by pat

1. HANS GRUBER (DIE HARD)

Calm, cool, intelligent, charming, and completely likeable. If it wasn't for his ability to kill without remorse, his thieving goals, and the fact that he reads People Magazine, he'd be a pretty slick guy to know. He's a criminal mastermind of legendary proportions, and despite "Die Hard's" revolutionary everyday hero and new action formula, Hans was what made this battle of wills so damn entertaining.

2. BELLOQ (RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK)

"Dr. Jones. Again, we see there is nothing you can possess which I cannot take away." From moment one, you know this guy is a total prick. He's also a skilled, crafty, ruthless rival. The guy befriends Nazis, fer cryin' out loud! Also, like the Wicked Witch, another classic villain, he isn't above employing evil monkeys.

3. DARTH VADER (EPISODES 4-6)

Not the Emperor, who while quite evil, was more of a figurehead. Darth was the evil one. He's the one who cut his own son's hand off. He's the one who destroyed the home world of his daughter's adopted family, as a test run for his weapon. He helped wipe out the Jedi, he killed Obi Wan, and was not exactly the most forgiving boss in the universe.

4. ANNIE WILKES (MISERY)

Equal opportunity, no reason a woman can't be on the list. Heck, some might argue this list should only be women, but they would be bitter bastards, wouldn't they? Annie is one of the most unpredictable, unrelenting, unnerving villains out there. One of the best characters Stephen King ever created, she's the kind of character you actually don't want to see more of, because you know it won't be a pleasant ride.

5. THE HUMUNGUS (ROAD WARRIOR)

The leader of the Marauders, this guy ruled the wastelands from here to Bartertown. Actually, he probably ruled that too, before he became the Road Pizza. This post-apocalyptic mix of Jason Voorhees, Patton, Blackbeard, and maybe a little John Matuzak was enough to properly damage me as a child. I plan never to visit Australia, because I'm convinced he's there waiting for me.

by jim

1. EMPEROR PALPATINE (THE STAR WARS SAGA)

The STAR WARS films have introduced a lot of wonderful characters into our culture, in the original trilogy, Palpatine is an enigmatic overlord until the final installment, when he come out as a demented old sorcerer. One thing that Lucas' prequels have undeniably done is deepen the character and elevate Palpatine to the screen's greatest villain.

2. ANTONIO SALIERI (AMADEUS)

You know you've done an excellent job creating a character when you can get F. Murray Abraham an Oscar over the infinitely more talented Tom Hulce. Salieri's cruel machinations, along with his terrifying renouncing of God make him one of the most evil men we've ever seen on film and he does it all without once shooting lightning bolts out of his fingertips. That would have been cool, though.

3. BILL THE BUTCHER (GANGS OF NEW YORK)

I've seen GANGS OF NEW YORK a grand total of once and in that time was convinced of two things: Bill the Butcher is one sick mother fucker and Daniel Day-Lewis should be in every film ever made. The Butcher is a great, twisted maniacal genius...with a inkling of respect for his enemies. That adds layers and that's how he knocked Robert DeNiro's Capone off this list.

4. DR. EVIL (THE AUSTIN POWERS SERIES)

He has done more for the pronunciation of the word "evil" than anyone since Alec Guiness. As Austin Powers terminally uncool arch-nemesis, Mike Myers has created THE classic, comedic super-villain. Most AUSTIN POWERS fans would probably pick him as their favorite over the International Man of Mystery himself. In every installment of the series, Dr. Evil is given more to do and keeps getting better.

5. MICHAEL ALIG (PARTY MONSTER)

Sure he's real, sure the films a documentary (soon to be a feature starring - egad! - Macauly Culkin), but no one can touch the chilling ambivalence of party promoter/Club Kid founder Alig as he discusses the brutal murder of a former friend/drug dealer. Alig was the first to paint an frightening light on the Rave scene...and even more scary is the love and admiration he still commands from his followers. With better press, he would have been a modern-day Charles Manson. Funny that the man who basically created a sub-culture through clever promotion, couldn't get himself more face time.

by AG

1. KEYSER SOZE
(THE USUAL SUSPECTS)

Sure, anybody can be a supervillain. A desire to kill combined with some henchmen, and you're basically good to go. But not everybody can pull off facing down the cop who wants to collar you while keeping from him who you actually are. All while faking a limp and an accent.

2. DARTH VADER
(STAR WARS SERIES)

Well, duh.

3. DR. EVIL
(THE AUSTIN POWERS SERIES)

As the AP series grows exponentially in population, it turns out that each of Myers's new creations are actually funnier than Austin Powers himself. But nobody - I mean nobody - tops the doctor.

4. MITCH LEARY
(IN THE LINE OF FIRE)

Everybody knows Malkovich is crazy. And we're all sure that sooner or later, he'd take a shot at the President. In this case, though, he did it while getting nominated for an Oscar.

5. BILL "THE BUTCHER" CUTTING
(GANGS OF NEW YORK)

Half of what makes Scorsese's umpteenth masterpiece the brilliant and brutally sharp work that it is is Daniel Day Lewis's turn as the charismatic and violent Bill Cutting, the iron fist ruling the dazzlingly recreated Five Points. Not everybody can pull of a glass eye and a stovepipe hat, mind you.