When one thinks of or in some cases, the killer/monster. That's all well and good because horror movies need those characters to even be horror movies. But sometimes even those actors don't get nearly enough attention.
Guts, gore, and gratuity of the beast sometimes take precedence over the performances, but it's those performances that truly sell the fear. So whether they are the heroes, the villains, the comedy relief, or the stunt actor behind the monster, some performances deserve a full standing ovation.
Dwight Frye (Dracula)
Viewers might not know his name, but they definitely know his face and his laugh. Dwight Frye is known for playing two crucial roles in the Universal Monsters franchise; Fritz, Dr. Frankenstien's hunchbacked assistant, and Renfield, Dracula's cackling, fly-eating minion.
Where does one even start with how creepy this guy's performance is. One look into those bulging eyes and there's no mistaking something evil lurks behind them. For a melodramatic monster movie, it's quite a convincing performance.
Dylan Sprouse (Dismissed)
Consider the following a psychological horror movie where the nerdy, preppy, bookish, over-achiever is the film's biggest threat who commits atrocious acts over a less-than-satisfactory grade. On paper, this sounds absolutely ludicrous. But Dylan Sprouse made this work in 2017's Dismissed.
Lucas Ward might seem like the preppy kid that would get absolutely axed in any other horror flick, but Sprouse gives him an unsettlingly vengeful side hidden beneath that charming exterior. It's a long way from his role in the Suite Life, no doubt.
Christopher Lee (The Mummy)
Christopher Lee will always be a horror legend, namely for his repeated performances as Dracula. His interpretation of the Mummy is one often shamefully overlooked. Honestly, Kharis could have benefited from a sequel or two.
Kharis is absolutely relentless. Although he is but a puppet of an evil Egyptian, the guy is built like Jason Voorhees. Nothing gets in his way whatsoever, and he doesn't go down easy. While he might like Imhotep's wizardly powers, this mummy's no dummy.
Boris Karloff (The Raven)
Like Christopher Lee, Boris Karloff will forever be associated with monsters. However, his portrayal of the deformed Edmond in The Raven has to get a little bit more credit. While not as famous as Frankenstein's Monster, he does give a very chilling performance.
His face injured by Bela Lugosi's sinister surgeon, Edmond is then made to be a pawn in his captor's plans for revenge. Though reduced to a reluctant henchman rather than the main monster, Karloff's presence and sympathetic stare certainly stand out even next to Lugosi.
Robert Englund (The Phantom of the Opera)
Robert Englund will forever be synonymous with Freddy Krueger, Elm Street, and striped sweaters. But there are those who believe he made a better Phantom than he ever did Freddy. Englund's Phantom is a deformed musician who carries as much menace and mania as his musical genius.
Rather than the standard-issue white mask, this version wears a mask of flayed skin from his victims, showing a more unsettling side to the character. Apart from that and some of his one-liners, this performance is arguably closer to the source material.
Judith Roberts (Dead Silence)
Dead Silence is wildly scary thanks to its army of possessed puppets under the control of the freaky Mary Shaw. But as nightmare-inducing as a human ventriloquist dummy is, her presence and performance as a living character are very underappreciated.
Judith Roberts commands the role when she's on screen. Along with that terrifying rictus grin, her stage prowess in her scenes at the theatre truly demonstrates her power over a captive audience. Don't scream, but definitely give her some applause.
Brad Dourif and Malcolm McDowell (Halloween)
There are few pairs more intense and perfect than Brad Dourif and Malcolm McDowell in Rob Zombies' remake of Halloween. Their energies are just so complementary one can't help but want them to share the screen more often.
If there's one thing Rob Zombie got right with his interpretation of the John Carpenter original, it's casting these two as Sherriff Bracket and Dr. Loomis, respectively. With Dourif's intense stare and MacDowell's commanding voice and presence, it's no wonder it works so well.
Keith David (Coraline)
Keith David is no stranger to horror films, making appearances in projects like The Thing, They Live, and Spawn. But his appearance as the mysterious Cat in Henry Selick's Coraline captures a different side of the actor's range.
The Cat is essentially Coraline's guide through the shady side of the Other World, and hearing David's deep voice resonating from the small, mangy creature is more than a bit surreal. He's definitely one of the good guys, but David's performance gives him a very enjoyable and ambiguous flavor.
Benicio Del Toro (The Wolfman)
It might not have gotten the best reception, but the remake of Universal's Wolf Man is an exciting foray into updating vintage horror with modern techniques. But what truly sells this film for its fans is Benicio Del Toro's performance as Lawrence Talbot and his lycanthropic alter-ego.
Del Toro's wolfed-out performance, along with his interactions with Anthony Hopkins, is definitely the reason to see this film. It's one of the scariest werewolf performances in modern horror, and probably one of the best in the actor's career.
Vincent Price (Masque of the Red Death)
Vincent Price is the undisputed champion of horror actors, and he never fails to be entertaining. His range spans from hokey to horrifying, but while most will know him for House on Haunted Hill, it's Roger Corman's Masque of the Red Death that truly uses all his talents.
Price Plays both the sinister and satanic Prince Prospero and the eponymous Red Death. As Prospero, he is so deliciously evil and malicious with just enough over-the-top flavor to stay likable. But his appearance as the Red Death is as chilling as they come.
