The list features traumatizing movie characters from childhood and those that made even the most mature adults look in their closet and check under the bed.
“I think many of us have that one terrifying movie character that we just can’t forget. Our reviewers had a great time looking back and identifying the top ten creepiest movie characters that scared the heebie-jeebies out of them,” said Stan Bassett, president of TopTenREVIEWS. “Some of the characters on this list are expected, while others may be surprising. Regardless, these are truly traumatizing characters and creepy memories left over from childhood and well into adulthood.”
TopTenREVIEWS’ independent reviewers took a look at thousands of movies and put together their list of the characters that have made the biggest impact on generations of movie goers. The Top Ten Creepiest Characters of all time include:
1. Vampires: Starting with the first vampire from the 1922 silent film Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror, a character deemed so scary the movie was banned in Sweden for excessive horror, and continuing with Bela Lugosi as Dracula. Vampires are the original creepy characters.
2. The Child Catcher, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”: Seeing this character for the first time as an adult skews his horridness; however, see him through a child’s eyes and it opens up a world of scary possibilities. A stranger snatching children from their parents is not just a creepy character, it’s a horrifying thought.
3. Hannibal Lecter, “The Silence of the Lambs”: Just looking at this man will make your skin crawl. What makes Hannibal so creepy is he could be the guy next to you on an airplane, or in an elevator. He is intelligent, articulate and well-versed; just standing next to him, you would never know about his atrocities.
4. Freddy Kruger, “A Nightmare on Elm Street”: “1, 2, Freddy’s coming for you…” Any character that can jump into your dreams and kill you while sleeping is creepy. Enough said!
5. Norman Bates, “Psycho”: Norman is that one socially awkward person seemingly ready to snap at any moment. We all know at least one person like Norman. He is creepy, because he is real.
6. The Clown, “Poltergeist”: After watching this movie, anyone that was on the fence about clowns is now officially terrified. Whoever thought that clowns were fun and cute will most certainly change their minds and place any clown dolls under lock and key, so they cannot escape. This clown is as creepy as it gets.
7. The Wicked Witch of the West and Flying Monkeys, “The Wizard of Oz”: Do you remember your heart pounding, saying “Run Toto” as the monkeys chased him? For many children, the Wicked Witch and her flying monkeys were the first introduction to the realm of creepy characters.
8. The Shark, “Jaws”: Just admit it, the ocean has never been the same. Who can ever forget that creepy circling fin? Years later, a trip to the beach still conjures up fears of hungry sharks. It’s a movie character that has impacted many lives and recreational fun.
9. Birds, “The Birds”: An entire generation was traumatized by this film. Alfred Hitchcock was a genius at taking seemingly harmless objects, like birds, and turning them into bloodthirsty monsters. Besides, if you’ve ever walked down the boardwalk with French fries in your hand, you know how aggressive birds can really be and that’s creepy!
10. The Spiders, “Arachnophobia”: Arachnophobia created a whole new generation of spider haters. No wonder, the little terrors are tiny, stealth and the definition of creepy crawlers. A feeling of helplessness lingered when many realized that even the best exterminator could not take care of this problem.
