DIO Dansk A & Engelsk A
Amerika, det gode og det onde
Redegør for den klassiske, Amerikanske, Hollywood-inspirerede forståelse af helt-skurk forholdet i film.
Karakteriser Maleficent/den onde dronning og Aurora/Talia samt forholdet mellem dem i hhv ”Maleficent”
og ”Talia, Sun and moon”. Suppler evt. din karakteristik med analyse af den filmiske fremstilling af
Maleficent og Aurora.
Diskuter hvordan det ændrede blik på skurken og helten i eventyr/fantasy afspejler det Amerikanske
samfundets tendenser
Links:
Eventyret “Sun, moon and Talia” http://www.fairytalemagazine.com/2012/05/sun-moon-and-talia-bygiambattista.html
“Villains and Heroes – More Myth that Reality?”: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/8/10/1230404/Villains-and-Heroes-More-Myth-than-Reality
“Profiling the 15 Types of Movie Villains”: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/screencraft/profiling-the-15types-of_b_8246620.html
Sun, Moon, and Talia, By Giambattista Basile
There once lived a great lord, who was blessed with the birth of a daughter, whom he named
Talia. He sent for the wise men and astrologers in his lands, to predict her future. They met,
counseled together, and cast her horoscope, and at length they came to the conclusion that she
would incur great danger from a splinter of flax. Her father therefore forbade that any flax,
hemp, or any other material of that sort be brought into his house, so that she should escape
the predestined danger.
One day, when Talia had grown into a young and beautiful lady, she was looking out of a
window, when she beheld passing that way an old woman, who was spinning. Talia, never
having seen a distaff or a spindle, was pleased to see the twirling spindle, and she was so
curious as to what thing it was, that she asked the old woman to come to her. Taking the distaff
from her hand, she began to stretch the flax. Unfortunately, Talia ran a splinter of flax under
her nail, and she fell dead upon the ground. When the old woman saw this, she became
frightened and ran down the stairs, and is running still.
As soon as the wretched father heard of the disaster which had taken place, he had them, after
having paid for this tub of sour wine with casks of tears, lay her out in one of his country
mansions. There they seated her on a velvet throne under a canopy of brocade. Wanting to
forget all and to drive from his memory his great misfortune, he closed the doors and
abandoned forever the house where he had suffered this great loss.
After a time, it happened by chance that a king was out hunting and passed that way. One of
his falcons escaped from his hand and flew into the house by way of one of the windows. It did
not come when called, so the king had one of his party knock at the door, believing the palace
to be inhabited. Although he knocked for a length of time, nobody answered, so the king had
them bring a vintner's ladder, for he himself would climb up and search the house, to discover
what was inside. Thus he climbed up and entered, and looked in all the rooms, and nooks, and
corners, and was amazed to find no living person there. At last he came to the salon, and when
the king beheld Talia, who seemed to be enchanted, he believed that she was asleep, and he
called her, but she remained unconscious. Crying aloud, he beheld her charms and felt his
blood course hotly through his veins. He lifted her in his arms, and carried her to a bed, where
he gathered the first fruits of love. Leaving her on the bed, he returned to his own kingdom,
where, in the pressing business of his realm, he for a time thought no more about this
incident.
Now after nine months Talia delivered two beautiful children, one a boy and the other a girl. In
them could be seen two rare jewels, and they were attended by two fairies, who came to that
palace, and put them at their mother's breasts. Once, however, they sought the nipple, and not
finding it, began to suck on Talia's fingers, and they sucked so much that the splinter of flax
came out. Talia awoke as if from a long sleep, and seeing beside her two priceless gems, she
held them to her breast, and gave them the nipple to suck, and the babies were dearer to her
than her own life. Finding herself alone in that palace with two children by her side, she did
not know what had happened to her; but she did notice that the table was set, and food and
drink were brought in to her, although she did not see any attendants.
In the meanwhile the king remembered Talia, and saying that he wanted to go hunting, he
returned to the palace, and found her awake, and with two cupids of beauty. He was overjoyed,
and he told Talia who he was, and how he had seen her, and what had taken place. When she
heard this, their friendship was knitted with tighter bonds, and he remained with her for a few
days. After that time he bade her farewell, and promised to return soon, and take her with him
to his kingdom. And he went to his realm, but he could not find any rest, and at all hours he
had in his mouth the names of Talia, and of Sun and Moon (those were the two children's
names), and when he took his rest, he called either one or other of them.
Now the king's wife began to suspect that something was wrong from the delay of her husband
while hunting, and hearing him name continually Talia, Sun, and Moon, she became hot with
another kind of heat than the sun's. Sending for the secretary, she said to him, "Listen to me,
my son, you are living between two rocks, between the post and the door, between the poker
and the grate. If you will tell me with whom the king your master, and my husband, is in love, I
will give you treasures untold; and if you hide the truth from me, you will never be found
again, dead or alive." The man was terribly frightened. Greed and fear blinded his eyes to all
honor and to all sense of justice, and he related to her all things, calling bread bread, and wine
wine.
The queen, hearing how matters stood, sent the secretary to Talia, in the name of the king,
asking her to send the children, for he wished to see them. Talia, with great joy, did as she was
commanded. Then the queen, with a heart of Medea, told the cook to kill them, and to make
them into several tasteful dishes for her wretched husband. But the cook was tender hearted
and, seeing these two beautiful golden apples, felt pity and compassion for them, and he
carried them home to his wife, and had her hide them. In their place he prepared two lambs
into a hundred different dishes. When the king came, the queen, with great pleasure, had the
food served.
The king ate with delight, saying, "By the life of Lanfusa, how tasteful this is"; or, "By the soul
of my ancestors, this is good."
Each time she replied, "Eat, eat, you are eating of your own."
For two or three times the king paid no attention to this repetition, but at last seeing that the
music continued, he answered, "I know perfectly well that I am eating of my own, because you
have brought nothing into this house"; and growing angry, he got up and went to a villa at
some distance from his palace, to solace his soul and alleviate his anger.
In the meanwhile the queen, not being satisfied of the evil already done, sent for the secretary
and told him to go to the palace and to bring Talia back, saying that the king longed for her
presence and was expecting her. Talia departed as soon as she heard these words, believing
that she was following the commands of her lord, for she greatly longed to see her light and joy,
knowing not what was preparing for her. She was met by the queen, whose face glowed from
the fierce fire burning inside her, and looked like the face of Nero.
She addressed her thus, "Welcome, Madam Busybody! You are a fine piece of goods, you ill
weed, who are enjoying my husband. So you are the lump of filth, the cruel bitch, that has
caused my head to spin? Change your ways, for you are welcome in purgatory, where I will
compensate you for all the damage you have done to me."
Talia, hearing these words, began to excuse herself, saying that it was not her fault, because the
king her husband had taken possession of her territory when she was drowned in sleep; but the
queen would not listen to her excuses, and had a large fire lit in the courtyard of the palace,
and commanded that Talia should be cast into it.
The lady, perceiving that matters had taken a bad turn, knelt before the queen, and begged her
to allow her at least to take off the garments she wore. The queen, not for pity of the unhappy
lady, but to gain also those robes, which were embroidered with gold and pearls, told her to
undress, saying, "You can take off your clothes. I agree." Talia began to take them off, and with
every item that she removed she uttered a loud scream. Having taken off her robe, her skirt,
the bodice, and her shift, she was on the point of removing her last garment, when she uttered
a last scream louder than the rest. They dragged her towards the pile, to reduce her to lye ashes
which would be used to wash Charon's breeches.
The king suddenly appeared, and finding this spectacle, demanded to know what was
happening. He asked for his children, and his wife -- reproaching him for his treachery -- told
him that she had had them slaughtered and served to him as meat. When the wretched king
heard this, he gave himself up to despair, saying, "Alas! Then I, myself, am the wolf of my own
sweet lambs. Alas! And why did these my veins know not the fountains of their own blood? You
renegade bitch, what evil deed is this which you have done? Begone, you shall get your desert
as the stumps, and I will not send such a tyrant-faced one to the Colosseum to do her
penance!"
So saying, he commanded that the queen should be cast into the fire which she had prepared
for Talia, and the secretary with her, because he had been the handle for this bitter play, and
weaver of this wicked plot. He was going to do the same with the cook, whom he believed to be
the slaughterer of his children, when the man cast himself at his feet, saying, "In truth, my
lord, for such a deed, there should be nothing else than a pile of living fire, and no other help
than a spear from behind, and no other entertainment than twisting and turning within the
blazing fire, and I should seek no other honor than to have my ashes, the ashes of a cook,
mixed up with the queen's. But this is not the reward that I expect for having saved the
children, in spite of the gall of that bitch, who wanted to kill them and to return to your body
that which was of your own body."
Hearing these words, the king was beside himself. He thought he was dreaming, and he could
not believe what his own ears had heard. Therefore, turning to the cook, he said, "If it is true
that you have saved my children, be sure that I will take you away from turning the spit, and I
will put you in the kitchen of this breast, to turn and twist as you like all my desires, giving you
such a reward as shall enable you to call yourself a happy man in this world."
While the king spoke these words, the cook's wife, seeing her husband's need, brought forth
the two children, Sun and Moon, before their father. And he never tired at playing the game of
three with his wife and children, making a mill wheel of kisses, now with one and then with the
other. He gave a generous reward to the cook, he made him a chamberlain. He married Talia to
wife; and she enjoyed a long life with her husband and her children, thus experiencing the
truth of the proverb:
Those whom fortune favors
Find good luck even in their sleep.
http://www.fairytalemagazine.com/2012/05/sun-moon-and-talia-by-giambattista.html
Villains and Heroes -- More Myth than Reality?
By jamess
Sunday Aug 11, 2013 4:16 AM
The world seems full of them sometimes -- Villains and Heroes. Look at Hollywood
Movies. Look at over-the-top rhetorical politics. Look at the victims and the victors that walk
around emoting, everywhere in everyday life.
They often do battle over Truth, Justice, and the American way ... or frequently over the more
mundane -- they do battle for the minutest of competitive edges.
Chalk it up to the Human Condition -- the instincts that pit one person against the next, when it
comes to taking possession of those fleeting opportunities. Or rushing to take, the best seats in
the theater ...
Villain
A villain (also known in film and literature as the "antagonist," "baddie", "bad guy", or "black
hat") is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of
fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist (though can be the protagonist), the character who
tends to have a negative effect on other characters. A female villain is sometimes called a
villainess (often to differentiate her from a male villain). Random House Unabridged Dictionary
defines villain as "a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or
crime; scoundrel; or a character in a play, novel, or the like, who constitutes an important evil
agency in the plot".[1]
[...]
In fiction, villains commonly function in the dual role of adversary and foil to the story's
heroes. In their role as adversary, the villain serves as an obstacle the hero must struggle to
overcome. In their role as foil, the villain exemplifies characteristics that are diametrically
opposed to those of the hero, creating a contrast distinguishing heroic traits from villainous
ones.[citation needed] Others[who?] point out that many acts of villains have a hint of wishfulfillment,[11] which makes some people identify with them as characters more strongly than
with the heroes. Because of this, a convincing villain must be given a characterization that
provides a motive for doing wrong, as well as being a worthy adversary to the hero. As put by film
critic Roger Ebert:
"Each film is only as good as its villain. Since the heroes and the gimmicks tend to repeat from film to film,
only a great villain can transform a good try into a triumph."[12]
What characteristics make for the epic classic Villain? ... Assuming there is such a common
recurring pattern, that is vitally needed to create dramatic tension, as Ebert alludes to.
5 Characteristics of an Epic Villain
Powerful
Great villains are staggeringly powerful. In other words, they have a way of making things bend
to their will.
[...]
Intelligent
Effective villains are intelligent. This does not necessarily mean that they are intellectually
gifted. Rather, it means that they avoid making stupid decisions.
[...]
Immoral
True villains are immoral. This is what makes them villains. It’s not that they lack a sense of
right or wrong. On the contrary, villains often subscribe to a moral code. But they are willing to
violate accepted moral principles in order to accomplish their goals.
[...]
Wounded
[...]
Determined
[...]
In Life, as in the Movies, we humans often need a Villain -- in order to persevere and ultimately
emerge "victorious" by the end of the show ... We have to be fighting for something, if all our
striving amidst the chaos, is to be worth the effort expended.
The stronger the adversary, the deeper our resolve -- that's just Human Nature ...
or is it simply the pattern of "good story-telling" that we've learned to model, as a handy
metaphor, for helping us get through the tedium and hopelessness of the average, futile Life?
This is where Heroes step in. They battle the Villains. They stand up for what's right. They
rarely let us down, and when they do -- they are quick and/or determined to make amends.
Without Heroes egging us on, how would we ever know the "bad guys" from just the over-paid
actors?
How would we ever know that all is right in the world again; or that it ought to be made right,
as soon as humanly possible?
Our First Book — HEROES: What They Do, Why We Need Them
Why do we perceive certain people as heroes? What qualities do we see in them? What must they
do to win our admiration? In Heroes: What They Do and Why We Need Them, authors Scott T.
Allison and George R. Goethals offer a stimulating tour of the psychology of heroism, shedding
light on what heroism and villainy mean to most people and why heroes — both real people and
fictional characters —are so vital to our lives.
[...]
The authors highlight the Great Eight traits of heroes (smart, strong, selfless, caring,
charismatic, resilient, reliable, and inspiring) and outline the mental models that we have of how
people become heroes, from the underdog who defies great odds [...] to the heroes who redeem
themselves or overcome adversity.
For want of a role model, with deep stirring motivation, the timeless tales of the Hero vs Villain,
might never be clearly told. In too many humans dramas, telling the "good guys" from the "bad
guys" may not be as easy as checking the color of their hats, or the shape of their lapel pins ...
15 Interesting Motivations for Villains and Heroes
1. Romance.
2. Revenge.
3. To distinguish oneself.
4. To fit in/gain acceptance.
5. Justice.
6. Greed.
7. Fear.
8. Desperation.
9. Social cohesion.
10. A desire to better oneself.
11. A desire to better humanity and/or society.
12. Curiosity/search for knowledge.
13. A desire to gain power to achieve a goal.
14. To escape one’s destiny.
15. To achieve one’s destiny.
Take the lead in Breaking Bad, and the father from Malcom in the Middle -- same actor, with
different motivations.
And what a world of difference those different motivations make. Same person, different stories.
Such is the stuff of Life. We often take on take on differing roles, depending on the size of the
stages, we must traverse in our individual domains.
Now if only we could make real world villains, live up to their innate potential. Andmake our
tarnished Heroes do all the admirable things they once promised to do.
Then all would be right in the world again, now wouldn't it?
Or so the story goes ... but alas Life is often more complex than "the stories" we use to simplify
it, and to model it by.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/8/10/1230404/-Villains-and-Heroes-More-Myth-than-Reality
Profiling the 15 Types of Movie Villains
Posted: 10/05/2015 2:29 pm EDT Updated: 10/09/2015 12:59 pm ED
This Post originally appeared on the blog ScreenCraft. ScreenCraft is dedicated to helping
screenwriters and filmmakers succeed through educational events, screenwriting
competitions and the annual ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship program, connecting
screenwriters with agents, managers and Hollywood producers. Follow ScreenCraft
on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
“Each film is only as good as its villain. Since the heroes and the gimmicks tend to repeat
from film to film, only a great villain can transform a good try into a triumph.” -- Roger
Ebert
Villains. Throughout cinematic history, audiences have seen many come and go. They've booed
them, hated them, loved to hate them, and sometimes even rooted for them. Before we get into
the logistics of what makes a villain a villain, what drives them, and what types of villains fit
best into any given genre or story, we must first define the word and differentiate it from
another classic cinematic term.
Villain vs. Antagonist
Most writers will say that they are one in the same, however, at times, nothing could be further
from the truth.
Villains are defined as "evil" characters intent on harming others.
Antagonists are defined as characters that work in opposition of the protagonist (the
hero).
Villains aren't always the antagonists -- often, but not always -- and antagonists aren't always
the villains. Case in point, Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) from The Fugitive. While he is
clearly the antagonist by definition -- he is in opposition to Richard Kimble's (Harrison Ford)
escape -- he is not the villain because there are no evil intentions.
So there is some gray area to be sure. Villains and Antagonists (and even Protagonists to a
degree) do not live in a black and white world in the realm of cinematic and literary storytelling
-- a lesson that most writers can learn from. The best stories often blur the lines between
antagonist, villain, and protagonist.
What Makes a Villain a Villain?
ScreenCraft has covered protagonists very well in Four Keys to Developing a Strong
Protagonist and Five Keys to Making Your Protagonist Likable, but what makes a villain a
villain? From the definition and breakdown above, we know that villains often have evil
intentions that oppose the protagonist. I say "often" because that's not always the case. How do
we define evil? Cinema is subjective so we could argue this point all day, however, when
looking at your own characters and stories, you need to put that term in a certain context
depending upon what type of genre that "villain" is in.
Look at a film like Ferris Bueller's Day Off -- a comedy. Principal Rooney is clearly not evil,
however, if you look at it from the context of the film -- namely from the perspective of
teenagers like Ferris, Sloane, and Cameron -- Rooney is "evil" in terms of representing
authority that opposes their will to have fun and enjoy life and school to its fullest. We all know
how most teenagers feel about authority, especially a principal like Rooney, so in their eyes at
that point in their lives, he's evil -- especially since comedies are allowed to present characters
in more satirical or caricature fashion, which enhances the major elements in villains and
antagonists. In the case of Gerard in The Fugitive, Kimble knows that Gerard is just doing
his job. This moment between those two solidifies this notion:
So the word "evil" must be looked upon in a certain context, namely through the eyes of the
protagonist. In fact, one of the greatest villains in cinematic history is Man. Man is the
personification of evil in Disney's Bambi. Now, we all know Man (in general at least) isn't evil,
however, in the eyes of Bambi, Man killed the one Bambi loves for no good reason. So it's all in
the context.
15 Types of Villains
With all of this gray area, how can writers differentiate between types of villains and what
makes them do what they do? And how do writers know if a certain type of villain fits well into
the context of their genre or story?
Here we've taken a look at some of the greatest villains of all time, many of whom are present
in AFI's celebrated 100 Heroes and Villains, and many of whom didn't make that list -- or came
after it -- but stand ever-present in the halls of cinema's best villains.
While labeling villains is a difficult task, know that these are the general villain types in
cinema, television, and literature -- types that can be blended into whatever hybrid villain any
given story needs.
Anti-Villain
Examples:
Dr. Hannibal Lecter -- Silence of the Lambs
Vincent and Jules -- Pulp Fiction
Patrick Bateman -- American Psycho
The Anti-Villain is pretty straight forward. While their intentions may be evil, such characters
are present in the type of story that showcases that "villain" as having characteristics that are
appealing or sympathetic to the audience. Anti-Villains are often, but not always -- in the case
of Hannibal Lecter -- the forefront of the story. One could even say that they are written as the
protagonist, as is especially the case inPulp Fiction with Vincent and Jules. Make no mistake,
they are evil. They have done some evil things. You could put those characters in other
categories below, namely The Criminal, however, because we learn more about them and learn
that they have appealing and sympathetic characteristics, and because we are seeing much of
the story through their perspectives, they've now become Anti-Villains.
The Authority Figure
Examples:
Principal Rooney -- Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Bill Lumbergh -- Office Space
Gny. Sgt. Hartman -- Full Metal Jacket
The Authority Figure is often an example of how "evil" is defined in terms of context. These
three characters above are perfect examples. The Authority Figure represents opposition to a
character's free will. This type of character excels in a wide variety of genres, but often are
more prevalent in comedies and dramas. Audiences always identify with opposition to
authority. In films like the above, it's easy to see that the protagonists look upon these
characters as "evil" despite the fact that in the end, for the most part, they are just doing their
jobs. That's not to say that they are doing them right or well, but their intentions are to run a
school, run an office, create soldiers ready for war, etc.
The Beast
Examples:
The Alien -- Alien
The Shark -- Jaws
The Whale -- Moby Dick
The Bear -- The Edge
The Beast could just as easily be defined as Mother Nature (see below), however, we
differentiate because the struggle is all too often much different between the two. The Beast
has intent, whether it be due to their instincts or through the need to feed. Mother Nature is
just ever present with no intent and humans and animals alike must survive through it. The
Beast is something that is unleashed, stumbled upon, or stalking with the intent to kill. This
type of character flourishes in horror and thriller genres. It can also be blended into other
villain types, as is the case with the Alien inAlien. In the context of Alien, the alien is a beast
rather than just a mere extraterrestrial.
The Bully
Examples:
Mr. Potter -- It's a Wonderful Life
Johnny Lawrence -- The Karate Kid
Biff Tannen -- Back to the Future
The Socs -- The Outsiders
Skut Farkus -- A Christmas Story
Ace Merrill -- Stand By Me
Nurse Ratched -- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Fletcher -- Whiplash
The Bully is straightforward opposition to the protagonist, often for little to no reason beyond
the psychological explanations as to why bullies do what they do, whether it be due to stance in
society (The Socs), lack of quality ethics or morals (Ace Merrill), or just outright meanness
(Biff Tannen). Given what each of those films tell us -- or don't tell us -- about The Bully, it's
simply a character that all audiences can identify with, thus it's a character that is best saved
for dramas and comedies, as you'll see with the above examples. Action, thrillers, suspense,
and other sub-genres like crime thrillers require a bit more in their villains. With The Bully,
less is required. They're just mean to be mean with little to no explanation needed.
The Corrupted
Examples:
Michael Corleone -- The Godfather Trilogy
Regan MacNeil -- The Exorcist
Noah Cross -- Chinatown
Captain Bligh -- Mutiny on the Bounty
Mrs. John Iselin -- The Manchurian Candidate
Gordon Gekko -- Wall Street
Frank Booth -- Blue Velvet
Alonzo Harris -- Training Day
Little Bill Daggett -- Unforgiven
Jack Torrance -- The Shining
The Corrupted are often those that were once good, but have fallen. Look no further than
Michael Corleone for a perfect example. If they haven't fallen, they are simply characters that
are in positions of authority that should be good, but aren't. Corrupt cops, corrupt
businessmen, corrupt politicians, etc. We also include supernatural intervention in the likes of
Regan MacNeil and Jack Torrance. Their souls are corrupted. This is a very broad category and
can apply to stories in almost all genres, namely dramas, thrillers, crime thrillers, horror,
action, etc. Comedy isn't as represented by The Corrupted villain, but there could be a place for
them in any context.
The Criminal
Examples:
Clyde Barrow & Bonnie Parker -- Bonnie and Clyde
Tom Powers -- The Public Enemy
Tony Camonte -- Scarface
Frank Lucas -- American Gangster
James Conway, Henry Hill, and Tommy DeVito -- Goodfellas
The Criminal is just that... a criminal. They often broadly represent villains that are in it for
money and power. And they will all too often do whatever it takes to get it. The Criminal is
obviously most present in the crime thriller or crime drama sub-genres, however, they play
well in action and dramas as well. Characters classified as The Criminal can often be
considered as The Anti-Villain as well, as is the case with the wiseguys in Goodfellas,
especially Henry Hill.
The Disturbed
Examples:
Norman Bates -- Psycho
Annie Wilkes -- Misery
The Disturbed can be a very broad villain type. The Joker (see below) could easily be put into
this category by some, however, we're given no real insight into why he is the way he is -- hence
his classification below. We define The Disturbed as those with clear psychological problems.
Norman Bates and Annie Wilkes are perhaps the perfect examples, both of whom are present
in the horror genre. The key factor for a villain to fall under The Disturbed type is that they
showcase some clear inner personality struggles. With both Norman and Annie, we see that
they have a gentle and sympathetic side. We see qualities that make us sympathize for them.
However, unlike the Anti-Hero type, we clearly do not find ourselves rooting for them by any
means. This villain type is best represented by the horror and suspense thriller genres, because
the fact that they are disturbed means that they will clash with the protagonist, often in violent
and unpredictable fashion.
The Equal:
Examples:
Neil McCauley -- Heat
General Zod -- Superman II and Man of Steel
The Equal isn't as represented in most genres compared to others. The Equal shares the same
skills, knowledge, and/or savvy of the protagonist, however, the ethics between the two are
quite different. We know that Zod has the same powers that Superman has. They are equal in
that respect. However, they differ in ethics and morals. And for Heat? Well, look no further
than this iconic scene to showcase how the villain and protagonist are equal. In fact, this is
another perfect example of gray area because McCauley is also clearly an Anti-Villain.
Regardless, let's look at him in this context as The Equal.
The Equal is usually found in superhero, action, and thriller genres because it's enticing to
watch two characters with similar characteristics but different ethics and morals going headto-head, which leads to action and thrills most of the time.
Femme Fatale
Examples:
Alex Forrest -- Fatal Attraction
Eve Harrington -- All About Eve
Suzanne Stone -- To Die For
Catherine Tramell -- Basic Instinct
Ilsa Faust -- Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
The Femme Fatale is one of the most classic villain types. An attractive and seductive woman,
especially one who will ultimately bring disaster to a man who becomes involved with her.
Because this villain type will clash with the protagonist, she best fits into the thriller genre,
namely the sub-genres of crime thrillers, spy thrillers, and film noir. This villain trope can
often be utilized in comedies as well, and needless to say is in almost every James Bond movie.
The interesting aspect of this villain is that the Femme Fatale can work both sides of the
conflict, and can even come out as a protagonist in the end... or not. Look no further than the
end of Basic Instinct.
The Henchman
Examples:
Boba Fett -- The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi
Agent Smith -- The Matrix
Mr. Joshua -- Lethal Weapon
Clarence Boddiker -- Robocop
The Henchman is the one that works for either The Mastermind or the overall major baddie of
the film. They are often the most skilled, the most lethal, and the most ruthless of villains. They
exist to do nothing but the bidding of their boss, which often means that they are in nothing
but constant conflict with the protagonist -- and they're doing all of the dirty work that The
Mastermind can't or won't do. They prevail in the action and spy thriller genres especially.
The Machine
Examples:
HAL 9000 -- 2001: A Space Odyssey
Terminator -- The Terminator
Ultron -- Avengers: Age of Ultron
Roy Batty -- Blade Runner
The Machine is often one of the most terrifying of villains because they are lifeless. They have
no emotion. And they can't feel pain or fear. They are cold and calculating. The Machine is
obviously best represented in the science fiction genre. Kyle Reese explains the draw of writing
such a villain through his classic description in the below clip.
The Mastermind
Examples:
Hans Gruber -- Die Hard
Verbal Kint -- The Usual Suspects
Auric Goldfinger -- Goldfinger
Lex Luthor -- Superman
Dr. Evil -- Austin Powers Trilogy
The Mastermind is a favorite in the spy thriller genre especially, namely in almost every James
Bond film, although we often see them appear in action movies as well. This is the brilliant and
ruthless character that oversees the whole diabolical plan that is in opposition to the
protagonist's, however, all too often, they are not the characters directly opposing the
protagonist -- in a physical sense at least. That's what they have The Henchman for. Everything
may lead to a final confrontation of sorts, but most of the time The Mastermind is just that -the mind -- while The Henchman works as the muscle.
Mother Nature
The Twisters -- The Twister
The Storm -- The Perfect Storm
The Tsunami -- The Impossible
The Virus -- Outbreak
The Ocean -- The Poseidon Adventure
The Iceberg/Ocean -- Titanic
What greater threat than Mother Nature herself? She is unforgiving. She is all powerful. She is
always unstoppable. The protagonist can't stop the twister, the storm, the tsunami, the ocean,
or any of the elements. Sure, they can stop the virus, but a majority of the time the virus
prevails, either killing most of the population or making zombies out of all of them. But the
elements are impossible to stop. Protagonists can only survive until Mother Nature decides to
move past them. This villain type can be found in dramas like The Impossible, but most
often are showcased in their own sub-genre, the Disaster Flick.
The Personification of Evil
Darth Vader -- Star Wars
The Emperor -- Return of the Jedi
The Wicked Witch of the West -- The Wizard of Oz
The Queen -- Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
Alex De Large -- A Clockwork Orange
Man -- Bambi
Max Cady -- Cape Fear
Count Dracula -- Dracula
Cruella De Vil -- 101 Dalmations
The Joker -- The Dark Knight
Mola Ram -- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Sauron -- The Lord of the Rings
The Personification of Evil is just that -- pure evil. The character is offered little to no
backstory. Their motives are nothing more than performing evil doings, which obviously
oppose the protagonist's journey. While Darth Vader was given a backstory, in Star Wars: A
New Hope George Lucas was adamant that the good guys and the bad guys would have no
gray area between them.
The above examples, at least within the context of the films mentioned, are full force evil doers
through and through. You could argue that Alex from A Clockwork Orange is dancing the
line between The Disturbed and The Personification of Evil, but we're pushing him into this
category because the acts that he does perform are so outright evil that it overshadows any
hope that the character has a true good side in the end. These villains can appear in all genres,
but prevail in fantasy especially. Sauron is the ultimate example of The Personification of Evil.
The Supernatural/Extraterrestrial
Freddy Krueger -- A Nightmare on Elm Street
Jason Voorhees -- Friday the 13th
Ghosts/Demons -- Poltergeist, The Amityville Horror, Paranormal Activity, etc.
Martians -- War of the Worlds
Aliens -- Independence Day
We combine these two villain types because they are all too often so similar, whether it be
hauntings or alien abductions, and often fall in the same vein as faceless foes in horror, science
fiction, and suspense thrillers. We broaden it a bit to include the Martians and Aliens because
they too are faceless entities that are inhuman, in which case the villain type plays all too well
in science fiction.
While Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees could just as easily be The Personification of Evil,
in this context, they are supernatural beings that haunt their prey, be it in physical or
supernatural fashion.
All fifteen of these villain classifications are not meant to state any rules or regulations as far as
what villains writers can write and what stories or genres they can or cannot place them in.
Consider them a compass that can lead your development process into what will eventually
become the true strength of your script.
Beyond that, go through this list and see what names are missing. Where would you classify
those missing villains that you come up with, and why? Let us know in the comments below.
Of the villains represented on this list, which could you mix and match into other villain types?
The point being is that these fifteen villain types allow us to explore the hows and whys of the
villains that we are developing for our scripts -- at least in the most broad of terms. Where the
magic truly enters is when we find those gray lines to explore between any of these fifteen
examples, because, as Roger Ebert said in the quote above, all too often the heroes and
gimmicks are all too familiar throughout most movies. It’s the villains that can transform
scripts. It’s the villains that can make an otherwise routine concept or premise seem fresh and
new.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/screencraft/profiling-the-15-types-of_b_8246620.html
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