Continuing our monthlong celebration of Halloween with various scary movie and TV-related lists. Check out our online movie database at staytunedmag.com to see if any of these or other scary titles are on this month. (Note: Videos contain graphic violence, disturbing images and language.)
MAD MEN:
TOP 5 MOST PSYCHO MOVIE PSYCHOS
They’re intelligent, well-spoken, in some cases highly educated, successful and good-looking. Unfortunately — and sorry to throw scientific jargon at ya — they are wicky in the wacky woo. Therapy is going absolutely nowhere for these guys, so they need to unleash their tensions in some rather unhealthy (for other people) ways:
5. Max Cady (Robert De Niro), Cape Fear (1991)
In Martin Scorsese’s superb remake of the 1962 thriller, recently released and “born again” convict Cady likes to philosophize about religion and spout out all sorts of Biblical references while not acting very Christianly as he engages in everything from rape and murder to assault and near-pedophilia as he stalks the counselor he blames for his incarceration:
Looniest Line: “Maybe I could chop you into 40 pieces.”
4. John Doe (Kevin Spacey), Seven (1995)
One of the better serial killer films to come in the wake of The Silence of the Lambs features this chilling character whose calm, almost meek, demeanor barely masks the madness below. A man whose name is unknown to us, and to the police, and who likely will only ever be noticed by society through his horrific acts. And like Cady above, he also twists religion in a pretty egotistical way:
Looniest Line: “I visited your home this morning after you’d left. I tried to play husband. I tried to taste the life of a simple man. It didn’t work out, so I took a souvenir … her pretty head.”
3. Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), American Psycho (2000)
Before Bale was Batman he was Bateman, who manages to somewhat stand out from his equally nondescript, soulless ’80s Yuppie compatriots by creating a Wall Street bloodbath almost as bad as what we’re seeing now:
Looniest Line: “I like to dissect girls. Did you know I’m utterly insane?”
2. Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), Psycho (1960)
Out of all the cinematic psychos, you maybe can occasionally start feeling the slightest twinge sorry for mama’s boy Norman, all alone out there and still under the thumb of his mother, even when she’s six feet under (or supposed to be). But then you catch that occasional look in his eye and see that he’s not quite himself today …
Looniest Line: “We all go a little mad sometimes.”
1. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Physician, heal thyself! Except Dr. Lecter’s psychology background and extreme intelligence was obviously of no use in curing his own monstrous tendencies; in fact, it’s probably what has made him so dangerous. And it’s doubtful that $200 an hour for time on anyone else’s couch or a few Prozacs will do much good either for this disarmingly urbane and cultured killer:
Looniest Line: “Amputate a man’s leg and he can still feel it tickling. Tell me, mum, when your little girl is on the slab, where will it tickle you?”