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Horror movies have a long-standing reputation for over-the-top performances, with some of them standing the test of time despite their aggressive camp. Performances in horror movies often go overlooked, with a high degree of acting skill necessary to convey the heart-thumping terror of one’s life being endangered by a masked serial killer or a supernatural entity from beyond the grave. While certain horror movies do excel with the subtlety of their performances, is the bombastic, over-the-top characters that are recognized even years later.
There are a wide variety of horror movie characters that might necessitate a campy, no-holds-barred performance. Most obviously, many horror movie villains require an actor willing to get big and loud with their takes, making themselves into a ferocious predator operating beyond the confines of typical human interaction. In other cases, the victims themselves may need to get wild and wicked with their performances, requiring actors to embody the larger-than-life agony of certain horror movie scenarios.
10 Bruce Campbell
Evil Dead 2
An example of a horror movie protagonist who is just as memorable, if not more so, than the villain who stalks him, Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams is a legendary figure in the genre. Helming the original Evil Dead series and continuing his adventures further in the TV show spin-off Ash vs. Evil Dead, the chainsaw-wielding department store employee is a fixture of pop culture thanks in no small part to Campbell’s brilliantly campy acting skills. Arguably, he shines the brightest in Evil Dead 2.
There are so many beats in Evil Dead 2 that require an outstanding level of energy and enthusiasm that only Bruce Campbell could ever seem capable of mustering. From the wicked pain of Ash sawing off his own possessed hand to the inane laughter he hopelessly gives in to after being traumatized by the resurrected Deadites, Ash Williams is a horror hero who certainly rides the highs and lows of the human experience. To this day, the image of Campbell’s massive square jaw giddy with terror-induced hysteria while splattered with blood is an enduring one.
9 Al Pacino
The Devil’s Advocate
Al Pacino is certainly known for inhabiting some over-the-top characters in his many movies. The horror genre is certainly no exception, as Pacino has played perhaps the single most iconic villain of all time, the devil himself, in The Devil’s Advocate. Pacino’s instance of the ancient enemy of Christianity is certainly a spirited one, clad in a dapper suit while exploding into fiery sermons and long-winded monologues.
It’s a wonder that Al Pacino is even able to stay upright after some of his impressive scenes as Old Scratch, screaming until he’s nearly blue in the face. His inane rambling seems even more past the point of no return across Keanu Reeves’ signature nonplussed performance, a dull scene partner that makes Pacino seem even bigger and louder. Stepping into the shoes of The Devil is no easy task, and only an actor as talented as Pacino could portray him with as much vim and vigor as shown off in The Devil’s Advocate.
8 Christian Bale
American Psycho
Few horror movie antagonists require as wide a range from their performers as Patrick Bateman from American Psycho. Chillingly embodied by Christian Bale, this slick corporate smooth-talker lives a double-life as a maniacal axe murderer, suppressing his twisted urges as much as he is able before unleashing the bloodthirsty serial killer within. In many scenes, this character calls for Bale to be detached, calm, and collected, presenting Bateman’s working man mask to his colleagues and “close” relationships like a crusted-over scab.
But when it’s time to let loose, Christian Bale truly lets loose, morphing into a snarling gargoyle who drops chainsaws on innocent victims and energetically murders his co-workers to the tune of an upbeat pop song. Bale’s performance as Patrick Bateman is so iconic that it’s still talked about today, living eternally through endlessly circulated memes. Austin Butler, who was recently revealed to be cast as Bateman in the new American Psycho remake, certainly has big genuine-leather shoes to fill.
7 Bill Moseley
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
It’s hard to out-do the memorable dynamic of the original cannibalistic family serving as the antagonists of the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but Bill Moseley is certainly able to fit the bill in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. Here, Moseley stars as Robert Sawyer, a.k.a. “Chop-Top”, the twin brother of the hitchhiker from the original film. A veteran of the Vietnam War, Chop-Top got his nickname from the metal plate installed in his skull after surviving a grisly attack.
From his dark sense of humor to his unnerving habit of picking away at the edges of his wound and eating small bits of his own flesh, Chop-Top is among the most memorable parts of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre‘s sequel. Representative of the hippie counterculture prevalent at the time the film takes place in, Chop-Top is just as funny as he is frightening, with Bill Moseley able to walk a delicate balancing act that never loses either quality. It’s a shame his Chop-Top performance doesn’t get more recognition in the modern horror fandom.
6 Jack Nicholson
The Shining
Sometimes, the worst monsters one can dream up out in the wild don’t hold a candle to the ones in the home, and Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance is prime proof of that. A writer with a history of alcohol abuse (and an implied history of child abuse), Jack Torrance is driven to madness by the specters of the Overlook Hotel, becoming transfixed by the idea of murdering his family. Nicholson’s iconic arched eyebrows and bloodthirsty grin as he peers through a splintered bathroom door has made this performance one of the all-time greats.
Famously, Stephen King hated the changes The Shining made to Jack Torrance’s character, positing him as an evil man who is given an excuse to act out his fantasies by the Overlook Hotel rather than a troubled soul unfairly possessed by it. Even in the scenes that take place before Jack loses his marbles, Nicholson certainly embodies that, ominously staring into the middle distance during what should be a happy, domestic memory with his family. By the time he shows his true colors, Nicholson’s performance is able to explode of the screen with frightening fury.
5 Nicolas Cage
Mom and Dad
It’s impossible to talk about the most over-the-top performances in horror movies without giving a nod to the greatest actor to ever do both, Nicolas Cage. At the worst of times, Nicolas Cage’s campy characters, approached with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, don’t work in the favor of the films he’s in, with movies like The Wicker Man becoming meme-worthy thanks to his hilarious screams. But every now and then, Cage lands a role that gels perfectly with his acting sensibilities, with the horror movie Mom and Dad being arguably the best example.
The film centers on an inexplicable phenomenon which causes parents to murder their children, with Nic Cage’s Brent Ryan being no exception. Passable enough before the influence of the event hits, Cage is able to somehow retain his character’s previous personality while directing his entire being in an earnest effort to kill his kids, stopping at nothing to overcome any obstacles in the way of doing so. From his absurd screams of profanity to the hilarious way he beats up his daughter’s boyfriend as if conducting an orchestra, Cage is on fire in Mom and Dad.
4 Matthew Lillard
Scream
While there have since been many Scream movies, the original film to put the Ghostface killer front and center was groundbreaking for the way it addressed common horror movie tropes, subverting expectations in a clever way. That being said, when it needed to, the film was certainly willing to ditch the subtlety and go all-in on the hammy performances, with Matthew Lillard’s Stu being the obvious highlight. Though he’s more well-known as Shaggy these days, the character of Stu truly brought Lillard into the horror movie spotlight.
Before he’s revealed as one of the killers behind Ghostface, Stu is already plenty entertaining, serving as a lovable goofball supporting character few would suspect of having a hand in the brutal murders. But when the chips are down, Lillard’s Stu is even more entertaining, losing his cool with shrill shrieks as he begins to bleed out from a stab wound. With sweaty, matted hair and a bulging neck vein, Matthew Lillard more than earned his paycheck with an amazing performance in Scream.
3 Jeff Goldblum
The Fly
Jeff Goldblum’s irreverent sense of humor and odd delivery may make him seem like an odd choice for a horror villain for those most familiar from his character in Jurassic Park. But in David Cronenberg’s The Fly, Goldblum’s delightful offbeat personality meshes surprisingly well with the body horror, slowly transforming into a wretched creature. Jeff Goldblum stars as the scientist and inventor Brundle, who invents a teleportation device that could change the world. But when his DNA gets mixed up with a common housefly, Brundle’s fate becomes the stuff of nightmares.
The Oscar-winning special effects and masterful direction on Cronenberg’s behalf admittedly do a lot of the heavy lifting for Goldblum. But as he slams tables, screams, and launches into morose soliloquies about his cruel fate and the unjust nature of technology, he truly morphs into one of the best horror movie performers ever. To this day, it’s hard to find an actor who puts forth a better slow transformation into a monster than Jeff Goldblum in The Fly.
2 Kathy Bates
Misery
One of best villains from a Stephen King movie ever, Annie Wilkes from Misery only works as well as she does thanks to Kathy Bates’ brilliant, bombastic performance. In a scenario that likely hits close to home for King, Misery centers on a successful writer who is held captive by a ravenous fan after being injured in a car crash, forcing him to re-writer his latest book after learning that her favorite character was planned to be killed off. Kathy Bates adds layer over layer to the character, making her a surprisingly terrifying villain.
At first, Annie seems to be an overbearing, but kind-hearted fan with a deep appreciation for her favorite characters. But as this facade peels away, her expressive tantrums display the harrowing depths of her obsession. An actress less capable than Kathy Bates wouldn’t be able to make it work, but in her capable hands, Kathy Bates’ depths of horror seem potent enough to haunt one’s real life.
1 Piper Laurie
Carrie
Annie Wilkes isn’t the only female character from Stephen King whose performance warrants praise even years later. An underrated horror villain from ages past is none other than Piper Laurie’s character from Carrie, Margaret White. The religious zealot single mother to the psychically-powered Carrie, Margaret is an abusive parent who pushes her daughter to the breaking point, causing her to unleash her powers. Far more of a villain than Carrie herself, Margaret White is a despicable, and sadly realistic, horror movie character.
Piper Laurie is one of the few horror actresses to earn an Oscar nomination for the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award, and it’s easy to see why. Laurei presents an eerily realistic depiction of an overbearing, abusive mother while still launching into over-the-top tirades about sin. It’s hard to beat Piper Laurie’s audacious acting in Carrie for the most incredibly aged horror movie performance.
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