5 Scariest Horror Movie Characters

Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates was a normal guy that went a little crazy. The defining scene for me what at the very end of the film when Norman is sitting in the police station wrapped in a blanket and peering up at the camera with a sinister grin and the voice of his mother says, "Why she wouldn't even harm a fly."

The character of Leatherface was based on serial killer Ed Gein. In Texas Chainsaw Massacre, he wore a mask made of skin, just as Gein did. Every shot of the low budget 1974 film that featured Leatherface, to me, is one of the most frightening, nightmare inducing scenes in cinematic history. The gritty appearance of the pictures adds to its macabre quality.

I want to reference the first three flicks in the 'Friday the 13th' franchise from 1980-1982. In these first installments, the character of Jason had not been impacted by popularity or the trappings of Hollywood, i.e. 'Jason vs. Freddy,' and 'Jason Takes Manhattan.' In his original appearances, Jason was scripted as a mentally disabled young boy and has been depicted as a non-verbal, indestructible, mass murderer. The scenes featuring this character coupled with a chilling, orchestrated soundtrack make for some of the best nail-biting scenes in horror movie history.

The scariest thing about Hannibal Lecter is that he's as normal as you and I but has an advanced intelligence, keen senses and the thirst for flesh. Anthony Hopkins was perfectly cast if not for his spine tingling stare alone. The calm way he delivered each line with his proper Welsh accent only accentuates the creepy nature of the character.

Horror legend Sid Haig brought to life Captain Spaulding, a vulgar but friendly owner of a gas station and the "Museum of Monsters & Madmen." This psychotic clown ends up being just one of many unhinged mental patients we meet in the movie but the character has become iconic in today's horror genre. The role was reprised by Haig in director Rob Zombie's sequel, 'The Devil's Rejects.'