Horror movies feature terrifying antagonists that can scream, yell and sometimes just stay completely silent as they pursue their victims. However, one of the surest signs of insanity and one of the most strikingly terrifying forms of horror is a truly evil laugh.
While many villains of famous horror movies would never be caught laughing, some of the most insane and horrifying among them have let loose violent, clawing cackles and chuckles that strike fear into the hearts of many viewers throughout time.
6 Dracula (Bram Stoker’s Dracula)
It will be surprising to only a few that Gary Oldman’s version of Count Dracula is responsible for one of the most terrifying horror movie laughs. The 1992 movie, starring Oldman as a horrifying version of the legendary vampire, is notable on several points. It is one of the few relatively modern movies which tackle the traditional story of Dracula as told in Bram Stoker’s book.
While Keanu Reeves, Anthony Hopkins, and Winona Ryder are also in the movie, it is Oldman’s performance as Dracula that takes center stage and part of that is down to the petrifying smile and laugh given by Oldman’s character as he feeds a baby to three of his brides. Not only was the laugh chilling to the bone, but the circumstances of the scene made the whole experience spine-tingling.
5 Patrick Bateman (American Psycho)
An obvious case of a killer being completely psychotic to a high degree is in the black-comedy horror movie American Psycho. Patrick Bateman has become well-known in pop culture since the release of this movie. His erratic behavior and wild explanations as he prepares and murders his victims made for some of the strangest horror movie scenes of all time.
Additionally, Bateman is one of the few horror movie killers who would look openly gleeful while he committed his atrocities. While Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers would be completely silent, Bateman is one of the loudest serial killers in history and every laugh or shallow comment he makes throughout the movie is haunting to the audience as they know what goes on behind his eyes.
4 Jack Torrance (The Shining)
Jack Torrance is one of the most cerebrally explored horror movie villains of all time. Unlike most horror villains, Jack isn’t a serial killer. Indeed, he only commits one murder in the movie. However, as the Overlook Hotel takes over his mind and begins to twist him, he begins talking to himself and the imaginings of past residents he sees around the hotel.
While much of The Shining’s terror is in the other specters seen by Jack and Danny in particular, the most real evil is Jack once he has been driven mad. He cackles to himself as he goes mad and continues to torture Wendy and Danny by speaking, shouting, laughing, and screaming making for some of the most chillingly memorable scenes in cinematic history.
3 Chucky (Child’s Play)
Chucky is a less surprising scary laugh. Dolls and children laughing are far more terrifying than adults doing it as they commit murderous acts. While possessed dolls and demonic forces don’t often giggle or laugh at their victims, Chucky isn’t a normal type of murderer.
Originally set as a deranged murderer whose soul was transferred into a doll when he died, Chucky has terrorized audiences ever since being introduced in Child’s Play. He has always loved to talk a little too much and his original laugh has been turned into a staple of the franchise ever since first giving audience members a shivering dose of fear in the original movie.
2 Pennywise (IT)
One of the most famous killers who love to introduce a little whimsy in their terrifying of victims, the laugh of Pennywise the Clown is a staple of the character. Whether the clown is being played by Tim Curry or Bill Skarsgaard, Pennywise has capably captivated fans of horror with the antics and ploys he uses to sucker in young children.
Something about a killer that almost exclusively targeted children made the fear factor almost paralyzing. His entire act, every scene he appeared in, flowed with terror. Each time he spoke drove shivers into the hearts of all watching and his innocent laughs that crept in as he spoke escalated the level of terror even further.
1 Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare On Elm Street)
The pinnacle and original killer that used his voice and sounds as much as his actions is Freddy Krueger. Wes Craven, the creator of A Nightmare On Elm Street, wanted to have a killer that worked and operated differently from the silent killers popular at that time such as Michael Myers. The idea of a killer that stalks victims in their dreams ensured that Freddy would need to be able to terrorize them while he chased them, especially since it was later revealed that the level of their fear before their death helps empower him.
Freddy would taunt victims constantly before finally killing them off, and has become hugely popular and a massive influence in the horror genre for this very reason. Robert Englund, who played Freddy in almost all of his on-screen appearances, has said that he feels Freddy represents the neglect of children. This could be why his laugh has again become part of his arsenal of terror.