12 Fearsome Movie Villains Who Didn't Actually Kill Anyone
11. Wicked Witch Of The West - The Wizard Of Oz
It's hard not to start this list without the first villainous character to appear on the big screens in all her colourful gruesomeness. Brilliantly portrayed by Margaret Hamilton, the iconic Witch proved to be the stuff of nightmares for children and adults alike.
Full credit must go to Hamilton, her cackling laughter enough to bring genuine chills to this very day. Each line delivered by Hamilton is deliciously evil, iconic dialogue such as 'I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too' delivered with churlish delight.
The fact that the Witch turns out to be just a figment of Dorothy's imagination doesn't take anything away from how damn horrifying she is, instead becoming quite literally the stuff of nightmares. Her minions are also terrifying, the flying monkeys monstrosities of the like that have been imitated in many films since.
While this may be essentially a family friendly movie, the Witch's actions belong more in a horror film. On several occasions she attempts to burn poor old Scarecrow to death, her actions all the more villainous from the sheer delight she gets from her actions.
The character's fearsome manner has been somewhat tarnished by her portrayal in the hit musical Wicked, where she is displayed as being nothing more than a misunderstood young lady. Hamilton's performance though, just like the film itself, remains just as effective today as it was at the film's release.