Musicals are unique in that they allow stories to be told through song. This incorporation of melody will often allow its characters a moment to express their innermost feelings and, though it may not seem like too big of a deal, it reveals a great deal more about a character than a standard movie or TV series ever could.
No matter a character's motivation, a song will always shine a light on it and explain it to the viewer. Given the charm associated with a musical's structure, it is more common to witness a cheerful protagonist performing a musical number than it is to see a villain doing so, but there are some exceptions. There are some truly terrifying villains in musical movies, but some are much more frightening than others.
6 The Phantom – The Phantom Of The Opera
The Phantom of the Opera follows the story of a gifted musician who lurks in the shadows of the Paris Opera House. Most squatters would aim to keep their presence a secret, but the Phantom can't help himself and performs numerous actions to allude to his existence. Like his name implies, the Phantom spends his days "haunting" the opera house and striking fear into all those who visit it in the process.
The Phantom is possibly the most iconic character to ever appear in a musical, due to his fascinating design, heart-wrenching backstory, and beautiful singing voice. Upon witnessing Christine's performance on stage, the Phantom becomes transfixed and dedicates his life to securing her favor. Though his interactions with Christine appear compassionate and true, there is a much darker side to the Phantom lurking behind his mask.
5 Oogie Boogie – The Nightmare Before Christmas
Upon discovering Christmas Town, Jack Skellington takes it upon himself to incorporate aspects of the quaint snow-riddled land into his own festivities for Halloween. Though his motivations are pure, the way he conducts his quest for the perfect Halloween is wrought with error and usually negatively affects those around him.
Things take a turn for the worst, however, when Oogie Boogie kidnaps Santa Claus and takes him to his mansion. It seems he intends to torture the famed father of Christmas, but Jack refuses to allow this to happen, as he believes he owes it to Santa to save his life. Oogie is a truly frightening villain in that he is motivated by nothing in particular; he merely wants to foil Jack's plans. Perhaps the most unsettling aspect of Oogie is that his body is composed of hundreds upon thousands of bugs.
4 Riff Raff – The Rocky Horror Picture Show
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Riff Raff is arguably the most unusual character present in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and that's saying a lot. His main role in the story sees him acting as a servant to Frank-N-Furter and, though he does very little to give those he meets a reason to fear him, his likeness to Frankenstein's Igor renders him a truly frightening sight to behold.
Riff Raff is madly envious of Frank-N-Furter's role as commander of the castle and desires it for himself. The climax of his story sees him imprisoning his former master and adopting the role of leader. Though he is undoubtedly deserving of his newly appointed position, the leisurely approach he took to achieve his goals, even if it caused others harm, paints him as the most frightening character in the entire musical.
3 Mother Gothel – Tangled
Rapunzel spent eighteen years of her life locked away in a tower at the request of Mother Gothel, an evil woman who kidnapped Rapunzel as a baby to make use of her hair's magical properties. Unlike most kidnappers, however, Gothel raised Rapunzel to believe she was her captor's daughter, adding a whole new level of evil to her already questionable character.
For the most part, Mother Gothel poses little threat to Rapunzel; she prefers gaslighting over actual aggression. After Rapunzel leaves her tower, Gothel's true nature is revealed. Her cutthroat approach to securing Rapunzel for herself is haunting, to say the least, but the lack of remorse she harbors for those whose lives she attempts to ruin cements her as a terrifying villain.
2 Sweeney Todd
Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd follows a barber named Benjamin Barker who loses everything the day Judge Turpin laid his eyes on Lucy, Benjamin's wife. The Judge's position grants him power over nearly everything in London, forcing Benjamin to flee from the city and change his identity. He returns years later under the guise of Sweeney Todd and, though he has no interest in revenge at first, his anger eventually overcomes him.
Todd sets up a barbershop on Fleet Street above Mrs. Lovett's pie shop to make a living. He lets Lovett in on his plan to avenge Lucy and the two begin planning how to achieve it. However, the first attempt at ending Turpin's reign fails and drives Sweeney down a much darker path. With Mrs. Lovett's help, the two then begin murdering their customers and baking them into pies.
1 Henry McHenry – Annette
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Henry McHenry, played by Adam Driver, is introduced to the audience as a successful comedian who is living the dream. He has a wife who loves him despite his faults, but a lot more than love is necessary to sate his lust for fame and fortune. Henry was always slightly unhinged, but the story of Annette tells the tale of his full-blown descent into madness.
Henry receives a great deal of harsh criticism in response to a joke he makes about murdering his wife. His loss of fame results in a downward spiral and eventually lead to him actually murdering his wife. As if this isn't enough, he then goes on to exploit his daughter's talents to regain a semblance of the success he lost, and later murders his conductor friend for claiming to be Annette's father.