The late film directorDavid Lynchhas left behind an extraordinary body of work that contained some of the most compelling villains ever seen across films and television. While Lynch was always a good-natured, upbeat, and likable figure in real life, the truth was his work contained a litany of depraved figures that got to the very heart of mankind’s capacity for darkness.Lynch’s best filmscontain glimpses into alternate realities and capture something essential about the surreal nature of dreams and existence, yet also feature villains who make viewers' skin crawl.
Some ofthe best villains of all timeappeared in Lynch’s work, as his ability to capture both the light and dark of the human psyche meant he was one of the few avant-garde filmmakers who managed to leave an undeniable imprint on mainstream popular culture. Whether it was through depraved gangsters, otherworldly entities, or cryptic creations,Lynch’s villains were some of his most compelling and memorable characters. As one ofthe best directors who ever lived, now is the perfect time to look back on Lynch’s incredible talent for creating unforgettable antagonists.
10Leland Palmer
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)
While audiences were first introduced to Leland Palmer as an eccentric mourning father in the pilot episode ofTwin Peaks, he was revealed to be far more sinister as the mythology of this series slowly revealed itself. With a career-defining performance from Ray Wise, Leland was central to the mystery of Laura’s death as his horrific actions paired unspeakable sexual abuse with the supernatural evil of the malevolent interdimensional entity Bob. Whilethe line between where Leland ended and where Bob began was blurred, the prequel movieTwin Peaks: Fire Walk with Meshowcased Leland as a despicable villain.
Although Leland may have been possessed by a force of pure evil, this did not eliminate the fact that he subjected his daughter to sexual and verbal abuse for years and was the source of much of her trauma. Leland’s strange and eccentric behavior throughoutTwin Peaksmade more sense with the extra information provided inFire Walk with Me,as he was plagued by guilt at the passive way he allowed a monstrous evil to take control of him.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Cast
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me is a prequel to the television series Twin Peaks, exploring the last seven days of Laura Palmer’s life. Set in the towns of Deer Meadow and Twin Peaks, the film follows FBI Agent Dale Cooper’s investigation into dark visions and the mysterious disappearance of Agent Desmond.
9Mr. Bytes
The Elephant Man (1980)
As one of the few David Lynch films that was based on a true story, the hardships faced by John Merrick inThe Elephant Manwere inspired by the real experiences of a severely deformed Victorian man. While the film was famous for the empathetic way it told Merrick’s story, the villainous ringmaster, Mr. Bytes, still remains one of Lynch’s most hateful villains. As the leader of an evil East End freak show, Mr. Bytes was the man who put Merrick on display for all the world to gawk and point at.
As a brutish man who refused to see the extraordinary humanity buried within Merrick’s soul, Mr. Bytes forced him to wear a bag over his head and viewed him as having an intelligence far below his actual ability. While the surgeonFrederick Treves thankfully paid to have Merrick freed from his prison-like captivity, this did not undo the years of trauma he had caused. As a sadistic and exploitative man, Mr. Bytes represented some of the worst aspects of mankind’s capacity for cruelty.
The Elephant Man
The Elephant Man is a 1980 film directed by David Lynch, chronicling the life of Joseph Merrick, known as John Merrick in the film. Set in 19th-century London, it follows a Victorian surgeon who discovers the intelligence and sensitivity behind Merrick’s severe disfigurement.
8Mystery Man
Lost Highway (1997)
Lost Highwayis one of David Lynch’s most cryptic and underrated films and features one of his most mystifying villains, The Mystery Man. This ominous, specter-like figure haunts the narrative ofLost Highwayand seems to be the only person who is aware that the two protagonists, Fred Madison and Pete Dayton, are actually one another’s doppelgängers. The idea of doubling and people acting as mirror images of one another is seen throughout Lynch’s work, and the Mystery Man appears to have some extra connection to the subliminal and surreal realm of symbols withinLost Highway.
As his name suggests,very little is known about the Mystery Man, although his body language and interactions indicate he’s not quite human. As a sadistic entity who enjoys playing mind games with Fred and Pete, his calm and calculated cruelty adds a menacing air to the dreamlike occurrence that saw this musician inexplicably replaced with a young mechanic. Like the best Lynch villains, the Mystery Man can not be fully explained, although that makes him no less compelling.
Lost Highway
Lost Highway is a psychological thriller directed by David Lynch. Released in 1997, the film stars Bill Pullman as Fred Madison, a jazz saxophonist entangled in a complex mystery involving his wife and a parallel existence. The narrative combines elements of surrealism and noir, weaving a story that challenges perceptions of identity and reality. Patricia Arquette co-stars, and the enigmatic plot unfolds through Lynch’s signature atmospheric and stylistic approach.
7Mr. C
Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)
While David Lynch fans were ecstatic to learn aboutTwin Peakslong-awaited third season with the release ofThe Returnin 2017, many were surprised to see Kyle MacLachlan portraying a version of Dale Cooper who was totally different than the upbeat, coffee-loving FBI agent they knew years before. Instead,Twin Peakscontinued on from its season two finale to show Cooper possessed by a cold and ruthless being who came from the Black Lodge. Asa spirit who had inhabited Cooper’s body for 25 years, this malicious doppelgänger ran rampant on Earth and committed hateful crimes.
With shoulder-length hair, a leather jacket, and a bad attitude, this doppelgänger was known as Mr. C and aimed to find the mythological entity and powerful negative force known as Judy. However, Mr. C also needed to evade the real Cooper, who had returned in the form of a manufactured man named Dougie Jones. These overlapping roles gave MacLachlan a lot to do inThe Return, and Mr. C was a rare opportunity for the likable actor to show off his nastier side.
6The Phantom
Inland Empire (2006)
Much like the Mystery Man inLost Highway, the Phantom inInland Empireis shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Played by Krzysztof Majchrzak, the Phantom’s supernatural powers include mind control, as they exert a huge amount of influence over all the strange happenings in this surreal, experimental, psychological thriller. With a dark backstory, the Phantom is bitter over an affair that occurred long ago and uses its powers to force others to recreate this traumatic scenario.
As a hypnotist who worked in the circus before mysteriously disappearing, the Phantom continues to hold their former wife prisoner and seems intent on ensuring others are hurt by the pain they still carry. As a powerful symbol of the destructive nature of unaddressed emotional issues, the Phantom wasjust one of many examples in Lynch’s work of deeply psychological archetypesthat represent humanity’s need for compassion for one another.
Inland Empire
Inland Empire, directed by David Lynch, is a surreal psychological thriller released in 2006. The film stars Laura Dern as an actress whose reality begins to unravel when she takes on a challenging role in a mysterious film. With a narrative that blends multiple storylines and dream-like sequences, the film explores themes of identity, illusion, and the boundaries of reality.
5Bum
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Despite only making brief appearances in David Lynch’s 21st-century masterpieceMulholland Drive, the character simply credited as Bum remains one of his strangest and most memorable. A figure that exists in both dreams and reality,the Bum was played by Bonnie Aaronsand had an unkempt and haphazard presentation that was truly jarring. With an ability to scare not only audience members but also unsuspecting characters in the film, the Bum was a darkly villainous and unpredictable aspect ofMulholland Drive.
Like in so many other Lynch films, the true purpose behind the Bum never gets a definitive answer but only makes his frightful nature all the more haunting, although his presentation tapped into the film’s themes of fear of the unconscious. As a presence that can appear at any moment, Lynch might have had more plans for the Bum in the original TV series vision ofMulholland Drive, yet the limited screentime he maintained was just another intriguing aspect of this all-time great film.
Mulholland Drive
David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive is a neo-noir mystery about aspiring actress Betty, who becomes involved with a woman suffering from amnesia and a mysterious blue box. Starring Naomi Watts and Laura Harring, the 2001 surrealist film explores themes of identity, memory, and Hollywood’s dark side.
4Bobby Peru
Wild at Heart (1990)
David Lynch delivered his own take on the couple on the run genre withWild at Heart, a genre-bending crime thriller starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern. With plenty of cunning criminal characters, the most intriguing was Bobby Peru, a sleazy, degenerate played by Willem Dafoe. While Bobby was initially aligned with Cage’s Sailor Ripley and the two planned a bank robbery together, the darkness of his character was revealed as he tried to rape Sailor’s girlfriend Lula Fortune.
As a literal foul-mouthed figure whose off-putting yellow teeth echoed his stained soul,Bobby Peru’s aggressive sexual innuendos were an immediate mark of his bad character. The horrific aura that Bobby emitted was immediately recognizable to Lulu as she reminded him of a man who sexually assaulted her when she was a child, only for this trauma to be repeated once again when he attempted to have his way with her. Dafoe has always excelled at playing villains, and Bobby Peru was one of his most sinister roles.
Wild at Heart
Wild at Heart is a 1990 film directed by David Lynch, based on the novel by Barry Gifford. The story follows Sailor Ripley, played by Nicolas Cage, and Lula Pace Fortune, played by Laura Dern, as they embark on a violent and surreal road trip across the American South. The film intertwines elements of romance, crime, and dark fantasy, earning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
3Mr. Eddy
The gangster, BDSM pornographer, andruthless criminal Mr. Eddy was a menacing figure in the second half of David Lynch’sLost Highway. As a film that deals heavily with themes of duality, it made sense that Eddy, who was also known as Dick Laurent, worked together with the Mystery Man to exert control over the lives of Pete Dayton and Renee Madison. With a mix of humor and horror, Mr. Eddy was powerfully portrayed by Robert Loggia, who excelled in other iconic gangster roles such as inScarfaceandThe Sopranos.
As an enigmatic mobster with a violent temper, Mr. Eddy added yet another air of evil to the transformative story of Fred Madison, who inexplicably found himself living as Pete Dayton. As Eddy is seen violently assaulting a man for tailgating him, it’s hard not to think of the unpredictable villainy of Lynch’s Frank Booth fromBlue Velvet, a man of dark impulses who echoed Eddie’s erratic behavior.
2Frank Booth
Blue Velvet (1986)
While many of David Lynch’s most memorable villains were unknowable supernatural figures from another realm, the most chilling aspect of Frank Booth was how totally human he was. With a career-best performance from Dennis Hopper, Frank represented the pinnacle of his wildman roles as he was allowed to go more chaotic and unhinged than ever before. As a violent drug dealer who kidnapped the family of lounge singer Dorothy Vallens, Frank had no issue forcing this young woman to become his sex slave.
As a depraved figure with a split personality, the darkness of Frank Booth is steeped in extreme childhood trauma and an implied incestuous relationship with his own mother. A strange and unsettling man, Frank was the personification of pure depravity and the benchmark by which all other Lynch villains were viewed throughout his career. Taking the terms crazy and disturbed to entirely new heights,Frank was a major reasonBlue Velvetput Lynch on the map as a major director of the 20th century.
Blue Velvet
Written and directed by David Lynch, Blue Velvet is a 1986 Thriller and Mystery film. Starring Kyle MacLachlan and Isabella Rossellini, the film follows a young man that becomes embroiled in a crime.
1BOB
Twin Peaks (1990 - 1991)
There was never going to be any other answer when it came to David Lynch’s best villains except for BOB fromTwin Peaks. As the personification of evil incarnate,this otherworldly spirit resides in the Black Lodgeand provides viewers with a sinister glimpse into the hateful and dark realities that underpin Lynchian movies and TV shows. Through the harvesting of pain and sorrow, BOB is a character for whom redemption is impossible and whose only drive is to put more suffering into the world.
Whether it was through the possession of people like Leland Palmer and Dale Cooper or through his mission to locate the powerful negative force, Judy, BOB cast a dark shadow across every part ofTwin Peaks’legacy. Represented by the sinister smile and long locks of Frank Silva, BOB’s iconic imagery continued to appear throughThe Returneven after the actor’s passing. With a career full of compelling villains, noDavid Lynchbad guys were more iconic than BOB fromTwin Peaks.
Twin Peaks
Conceived by Mark Frost and David Lynch in 1990, Twin Peaks is a supernatural mystery-drama series that brings FBI Agent Dale Cooper to the quiet town of Twin Peaks to investigate the murder of a young woman named Laura Palmer. As Dale continues his investigation of her death, he learns that Laura’s life wasn’t as she advertised it, and the town itself is hiding far more secrets than they let on. The show received a revival for a third and final season two decades later to resolve the cliffhanger left at the end of the second season.
