scrolling through, so here's another. Matthew, the boy with a hook for hand from Scream Bloody Murder!
http://www.youtube.com/v/3NcWU3znnSQ&hl=en&fs=1
I had a pic, unfortunately it looks like the website I was linking it from didn't like me riding their bandwidth... :bluesad:
Uh, why do we all lose count on every single list :question:
Ray Sinclair from "Something Wild" - can't find a pic of Ray Liotta from that film tho'.
(http://www.worldinmotion.net/neworder/discography/soundtracks/1986/SomethingWild.jpg)
Caligula...from the movie of the same name...
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/MalcolmMcDowell_Caligula.jpg)
Kevin from Sin City
(http://www.chucksconnection.com/sincity/sincity03.jpg)
# ??
I can't believe that LEATHERFACE hasn't been picked yet!
(he's a dancing queen...! :smile: )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2dIkPPpkgQ
GENE TIERNEY. Yup, in LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN and if you've seen it, you know what an evil crazy b!tch she is... "Ellen Berent" (GENE crazy TIERNEY) clings nuttily to "Richard Harland" (CORNEL WILDE) arranges the deeply disturbing and spooky drowning of "Harland"'s younger brother Danny (DARRYL HICKMAN) in a sequence hard to forgive... one of Hollywood's most powerful screen in-actions... and later frames her own sister (innocent JEANNE CRAIN) for her own murder, sorry to reveal too much... :buggedout: :question: :twirl: :bouncegiggle:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/34/LeaveHer.jpg)
Hey, why does this have to be a list of madmen? Are you saying implying that women can't be manics? Sexist!
(http://blog.bittorrent.com/editorial/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/spiderbaby.jpg)
No man could be as stone-cold crazy as Jill Banner in SPIDER BABY!
I'm declaring this #47, until someone compiles the authoritative list.
No.48 - Bennett - I seem to remember Arnie's nemesis from
Commando being a big raving pile of obsessive psychosis and mouth foaming rage... and mustache! :tongueout:
(http://www.badmovies.org/othermovies/commando/commando6.jpg)
I know we're not supposed to post two-in-a-row, but I wanted to get this one down before I forgot...
No.49 - Herbert West - Jeffrey Combs' immortal role as the college student/mad scientist/prisoner whose sole goal in life is the obsessive drive to re-animate the dead... no matter what the cost to himself or others.
(http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m43/AnubisVonMojo/HerbertWest.jpg)
50. Caligula!
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/MalcolmMcDowell_Caligula.jpg)
Somehow the only two entries I have in this thread are of characters played by Malcolm McDowell.
Quote from: Rev. Powell on August 28, 2008, 10:33:13 AM
Hey, why does this have to be a list of madmen? Are you saying implying that women can't be manics? Sexist!...
Yeh, been there, done that.
51? How 'bout
LESLIE EASTERBROOK as "Mother Firefly" in
THE DEVIL'S REJECTS? What a crazy k,k,k,katie!!!
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/LeslieEasterbrook.JPG)
52. How about Kesslee From Tank girl, making my additions to this thread 3 out of 3 for Malcolm McDowell.
(http://www.craptasticvoyage.com/pictures/KESSLEE.JPG)
#53
Can't get much madder than a character named Mad, played by Toyah Wilcox in Jubilee [see it! It's like Clockwork Orange on crack with a whole lot of punk music thrown in!]
(http://www.bergen-filmklubb.no/images/Jubilee_stort.jpg)
(http://www.einsiders.com/reviews/dvd/images/jubilee.jpg)
(http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2007/07/19/jubilee_big.jpg)
[She's the one with orange hair, but let's face it; the whole cast is nuts!]
OK, so he's not strictly a movie madman, but this guy seems seriously unhinged, and he always creeps me out.
(http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;attach=330;type=avatar)
I ask you, is that the haircut of a sane man?
Quote from: Rev. Powell on August 31, 2008, 11:54:52 AM
OK, so he's not strictly a movie madman, but this guy seems seriously unhinged, and he always creeps me out.
(http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;attach=330;type=avatar)
I ask you, is that the haircut of a sane man?
He's quite the looker though. .
Quote from: Rev. Powell on August 31, 2008, 11:54:52 AM
OK, so he's not strictly a movie madman, but this guy seems seriously unhinged, and he always creeps me out.
(http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;attach=330;type=avatar)
I ask you, is that the haircut of a sane man?
This is a question at one point in time that we all ask ourselves.....
:bouncegiggle:
The master list is now up.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b1/PlayMistyforMeshot.jpg)
#54 JESSICA WALTER as Evelyn Draper in PLAY MISTY FOR ME
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b3/Play_misty_for_me.jpg)
55. Nora Desmond, SUNSET BOULEVARD
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/20/SunsetBoulevardfinaleGloriaSwanson.jpg)
56. J. Frank Parnell, from Repo Man.
(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1001/873507875_81fd785824_m.jpg)
I think this makes 60 according to the master list: Joan Crawford, a REAL madman (Madwoman?), only BEHIND the curtains. Of course, the character of her in "Mommie Dearest" makes her a MOVIE MADMAN. .
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Joan_Crawford_in_The_Last_of_Mrs_Cheyney_trailer_2_cropped.jpg/220px-Joan_Crawford_in_The_Last_of_Mrs_Cheyney_trailer_2_cropped.jpg)
(http://www.tvgasm.com/newsgasm/MommieDearest.jpg)
No.61 - The Night Rider - The opening lunatic from
Mad Max, this maniac led the local law enforcers on a merry chase of madness, frequently screaming his name over his CB radio and not slowing down for anything (or anyone) that got in his way... until he completely lost it and was reduced to a whimpering little girl by "Mad' Max...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMYLjlpP0NY&feature=related
No. 62
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfORxWsZUY
63. Soran, yet another Malcolm McDowell entry. .
(http://www.craptasticvoyage.com/pictures/Soran.jpg)
Quote from: ghouck on August 31, 2008, 01:57:56 PM
Quote from: Rev. Powell on August 31, 2008, 11:54:52 AM
OK, so he's not strictly a movie madman, but this guy seems seriously unhinged, and he always creeps me out.
(http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;attach=330;type=avatar)
I ask you, is that the haircut of a sane man?
He's quite the looker though. .
Perhaps, but is that an
Afro Mullet...? And all this time I thought it was just
"ghouk..." :teddyr:
64.
CHRISTIAN BALE really is the
AMERICAN PSYCHO:
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff259/allhallowsday/Americanpsychoposter.jpg)
65. Arthur 'Buck' Taylor (Judd Nelson) from Relentless [1989]
(http://www.geocities.com/cinemorgue2/juddnelson1.jpg)
66. Col. Kurtz, APOCALYPSE NOW
(http://billdoskoch.blogware.com/images/colonel_kurtz.jpg)
"I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor."
67. Hofmeister, from The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
(http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/images/noel/testamentmabuse3.jpg)
For a change, here's a harmless, frightened madman, probably more genuinely insane than even the supposedly comatose main villain, who apparently put him in his state.
Hofmeister was a former good guy who went bad, until he decided to betray the baddies, who in turn scare him into insanity, deludedly replaying the events that made him insane in his mind. At one point, the police come to him trying to find who the master criminal of the film is, but find that seeing someone look in on him reduces the disgraced officer to nervous folk-songs...
68.) Master Sardu (Blood Sucking Freaks)
(http://www.badmovies.org/movies/bloodsucking/bloodsucking1.jpg)
(pic borrowed from Andrew's classic review of the film...)
69. Pamela Voorhees. Her son, Jason might be better known from the sequels, but she was the original Friday the 13th killer. And while Jason's nature is more of a mystery, Pam is quite clearly nuts.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ed/Mrsvor.PNG)
70. Ezra Cobb, DERANGED
(http://www.badmovieplanet.com/unknownmovies/pictures/deranged3.jpg)
Serial-killer Ed Gein inspired characters in PSYCHO, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, but Roberts Blossom's performance in this low-budget shocker is the closest to the real-life story.
71. Terry Silver, (Karate Kid 3) a guy who enjoys crippling young boys and dumping toxic waste
(http://www.webomatica.com/images/blog/movies/karate_kid_iii.jpg)
72. Kit from BADLANDS
(http://www.univie.ac.at/Anglistik/easyrider/data/graphics/Badlands.jpg)
73. Doctor Ernest McNab (Dead Heat)
(http://movies.infinitecoolness.com/21/deadheat06.jpg)
Brings corpses back to life to rob jewelrey stores, Nuff' said.