Mad scientists in horror movies come in various forms however, the one thing they all have
in common is their desire to change the world for the better, however, the lengths these
crazed characters go often causes damage and conflict in order to reach their desired goal.
They are intelligent, have drive, but also heapfuls of insanity that goes along with
that, in turn creating some of the greatest moments in horror history. So today on Top
5 Scary Videos, I’m going to be counting down our list of the Top 5 Scariest Mad Scientists
In Horror Movies. Before we begin though, be sure to stick around until the end of the
video where I’ll be responding to some of your comments, and with that, let’s jump
in.
5 Krank - The City of Lost Children The City of Lost Children is a 1995 science
fantasy film directed by Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The film tells the story of an old
and decrepit Krank, who has lost his capacity for dreaming and is attempting to fight death
by stealing the dreams of children. Kran’s cadre of cloned henchmen snatch 5- year-old
Denree to subject him to the horrific dream-retrieval process. The boy’s father, One, the hulking
strongman of a traveling circus, and his precocious 9-year-old friend, Miette join forces to defeat
Krank’s minions and save Denree. What ensues is a bizarre movie with surreal moments, strange
makeup, and even stranger set design. It is perhaps one of the strangest movies I have
ever had the pleasure of coming across, with Daniel Emilfork showcasing an over-the-top
performance that will linger with you for a long, long time. As it stands, the film
currently holds a 79% approval rating, and is a cult classic amongst horror movie lovers.
The general consensus reads, I quote: “Not all of its many intriguing ideas are developed,
but The City of Lost Children is an engrossing, disturbing, profoundly memorable experience.”
Krank looms large over the entire film, and watching him go down in flames is one of the
most satisfying moments in horror history.
4 Seth Brundle - The Fly The Fly is a 1986 American science-fiction
body horror film directed and co-written by David Cronenberg. Loosely based on George
Langelaan’s 1957 short story of the same name, the film tells of an eccentric scientist
who, after one of his experiments goes wrong, slowly turns into a fly-hybrid creature. The
Fly is one of Cronenberg’s finest films, and a huge reason as to why Jeff Goldblum
is as successful as he is. Not to mention, his portrayal of Seth Brundle is perfect,
as he encapsulates everything we want from a mad scientist, a scientist who believes
his telepods would change the world for the better, however, he learns far too late how
badly things have gone with his experiment. At first, he truly believes that his teleportation
is more successful than he initially thought, and that he would be changing the world for
the better. However, throughout the movie his mental and physical state quickly deteriorates
as he slowly transforms into a fly. Even after a handful of decades, this iconic horror movie
still holds up, and is still a wonderful piece of special effects magic. The film still holds
a 92% approval rating, with the general consensus reading: “David Cronenberg combines his
trademark affinity for gore and horror with strongly developed characters, making The
Fly a surprisingly affecting tragedy.” The quote: “Be afraid. Be very afraid” was
used as the film’s marketing tagline, and became so ingrained in popular culture that
a large number of people who are familiar with the phrase are unaware that it originated
in The Fly.
3 Josef Heiter - The Human Centipede: First Sequence
The Human Centipede is a 2009 Dutch horror film written, directed, and co-produced by
Tom Six. The film tells the story of a German surgeon who kidnaps three tourists and joins
them surgically, mouth to anus, forming a human centipede. According to Six, the concept
for the film arose from a joke he made with friends about punishing a child abuser by
stitching his mouth to the anus of a fat truck driver. Inspiration for the film also came
from Nazi medical experiments carried out during World War II, such as the crimes of
Josef Mengele at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Now, the movie was polarizing amongst
critics and viewers alike, as you would expect, with the movie receiving a 50% approval rating,
with the general consensus reading: “Grotesque, visceral and hard to swallow, this surgical
horror doesn’t quite earn its stripes because the gross-outs overwhelm and devalue everything
else.” However, not everyone agreed with those sentiments, with Total Film writer Jamie
Russel giving the movie four stars out of five, calling it: “Shocking, funny, disturbing...a
throwback to the glory days of Cronenberg.” Despite receiving mixed reviews, the film
won several awards in 2009 at various international horror film festivals. Now, the large majority
of mad scientists in horror movies have a plausible explanation for the actions they
take, and that the work they do will in turn make the world a better place. However, the
same cannot be said about Josef Heiter, who stitches human beings together -- even connecting
their digestive tract. I don’t see this improving the world anytime soon.
2 Henry Frankenstein - Frankenstein Frankenstein is a 1931 pre-code science fiction
horror film directed by James Whale and adapted from a play by Peggy Webling, which in turn
was based on Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Frankenstein stars
Colin Clive as Henry Frankenstein, an obsessed scientist who digs up corpses with his assistant
in order to assemble a living being from dead body parts. The resulting creature, often
known as Frankenstein’s monster, is portrayed by Boris Karloff. Frankenstein begins with
Edward Van Sloan stepping from behind a curtain to break the fourth wall and deliver a brief
caution to the audience, I quote: “How do you do? Mr. Carl Laemmle feels it would be
a little unkind to present this picture without just a word of friendly warning: We are about
to unfold the story of Frankenstein, a man of science who sought to create a man after
his own image without reckoning upon God. It is one of the strangest tales ever told.
It deals with the two great mysteries of creation; life and death. I think it will thrill you.
It may shock you. It might even horrify you. So, if any of you feel that you do not care
to subject your nerves to such a strain, now’s your chance to uh, well, --- we warned you!”
Now, a fun fact for you horror lovers: his name is Henry! Victor was his name in Mary
Shelley’s book, however, the black and white film features Colin Clive as Henry Frankenstein,
a maddening character with wide-eyed intensity. The film is a slow-build up of suspense with
a lasting legacy almost a hundred years later.
1 Dean Armitage - Get Out Get Out is a 2017 American Horror Film, written
and directed by Jordan Peels in his directorial debut. The film follows Chris Washington,
a young African-American man who uncovers a disturbing secret when he meets the family
of his white girlfriend, Rose Armitage. Now, Dean Armitage is the father of Rose, and he
does a great job of disguising how evil he truly is for a large portion of the movie.
Now, Dean and his wife Missy welcome Rose and Chris into their home with open arms.
However, things become weird very quickly, but Chris just sums this up to the fact he
feels out of place being the only black man in a very white community. However, there
is far more going on than just that. Now, spoilers ahead for the few who have yet to
see Get Out -- Chris awakens strapped to a chair in the basements, with a video presentation
showing Rose’s grandfather Roman, explaining that the family transplanets their brains
into others’ bodies, granting them preferred physical characteristics and a twisted form
of immortality. Although the Armitages target mainly black people, it is revealed that Chris’s
body is only being used for sight. Get Out is masterfully paced and written, and is perhaps
one of the most effective horror films in years. The well-flushed out characters truly
see nothing wrong with what they are doing, and when Chris learns of what is going down,
and what the insane Dean has in store for him, it sends chills down your spine, making
him one of the cruelest and most terrifying characters in horror fiction.
Well there we have it! Do you guys agree with our list? Were there any mad scientists that
we missed? Leave us all your thoughts and feelings in the comments down below and perhaps
we can do a part 2. Before I go though, I just want to respond to a few comments from
one of our last videos, Top 5 Scary Subterranean SCP Monsters.
Charles Hurst said: “Lots of scary trains here...Does Top 5 have something against trains?”
----
Emil Guerra said: “I see Lucy, I like video. Simple man, simple needs.” ----
Will said: “Lucy, you are my horror movie spirit animal. Respect.” ----
Lion Whyte said: “Where is SCP-087? It’s a staircase that goes miles underground in
an un-lit staircase with a spooky ghost face following behind you.” ----
Random Street Theatre said: “Lucy, stop drugging octopi” ----
And on that note, if you haven’t already, be sure to give this video a big thumbs up,
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time, see ya later.