Through the course of cinematic history, there have been a series of characters who have served as the primary antagonists, those who seek to disrupt the quests and journeys of the hero with their evil and malicious ways. These movie villains have been portrayed with striking precision that serves as an embodiment of pure darkness.

Movie villains are made up of many different elements. For instance, there’s their background, i.e. what made them become so evil in the first place, and then the kind of motive they have for acts of badness. In addition, a villain’s costume can reveal much about their character, and the delivery of dialogue cannot be understated.

Another important facet of the movie villain is, of course, their laugh. After all, what could prove to be more terrifying than an antagonist bursting into laughter at their evil deeds? A laugh says everything one needs to know about the darkness of a villain and their inability to reason with their rivals.

We’ve put together a list of the greatest villainous laughs in the history of cinema. So, from deep and booming expressions of confident joy to piercing cackles that echo against the dungeon walls, hold on tight because some serious evil laughter is coming right your way.

The five best villainous laughs in cinema history:

Emperor Palpatine

Also known as Darth Sidious, Star Wars’ Emperor Palpatine is one of the most memorable villains in cinema, and he certainly has the laugh to match his pure manifestation of evil. Ian McDiarmid’s effort as Palpatine has him chuckling with glee as he wreaks havoc and destruction on the world around him.

Whenever Palpatine succeeds and his enemies find their way into his vicious traps, a rising cackle rings throughout the galaxy, a menacing echo that serves as a phonic embodiment of the Dark Side. Palpatine’s laugh is truly unsettling and has undoubtedly inspired many of the great villainous laughs that followed.

Lord Voldemort

In another huge movie franchise, there’s another villain with an astonishingly frightful laugh. Harry Potter’s Lord Voldemort, played with striking menace by Ralph Fiennes, also has a laugh that sends chills down one’s spine whenever it is heard echoing down the halls of Hogwarts or across the wider wizarding world.

More of a high-pitched effort than Palpatine, Voldemort’s laugh is almost serpent-like and serves as a reflection of his transformation from young Tom Riddle into the Dark Lord. There is not a shred of humour in Voldemort’s laugh, but it is rather one that is heard when the suffering of others is brought about or when Voldemort begins to enjoy his devastating power.

Dracula

This one’s a serious contender for the best villainous laugh of all time. While Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula endured a handful of poor performances, Gary Oldman’s effort as Count Dracula was one hell of a ride and saw him deliver one of the most memorable laughs in the history of cinema.

The laugh itself is one that captures Dracula’s fearsome and predatory nature and his almost lack of control as a result of centuries of existential loneliness. Oldman gave one of the most iconic villain performances of the 1990s, and his Dracula’s laugh has a deep tone that strikes fear into the hearts of his victims, not to mention the quivering audience sitting uncomfortably in their seats.

Dr Evil

Mike Myers absolutely nailed the larger-than-life qualities of the movie villain when he played Dr Evil in the Austin Powers movies. Sure, there’s a comic element to the antagonist’s laugh, but it’s still a chuckle that provides just as much fear and menace as those the character was based on, most notably, James Bond’s nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

Unlike the other villains on this list, who are mostly content with a short burst of evil laughter, Dr Evil just has to take it to the next level and delivers a prolonged and completely over-the-top cackle, though this also serves to showcase his megalomaniac qualities, and when his abiding henchmen join in, his true powers are revealed. A mocking effort, but a brilliant one nonetheless.

Agent Smith

Finally, we arrived with the menacing villain of The Matrix, Agent Smith, who possesses a truly chilling laugh that expresses his disdain for the entire human race. Hugo Weaving’s effort is one made up of a mechanical cadence, highlighting the fact that he is indeed an AI program designed to sniff out those who would disrupt the Matrix itself.

A complete emotionless quality runs through Smith’s very being, although he seems to possess an arrogance, largely shown whenever he delivers his sinister laugh, a chuckle of a genuinely sardonic nature. Ice cold as steel, Smith’s laugh bites through The Matrix whenever delivered and will not be forgotten in a hurry.