Flashback Friday: Psycho (Hitchcock, 1960)

Hitchcock (Gervasi, 2012) is in theaters now, so today we're taking a closer look at the scary film who's production is the focus of the new movie. As shocking and horrifying as ever, the first "slasher" film has inspired dozens of imitators over the years, including Halloween (Carpenter, 1978) and Friday the 13th (Cunningham, 1980). Plus, how many of us are still so afraid to take a shower? Today on Flashback Friday, we're analyzing Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 horror masterpiece, Psycho.

(WARNING: The following analysis assumes that you have seen Psycho. There WILL be heavy spoilers, so tread carefully before reading this edition of Flashback Friday.)

Psycho is one of Alfred Hitchcock's most important works. It rivals North by Northwest, Vertigo, and Rear Window in arguments about which movie remains the director's greatest. Psycho is certainly his scariest. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for this film, his fifth after previous recognition for Rebecca (1940, Best Picture Winner), Lifeboat (1944), Spellbound (1945), and Rear Window (1954). Hitchcock famously never won an Oscar, despite his great strides for film progress. The closest thing he ever got to it was an Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1968.

Alfred Hitchcock is an autuer of cinema, meaning a director who takes full creative control of his works. He's known for his meticulous, calculated, and planned shooting style for movies. Hitchcock personally details every shot, every angle to his movies. A showman by nature, his television show Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1965) brought him into the public eye by personally appearing in each episode to introduce and conclude the story. He also appeared in a cameo appearance in all of his films, as well as personally leading the theatrical trailers and promos. Everyone at the time knew his face and name.

He gained the monicker "The Master of Suspense", and for good reason: in all of his films, he managed to scare audiences through intense thrills and perilous adventures. Another style of Hitchcock is his frequent use of romance. He filmed several passionate and controversial love scenes throughout his career, and established the "Hitchcock Blonde" as a strong woman to aid the hero. Alfred Hitchcock remains one of the principal figureheads of entertaining audiences, and not critics. He cared little for his production crew, actors, or distributers. As long as audiences liked his movies, he was satisfied.

For all these reasons and more, people thought they knew what to expect when they went to see Psycho. They had no idea the horror they were about to experience.

The production of Psycho is just as interesting as the film itself, and for that reason it is the topic of the new movie Hitchcock. In short, the production was financed by Alfred Hitchcock only, as Paramount Pictures thought the movie would be a failure. A cheap man, Hitchcock used the production crew of Alfred Hitchcock Presents to save money and time by not needing to get to know any new staff members. The film was filmed in black and white so that he would not need to create realistic blood (the blood used in the movie is chocolate syrup). The screenplay was written by Joseph Stefano, based on the novel Psycho by Robert Bloch. And all of the film was overseen by Hitchcock's "third and fourth hands"- his wife, Alma, who's approval or disapproval highly influenced Hitchcock.

The story of Psycho follows Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a woman from Pheonix, Arizona who is dating highly indebted Sam Loomis. To help her boyfriend out, Crane steals $40,000 from her employer, and subsequently runs away to Loomis' home in California. Along the way, and after a series of misadventures, Crane ends up having to avoid a thunderstorm. She pulls into the Bates Motel, where she meets the motel's bizarre caretaker, Norman Bates- a man controlled by his domineering mother. Her night at the motel remains an unforgettable cinematic experience. After a conversation with the creepy Norman Bates, Marion decides to return the money in the morning after the storm has passed. She begins to take a shower, until a mysterious figure enters the bathroom. Concealed in the shadows, the "mother" figure pulls back the curtain and repeatedly stabs Marion to death. Norman, shocked at seeing a dead body, covers his mother's tracks by burying Marion's body and her car in the marsh near the Motel.

The second part of the story involves Sam and Marion's sister Lila Crane searching for Marion. After Norman's "mother" murders a private detective sent to find Marion, Sam and Lila personally go to the Bates Motel to investigate. After looking around, they eventually find the corpse of Norman's mother. They subdue Norman, who is taken under arrest. A psychologist reveals that Norman is psychologically insane, his mind split into the two personalities of himself and his mother. The mother in some ways did kill those people, as Norman truly believed that he was her. Deeply disturbed, the film ends with Norman smiling in a prison cell as Marion's car is pulled from the marsh.

The originality and different nature of Psycho prompted a creative promotion campaign. For starters, critics were not allowed to see the movie beforehand (which, some say, led to their initial terrible reviews; their grades changed by the end of the year). Hitchcock himself directed the theatrical trailer for the movie, an infamous mini-movie that had Hitchcock touring the Bates Motel. The trailer contained no footage from the actual film, further surrounding the upcoming movie in mystery. Hitchcock also "casted" the mother figure, throwing off the scent of the movie's twist ending; in addition, the whole cast and crew were sworn to secrecy.

When Psycho finally did open in theaters, Hitchcock's most ambitious move was strictly enforcing a "No Late Admittance Policy" to the theater. He did this so that late audience members would not be upset over not seeing super-star Janet Leigh, who dies in the first third of the film. This ensured that no one felt cheated when they saw the movie. While theater chains were worried this policy would hurt box office receipts, their fears were relieved when audiences doubled just to see what all the hype was about. Long lines waited outside the theater for hours before the next showing, and popular word of mouth gave the movie a highly successful box office gross.

Themes of Psycho include the romantic ironies of failed love interests, much different than Alfred Hitchcock's other films. No character in the movie has a strong romantic relationship: Marion loves the highly indebted Sam, Sam loves his girlfriend's sister Lila, and Norman loves his dead mother. Hitchcock believes none of these characters can ever be happy, as none of them experience true love. Also, no character is able to escape the past: Marion cannot steal the money without fearing the consequences, Sam cannot escape his father's debts, and Norman is stuck in the past with his mother. Not even the city of Pheonix can escape the past; the famous opening skyline sequence features several construction crews repairing damaged buildings.

There are several important symbols in Psycho. First, birds are frequently alluded to, whether in names (main character Marion Crane, city location Phoenix, Arizona), props (stuffed birds throughout the Bates Motel, rakes shaped like talons in the shadows of Sam's shop over Lila), or acting styles (Norman frequently cocks his head like a bird when talking to people, and mentions that Marion "eats like a bird"). Second, light and dark are often used to portray intense feelings of intensity, though not in the usual sense. Light oftentimes conveys "danger", as in the brightened bathroom during the shower scene, and with the neon Bates Motel sign. Shadows and darkness hide certain locations in mystery, and sometimes the darkness is more inviting than the light.

The shower scene took a week to film, a long time considering the short overall production time. Hitchcock liked the way a shower could convey to the audience a sense of rejuvenation and cleansing for Marion, further adding to the shock the sudden murder would create. For a forty-five second scene, it had over 100 different camera angles. The orchestral shrieking score featured in the scene, written by Bernard Hermann, is ranked as the #2 Best Film Score of All Time. For those closely watching, the rain foreshadows the importance of water in the movie. (Fun Fact: the shower scene also features the first time a toilet was ever flushed in a movie).

A full blog post could be written about the character of Norman Bates. His name means "normal", which makes viewers wonder whether this was intentionally ironic or further adding to the shock. Anthony Perkins, who played Norman, was praised for his performance, but after Psycho was typecast in playing the same type of role over and over again. But, he cited Psycho as his favorite performance, and didn't regret ever doing it until the day he died.

The audience is made to have sympathy for Marion initially, as the beginning follows her. After her death, the audience switches their point of view to Norman, a switch that also makes us sympathize the controlled son. This turned out to be an ingenious strategy, as we are prevented from suspecting that Norman could be so evil. We question our own judgements, much like the characters do, and as such we are further scared by the film's ending.

The twist ending shocks many viewers, and for good reason. Hitchcock intentionally alludes to the "mother", with several "MacGuffins" (things done in the film that seem important, but mean almost nothing in the end), including the $40,000 and the subplot involving a pastor believing someone else was buried instead of Norman's mother. We do not expect that the mother is dead, and in some strange way, we sympathize with Norman for his struggles, despite knowing how twisted an individual he remains.

Psycho is not only one of the scariest movies of all time, but is one of the best films ever made. The American Film Institute named it the #1 Most Thrilling Movie of All Time, and ranked it in their top 20 of the best films ever. It's my personal favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie. Only one question remains.

Who's up for a shower?

The Changing Face of Animation

The days of the Disney Renaissance are long over. The standards of animation are changing in a new-world landscape, at an age where digital and computer images outdate the traditional hand-drawings of the past. Walt Disney Animation Studios (along with their subsidiary company, Pixar Animation Studios) and DreamWorks Animation lead the forefront of computer-animated movies. In this digital age of computer generated imaging (CGI), an important question has remained overlooked:

Is traditional, hand-drawn animation a thing of the past?

Since the release of Pixar's Toy Story in 1995, feature-length computer animation has become an integral part of mainstream film. Toy Story's production company, Pixar, has released over a dozen movies over the last seventeen years, most of which have been critically and commercially successful. While the Disney Renaissance period (1989-2000) continued to dwindle, Pixar grew in popularity, surpassing even the producers expectations.

Disney ultimately bought their longtime partner Pixar in 2006. But, Walt Disney Animation Studios still produced their own movies throughout the 2000's to little to no success, failing in comparison to Pixar's seemingly unstoppable collection of smart, funny, and entertaining features. Hand-drawn Disney movies such as  Brother Bear (2003), Home on the Range (2004), and The Princess and the Frog (2009) remain greatly overshadowed by the computer animated Pixar films Finding Nemo (2003), The Incredibles (2004), and Up (2009).

Rival company DreamWorks Animation released their own line of computer-animated productions at this time, none nearly more potent than Shrek (2001), a fairy-tale mashup that matched Pixar's level of ingenuity and technical achievement. Madagascar (2005) and How to Train Your Dragon (2009) continued DreamWorks success streak, with some critics proclaiming it could beat Disney in the digital age.

But Walt Disney Studios, innovative as ever, managed to adapt to the modern era of animation. While the dated Dinosaur (2000) and the story-less Chicken Little (2005) marked forgettable attempts at computer animation by Disney, the highly creative and entertaining Wreck-It Ralph (2012) marks a new turn for Disney. Wreck-It Ralph is a fun, humorous, and oftentimes heart-warming adventure that manages to provide a feel-good story with striking visuals. It's Disney's best animated production in years, even surpassing some Pixar movies in terms of animation potential.

Through all of their failures and lackluster productions in the 2000's, it's a computer animated film that brings Disney back to the forefront of animation. No matter how hard the studio tries, they cannot underestimate the power of CGI. Which begs the question again: Is traditional, hand-drawn animation a thing of the past?

The answer: Maybe.

In 2001, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences created the Best Animated Feature category at the Oscars. Nominated films Nickelodeon's Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and Pixar's Monsters, Inc. were easily beat out by DreamWork's Shrek. Since the category's creation in 2001, only one traditionally animated film has ever won Best Animated Feature (in 2002, for Japanese Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away). Pixar has won the category six times, while Disney has only been nominated for four hand-drawn animated films. Disney is now marketing four movies from 2012 in their For Your Consideration campaign: Pixar's Brave, as well as Frankenweenie and Wreck-It Ralph and the animated short Paperman (which combines hand-drawn animation with computer images).

Disney has announced a new film for 2013, Frozen, which will be another computer animated production. DreamWorks Animation has not created a single traditionally animated film since 2003's Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, and has announced a dozen new movies for release over the course of the next four years- all computer animated.

The changing face of animation is obviously made from a computer. But do not underestimate the importance of traditional animation; when done right, it can be just as effective as computer animation. Walt Disney Pictures is still the biggest name in animation, and for rightful reasons. Their classic films still manage to capture the essence of life and the entertainment of movies. Children today are still loving the likes of Pinocchio (1940), Cinderella (1950), One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), The Little Mermaid (1989), and The Lion King (1994).

The fact remains that computer animation will continue to thrive in the modern age. In a few years, maybe every Disney film will be computer animated. But traditional animation is still a valid art form, and remains vital to understanding the animation genre of filmmaking. While hand-drawn animation is primarily a thing of the past, it still remains a part of cinematic history that should be celebrated well into the future. Animation is changing, but one thing will always remain: through all the turmoil and problems, films adapt to modern technologies in the noble effort to spread movie magic for all ages.

Flashback Friday: A Few Good Men (Reiner, 1992)

"You can't handle the truth!" That's right, twenty years ago Jack Nicholson uttered these famous lines for the first time, uttering an era of immitators. Director Rob Reiner's Marine trial landed a spot in the top five of AFI's Greatest Courtroom Dramas Of All Time, and remains one of the most influential movies of the 1990's. Today on Flashback Friday, we're celebrating the 20th Anniversary of A Few Good Men. 

Tom Cruise shines as Lt. Daniel Kaffee, a JAG lawyer known for plea bargains who is assigned the defense of two young marines charged for murder. These marines, Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private First Class (Pfc.) Louden Downey, enacted an accidentally fatal "Code Red" on Pfc. William Santiago while stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Dawson and Downey claim that this illegal "Code Red" was ordered by Lt. Jonathan Kendrick (Kiefer Sutherland), who was in turn under the command of the powerful Col. Nathan R. Jessup (Jack Nicholson).

Working with internal affairs officer Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore) and his friend Lt. Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollack), Kaffee begins to investigate Santiago's murder. Along the way, he finds a trail of corruption and illegal activities happening on the military base at Guantanamo Bay. Realizing that there's more to the murder than meets the eye, Kaffee rejects the plea bargain and goes head-to-head with prosecution lawyer Captain Jack Ross (Kevin Bacon) in the defense of Dawson and Downey.


Funny and entertaining, while at the same time serious and topical, A Few Good Men succeeds at being a great courtroom drama. It's stellar ensemble cast dives into their roles with style, and have great chemistry with one another. Easily one of the most engrossing courtroom dramas, the film's final scene is electrifying in its intensity, silencing even the most stoic of critics.

As a character drama with a point to make, few other movies can match Reiner's in terms of development and character study. Lt. Kaffee is a real hero, strong yet scared of the consequences of losing such an easily contested trial. Think about it: he's defending two murderers, and whether they are accidental or not, the fact remains that they personally killed Pfc. Santiago. Even the jury seems to have made up their mind beforehand. Lt. Kaffee is a brilliant trial lawyer, and combats every point with an equally intelligent rebuttal. Lt. Cdr. Galloway and Lt. Weinberg offer interesting foils for Kaffee, as either ends of the trial's extreme; she's confident of their victory, but he's sure they are going to lose.

Jack Nicholson's Col. Jessup is a fun villain, appearing in only a few key moments of the film. But, much like Hannibal Lecter before him, the most memorable scenes of the movie are with Col. Jessup. Who can't help but repeatedly quote and instantly recognize his infamous monologue about the ethics of leading a military base? Hint: In addition to Tom Cruises's inability to handle the truth, Col. Jessup's speech includes such lines as "You want me on that wall, you need me on that wall!";"We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as a backbone of life worth defending something. You use them as a punchline,"; and, of course, "Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!"

There's so much to A Few Good Men that makes it a good movie. Aaron Sorkin's script is both beautiful and relevant to today's controversial military activities, striking at the heart of everyone who watches the film. Twenty years after its release, we're still cheering on those few good men who stand up for what they believe in- no matter what the cost. It's not enough to obey orders. You have to stick up for what's right. That's a truth that's easy to handle.

Skyfall (Mendes, 2012)

If there are any lingering doubts about Daniel Craig's performance as James Bond, look no further. Complaints about the brutality of 2006's Casino Royale and the blandness of 2008's Quantum of Solace are answered in the latest installment of the 007 franchise. Fifty years after the series opened with Dr. No, director Sam Mendes brings viewers one of the most entertaining Bond films in years. And naysayers have nothing to complain about.

Skyfall, the twenty-third film starring British secret agent 007, is a richly satisfying James Bond film that perfectly combines the original style of the classic films with the modern spins of the newer movies. Skfyall is the first 007 adventure in a while to actually feel like a James Bond movie. Daniel Craig is never better as the iconic character, and finally moves past the emotional trauma he suffered in his first two performances in the role. He's still a more grounded, haunted Bond, but can have more fun with the part and all of its particular nuances.

Screenwriters Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and John Logan give us a story that evokes some of the earlier Bond tales. After MI6 is breached, James Bond becomes the only agent who can stop a mysterious terrorist. Meanwhile, he must deal with the terrorist's apparent grudge towards Judi Dench's M, in her most emotionally involved performance yet.

Skfyall's Oscar-winning director, Sam Mendes, holds nothing back to prove that Bond was still relevant after a four-year hiatus and in a changing world landscape. Mendes is an open fan of the franchise, as popularly denoted by its reference in his Academy Award darling American Beauty (1999), where Kevin Spacey's character mentions he wants to watch the "James Bond marathon on TNT". Mendes, along with franchise producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, maintains the perfect balance of both an emotional character drama and a great thriller, with just the right amount of action scenes that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats every single time.

With Skyfall, Sam Mendes chose to really hone in on the central characters, and more than just the obvious figures of 007 and M. He does a lot with Ralph Fienne's Terry Mallory, an intelligence chair observing MI6's activities in recent days, and with Bond villain Raoul Silva. Actor Javier Bardem gives a similar approach to Silva to what he did with No Country for Old Men (for which he won an Oscar in 2007), but evokes the classic Bond villain style of the no-nonsense, megalomanic, and classy evildoer. Viewers will be reminded of earlier Bond villains such as Dr. No and Auric Goldfinger when they see Raoul Silva, one of the best villains in the franchise's history. In fact, Silva is unique for the fact that his mission is much more personal, much more evil than some of the more recent foes.

Two beautiful Bond girls include Naomie Harris' Eve and Berenice Marlohe's Severine. Eve is an MI6 field agent who works closely with 007, while Severine is an associate of Silva's in Macau, China. While neither is developed as well as the other characters in the film, their appearance is still important and adds the usual chemistry with 007.

Other Bond elements more evident in Skfyall than in the other Craig films include the use of gadgets (finally), riveting car chases, and exotic world locales. With "Skyfall", Adele provides an alluring theme song when combined with stunning graphics in the opening credits. She's on track to win Bond its first Best Original Song Oscar.

For loyal fans of the long-running franchise, several in-jokes appear throughout Skyfall as an homage to the 50th Anniversary of the James Bond movies. Pay close attention to notice some allusions to classic films of the franchise. To whet your appetite, one of the bottles of wine that Bond drinks is a 1962 Bollinger, the same year as the release of Dr. No, and a popular drink for the character in both the earlier films and the novels.

Skyfall will grow in importance as one of the best James Bond films in its fifty year history. Not for a while has a 007 movie felt as good as this one, and proves that fans and newcomers alike can still enjoy the adventures of the world's greatest secret agent. Nobody does it better than James Bond, and no one ever will.

Five out of five stars.

Flashback Friday: Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace (Campbell and Forster, 2006 and 2008)

With Skyfall opening in the U.S. today, Movie Critic's Club is taking another extensive look at the 007 franchise as part of the celebration of James Bond's 50th Birthday. Today, we're remembering the two most recent additions of the 007 franchise, two films controversial when first announced but who's success has promoted them to become two of the secret agent's greatest missions. With beautiful women, brutal villains, and some of the series greatest action scenes, these two movies have become the installments that have allowed James Bond to thrive today. Today on Flashback Friday: Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.

After the box office success but critical failure of Die Another Day in 2002, producer Barbara Broccoli (daughter of influential Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli) thought it was time for the series to go in a new direction. She thought that the movies were getting too silly, and wanted to ground the series in the way that Ian Fleming's source novels did. So, going back to these novels, she took Bond's first book, Casino Royale, and began to work on a new script idea for it. Eventually, she got approval, but ultimately decided that this new direction should not include then-Bond Pierce Brosnan.

For iconic role of James Bond, over 40 years by this point, Broccoli and several producers looked for a relatively unknown actor capable of heavy action and intense emotion. They decided on Daniel Craig, an independent film actor perfect for the part, but with one major problem- his hair. His blonde hair caused immediate backlash, and fans found him to be "too big" for the part and thought that this new "Blond Bond" would fail in the part.

Little did fans and critics know that they were about to get one of the greatest James Bonds they'd ever seen.

As a recap for those seeing Skyfall this weekend, Casino Royale rebooted the Bond films for the new decade. Set in modern times, the Martin Campbell film featured James Bond's first real mission as a 00 agent, earning his license to kill by taking down a corrupt MI6 informant. Shortly after this promotion, Bond is assigned to capture a bomb maker, who dies after a highly entertaining chase scene. MI6 and M (Judi Dench, the only remainder from the previous Bond films) links the bomb maker to a terrorist organization financed by a mysterious man named Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelson), and sends Bond to beat him at a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro. 007 is financed by the Treasury and their correspondent, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), whom 007 seduces and falls in love with.

Casino Royale surpassed expectations, with Craig being hailed as the best Bond in a long time. Critics praised it's darker themes and shocking brutality, happy that it dispensed with some of the silly action and gadgets the more recent films contained. Even with a disturbing torture scene, a tragic ending, and extremely violent gun battles, audiences still flocked to the theaters to bring Casino Royale a $596.4 million box office receipt.

With the success of Casino Royale, Broccoli and fellow producer Michael G. Wilson began work on the next installment, Quantum of Solace. In this Bond thriller, director Marc Forster pits 007 against Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), an environmental terrorist working with the same organization financed by Le Chiffre- Quantum. James Bond, seeking revenge for the events at the end of Casino Royale, goes on a mad killing spree, murdering anyone he thinks may be involved with Quantum. Along with fellow vengeance-seeking Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko), Bond goes after Greene to stop his aims of taking control of Bolivia and the nation's water supply.

Though less positively received than Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace still racked in an impressive $586 million at the box office. Daniel Craig was still successful in the role of Bond, but fans were less enthusiastic about Bond Girl Montes and villain Greene. However, soon after Quantum was released, MGM began experiencing financial troubles. In November of 2010, the company filed for bankruptcy. The James Bond franchise was in trouble, and many were concerned that the end of the 007 franchise was near.

But the fates were in Bond's favor. MGM was saved from bankruptcy that next December, and Broccoli and Wilson began scouting locations for the Bond film. They announced Skyfall in 2011, and the rest is history.

Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace both mark turning points in the James Bond franchise. Their brutal modern action sequences may differ from the previous installments, but many find them to be what the franchise needs in this new decade of cinema.

For me personally, Casino Royale is one of my favorite James Bond movies, and Daniel Craig has earned my respect for a fantastic performance of 007. He brings a haunted presence to the part, and his violent nature makes him a great action star. Eva Green as Vesper Lynd is a phenomenal Bond Girl, tempting and equally matching James in ways no other woman has before. And who can forget Judi Dench's award-worthy portrayal of the motherly M, the one friend Bond has truly ever had?

Even Dominic Greene is entertaining as far as villains are concerned, and the disappearance of Mr. White makes sure that Quantum will remain as strong as a force as SPECTRE was in the early Bond films. I have high hopes for Quantum; over the next few Bond films, hopefully the villains have some relation to this organization that is bound to make life interesting for 007.

Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace are extremely relevant films in today's post-9/11 world, and are fantastic installments of the 007 franchise as a whole. The success of these two films has made sure that James Bond will always be around, and I am excited to see what new missions are in store for the world's greatest secret agent.

Flashback Friday: The Exorcist (Friedkin, 1973)

With Halloween last Wednesday, and Movie Critic's Club recent list of the Top 10 Film Villains, a horror movie with an excellent villain seems appropriate for this week's Flashback Friday. We're taking a look at one of the scariest and most controversial films of all time, banned by the Catholic Church and  still scaring audiences to this day. This week on Flashback Friday: The Exorcist.

The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973) is a tour-de-force of pure horror and adrenaline. Ellen Burstyn plays Chris MacNeil, an actress and recently-divorced mother of young Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair, brilliant, terrifying, and uncharacteristically intense in the role). After a series of mysterious incidents, Regan starts to grow more violent and sick with each passing day. After the death of her boyfriend forces her to resort to extreme measures, Chris sends Regan to a hospital, where the doctors perform multiple surgeries to no avail. Meanwhile, Regan begins to change and acts darker and more profane.

Meanwhile, the narrative follows Father Damien, a troubled psychiatric priest who is dealing with his own disbelief as well as his elderly mother. After the institution of his mother, Father Damien tries to be relocated and attempts to leave the church. But, attacks on various psychiatric patients plus defamations of various religious statues force him to stay.

Ultimately, after the doctors offer no solution to help Regan, Chris resorts to extreme measures on the off-chance of helping her daughter. She hears of a possible cure: an exorcism performed by a priest to "cast out" the demon inside of Regan. Chris teams up with the reluctant Father Damien, along with trained exorcist Father Merrin (Max von Sydow), to try and stop Regan before she dies or kills again.

Had this movie been released today, it probably would have scared a good majority of visiting teens or religious adults. But, as it is, The Exorcist was released in 1973. Controversial from its first appearance, the movie about possessions and exorcisms by the Catholic church offer some of the most controversial sequences ever filmed. People got so worried by this film that Friedkin had to hire bodyguards for Linda Blair for several months after the movie's release.

The special effects still terrify, and the infamous "spider walk" sequence features one of the most terrifying moments in cinema history. This movie was one of a few banned by several organizations for its outright exclamation of possessions and the reality of the Devil himself. Doctors are mystified and unhelpful; it takes a priest to save Regan, ironic considering the film's obvious distrust of the Catholic church.

After all the green vomit, spinning heads, extreme profanities, excessive gore, and creepily realistic makeup stands a strong movie on purely a psychological standpoint. Regan MacNeil, possessed by the Devil (later named "Pazazu"by the various sequels and spin-offs), offers the audience unique insights into their own minds. What do we fear most? What deep psychological problems do all of us have to face? For Father Damien, the image of his dead mother offers more terror and anger than anything else Regan throws at him.

The Exorcism scene is highly entertaining, and even modern film critics are mystified by the special effects-heavy exorcism. "The power of Christ compels you!" can still be heard by high schoolers across America. The movie is so good, in fact, that the Academy Awards nominated it for Best Picture- the first horror film to do so, and the only one until 1991's The Silence of the Lambs (which won).

An attack on everything religious and right in this world, The Exorcist is one of those rare films that fights every convention, breaks every rule, and stuns every person- yet still provides one of the most entertaining horror films ever made. "What an excellent day for an exorcism."

Movie Critic's Club's Top 10 Movie Villains

We love to root for the heroes. We eagerly wait for them to conquer the forces of evil, and give one more point to the good guys. But how could we root for these heroes if they didn't have a truly magnificent villain to compete with? Villains have fascinated since the beginning of time, from the biblical Devil all the way to early folk tale monsters like The Big Bad Wolf.

Films have presented humans with a new medium of showing evil, whether the characters are based on figures from mankind's past or whether they are completely original works of terror. Today, on Halloween, Movie Critic's Club looks at the best of these evildoers on the big screen. Enter, if you dare, the list of film's greatest warmongers, murderers, and psychopaths. Be prepared to scream in terror as you celebrate the one day of the year where the forces of evil come out on top.

Welcome to Movie Critic's Club's Top 10 Movie Villains.

10. Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) from Schindler's List (Steven Spielberg, 1993)

"They cast a spell on you, you know, the Jews. When you work closely with them, like I do, you see this. They have this power. It's like a virus."

Nazi's are the epitome of evil in mankind's history. Nazi villain Amon Goeth- the brutal leader of a concentration camp in World War II Poland- remains one the most vicious humans ever seen. During his rule in Poland, Goeth viciously murders dozens of Jews for virtually no reason whatsoever. He feels nothing for them; even his Jewish housemaid, who he becomes fascinated by, is beat on a daily basis just for accusations of "seducing him". Goeth shoots Jews from his balcony, brings orders to dozens of murders, and personally led the devastating liquidation of the Jewish ghetto of Krakow. A monster based on a real-life historical figure, Ralph Fienne's chilling performance of what Spielberg termed as "sexual evil" remains one of the greatest historical performances of all time.


9. Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) from Fatal Attraction (Adrian Lyne, 1987)

"Well, what am I supposed to do? You won't answer my calls, you change your number. I mean, I'm not gonna be ignored, Dan!"

Every adulterous married man's worst nightmare: a stalker mistress who just won't leave him alone. Alex Forrest single-handedly lowered the cheating rate among husbands for a few months in the aftermath of Fatal Attraction. The term "bunny boiler" comes from this vengeful lady determined to get her man. There's no stopping this criminally insane editor, and Michael Douglas certainly tries. It takes several intense fist fights and house intrusions for her to finally slow down, before she truly crosses the line by kidnapping Michael Douglas's daughter from school in an effort to "spend more time with her." Alex still sends chills down men's spines. Beware of cheating. You've been warned.


8. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) from Die Hard (John McTiernan, 1988)

"I wanted this to be professional, efficient, adult, cooperative. Not a lot to ask. Alas, your Mr. Takagi did not see it that way. So, he won't be joining us for the rest of his life... Have no illusions. We are in charge."

The fashionably cool thief Hans Gruber from Die Hard has inspired dozens of imitators. His legion of German henchman are deadly efficient, and people keep underestimating the lengths which Hans is willing to go. After his calculated takeover of the Nakatomi Plaza building, he coldly murders Mr. Takagi as an example, and quickly does the same to office nuisance Harry Ellis. He goes toe-to-toe with Detective John McClane, forcing the hero to think on his feet and almost defeating the no-nonsense cop. Hans Gruber's deeply passionate efforts, as well as his skillful manipulation of Detective McClane's wife Holly, makes him a great movie villain. Yippe-kay-ay.


7. Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) from Sleeping Beauty (prod. Walt Disney, 1959)

"No you shall deal with me, and all the powers of Hell!"

Singularly the scariest and greatest Disney Villain, Maleficent represents all the jealous rage in the world. Angered by her lack of an invitation to Princess Aurora's birth, Maleficent curses the young princess to touch a spindle on a spinning wheel and die on her 16th birthday. No matter how hard the kingdom tries, Aurora falls victim to Maleficent's cruel curse. Vindictive until the bitter end, the evil fairy turns into a deadly, fire-breathing dragon to combat the courageous Prince Phillip. No other Disney Villain has stuck with viewers more so than Maleficent. Her devastating insanity questions all that we know about what Disney is capable of creating. Maleficent has expanded to even greater evilness through the various expanded universes of Disney, taking the lead antagonistic roles in the video game franchise Kingdom Hearts as well as the Kingdom Keepers book series.


6. T-800 "The Terminator" (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from The Terminator (James Cameron, 1984)

"I'll be back."

With superhuman strength, brilliant logic, an outward appearance of being a simple human, and the ability to mask his own voice for someone else's, The Terminator is the perfect killing machine. For these reasons and more, villainous computer Skynet sends one of their T-800 models to past to kill Sarah Connor- the mother of visionary human resistance leader John Connor. He can't be stopped, he can't be killed, he can't be bargained with. His only purpose and mission in life is to kill. Sarah Connor and her future protector Kyle Reese can barely stop him themselves. Several sequels and spin-offs turned the T-800 into a hero and protector of John Connor, but no other Terminator remains as terrifying as the original T-800.


5. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasence) from You Only Live Twice (prod. Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, 1967)

"I shall look forward to personally exterminating you, Mr. Bond."

It took four movies for evil organization SPECTRE's leader to show his face. And what a terrifying face he has. With a scar on his eye, and an iconic Persian white cat cradled in his arms, Ernst Stavro Blofeld is the baddest of all the Bond villains. He tries to end the space program, but when he fails, he makes killing Bond his personal mission in life. He's one of the few villains who underestimates James Bond, and although he thinks he can beat him, knows how dangerous a foe James Bond has become.

Blofeld's most evil act comes not from You Only Live Twice, but rather On Her Majesty's Secret Service. In that film, after Bond foils yet another one of his plots, Blofeld plots the ultimate vengeance against 007. On the way home from his wedding, James Bond stops the car for a brief moment to check something out. But, during the stop, another car comes speeding past his vehicle. In this speeding car is none other than Blofled and his henchman Irma Blunt, who riddles the car with bullets. Bond is untouched, but his wife, Tracy, is dead, a bullet right through her head. Blofeld is the one enemy who actually defeats James Bond, and ensures that the British secret agent will never have a normal life. And for this, Blofeld joins the ranks of pure evil.


4. Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) from Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)

"We all go a little mad sometimes."

One of cinema's most shocking villains, Norman Bates demonstrates all that can go wrong by being a little to close to your mother. Hitchcock shows how easily we can be misled as movie goers. We honestly believe that Norman is a good boy, misguided but still ultimately kind and lonely. We sympathize with him, all the way up to the shattering revelation of his true mindset. With the screeching violins in the background, and the quick cuts to a shadowed "mother" and the screaming Marion Crane, the infamous shower scene still terrifies women to this day, and changes what we know about the movie villain.

Psychologically challenged and hopelessly obsessed, Norman tries so hard to move past his mother. But, as the psychologist explains, he both wants and hates the part of him that is his "mother". Alfred Hitchcock's brilliant marketing campaign, which forced moviegoers to keep both silent and punctual, added to the terror that was Norman Bates. Anthony Perkins may have been snubbed an Oscar nomination, but his performance has gone down in history as one of the craziest.


3. Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) from The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991)

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti."

Named the greatest film villain of all time by the American Film Institute, it's hard to argue that Dr. Hannibal Lecter isn't one of the best. Anthony Hopkins is both chilling and haunting as the brilliant psychiatrist Hannibal, and has amazing chemistry with leading heroine Clarice Starling. People love quoting his creepy lines, from his fava beans dinner all the way up to his final, parting promise of having "an old friend for dinner."

What makes Hannibal such a great villain is his sheer memorability. In the 118 minutes of The Silence of the Lambs, Anthony Hopkins only physically appears in 16 minutes of the final cut. He's in a cage for most of the film, causing people to associate the character as a monster who has to be caged. Hannibal's escape is one the single greatest sequences in movie history, and the famous face mask is an iconic film prop. Hopkins even won an Oscar for Best Actor in 1991 for his role. "Hannibal the Cannibal", as news tabloids affectionally called him, has terrified audiences for two decades, and promises to do so in the next decade and beyond.


2. The Joker (Heath Ledger) from The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)

"Why so serious?"

Some of you may ask, "how could a character from a movie made only four years ago rank so high on the greatest film villains ever?" Well, you've answered your own question. It's the fact that Heath Ledger is still so memorable after only four years that he ranks so high on this list. The Joker is pure evil, pure and absolute madness. He epitomizes all that is wrong in the world, and represents our darkest fears of the unknown, the random, and the anarchy of life itself.

Heath Ledger's highly entertaining performance, which surpasses all other Joker incarnations before him (yes, Jack Nicholson included), will go down as one of film's best. His delightfully maddening demeanor makes for a fantastic villain. He tortures Batman in almost every way imaginable, right down to making him choose between saving the love of his life or the one man who can save Gotham City from total corruption. The Joker's sheer randomness makes him impossible to predict, and as such forces the heroes to work harder than ever before, and rightfully takes his place among the greatest film villains of all time.


1. Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones) from Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back (created by George Lucas, 1980)

"No. I am your father."

The ultimate movie villain, Darth Vader should at no surprise top the list of the greatest movie villain of all time. The Dark Side of the Force is strong with this one. During his sophomore appearance in The Empire Strikes Back, Vader single-handedly kills two of his leading generals, tortures and freezes Han Solo, cuts Luke Skywalker's hand off, and plots to turn his only son into an evil henchman of The Emperor. Top that, other movie villains.

George Lucas created Darth Vader to be epitome of villainy. The classic good vs. evil tale of Star Wars allows room for Darth Vader to truly conquer all aspects of being a bad guy. And, just when we thought we knew him so well, Vader throws a plot twist by saying that he's the father of Luke Skywalker. At subsequent viewings of the film, we see a whole other angle to Darth Vader. We realize that he's not merely a villain, but an anti-hero we can't help but sympathize and fall in love with. A favorite amongst most moviegoers of all ages, no one can top the Dark Lord of the Sith: Darth Vader.


Thank you for joining us today on Movie Critic's Club's Top 10 Movie Villains. Happy Halloween!

Here are some villainous runner-ups:

Phyliss Dietrichson, Double Indemnity
Mrs. Iselin, The Manchurian Candidate
Scar, The Lion King
The Shark, Jaws
Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

*NOTE: I am crediting the following characters and their respective films with both the actor who portrayed them and the member of the crew most responsible for that character’s development in the accredited film. In most cases this crewmember is the director; however, for Sleeping Beauty, You Only Live Twice, and Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back, I have listed either the producers or the creators of the character, as I feel that they have had the most creative impact on the development of the villain.