TDK's Joker: The best film villain of all time?

[Captain_Obvious]

I'll say YES - I can't think of a current villain in the past few years who actually grabbed my attention.

Sure I can rattle on a list of villains from movies that are a decade or so old but right now, Joker is #1 and that kinda me sad when I think about it.

[ThePhantasm]

Originally Posted by CConn

You seem to have the sense of humor of dying snail.

[J5550123]

I don't think I've ever seen a better acted more chaotic villain in any other movie.

[Schlosser85]

He's definitely right up there, for me.

[layarph]

I can't think of a villain that compares in the same way ... using OP's original example of Darth Vader, the reason Joker is superior to most / all other villain's in my opinion is the "Human acting inhuman" manner ... mentally and physically. Yes, there's plenty of other villain's that act inhumanely, but you forget that Joker is a man with an upbringing, etc. You can't help but try to figure out how he got to where he is, mentally.

[JerseyJoker]

Michael Corleone, Vader, Hannible, Hal, Bates.

Those are my top five at least. Joker is great, but he is not the GOAT or close.

[ashleytdkr]

I personally think Bales Patrick Bateman was a great villain. Joker #1

[ilovethejoker]

I think this guy should have played the joker:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AULi_n4omrw

[BlackFox]

Yeah, there's not many better I can think of.

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by Franklin Richards

Here's AFI's Top 20


Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) in Psycho (1960)
Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones) in The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) in The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher) in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore) in It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) in Fatal Attraction (1987)
Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) in Double Indemnity (1944)
Regan MacNeil (Satan) (Linda Blair) in The Exorcist (1973)
The Queen (voice of Lucille LaVerne) in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in The Godfather, Part II (1974)
Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell) in A Clockwork Orange (1971)
HAL 9000 (voice of Douglas Rain) in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The Alien (Bolaji Badejo) in Alien (1979)
Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) in Schindler's List (1993)
Noah Cross (John Huston) in Chinatown (1974)
Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) in Misery (1990)
The Shark in Jaws (1975)
Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton) in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
Man in Bambi (1942)

I generally agree with the list, but being a Bond fan, kinda surprised some of the more iconic Bond villains weren't included...

[Baramos]

No, I don't think he is the BEST...he's up there, but he's not the best.

People have pointed out Darth Vader, well, yeah, of course. But there are numerous others, too...he's maybe in my top ten or something.

[TheGuy]

Vader doesn't come close to Joker, honestly. Anton Chigurh, Hans Landa, and Hannibal Lecter were also better villains. Acting is important and the 4 of them beat Vader in that regard. His mask did not allow for facial expressions, you can make that as an excuse, but that's what he is. Also, I found Norman Bates shockingly unterrifying.

[TheGuy]

Originally Posted by CConn

Eh, I think Psycho has become less impressive with time.

It's not even in the Top 5 of my favorite Hitchcock films.

I've seen North By Northwest, Rear Window, Psycho, and Vertigo. This is how I'd rank them:

1. Rear Window
2. North By Northwest
3. Vertigo
4. Psycho

[BH/HHH]

He's definitely one of them, I still think Darth Vader's the ultimate movie villain. I'd put him in my top 5 along with General Zod.

[Baramos]

Originally Posted by comics

Vader doesn't come close to Joker, honestly. Anton Chigurh, Hans Landa, and Hannibal Lecter were also better villains. Acting is important and the 4 of them beat Vader in that regard. His mask did not allow for facial expressions, you can make that as an excuse, but that's what he is. Also, I found Norman Bates shockingly unterrifying.

I agree those are all amazing villains but Vader just so captures the archetype. There's something so elemental about the soulless mask and that terrifying, menacing voice. To me the lack of seeing his face is part of the point and adds to the mystique.

I do agree that I would put Anton Chigurh and Hannibal Lecter in my top ten, but they would be above the Joker...and probably below Vader. I loved Hans Landa but I'm not sure how much that movie will grow on me over time, I love it now but I dunno if it's ever going to equal Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs for me...

I admit characters like Chigurh and Lecter, and indeed the Joker, are much more complex characters, thematically, than Vader, who is something of a cliche, but that's kind of the point, he's supposed to be like a classic villain from a melodrama. He desires power and control. He doesn't represent an abstract concept like nihilism or anarchy, he's a very concrete villain.

[DaltonSpidey94]

No, I'm still not a super huge fan of Ledger's Joker. Was he good? Sure, I just don't think he's as great as everyone says he is. Not sure who my favorite is, though.

[Doomed_hero]

I dont feel joker was more complex then Vader. Vader had a internal struggle and a tragic story that makes him who he is. We hardly really know anything about Joker other then he likes to cause choas. he is a evil force of nature but not really that complex.

[TheGuy]

Originally Posted by Doomed_hero

I dont feel joker was more complex then Vader. Vader had a internal struggle and a tragic story that makes him who he is. We hardly really know anything about Joker other then he likes to cause choas. he is a evil force of nature but not really that complex.

I disagree.

Joker constantly makes up stories about how he became the Joker. From a psychologists point of view, he's a wealth of treasure. He's been in and out of Arkham, scientists trying to study his psychosis but still can't penetrate his twisted mind. His anarchic view on society. Plus he and batman perfectly fit the concept of yin and yang. One can't exist without the other. That makes for a deep character, IMO.