Scariest film performance?
 

After watching Psycho and Silence of the Lambs, I was interested to hear people's opinions on this. Which character/performance really strikes fear into you?
Both Norman Bates and Hannibal Lecter do it for me; although Patrick Bateman and even Travis Bickle have rather chilling qualities about them.

Kathy Bates Misery. Still scares the crap out of me

Clarence Boddicker every time. Just a nasty, spiteful sociopath that's one of the best screen villains out there.

Commodus: Gladiator. Jauquin (?) instills this guy with so much venom and ambition that he pretty much steals every scene he in. Crowe might give the film it's clout but it's Phoenix who give it a (cold) heart.

Lotso Huggin' Bear: A manipulative furry bastard. Even when you think he's going to change his ways he's a massive shit.

Tim Curry as Pennywise. His performance still scares me - and being dressed as a clown didn't help things either.

How did I forget Pennywise? Why did I forget Pennywise...
Actually, I remember why I forgot Pennywise. IT is one of those films I avoid at all costs. I get nightmares just thinking about it.

Ringu (the original Ring)
Rosemary's Baby.

Scariest performance?
 

Anyone else think Robert Helpmann as The Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was/is one of the most disturbing characters ever portrayed on film??? Cripes it's 40 years since I first saw it at the pictures as a nipper and he still gives me the creeps.

Have to agree with Joachim Phoenix in Gladiator too.. the scene where he finally moves in on his sister is beyond evil..

There are moments in Fatal Attraction where the sheer maniacal persistence of Glenn Close's character should put the fear of God into any red blooded male haha

It's often the subtle suggestions of evil that I find the most scary.. like Rosemary's satanic neighbours in Rosemary's Baby, the nurse in Exorcist 3 with the slightly badly applied lipstick, when Pacino's tongue keeps flicking across his lips lizard style in Devil's Advocate ... stuff like that eh?

Piper Laurie
 

as Carrie's demented bible-bashing ma. That's just not how mums should be!

bencobra
 

Billy Drago as Frank Nitti in The Untouchables. He is the epitome of evil.

Peter O'Toole in The Ruling Class