Masters of Malevolence Trivia Quiz

'Misery':

Portrayed by Kathy Bates, Annie Wilkes is a former nurse who rescues writer Paul Sheldon after his car accident. She seems kind at first, but when she finds out he killed off her favourite character, Misery, she turns violent. Annie forces Paul to destroy his new manuscript and demands that he write another that brings Misery back. To stop him from escaping, she takes a sledgehammer and breaks his ankles, leaving him hobbling and making sure he can't run away.

In the end, Paul manages to fight back. He tricks Annie with the finished book and attacks her during their struggle. After a brutal fight, Annie is killed, and Paul is finally freed from her house. Even though he survives, the experience leaves him deeply shaken and haunted by what she did to him.

Kathy Bates won an Oscar for Best Actress (1991), a landmark for horror performances.

'Aladdin':

Jonathan Freeman is the voice of Jafar, the villain in Disney's 'Aladdin'. Jafar is the royal vizier, who pretends to serve the Sultan but secretly wants power for himself. With the help of his parrot, Iago, he schemes to steal the magic lamp and control the Genie. Freeman's deep, menacing voice makes Jafar sound sly and dangerous, which brings the character to life.

In the end, Jafar tricks the Genie into making him a powerful sorcerer. Greedy for even more power, he wishes to become an all-powerful genie himself. But the plan backfires. Jafar is sucked into a lamp of his own, trapped forever, and Aladdin wins. Freeman's performance made Jafar one of Disney's most unforgettable villains.

Freeman reprised the role in stage adaptations, notably on Broadway.

'A Nightmare on Elm Street':

Freddy Krueger (originally played by Robert Englund) is the main villain. He's a burned man who wears a red-and-green sweater and a glove with razor-sharp blades on the fingers. Freddy attacks teenagers in their dreams, where he can hurt or kill them, and he enjoys scaring them with his twisted jokes and terrifying tricks. His presence makes sleep dangerous, because if someone dies in a dream, they die in real life.

At the end of the original story, Freddy is trapped and defeated by the teenagers who figure out how to fight him in their dreams. Even though he's gone, his legend lives on, and he continues to appear in sequels, haunting new victims. Freddy Krueger became notorious because of his creepy style, dark humour, and the fear he inspires in people while they sleep.

Englund played Freddy in eight films, a rare consistency for a horror icon.

'2001: A Space Odyssey':

The voice of HAL 9000 was provided by Douglas Rain. HAL is the super-intelligent computer that controls the spaceship Discovery One. HAL speaks calmly and seems helpful, but he starts making mistakes and behaving dangerously. He becomes obsessed with completing the mission and sees the human crew as a threat, so he tries to control or get rid of them. His smooth, emotionless voice makes him both fascinating and frightening.

At the end, astronaut Dave Bowman manages to disconnect HAL to stop him from harming anyone else. As HAL's systems shut down, he becomes more human-like, singing a song from his memory before going silent. The ending shows both the power and the limits of artificial intelligence, leaving a lasting impression of HAL as one of sci-fi's most eerie characters.

HAL's malfunction stems from conflicting mission directives.
'I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that'." It's one of cinema's most quoted lines.

'Star Wars':

Darth Vader is the main villain in the original 'Star Wars' trilogy. Once a Jedi named Anakin Skywalker, he turns to the dark side of the Force and becomes a Sith Lord serving Emperor Palpatine. Physically, Vader was played by David Prowse, while his iconic deep, mechanical voice was provided by James Earl Jones. Vader wears black armour and a helmet and is instantly recognisable. He is powerful, feared across the galaxy, and enforces the Emperor's rule while hunting down the Rebel Alliance.

At the end of 'Return of the Jedi', Vader is faced with his son, Luke Skywalker, who refuses to join the dark side. In a final act, Vader sacrifices himself to save Luke and destroys the Emperor, redeeming himself before dying. His story ends with him remembered as both a villain and a father who found redemption.

Prowse was dubbed over due to his West Country accent.
Sebastian Shaw portrayed Vader's unmasked face in 'Return of the Jedi'.

'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' (2014) and 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' (2013)

Benedict Cumberbatch voiced Smaug, a huge, fire-breathing dragon who lives in the Lonely Mountain and guards a massive treasure hoard. He is clever, arrogant, and loves to talk, often taunting anyone who dares come near his gold. Smaug can destroy entire towns with his fire and is feared across Middle-earth. His size, strength, and cunning make him almost impossible to defeat.

At the end, Smaug is killed when Bard the Bowman shoots an arrow into a weak spot in his chest. His death frees the people of Lake-town from fear and allows others to reclaim the mountain. Smaug is one of the most terrifying and clever dragons in fantasy literature and film.

Cumberbatch also voiced the Necromancer (Sauron's guise).

'Batman: The Movie' (1966)

Played by Cesar Romero, The Joker is one of Batman's most famous enemies, known for his wild green hair, white face, and sinister smile. He loves causing chaos and has no rules, often committing crimes just to create fear and confusion in Gotham City. The Joker is clever, unpredictable, and enjoys playing mind games with Batman, making him a very dangerous villain.

At the end of most stories, including 'The Dark Knight', the Joker is captured or defeated by Batman, but his schemes leave lasting damage and chaos behind. Even when he loses, his laughter and unpredictability make him a very frightening villain.

Romero famously refused to shave his moustache. It's visible under the makeup!

'101 Dalmatians' (1996)

Cruella de Vil is the main villain in the film (played by Glenn Close, 1996). She is obsessed with fashion and wants to make a coat out of Dalmatian puppies' fur. Cruella is wealthy, stylish, and cruel, stopping at nothing to get what she wants. Her wild black-and-white hair and dramatic personality make her instantly recognisable.

At the end, Cruella's plan is stopped by the puppies and their owners. She fails to get her coat and is usually shown running away in defeat. Her greed and obsession exaggerated fashion and slapstick defeats added comic flair and made her one of Disney's most famous female villains.

Close reprised the role in '102 Dalmatians' (2000).

'Psycho':

Played by Anthony Perkins, Norman Bates is the main character, a quiet young man who runs the Bates Motel. He seems polite and shy, but he has a disturbing secret: he dresses up as his mother and commits violent murders. Norman's polite and friendly appearance hides his dangerous and unstable side, making him both creepy and unpredictable.

At the end, Norman's crimes are discovered, and the truth about his "Mother" personality is revealed. He is arrested and taken away, trapped by his own mind and actions. Norman Bates remains one of the most famous and chilling villains in horror film history.

Perkins reprised the role in three sequels and directed 'Psycho III'.

'Halloween': (1978)

Michael Myers, originally played by Nick Castle, is the masked killer in the 'Halloween' movies. He is silent, unstoppable, and shows no emotion, hunting anyone who gets in his way. Michael is known for wearing a white mask and using knives to terrorise the town of Haddonfield. His calm, slow movements make him even scarier because he seems unstoppable.

At the end of the original story, Michael is caught or injured but often survives, leaving the threat of his returning open. His ability to keep coming back makes him one of the most renowned and scariest slasher villains in films.

Castle returned for 'Halloween' (2018) and its sequels.
The mask was a modified Captain Kirk mask.