Night of the Bastard’s London May Picks His Favorite Cold-Blooded Bastards!

Horror Features
Alex Humphrey
January 15, 2023
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7 minutes read

Revenge movies need a cold blooded bastard to lead the way in a path of death and destruction on the way to retribution. London May is a man who knows all about revenge having starred in the action horror Night of the Bastard so he is the perfect person to give us a rundown of the baddest and best basterds on film.

Disgruntled hermit Reed (London May) lives a solitary life in the desert. After chasing away a group of youths trying to party near his home, Reed’s peaceful life is violently upheaved when a group of savage cultists lay siege to his house. Forced to partner up with one of the party-goers, Reed and his newfound colleague must defend themselves into the night, all while long-buried and disturbing secrets are revealed to him as part of the cult’s evil plan.

Check out the trailer below:

Below NIGHT OF THE BASTARD’S lead actor/prodcuer the amazing London May gives us a run down of his favorite cold blooded basterds and revenge films.

“The loners listed in the revenge films below are all stone cold killing machines. They’ll barely bat an eye lid or raise their voice as they enact their bloody retribution. But while they slay without mercy, remorse, or emotion- like a Terminator or hit man- they are all in fact very, very human. Haunted by their past traumas, their pain and rage has been suppressed to the point of crystallization.

Now, a low key, blunted personality barely conceals the violent pathology behind their sullen eyes. Personally, this type of quiet casualness with carnage can be more shocking to me than a cackling villain or a hysterical maniac.These films include some unforgettable cold blooded bastards, and they were inspirational fodder when developing Night Of The Bastard. Highly recommended for fans of intense (but realistic and understated) savagery.”

1. Coming Home In The Dark – Daniel Gillies as Mandrake

“Cinematic violence has rarely been this surprising and this matter-of-fact. A bleak and brutal NZ hostage shocker anchored by Vampire Diaries’ hunk Daniel Gilles and his untamed facial hair. Though a smile doesn’t cross his hairy face, this bully definitely gets pleasure from enacting his sick and savage vengeance.”

2. Dead Man’s Shoes – Paddy Considine as Richard

“An angry angel of death haunts a small town in this lean and mean UK revenge shocker. Unassuming but fearless Paddy Considine is the ultimate anti-hero as he stands tall and kicks back against the pricks. He says/does everything I always wished I was brave enough to do back in the schoolyard. A tragic and fierce masterpiece with a satisfyingly spooky climax.”

3. Bull – Neil Maskell as Bull

“If you liked Neil Maskell in Kill List don’t miss his incredibly understated “payback” roll in Bull. Here, his pain is so deep and his loss so profound that not even his own family is safe when he’s on the warpath. A hard as nails and truly terrifying menace who charges his way through this supernaturally tinged gangland thriller.”

4. Ted K. – Sharlto Copley as Ted

“Watch Copely as the reclusive Unabomber go scorched earth on industrialized America in this masterful one man show. Isolation and nature is romanticized, but not to the point of sentimental loneliness and travel brochure beauty. The filmmakers succeed in putting you inside the head of an intellectual terrorist, revealing not only his tortured soul but also deciphering his complicated POV, which twisted and rash, also ultimately illuminates some sad societal truths.”

5. The Silent Partner – Christopher Plummer as Reikle

“Always loved this nasty little Canadian grinder from 1978. As Reikel, Christopher Plummer ain’t your momma’s von Trapp anymore, and he’s completely riveting as a sadistic psycho here. Raping, robbing, slicing, shooting, and even cross dressing, he does it all with the cold demeanor of a reptile on ice skates. The legendary fish tank scene is so WTF transgressive, that after 40 years it has yet to be bested in the annals of cinematic depravity. And yet an unflappable Plummer does it here with RELISH!”

6. Last Minute Addition/Dishonorable Mention

(All of the above characters have some thread of empathy, but not here!)
Holy Spider – Mehdi Bajestani as Saeed.
“Bajestani plays a mouth breathing Iranian serial killer with amazing restraint and soulless moral detachment. Saeed is a true devil in the flesh, and although inhumanely cruel and cold, Bajestani brings him to life and makes you worry about what your average Joe on the street might be capable of. I always have a soft spot for the bad guys, but this performance and character (based on a true story) was so slimy and vile that I cheered for his demise. Rot in hell Saeed— but I hope Mehdi wins an Oscar for this mind blowing portrayal of the ungodly evil that can live quietly next door.”