What is it about villains that grabs us and reels us in, often times more readily then the heroes? Are they more complicated, intricate characters then their "lighter" counter-parts? Or, is it that they speak to the "darker" side of our human nature?

Whatever the reason, love them or hate them, villains tend to get our attention and keep us on the proverbial edge of our seats. Couple that with the magical allure of the fantasy genre, and you're sure to have moments to remember.

The top five female villains that stand out for me are...

5) Catwoman (as portrayed by Eartha Kitt in the original Batman series - POW!)

That purr in her voice almost made you want to scratch her belly. But, make no mistake, her scratch was far worse then her mew.

4) Miss Eva Ernst/Grand High Witch (as portrayed by Anjelica Huston in "The Witches)
How evil she was! How merciless that character seemed. No one could have done a better portrayel.

3) Queen Gedren (as portrayed by Sandahl Bergman in "Red Sonja")
Out for vengeance, Queen Gedren was a marvelous character. She was as complex as she was beautiful.

2) Maleficent (voiced by Eleanor Audley in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty")
That voice! This one frightened me to no end when I was a child. She was wicked to the core, and her voice alone sent chills down your spine.

And, the number one spot, in my book...

1) Mrs. Pamela Voorhees (as portrayed by Betsy Palmer in "Friday the 13th")
You felt so sorry for her, having lost her child, and yet she was gruesome. Obviously, this was not someone who couldn't handle gore!

Now, for my top 5 male villains...

5) Evil (as portrayed by David Warner in "Time Bandits")
"Evil", sure. But, his character was also hilarious. And, in that hilarity, he added something more to the character.

4) Stewart Swinton (as portrayed by James Spader in "Wolf")
How slimy was that guy before he was bitten! The bite of the wolf merely gave him the power to be a bit more physical in his zeal to destroy the lives of others for his own gain.

3) Dracula (as portrayed by Gary Oldman in "Dracula")
Sensual and alluring as he was frightening and fatal.

2) The Sheriff of Nottingham (as portrayed by Alan Rickman in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves")
He was merciless and cruel while passionate and self-serving. Everything that makes a fantastic villain.

And, for my number one male villain, I choose...

1) The Joker (as portrayed by Jack Nicholson in "Batman")
He was cruel. He was utterly insane. He showed no heart, but was the incarnation of a million emotions all rolled into one. Classic.

Who's your favorite villain, and why does he or she grasp your attention so intensely?

**(This is an article I originally wrote on Helium, a while back. But, I like it, because I love villains even when I hate them. So, I wanted it to get some more exposure here, and maybe hear about your favorite villains too!)

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