You’re greatest hero is only as good as your most awesome villain. This is true in movies as well as in life. Executive producer Jeffrey Eagle (pictured below with the beautiful Kristanna Lokan) put together one of the most thought provoking documentaries on villains in film, Unforgettably Evil. Written and directed by Sebastian Bauer and produced by Giant Interactive for the small screen to air on Starz as part of their Starz Inside Series.

What makes a fantastic villain and what does it take to create those characters?  A host of some of the most bone chilling bad guys and girls comment on their own inspiration for evil. Kristanna Lokan, the unstoppable machine in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines as well as Rayne, in BloodRayne is no stranger to tapping into her dark side. Stunning and unassuming in person, its hard to picture her as the same lethal force seen in these films. Her analysis of what made her character T-X so chilling and yet not entirely unlikable was the ability to portray a touch of humanity. She makes the viewer sympathize, if  just for one minute, with a heartless machine. And that’s how girls like me end up dead in scene 1 with a stupid naive look on my face.

I happen to be a big fan of the documentary genre. And this one in particular had to be a nightmare of a challenge to get made. Starring James Cromwell, Malcolm McDowell, David Carradine (in fact his very last interview before his unfortunate death), Daryl Hannah, Eric Roberts, Joe Mantegna, Bruce Greenwood, Tobin Bell, William Fichtner, Kristanna Loken, Stan Lee, Kurtwood Smith, Eli Roth, Lauren Shuler Donner, and James Howard. Giant was able to weave brilliant commentary with about 100 clips of the scariest moments of all time. People….licensing can be WAY scarier than Hannibal Lecter. This had to take absolute ages to arrange and clear.

Conspicuously absent, however, was the Dark Lord himself, Darth Vader. I guess that was one source of evil not feeling too generous that day. But even regardless of clearance issues, there could have been a mention. He does top most of the “Best of the Worst” lists. However he doesn’t top mine. Nope, that would be my 6th Grade teacher, Sister Mary Catherine. That woman could have scared Hitler straight.

I overheard one of the viewers Monday night say that watching the documentary made them “aware of their own villain inside”. And isn’t that the heart of it? Everyone has a little evil, a little good. Its the yin and the yang of life that makes us vulnerable to watching over and over as Hollywood serves up more flawed heros and more lovable villains.

Catch Unforgettably Evil on Starz Monday August 3rd. Check out the Trailer here. 

Words and photos by Barbie Brady