October is the Battle of Verdun for those of us here at Dread Central, as we stalwart few weather an unending barrage of news and new content laying craterous waste to our minds and keyboards. As the calendar page turns and the thunderous pings of new emails cease to report, we all take a collective moment to catch our breath, grab a pint, and think about absolutely anything other than horror for a change. It’s a brief respite, however, as we happy few are never far from taking up arms and rattling off our favorite films and anticipated features in an anthem of fandom.
Just because October has ended doesn’t mean that there aren’t big releases on the horizon for horror fans. November 25th marks the opening of the eagerly anticipated Victor Frankenstein, a retelling of Mary Shelley’s classic tale of obsession and science gone wrong. James McAvoy assumes the role of the titular doctor, while Daniel Radcliffe stars as the beloved cinema icon Igor. It looks like it might do for Frankenstein what Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes did for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character, injecting action, drama, and charisma into the setting.
It’s a bold take on a beloved and often repeated story, and it got me thinking of other classic monster tales that have been similarly reimagined. So, without further ado, I present to you my Top 10 Badass Reimaginings of Classic Monsters!
1) Frankenstein’s Monster:
There is no monster as entrenched in horror cinema history as that creation of Doctor Victor Frankenstein. Debuting in 1910, he was one of the first monsters ever to be put to screen. Karloff canonized the creature’s iconic square look, green skin, and bolts in his masterful 1931 portrayal. The character has since been on the screen ever since, resurrected time and again to fill the role of the tragic abomination we all secretly relate to.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994):
While not my favorite Frankenstein film, you’re hard pressed to find a more soulful depiction of the creature than Robert De Niro’s. Lonely and afraid, the monster is left to his own devices in a world that neither understands nor wants him. He is plagued with intelligence, love, desires, and a grotesque image that makes all those human qualities a curse.
Confronting his creator, he is not angry over his horrific visage, but his abandonment. He is a patchwork creation whose father never even tried to answer the question of what came out of his resurrection vat. He kills because he is an angry orphan who was never shown another way, and his suffering breaks our heart despite the severity of his actions. The film is faithful to the original work to a point, but with a deeper exploration into the fear and pain of the Monster. While Kenneth Branagh’s acting and direction might be better suited for a more hyperbolic story, the Monster makes the film.
Frankenstein’s Army (2013):
All right… enough soul-searching, intellectual stuff. Time for some badass fucking monsters. Frankenstein’s Army is a balls-to-the-wall slaughterhouse of a film. This is the movie that I show people when they tell me that all found footage is the same. Taking place in WWII, a group of Russian soldiers fights Viktor Frankenstein’s army of patchwork “zombots.” There are some truly great plot details involving Stalinist rule by fear and Soviet backstabbing, but what steals the show are the ingenious practical effect monsters. Seriously, just watch the trailer, hop onto Netflix, and marvel.
2) Vampires:
In the world of horror cinema, the crown for best classic vampire is a strong contest between Schreck’s Count Orlok in Nosferatu (1922) and Lugosi as the eponymous Dracula (1931). In either case, vampires have evolved past their source materials, exploding into a pop culture phenomenon. There have been many attempts to create a new kind of vampire “canon,” but these two stick out as among the most successful attempts to expand the lore.
Interview with the Vampire (1994):
Without Anne Rice’s iconic book of the same name, the modern vampire narrative probably wouldn’t exist. While the idea of a vampire society existed prior, it was Rice’s vision that brought it to many audiences for the first time. Without Interview with the Vampire, we probably wouldn’t have “True Blood” (2008-2014), Underworld (2003), “The Vampire Diaries” (2009- ), etc.
Telling the tale of Louis’ transformation and darkening at the hands of the sadistic and destructive Lestat, Rice’s story is about the struggle for humanity within the inhuman. Her vampires are savage, cold, cunning, and most terrifyingly organized and calculating. Though slaves to a thirst for blood, they are in control of their descent into cruelty. This conscious awareness, ability to resist, and willingness to become removed from their humanity are what make these creatures so monstrous.
Thirst (2009):
It’s popular now to tell the tale from the monster’s point of view, especially in a transformation narrative. Thirst is a shining (in moonlight, of course) example of how to do this narrative well. Taking the classic vampire tale, it polishes it with unique characters, moral struggles, and a ton of grey area. Character motivations are muddled, and who the victims and villains are shifts as circumstances change. It starts as a human narrative about control and desire, but the vampiric urges slowly creep up to deprive them of their happy ending. This isn’t vampires doing human things; it’s humans irrevocably becoming vampires.
3) Wolfman:
Though not as popular as vampires, werewolves have been given their fair share of screen time lately. This is the classic transformation narrative, where even after one has succumbed to the curse, they must endure it over and over again. Protagonist or antagonist, the idea of a savage wolfman is terrifying both for their uncontrollable violence and your own should you survive. Here are the films that retold this tale the best.
An American Werewolf in London (1981):
Talk about redefining a genre! Debatably as much of a classic as the 1941 original The Wolf Man, An American Werewolf in London brings a whole new level of psychological tension to the transformation narrative. I know there are plenty of us out there who think about the possibility of becoming a transfigured denizen of the night and say, “That would actually be pretty kickass! I actually basically hate all my friends/neighbors/potential food anyways.” Now, what if those victims were to haunt you as spirits until you die? Quite literally just pestering you to please kill yourself. Not in a rude way, just politely reminding you that they are in eternal agony until you die. Plus, they are slowly decaying all over your nice things. Now your hot new nurse girlfriend and snazzy wolf powers don’t seem too great, do they?
Ginger Snaps (2000):
Remember being a teenager? Hormones running amok, body going through all of these changes, emotions shooting everywhere? I’m lucky that I’m a dude, and all I had to deal with was spontaneous boners and realizing I wasn’t cool enough to get mad laid, yo. Girls have it rough, what with the periods, growing interest from the opposite gender, and turning into a werewolf. All right, that last part is just Ginger Snaps, but it’s a hell of a great metaphor. Taking the literal transformation of puberty and transposing it into the werewolf transformation narrative, Ginger Snaps tells a classic story from a fresh and interesting perspective. Females are already underrepresented in the medium, with topics such as menstruation and puberty being relegated at best to uncomfortable jokes. It’s great to see the werewolf story being used to highlight such issues, and even better to see it done well. It’s no mystery why this film is a cult classic.
4) Mummy:
Empty toilet paper rolls across the world can attest to the eternal love for mummies. Even as non-revenants, the idea of an ancient king having his organs scooped out, body turned into jerky, and locked in a sarcophagus at the bottom of a trap-laden pyramid is the stuff of little boy’s dreams. The walking cursed kind is just icing on the cake and obvious horror material. Though sparse as a present antagonist (I chose to exclude ancient vengeful spirits like the one in Unrest (2006)), there’s still some great modern examples of the wrapped-up wraith wreaking havoc.
The Mummy (1999):
While I don’t think that anyone would call Stephen Sommers’ The Mummy a masterpiece, it’s a hell of a good time. Technically a remake of the 1932 film of the same name, this version focuses more on action and adventure. Brendan Fraser does his best Indiana Jones impression, bringing a sense of comedic levity to the intense fights and death-defying perils, but don’t think this movie is all fun and games, as the flesh-eating scarabs and organ-stealing mummy still haunt my dreams.
Bubba Ho-Tep (2002):
Chances are if you are a casual horror fan, you haven’t even heard of Bubba Ho-Tep. Forgoing a theatrical release, director Don Coscarelli instead showed the film selectively at festivals across the country. It gave the film a personalized, indie feel, generating underground hype before the DVD release. Even without this snippet of history, the film is great on its own merit.
In The Shady Rest Retirement Home, Elvis (Bruce Campbell) is living out his golden years in anonymity. Turns out the Elvis that died in 1977 was an Elvis impersonator named Sebastian Haff, with whom Elvis switched places to get some peace and quiet. Now an old man, no one believes he is the real Elvis. His best friend, Jack, claims to be JFK, who was dyed black and abandoned there after the assassination attempt. Together, they must fight a mummy dubbed “Bubba Ho-Tep,” who decides to feed on the elderly since all those young kids keep running away and beating him up. Need I say more?
5) Victor Frankenstein:
As iconic as the Monster he created, Victor Frankenstein is what it means to be a mad scientist blinded by his own ambition. While it is hard to capture all of his nuance, personality, failings, and struggles in a reimagining, the core of the character has been redone several times. These two characters best represent a permutation of this vision, an original take that brought the character into new realms.
Dr. Herbert West:
Star of the Re-Animator series, Doctor West is the kind of mad scientist that makes us envious and creeped out at the same time. While his scientific genius is unrivaled, his mastery of the interpersonal arts leaves much to be desired. He’s no pencil pusher, though, and is equally comfortable taking an axe to his creations as a needle when they get unruly. Single-mindedly driven by his dream to reanimate dead life, he will accomplish his goal no matter the cost (or ghoulishness of his creations).
Dr. Frank N. Furter:
Wait, really? That guy from The Rocky Horror Picture Show? Yes, that guy from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. You might have missed it between all that being a “sweet transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania,” but Frank N. Furter’s goal is to create the perfect man with the perfect parts. A subversion of the classic mad scientist, Frank N. Furter is anything but oblivious to the carnal needs of the body. Genre stereotypes aren’t the only role this movie is subverting, and it stays relevant to this day as a body-positive expression of sexuality and gender identity. It’s probably still playing at an indie theater near you every Sunday night, so why don’t you put on your high heels and give it a shot? I know you must be waiting with antici…
Victor Frankenstein (2015):
With Victor Frankenstein just around the corner, I wonder if James McAvoy is up to the task of depicting the titanic character. He’s already conquered roles like Charles Xavier, so expectations are high. Daniel Radcliffe is likely to be the best Igor since Marty Feldman, as his varied acting career and starring role in “A Young Doctor’s Notebook” (2012- ) prove he has the chops for some medical drama/comedy. We’ll have to wait until November 25th to see for sure, but I for one will be checking it out opening day.
What do you think of the list? Can you think of a better take on Victor Frankenstein? How about the other monsters on the list? Are you also excited for Victor Frankenstein? Let me know below!