Now - I’m sure that we all have memories of childhood movies, where an otherwise unassuming
film suddenly turned the horror dial up to eleven and scared the living daylights out
of you without warning.
Whether it’s a fairytale of creepy apple-offering witches pushing boulders off of cliffs - or
secretive chocolate-factory pioneers hurtling kids through high-powered suction systems
- sometimes it seems that horror can lurk in some of the most unexpected of places.
Horror is a broad genre - and as the old saying goes - fear is in the eye of the beholder,
so let’s take a look at some terrifying non-horror characters that were nightmare
fuel nonetheless.
Hello horror fans, what’s going on - and once again, welcome back to the scariest channel
on YouTube - Top 5 Scary Videos.
As per usual, I’ll be your horror host Jack Finch - as today, we curiously take a look
at the Top 5 Scariest Non-Horror Movie Characters.
Roll the clip.
For the curious amongst you, that horrifying clip was from the heartbreaking and absolutely
horrific 1978 animated film Watership Down - and I’m sure for those of you who have
already seen it, know exactly the kind of trauma that it has inflicted on entire generations.
Consider this the most horrific honorable mention of all time - because I think I’m
pretty much still getting over the futile existence of those poor rabbits.
Yeah.
I think we should probably move on before I start choking up.
Kicking off at Number 5 - Judge Doom, from Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Sheesh - still, to this day, I don’t know whether to laugh or awkwardly shift around
when I hear that line.
It’s creepy right?
It’s not just me?
There’s something absolutely horrifying about a half-human half-cartoon hybrid that
also happens to be a psychopathic criminal mastermind.
1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a fantastic film - regardless of its marketing and it’s
Disney spin, and it was made during a brief period where the institution of Disney were
trying to figure out just exactly how to keep their growing audience entertained.
And this was the result - one of the most unexpectedly terrifying characters in one
of the most unashamedly non-horror movies of the 20th century.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
I mean - the film stars my man Bob Hoskins as Eddie Valiant - the good guy, down-on-his
luck detective - and so who better to play his utter antithesis than Christopher Lloyd
as Baron von Rotten AKA Judge Doom - AKA The Toon With A Thousand Faces.
He’s cold, manipulative - he’s ruthless - he hates himself, but more than that - he
hates all of the toons in Toontown, all of which are hilarious and full of joy - and
thus Judge Doom has absolutely no sense of humour whatsoever, which is the terrifying
part.
In a world full of comedy, revelry and love of the spirit of life - the only thing that
makes Judge Doom even slightly happy - is to kill everything and everyone for his own
pleasure.
And that’s terrifying.
And this was meant to be a kids movie.
Yeah, need I say more.
Coming in at Number 4 - The Witches, from The Witches
You may begin to be sensing a slight theme in this list - and it’s the fact that back
in the late 80s and early 90s - films that were made for children, also happened to have
a tendency to be absolutely damn terrifying.
None more than 1990’s The Witches - based on the incredible Roald Dahl novel of the
same name.
Now, I’m including all of the witches that appear in the film as part of this entry - but
perhaps the most terrifying of them all is the Grand High Witch herself, Eva Ernst, played
by the incredible Anjelica Huston - highlighted in that clip reveal where she tears her own
damn skin off to reveal a fleshy-bulbous rat-like carcass - and yeah, what the hell guys.
Also - I’ve just gotta give a shout out to the production of this film, because it
was the final project that the legendary Jim Henson worked on before his death - and the
physical effects in this film were second to none, which really added to the unintentional
horror of the Witches.
Now, if you’re an avid viewer of Top 5 Scary Videos - you’ll know that I often say that
you should never, ever piss off a witch - and perhaps that cautionary tale has never been
more apt than with this horrifying coven.
From the quintessential fear that they strike with purple eyes and oddly out of place smiles
- The Witches taught an entire generation that if a strange lady offers you a snake
while you’re climbing a tree - just say no.
Swinging in at Number 3 - The Wheelers, Return to Oz
Beware the wheelers indeed.
Because as many of you may already well know - that scene, from 1985’s Return to Oz - was
absolutely terrifying - and still is to this day.
Whether it’s body horror - or the bizarre blend of machine and man - there’s just
*something* about the Wheelers from Return of Oz that is incredibly, incredibly unnerving.
And again guys - this is a children's film.
Remember that, because despite their already horrifying appearance in Return to Oz - in
the novels, they’re even more uncanny.
Forget the Flying Monkeys.
As described in L. Frank Baum’s Oz series, the Wheelers are a bizarre series of characters
hailing from a rare species of creatures that live in the enchanted Land of Ev.
In the novels, they’re portrayed more as a mischievous band of trouble-makers that
roam around the vast and expansive Deadly Desert, doing nothing more than freaking people
out in their bizarre mode of personal transport.
But in the film - it’s a whole different story, and the Wheelers quickly become the
only villain that matters - forget about the Nome King.
For what is essentially a children’s adventure about a young girl saving a magical kingdom
from ruin - the Wheelers hold a special place in our horror hearts as one of the most unexpected
nightmare-inducing creations of cinema.
Yeah, no thanks.
Coming in at Number 2 - The Child Catcher, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Okay.
There is another one - who I’m sure that you’re all very familiar with, because for
a film that featured a kindly Dick Van Dyke transporting his children to the magical kingdom
of Vulgaria in an equally magical car - The Child Catcher left more than a few mental
scars upon generations and generations of unassuming horror fans.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a film released way back in 1968 - was loosely based on the book
of the same name written by the legendary Ian Fleming, but strangely enough - the novel
didn’t ever actually feature any kind of character that even closely resembled the
child-catcher.
No, they decided to add that in as extra - because as we all know, back in the day - obviously
children’s films were created with the intention to traumatise viewers.
In actual fact - the Child Catcher was created exclusively for the film, by none other than
Roald Dahl himself - the man responsible for creating some of the most unintentional horror
figures in fiction.
Now, I’m not exactly sure what it is about the Child-Catcher that makes him so nightmarish.
I mean - of course, he’s a guy that catches children in nets and puts them in cages, and
obviously, physically he’s terrifying - the way his body contorts unnaturally as he moves,
portrayed perfectly by the legendary dancer Sir Robert Helpmann, made audiences instantly
feel uneasy.
But - I think the true terror lies in the fact that we know nothing about the Child
Catcher that makes him so damn horrifying.
We get no backstory, no explanation as to his origin - no reason as to why he’s so
cruel and sinister.
He has no redeemable qualities in any sense of the term.
And that - is horrifying.
And finally - coming in at our Number 1 spot - Anton Chigurh, No Country for Old Men
Because while the other entries on this list have, for the most part - been from films
originally intended for the whole family - No Country for Old Men is definitely not that.
But it is also definitely not a horror film.
It’s a film that features horror, definitely - but it is a sprawling tale of crime, punishment
- and the insignificance of mankind.
And for me, personally - and perhaps many of you - the unwitting antagonist of the Coen
Brothers fantastic 2007 film - is one of the most terrifying entities in cinema and fiction.
Anton Chigurh.
Now, we could probably do an entire video essay on what makes Chigurh so villainous
- but to boil it down, just imagine this guy ever in pursuit of you.
He is an unstoppable evil.
He is remorseless - he is devoid of all conscience and compassion.
He is a psychopathic killer that is anything but human, yet still relents.
Cormac McCarthy, one of the most incredible authors of our time, has a knack for creating
some of the most memorable villains in fiction - but it’s in the cinematic depiction of
Anton Chigurh that makes him so damn terrifying - and that’s thanks to Javier Bardem’s
resounding performance.
Before production of this film began, the Coen brothers approached the casting of this
character with one intention - to cast someone who could have come from Mars - devoid of
any Earthly traits or qualities - and that’s exactly what this guy is.
I needn’t say much more about the evil of Anton Chigurh - just watch any scene with
him in, and your internal instincts will tell you just how dangerous this character is.
What’s the most you ever lost in a coin toss?
Well - there we have it horror fans - our list for the Top 5 Scariest Non-Horror Movie
Characters.
What did you guys think?
Do you agree?
Have more to add - or even got a list of your own?
Let us know your thoughts, as well as any choice picks - down in the comment section
below.
Before we depart from today’s video though - let’s first take a quick look at some
of your more resounding remarks from over the past few days.
Jake La Squish2 says --
You are absolutely right buddi boi, The Terror is indeed criminally underrated.
I’ve even had plans to start a death metal band, called Tuunbaq.
-- Jake La Squish2 - that is an incredible idea, and I’ll hold you to that!
Make sure you send me a copy of your Tuunbaq t-shirt’s and first E.P release.
Also, hell yeah - the Terror is absolutely awesome, and plus season 2 looks great AND
it’s based in World War 2.
I’m excited.
Well - on that note horror fans, unfortunately that’s all we’ve got time for in today’s
video - cheers for sticking around all the way until the end.
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seeing you in the next one.
As per usual, I’ve been your horror host Jack Finch - you’ve been watching Top 5
Scary Videos - and until next time, you take it easy.