Sure, there have been plenty of stalker girls in movies since this one, notably Ali Larter as Lisa in “Obsession” and Erika Christensen as Madison in “Swimfan” But none of them are scarier or more dangerous than Close, who will stop at nothing to have the man she wants. She’s frightening because she’s real… she wants into his life, and won’t stop… she even boils the family pet!

There are only two women on this list, but it’s not because we can’t be wicked, cruel, and terrifying. In this film, the villain is a beautiful woman, angry that the audition she thought was for a role in a movie ends up being an excuse for a widow to choose a new wife. All you need to know about her is this: she has a medical bag full of torture devices, and she loves to use them to exact her revenge.

Typically, policemen are the good guys in movies, but Alonzo is wicked in an intractable, relentless sort of way. He’s worse than the criminals he bribes and murders in the name of a few dollars. He feels he’s entitled, and when rookie cop Jake is squeamish, he casually sets him up and walks away. This role won Washington an Oscar for Best Actor, and it’s no wonder why.