We’ve all had our fair share of monster fantasies. Whether it’s a vampire sex thing or a Hulk smash cathartic rampage, being a monster would be awesome. As long as there aren’t any of those consequences associated with becoming a creature of nightmares. Being a werewolf is great when you have some exes who need convenient animal attack murders, but actually having to lock yourself in your basement every full moon would be a chore.
There are a ton of famous transformation horror flicks, including classics like The Fly, The Thing, and An American Werewolf in London. But I like giving some love to the little guy. So in light of the recent DVD release of The Fiancé, I wanted to take a look at some of the lesser known flicks where average joes and janes become bloodthirsty monsters.
Directed by Mark Allen Michaels and starring Carrie Keagan, Dallas Valdez, and Douglas Tait (check out his Brainwaves interview here), The Fiancé tells the story of a couple whose idyllic cabin retreat is interrupted by a Bigfoot problem. Soon the bride-to-be starts becoming less than an ideal match.
Some rules right off the bat: First, there are no big names on this list! Cult classics are fine, but I want these to be films you actually might have missed. Everyone knows that The Thing is awesome. Second, there is only ONE film of each monster type. That means one vampire, one zombie, etc. So a few neat flicks got left on the cutting room floor, but rules are rules.
Now, with that out of the way, here are my 10 Tales of Terrible Transformation You Might Have Missed:
10) Bite (2015):
You can pretty confidently describe Bite as “The Fly but way grosser.” Which is great because that’s what it’s going for. I’m not really a fan of body horror, but even I took some delightful glee in all the puss and slime that Bite threw into my eyeballs. If you’re the kind of person who likes to see just how much gross you can take, then check it out.
9) Starry Eyes (2014):
Speaking of movies about young women becoming smelly grotesque monsters in their apartments! Starry Eyes would have edged Bite out if their transformations yielded similar results. Instead of turning into a bug monster, Starry Eyes’ Sarah turns into… something else entirely. This is one of those quality indie horror films rooted deep in metaphor but without a reliance on it. It’s shocking enough to satisfy but also cerebral enough to make you keep thinking about it after the credits roll.
8) Spring (2014):
This is going to be the film that hits the limits of my whole “that you might have missed” thing. Receiving near universal praise, it’s almost impossible to think that a horror nut hasn’t heard of Spring. I ended up deciding to include it for two reasons: First, as a love story, some fans looking for true horror might be turned away. Second, it’s just so damn good that I couldn’t well leave it off. Spring is an entirely different kind of transformation story. I don’t want to spoil it, but this isn’t about a person turning into a nightmare monster. It’s almost the other way around.
7) Ginger Snaps (2000):
As a special note, I really wanted to put Dog Soldiers on this list, but Ginger Snaps wins for actually telling the story of someone transforming into a werewolf. Despite the strong cult following, I find that a lot of younger horror fans (read: pre-30’s) have never seen Ginger Snaps. Maybe they assume it’s just another teen horror movie, which fair enough is kind of true. But there’s something more raw and real about this one, an honesty that puts it a notch above the typical tropes. It’s worth watching just to see what all the fandom is about.
6) The Revenant (2009):
Before David Anders was the wisecracking brain-hungry Blaine in “iZombie,” he was the wisecracking blood-hungry Bart in The Revenant. This movie is great for seeing just how far it can go with its premise. I mean, think about it. What would you do if you woke up and found out that you basically couldn’t be killed? If you’re Bart, you start a vigilante killing spree. Right on.
5) The Hallow (2015):
Here’s a fun fact: In traditional lore elves and faeries are not the fun and friendly little sprites Disney would have you believe. The world of the fae is foreign and dangerous, with powers and machinations far beyond our understanding. The Hallow is a film that understand the spirits of the wild are not pretty things dressed in the finest silks. They are an ancient and unrelenting force. Though it mostly boils down to a standard (if not very well done) monster siege movie, the final act gives it a kick into unforgettable.
4) Splinter (2008):
Splinter is a film with many flaws. The pacing is inconsistent, characters hard to like, and logic often flawed. Sometimes the monster seems to go where the plot needs it, and it’s a bit shaky on its own rules. Don’t get me wrong… it’s a cool movie, but it won’t be winning any awards. What it’s not lacking? One of the most brutal transformations of any monster film. This one will stick with you. This monster turns you piece by piece and doesn’t care if the rest of you is still attached. Splinter genuinely gave me nightmares.
3) Afflicted (2013):
Afflicted shall forever be my go-to film to prove that found footage can be done right. After being diagnosed with AVM, Derek Lee has decided not to live his life afraid of his inevitable end. Instead he embarks on an adventure around the world, documenting it all with his best friend, Clif. Things are going well until the group meets the beautiful Audrey in Paris. You know how these vampire stories go. Soon Derek begins to change, and we get to see it all from his perspective. The prospect of becoming an immortal is nice, but watching how it ruins his family and compels him to terrible deeds in first person brings makes these terrible consequences all the more real.
2) Alien Raiders (2008):
When you buy a movie for 50 cents off of the clearance rack of a video store that’s going under, you can hardly be shocked that the movie sucks. So when I took home Alien Raiders my junior year of college, it was for the express purpose of throwing it on in the background of a party and occasionally laughing at it. At about 2 a.m., my roommate poked his head into my room (not uncommon in the college days) and said, “Dude, that movie you got was rad. Good pick.” Alien Raiders is indeed a movie that is rad. It tows a good line between sticking to a believable set of rules and introducing interesting new stuff for the audience. It certainly doesn’t have the biggest budget but uses what it has very effectively.
1) Pontypool (2008):
This is going to be one of those films you either agree with being me for putting at the top of this list or think it shouldn’t even be here. Pontypool definitely borders on the experimental side of horror. But the idea of a language-based virus turning you into a walking meme machine is just too unique to ignore. Taking place entirely within the walls of one radio station, the film heavily relies on its premise and sound design to suck you in. I have to applaud any film that can make me uncomfortable with just a sound effect.
I’m looking forward to checking out The Fiancé, as nowhere on this list will you find the story of someone turning into a Sasquatch. The premise of a viral Bigfoot curse is interesting enough alone to make me want to give it a rent. From what we can see in the trailer here, it seems there’s much more to The Fiancé than the Bigfoot stuff. I’m all for experimental horror so count me in to see where this one goes. Directed by Mark Allen Michaels and starring Carrie Keagan, Dallas Valdez, and Douglas Tait, you can check it out now on DVD thanks to the good folks at Indican Pictures. If you want to check out our review, then click here. If you’ve seen it, let us know what you think of The Fiancé. Agree with our review? And what about my list? Any tales of terrible transformations I left out? Let me know below!