In the grand pantheon of iconic cinematic villains, the usual names always pop up.
Darth Vader. Yes, he was evil and helped kill millions of people, but he also turned away from the dark side of the Force and killed The Emperor.
Hannibal Lecter. Yes, he did murder people and eat their liver "with some fava beans and a nice Chianti," but he was charming. A psychopath, but charming.
Damien in The Omen. Ok, he's the Antichrist but he didn't choose to be the son of Satan, the child was just born into that satanic life.
All in all, you can find redeemable qualities in most villains, except for Nurse Ratched.
Forty-five years after the theatrical release of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Nurse Ratched remains one of the most intimidating, excruciating, and terrifying movie villains of all time.
That's mainly due to a wonderful Oscar-winning performance by Louise Fletcher.
Seriously, she's a psychopath that just gets so far under your skin that your fists will be clenching with rage.*
If you've seen Miloš Forman’s Oscar-winning drama, you'll know just how hateful Nurse Ratched really is, which is why Emmy Award-winner Sarah Paulson has some big nurses' shoes to fill in Netflix's new drama, Ratched.
Ratched is the new eight-episode series created by Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story, The People vs OJ Simpson) and the synopsis states: "Witness the origin of one the world’s most iconic characters brought to life by the creator of American Horror Story, Ryan Murphy. We invite you to meet the woman before the monster, Mildred Ratched.
"In 1947, Mildred arrives in Northern California to seek employment at a leading psychiatric hospital where new and unsettling experiments have begun on the human mind. On a clandestine mission, Mildred presents herself as the perfect image of what a dedicated nurse should be, but the wheels are always turning and as she begins to infiltrate the mental health care system and those within it, Mildred’s stylish exterior belies a growing darkness that has long been smoldering within, revealing that true monsters are made, not born."
Ratched is available to watch on Netflix from Friday, September 18.
Here's a look at some images.
*FYI, there's a school of thought that argues Nurse Ratched was simply doing her job in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest because she stood for order and wouldn't tolerate unrulily behaviour. That's a crock! She's the devil.
