Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) — The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Hannibal Lecter, M.D. is a fictional character in a series of novels by author Thomas Harris. Lecter is introduced in the thriller novel Red Dragon as a genius psychiatrist  and cannibalistic serial ki**er. This novel and its sequel, The Silence of the Lambs, feature Lecter as one of two primary antagonists. In the third novel, Hannibal, Lecter becomes the main character. His role as protagonist and anti-hero occurs in the fourth novel, Hannibal Rising, which explores his childhood and development into a serial killer. Lecter’s character also appears in all five film adaptations.The first film, Manhunter, was loosely based on Red Dragon, and features Brian Cox as Lecter, spelled as “Lecktor”. In 2002, a second adaptation of Red Dragon was made under the original title, featuring Anthony Hopkins, who had previously played Lecter in the motion pictures The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal. Hopkins won an Academy Award for his performance of the character in The Silence of the Lambs in 1991. In 2003, Hannibal Lecter (as portrayed by Hopkins) was voted by The American Film Institute to be the most memorable villain in film history

Jeffrey Gaines 12 Monkeys (1995)

He might not really be radical revolutionary leader of the apocalypse-causing Army of the Twelve Monkeys, but Jeffrey Goines is certainly one entertainingly insane inmate. Managing to make a fashion statement out of pajamas, a track jacket and leather brogues, the tousle-haired Pitt is all scalp-tugging, neck-rolling and crazy hand mania. But he’s most memorable for his motor-mouthery. “

Lisa Rowe (Angelina Jolie) — Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Girl, Interrupted is a 2000 drama film about a teen’s 18-month stay at a mental institution, starring Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg, Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave and Brittany Murphy. It was adapted from the original memoir of the same name, written by Susanna Kaysen. The film was directed by James Mangold, from a screenplay written by Mangold, Anna Hamilton Phelan and Lisa Loomer.

Dr Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) — Batman Begins (2005)

It’s tough to say whether he’s mad or bad — probably a touch of both. But Crane’s the very definition of the lunatic running the asylum, and not just running it but running it into the ground for power, profit and pervere pleasure. His schtick is dosing patients with fear-creating toxins and then putting on his jolly scarecrow mask for added freak-out factor.

Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) — One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

McMurphy is an Irish-American brawler found guilty of battery and gambling  (he had also been charged with, but never convicted of, statutory rae, something which he brags about). He is a Korean War veteran who was a POW during the war. He is sentenced to a fairly short prison term, and decides to have himself declared insane in order to be transferred to a mental institution, where he expects to serve the rest of his time in (comparative) comfort and luxury.McMurphy’s ward in the mental institution is run by the tyrannical Nurse Ratched, who has cowed the patients – who are mostly there by choice – into dejected submission. The two hate each other on sight, and McMurphy goes on a crusade to flout Ratched’s regime of rules and punishment, as well as liberate the other patients from her grip.