Films by season & age - Heroes and Villains (Ages 12-15)

Seasons are a great way to explore different ideas through watching a group of films. Why not try watching all the films in a season and make some time for discussion. Topics and discussion points are included.

Good guys and bad guys - they're probably the most regular features of movie history. And with good reason: a film with a classic hero or an equally memorable villain sticks in the mind long after the credits have rolled. So here we present our season of films dedicated to the very worst of scoundrels and the very greatest of idols.

In the latter group, the classic movie heroes tend to come conflicted over their place in the world - check out Superman Returns or Batman Begins for proof. For the great villains, however, there's usually no such confusion, and their evil plays a vital role in many of the most memorable films ever made. Can you imagine The Wizard of Oz without the cackling Wicked Witch of the West, or Brighton Rock without the terrifying Pinkie Brown?

Suggested pairs:

From the seasons, movies with great heroes and those with great bad guys are probably best watched on alternate weeks - so, for example, after watching the faceless threat of Steven Spielberg's Duel, there could be a screening of the hugely uplifting Gandhi. Alternatively, after the comic book heroics of Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Robert Mitchum's performance in The Night of the Hunter offers a masterclass of creepy villainy.

Talking points:

What do you think makes a great movie hero? And a great movie villain?

Which type of character makes the best hero - the all-action Indiana Jones, or the more thoughtful Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird?

Were there any points when you felt sorry for the villain in one of the films here? What do you think might have made them the way they are?

Guidance:

Although it is a genuine classic and more dream-like than violent, some scenes in The Night of The Hunter may be slightly disturbing for younger viewers.
Batman Begins features some scenes related to mental illness that sensitive viewers may find troubling.