When the conversation around iconic horror villains comes up, people usually go to the main 1980s slasher villains. Maybe, if they're a little more of a hardcore fan, they go to someone like Pennywise, Hannibal Lecter, or Pinhead. But there's more to the genre than those big flashy characters in big-budget movies.
The 90s can be a little overlooked when it comes to horror, but there's some good stuff there if viewers are willing to sort through the endless sequels. Upon some reflection, horror fans can actually see that the decade brought the world some of the scariest villains of the genre.
Annie Wilkes, Misery (1990)
This film is truly iconic and has aged very well, but because it was released so long ago it has slipped a lot of people's minds in the conversation around great horror villains. Misery is a Stephen King adaptation about an author who is in a car accident during a snowstorm. He finds himself rescued by Annie Wilkes, a simple woman claiming to be his biggest fan. While at first, she seems a godsend, he begins to notice some sinister happenings.
Annie is played amazingly by Kathy Bates, who nabbed an Oscar for the role. She's a character whose madness unravels slowly. Though she's always slightly unsettling, no one could predict just how horrible she is. She's also a unique character in that she isn't super physically overpowering or strong, but she poses a huge threat. Annie Wilkes is the root of some of the scariest horror moments ever, and she should get the credit she deserves.
Candyman, Candyman (1992)
While Candyman has been in the spotlight again recently due to the 2021 sequel, also called Candyman, the original version of the character from 1992 is highly underrated. In the realm of slasher villains, he isn't always thought of in the mainstream. Really, he's one of the best horror villains ever.
Candyman's backstory is absolutely tragic. His history and his motive give him an element of antihero that's really interesting, and a lot of people identify with. He also isn't in the film all that much, but absolutely commands it. Part of this is due to Tony Todd's performance which is so powerful. It's also due to the writing, which makes him so enthralling and romantic. He's intriguing as a character, and he's an extremely developed villain.
John Doe, Seven (1995)
There will always be debate about whether David Fincher's Seven is a horror movie or a crime thriller, however, the lines are so blurred it doesn't really matter. This film is scary, and its central villain is absolutely terrifying.
The film follows a pair of detectives investigating some very gruesome murders, seemingly based on the seven deadly sins. The killer of the film, named only John Doe, is revealed towards the end though as most will know, that's far from the main twist of the movie. John Doe is just hyper-unsettling and extremely creepy. John Doe isn't really shown doing too much graphic violence. That doesn't make him any less frightening though, and although audiences aren't shown much about him or his backstory what's shown is enough.
Asami, Audition (1999)
Takashi Miike really is a master of horror, but because his work is largely in Japan western audiences don't always see it. One of his most iconic works is a 1999 horror film called Audition. The central storyline revolves around a widower who decides to hold a series of auditions in an attempt to look for a partner. There he meets Asami and he falls in love, but she is nothing like who she seems.
This film is really interestingly structured, as the horror elements don't come into play until the last half of the film. At first, it's almost a romantic comedy. Once those horror elements kick in though, they really kick in. Asami is, for lack of a better word, sick. She leads a torture sequence towards the end of the film that will make even experienced horror watchers cringe, and she does it with a smile. She's just deeply unsettling but also very intriguing and a super underrated villain.
Ivy, Poison Ivy (1992)
Poison Ivy was the first in a series of four erotic horror/thrillers. The original stars Drew Barrymore as Ivy, a teenager who befriends another girl and slowly worms her way into her wealthy family. Though the film is a little uncomfrotable to watch now because of Barrymore's age at the time of filming, and some of the more risque things she does, her character is extremely interesting.
Ivy is very attractive and smart, a real master of manipulation. Even the audience, who should know that something is up with her, easily falls under her charm. It's hard to figure out exactly what her plan is, which maybe adds to the intrigue, but once it's revealed who she really is it's clear she is someone one would not want to underestimate.