25 greatest and most terrifying horror movie monsters

Most horrifying horror movie monsters: 16. Pyramid Head (Silent Hill)

Was Pyramid Head ever human? Or was he always a manifestation of the psychological horror of Silent Hill? Either way, he’s still a surreal and definitely effective villain.

Pyramid Head first appears in the 2001 Silent Hill 2 video game. At first, he doesn’t do much more than menace the player, what with popping up silently around corners and appearing in strange, gut-churning tableaux throughout the gameplay. Soon enough, though, Pyramid Head becomes a true antagonist. He became even more entrenched within the franchise with the films Silent Hill (2006) and Silent Hill: Revelation (2012).

Pyramid Head appears, as the name implies, with a giant pyramid over his head. Game developers wanted to create a surreal, faceless monster for the franchise. Something about the sharp angles and deteriorated metal of the pyramid structure lends an even more unsettling, unspeakable element to the villain. I will admit, however, that the gigantic sword is little too over-the-top, though other players and filmgoers likely disagree. Either way, I don’t think anyone would want to encounter Pyramid Head in a darkened hallway.

So, what is this villain’s deal? The Silent Hill franchise draws heavily upon psychological themes, and the protagonist of the Silent Hill 2 game is dealing with considerable guilt over his wife’s recent death. Commentators have described the character as “judgment personified, a sexually dark butcher”. In that case, Pyramid Head may be more the manifestations of the unfortunate visitors to Silent Hill than an individual monster. Still, the end results of despair and destruction remain the same.