MAKING MEMORABLE VILLAINS

Hannibal Lecter, Darth Vader, The Joker, our contemporary American society loves our villains. Where would we be without that ruthless antagonist that we love to hate?
What is it about villains that draws us in? They come in various forms: movie, TV, books, even reality. Do you know a villain in your own world? You boss, an ex-wife, the nosy neighbor. The real villains are not as much fun as the fictional ones - but that's only because the fictional villains are an over the top extension of those evil bastards pulled from your reality.
But isn't it also true that there is some part of you deep down that can relate to the maniacal criminal genius or even the violent killer? People are made up of good and bad, yin and yang, the side we choose to nurture defines who we are. But, much like The Incredible Hulk, the other side - usually the darker side - slips out every once in awhile.
Time and time again I've heard actors tell me they have more fun playing the bad guy - why is that? Because villains have less rules to follow, they don't give a shit who they hurt as long as it benefits their own personal gain, and they usually strike fear into the common person until the hero comes along to thwart them. There is one major reason to not want to be the villain...they usually die in the end (unless they're carted off to jail awaiting the sequel).

The makings of a great villain in any medium has to start with their bottom line. Why are they doing what they're doing? Why do they want to blow up the world or kill that cops family? If the motive doesn't wash your villain falls flat and the audience is disappointed to say the least. The best villains believe they are in the right. They are following through with their destructive plans because in their mind it is what needs to be done to invoke change. And they'll stand behind that decree until the bitter end - they have to or there is no story. The flip side of that is the psycho. They know they're in the wrong and they just don't give a damn.

Here's some examples of what I mean using some classic villains:

* Cobra Commander - Out for world domination...a psycho who just wants to rule the world
* Dennis Hopper in Speed - He's pissed off and seeking revenge. Does he believe he's in the right? Absolutely...he lost a thumb working for the bomb squad and all they gave him was a stinking gold watch.
* Hans Gruber in Die Hard - At first blush it appears as though he's held Nacatomy Plaza hostage for the release of world leaders. Then it is revealed that his real motive is strictly money driven...brilliant! Money is a great motivator for evil.

There's a new movie coming out soon called Law Abiding Citizen about an everyday guy (Gerard Butler) who decides to take justice into his own hands after a plea bargain sets his family's killers free. His target: The district attorney (Jamie Fox) who orchestrated the deal.
Here's where my theory gets a little tricky. The trailer plays it off as though Butler is the villain and Fox is the good guy. But as I sit back and take in the general idea for this movie I hear myself shouting: "Nay, nay! The LAWYER is the villain here and the man cleaning the shit off the streets is the hero!" That is taken from reality and everyone knows lawyers are always evil creatures who don't care who gets harmed as long as they reach their bottom line...money. Even defense attorneys and DA's are working for the almighty dollar (don't let all the fancy law TV shows fool you). But this is my blog and that's a stated opinion.

What is reality is that in order for a story line to properly proceed you need a villain worthy enough to challenge the hero, be it physically, mentally, or both. If the hero has no hurdles to overcome there is no story. So villains must be flushed out to the 9th degree before they are ready to be packaged and sold to the potential audience.