7. Jack Nicholson - The Shining
Jack Nicholson has always been unnerving and edgy, but full of heart and humour and whilst his performance in The Shining may not be his greatest, it is his most haunting. In Stanley Kubrick's psychological horror masterpiece, Nicholson's Jack Torrance is a tidal wave of unbridled fear and terror. Torrance's descent down the dark highway of insanity spirals as the movie progesses and Nicholson continues to increase the threat level as he imposes his will on his family and the viewing audience. Stanley Kubrick is the master at creating moods in his films and assisted with Nicholson's intense performance, he creates one of the most frightening films of all time. Nicholson's eyes tell the story of a crazed man who has descended into rage, madness and violence. We never trust Torrance for a second in the movie and Kubrick and Nicholson do an excellent job of never allowing you to really like him - there is always the sense of building rage within Jack. It's a scary piece all of the way through but the most haunting moment is the final shot of Jack in the old photograph, menacing smile on his face standing front and centre. It's a chilling way to end the film and ensures the fear doesn't leave for a long time.