Monster movies have long been a popular horror sub-genre, and how frightening a monster is depends entirely on the movie. The early monster flicks seemed to endow their antagonists with sympathetic qualities, leaving the audience suspended between heartache and terror.
Who didn’t, after all, feel at least a tinge of sadness and despair mixed with humanity while watching Frankenstein? While some movies use the monster to explore humanity and how we approach differences, others use this archetype to explore just how terrifying monsters can really be. The following ten movies are the best of those scary monster films, whose antagonists seem to carry no redeeming value… aside from scaring the pants off of you.
10. Prophecy (1979):
John Frankenheimer’s environmental horror takes place in a town whose paper mill is causing less than appealing effects on the local wildlife. Unfortunately, the impact of the mill’s waste goes beyond giant tadpoles, and the town finds itself in fear of a giant, mutated bear who is out for blood… and who can blame him? Chock-full of everything great about the 70’s, including dated special effects, this movie is an underrated gem.
9. Humanoids from the Deep (1980):
In Barbara Peeter’s horror film about what can happen if you add a bit of growth hormone to a salmon, the mutated result of such experiments is a monstrous creation whose only goal is to impregnate human females and destroy all the males. Maybe I chose this film because, being a female, the idea of being impregnated by a grotesque salmon/human hybrid sounds absolutely terrifying. Of course, it’s also just a great movie. It is a classic 80’s monster flick in every way, and not nearly enough people give this little treasure credit for being as great as it is.
8. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978):
Yeah, I am really putting this on here. In what is probably the best iteration of the Body Snatchers franchise, this classic science fiction horror film is based on the novel The Body Snatchers, written by Jack Finney. The “monsters” in this film are actually invisible parasites that enter humans during their most vulnerable moment… sleep. Upon awakening, the host looks the same but is devoid of emotion. Aside from turning into a fairly disgusting pod-like cocoon, these monsters aren’t terrifying because of their appearance; they are terrifying because of their relentless pursuit… and because we can’t stay awake forever, there really is no escaping them. While some horror flicks prefer to offer a bit of hope at the end, this film offers none. With only one protagonist remaining “unreplaced” and alone, the audience is not left with much hope for the future of humanity.
7. Alien (1979):
Ridley Scott’s science-fiction/horror masterpiece gives us one of the most memorable and scary monsters of all time. Taking place on a desolate space station, a group of rescuers find that the entire population has been decimated by an alien being. Winning multiple awards, including an Academy Award for special effects, this movie did such a good job creating a terrifying monster that it spawned an entire franchise… and surprisingly some of those sequels were pretty darn good. With the “facehugger” and “chestburster,” the resident “alien” has company to assist it in terrifying the crew, and thankfully so, because what would this movie be without the classic “chestbursting” scene?
6. Pandorum (2009):
Christian Alvert’s post-apocalyptic horror stars Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster. It takes place on the spaceship Elysium, which is meant to be a “Noah’s Ark” of sorts. Transporting all that is left of life on the planet Earth, the ship’s captain finds he has come down with a syndrome known as “Orbital Dysfunctional Syndrome,” or ODS. Unfortunately, there is no cure, and it has disastrous results for all on board. The mutated creatures that evolve on this ill-fated flight are truly terrifying, and the multiple plot twists keep this movie exciting from start to finish. While the film may have been released to fairly negative reviews, it has since garnered much deserved attention for what is truly an epic sci-fi/horror hybrid.
5. The Fly (1986):
There are very few instances when a remake is better than the original, but David Cronenberg’s The Fly certainly exceeds all expectations. Chris Walas and Stephen Dupuis won an Academy Award for best makeup, which was well deserved because even today the effects look fantastic. The story is simple: A scientist discovers a way to transport people “Star Trek” style… only he didn’t realize a fly had flown into his transporter pod, forever changing his DNA during the flight. The slow evolution from man to insect is as terrifying as it is disgusting. Jeff Goldblum does a great job playing the part of the unfortunate scientist, and like in many other movies on this list, there is no escaping the monster. Until the evolution is complete, it has no intention of stopping.
4. The Mist (2007):
Frank Darabont’s horror film based on a Stephen King novella of the same name is much more than just a monster movie, exploring themes of desperation, isolation, and just how far humans will go to survive… and when to admit defeat. The majority of the film takes place in a supermarket where a group of people have come to gather supplies after a storm. Upon realizing that the storm carried much more with it than water, the group must do what they can to survive this monster attack. One of the most stunning aspects of this movie is the shocking ending, which deviates from the book in that it is much darker… and sadder. While we don’t get too much of a look at the mantis-like creatures that have taken over, we do get a good look at how people handle crisis… and it ain’t so pretty.
3. 28 Days Later (2002):
Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic horror gives us an entirely new take on the zombie franchise and creates an unforgettable monster. Set in post-apocalyptic London, this film follows a handful of survivors as they try to make their way to safety. Unfortunately, most of the population has been infected with a virus called Rage, which turns its victims into new age zombies that thirst for blood and attack with a vengeance. Unlike other zombie movies, the antagonists in this movie are fast, violent, and hard to shake. Boyle is said to have wanted the infected to mimic late-stage rabies… well, if that is what rabies looks like, I hope I never get it.
2. The Descent (2005):
If anyone is out there who, like me, avoided this film because it didn’t look very good, I suggest you watch it immediately. This monster movie is a claustrophobic ride into pure terror, and I found myself leaping out of my seat on several occasions. Neil Marshall wrote and directed this film, which follows six women on a caving expedition where they encounter the most horrific humanoid monsters ever to grace the silver screen. Unlike the majority of horror movies where female characters barely put up a struggle, these six women ditch the high heels and instead fight with everything they’ve got… creating some pretty epic battle sequences. Spawning a sequel that is arguably as good as the first, The Descent is a reminder how not all monster movies have to be campy… sometimes they can be terrifying.
1. The Thing (1982):
John Carpenter’s classic science-fiction horror and the first part of his apocalypse trilogy, The Thing was ahead of its time. Rob Bottin created most of the special effects the film is famous for… at the time they were spectacular, and the fact we can watch the film today and still be impressed is amazing. Taking place at a research station in Antarctica, the crew begins to realize something is amiss when people start to behave a little differently. Taking on characteristics of the host, the resident alien, or “thing,” begins to take over residents of the research station in pretty gruesome ways. Without many ways to kill this thing, our protagonists must do their best to escape a desolate and frightening landscape without taking it back home with them. As usual, a terrible remake was attempted recently that didn’t compare to the genius of the original.
So, what do you think?