12 Scariest Horror Movie Villains

Whilst Silence of the Lambs itself can be argued as veering more into thriller territory, Jonathan Demme's black streak of horror running through the middle is impossible to ignore; visible in Buffalo Bill's escapades, the continuous unsettling visuals, and of course - in Hannibal Lecter himself. Restrained for almost the entirety of the movie and consistently warned about his killer prowess, Hannibal's power to scare comes from his calm and calculated intelligence rather than a manic insanity.

And of course, his terrifying mouth guard is enough to remind you just how much worse his bite is than his bark. Whilst cannibals might often be portrayed as crazed or savage, Hannibal's continued normality paralleled with his cold demeanour is enough to truly unnerve even those with the hardiest disposition.