Top Ten Best Movie Monsters

To whittle this list down to a certain kind of horror movie monster I’m excluding those monsters based on people real or fictional (such as Hitler or Hannibal Lector) and general groups (like Zombies or Dinosaurs). The goal of this list is to move past just great villains and to zero in on horror monsters. My list, my rules.

10. Freddy Kruger – Nightmare On Elm Street Films
Sure he was a person but then he became the pyscho who invades your nightmares and kills you while you sleep. Robert Englund might have played this character tongue-n-cheek a lot I regardless think he’s a great horror invention.
9. Godzilla - Gojira
I almost didn’t put the ultimate big guy in there because he’s kind of a hero. Then I thought about it and realized anything that can destroy a city needs to be on the list. Seeing a giant lizard emerge from the sea is a terrifying sight. Let's have Godzilla be the stand in for other such giants as King Kong and the monster from Cloverfield.

8. Gwoemul- The Host
It’s a bus-sized bay creature that hunts people down and nests in a gutter. It’s inventive looking and completely horrific when you consider it's really just fish and frog mixed together.

7. Dren – Splice
Some might say the movie isn't that great but I still think Dren is the best Frankenstein-like monster so far put to film. It's really a gruesome and frightful concept. While I don't think films can really be good warnings for future tech maybe we should force all geneticists to view this beautiful yet dangerous she-monster

6. Pale Man – Pan’s Labyrinth

Guillermo del Toro’s frightful creation is a stand-out in an amazing movie. He’s the flesh-eating monster without eyes except for when he opens his palms and fans them out at you. Creepy, surreal and beautiful all mixed into one.

5. Graboids – Tremors
Some might be shocked that I put in these land-worms on this list, especially when you consider the film they’re in is more of a comedy than a scary film. Sorry, those Jaws like worms were designed with freakiest originality and make for great monsters of horror.

4. That Baby – Eraserhead
True, this absurd experimental film by David Lynch isn’t really classified as horror but it might as well be. That baby might not attack people and be as harmless as a planet but it still gives me the heebee jeebees. I swear it gave me nightmares and I can’t explain why. It’s just an eerie movie and that sick little thing needs to die before it does grow up and becomes something worse.

3. Pinhead – Hellraiser

He’s the captain of the Cenobites, monsters who guard the entrance to Hell. Brought to life with awesome commanding presence by Doug Bradley, he’s my favorite former human monsters. I really hope someday someone brings this character back and reboots this trapped-in-B-movie-hell franchise. If not at least we have a couple good films with him in it. Someday I will go to work on Halloween as this guy and scare my co-workers to death.

2. Aliens – Aliens
This list isn’t complete without H. R. Giger’s brilliant creatures in space inventions, constructed by the great Carlo Rambaldi. You know a creature design is brilliant when they’re still effective even in horrible movies (Aliens Vs. Predator). I still remember when I first experienced these guys and I must admit to being overwhelmed. It was a terrifying idea of a monster that uses humans to incubate its offspring.

1. The Thing – The Thing

The above choice would have been here except for the fact this alien from the great John Carpenter remake actually scared me. I remember seeing this mysterious “we don’t know who’s the monster and who’s human” concept unfold and when the mutated monster breaks loose from human (or dog) form, it is a horrible transformation. I truly jumped out of my seat and yelped when this monster appeared. You’ll never get me down there in Antarctica to work at some science station. Not ever after seeing this film.

 

Frankenweenie (2012)

Tim Burton reincarnates his own live-action short as a puppet-animated full-feature film. I adore this film and its quirky wit and feel-good vibe. Only Burton could concoct such a bizarre tale about a boy who brings his pet dog back to life Frankenstein-style. With many wonderful character creations and surprise twists to the plot, this is one to be enjoyed by the entire family all year long, not just on Halloween. I own it on Blu-Ray already, that’s how much I liked it. Grade: A

Profondo Rosso [Deep Red] (1975)

Dario Argento directs and co-writes a story about a musician played by David Hemmings and a psychic played by Macha Meril who try to solve a string of murders all committed by a psycho with a hatchet. Highlighted by a bunch of gruesome murder scenes and some clever investigation work by the two protagonists, this is one of Argento’s best films. I feel with this project all the pieces came together just right for Argento. It has that Argento feel obviously inspired by Hitchcock but you can sense an original voice emerging. It’s a bit dated for today’s audience but it’s still an entertaining film. Grade: A-

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005)

The third film in Cho Young-wuk’s revenge trilogy is a strikingly beautiful and poetic story of a woman sent to prison for a crime she did not commit and her quest for revenge on the real killer. Yet it’s also a story of how she reunites with her daughter who she assumed she’d never see again after the girl was adopted by an Australian couple. There are a lot of themes here about crime and punishment and forgiveness. Lee Young-ae gives a remarkable performance and Cho Young-wuk’s direction is excellent. While sometimes the story meanders some, it’s a clever take on the revenge story that I think is worth checking out. I love films that put the audiece right into the driver seat of a moral question: is killing the killer revenge or justice?  This ones does it better than most.  Grade: A-

The Caller (2011)

Rachelle LeFevre stars as a woman who moved into an apartment to escape her abusive husband. She suddenly gets a phone call from a woman claiming to be from the past. At first all is friendly until the woman on the phone turns out not to be just as messed up as the man she's trying to escape. Who knew Time manipulation could be so frightening? I loved this taunt thriller. It’s the kind of film you discover and want to share with all your friends. Is it perfect? No, but it’s still a great little movie. Grade: B+

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Movies like these make me wish I could go back in time and experience it with an audience of that time. I’m sure this William Castle production staring Vincent Price was a scream fest for teenagers back then, a good time at the movies to sit with your girlfriend and jump at dancing skeletons. Of course today it’s purely a historical document with little entertainment value. But that said it’s not all bad, it has some cheesy charm even if it is a complete rip-off of Shirley Jackson’s famous story The Haunting of Hill House (I mean the word Hill is in both titles; that’s about as obvious as it gets). The story is similar: a millionaire invites a bunch of guest to stay at a haunted house and says if they survive the night he’ll give them $10,000. There was a remake made in 1999 that I haven’t seen. Maybe I’ll check it out to see how they took such a story and updated it. Grade: B-

Fritt Vilt [Cold Prey] (2006)

This formalistic slasher film made by Norwegian filmmaker Roar Uthaug follows all the tropes of the genre. Yet has any slasher film of recent years been this well-made? A strong cast led by Ingrid Bolsø Berdal helps make this film really work. Plus the overall mystery about the killer has a satisfying back story that makes for a memorable ending. Slasher horror is generally my least favorite of the genre but when it’s done right, as it is here, it’s a thrilling experience. Grade: B+

The Bay (2012)

This is a pretty effective found-footage horror film. I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. The whole found-footage subgenre keeps on trucking with film makers pushing the bounds of the concept. Here we follow an outbreak of a deadly parasite growing in the water supply of a small bayside community. Surprisingly Barry Levinson directs and to me that’s a cause of celebration; I love to see older film makers experiment and push past their artistic norms. There is a message of course behind this film and that’s to be careful what we do to our environment. It’s a bit over the top and obvious but that didn’t bother me so much, probably because it’s a true message. The real reason this film succeeds for me is the parasite concept. It’s just a terrifying idea that some parasite might explode out of you just because you had a drink of water. Grade: A-

Excision (2012)

I wanted to like this film but in the end it’s just too erratic. AnnaLynne McCord stars as an eccentric teenager who dreams of being a doctor and healing her young sister someday from cystic fibrosis. She just a weird girl fascinated with blood and having sex with another girl’s boyfriend. Her mother played by Traci Lords gives a balanced performance and is the core motivator to all the madness. But as the film continues to unfold it loses its momentum and just fades. Even the ending, while a terrific idea, felt rushed for me. Ultimately what put me off on this film was the main character itself. She’s just not likeable. The audience needs to connect to a film’s main character even if they’re a monster. Grade: C  

The Stepfather (1986)

Before becoming a star on LOST, Terry O'Quinn starred in this crazy stepfather film about a psychopath needing a family in his life, until he feels unloved and he decides to find a new family. This is a tightly made low-budget film that will stand the test of time because of O’Quinn’s performance. Really everyone in it does a fine job. I know they made a remake but I’m just not interested in seeing it. For me this one nailed it and I don’t care if it’s a bit dated. It fits the time it was made and is just as enjoyable now. Grade: A-

Come and See (1985)

True horror like this is a must-see for anyone interested in history. The monsters are not mindless zombies or vampires or aliens with green blood. The monsters are us; people corrupted by the Nazis just as any of us can be brainwashed to follow some tyrannical force under the right circumstances. Here the viewer is taken into hell from the point of view of a young Russian boy just trying to survive. It’s amazing to me that a film this realistically brutal could get made. Did any extras actually die making this film? It’s so ultra-real I felt like maybe director Elem Klimov took his actor, Aleksei Kravchenko, through a time machine and filmed him guerilla style. There are so many powerful awful moments of violence one could almost criticize the film for going so far. But events like the ones shown in this film happened. Innocent people died in the name of fascism and racism and just plan evil. If I knew everyone would have the same reaction I had to this nightmare I would make everyone watch it. Sadly even a brilliant yet disturbing film like this can’t change us. We are capable of being monsters. Grade: A  

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

Being a fan of animation means I’m pretty much entertained by most animated films, especially these days when it seems almost all the animated films being produced are excellent. Some of the humor in this monster mash father-daughter comedy is a bit crass; it’s still a funny and unexpected ride. Adam Sandler gives his voice to Dracula and I liked what he does here. So if you’re looking for a fun family film to watch this Halloween season I’d recommend this animated tale. Grade: A-

House at the End of the Street (2012)

Jennifer Lawrence stars as a teenage girl new to town who befriends her neighbor, a loner teenager whose parents were killed by his younger sister. I had low expectations for this one but I found myself thrilled as I learned more about Max Thieriot’s character. Certainly not a masterpiece, it’s still a fun and suspenseful entertainment. Solid acting talent and a decent script helps. Grade: B+

The Night Stalker (1987)

For some reason I found this supernatural detective thriller on a list of great horror films from the ‘80s. I wish I had never seen that list. What a piece of garbage. I don’t even really want to write about it. Charles Napier stars as a Dirty Harry type who tries to find a killer of prostitutes. Of course the killer has supernatural powers that make him almost impossible to kill. I’m sure this helped Napier’s career (for he’s the only part worthwhile) but I kind of hope the film master for this title gets destroyed in a fire so they’re never able to reproduce it again. No, it’s not the worst film I’ve ever seen but it was such a waste of time. Grade: C-

American Mary (2012)

I love Katharine Isabelle from the Ginger Snap films so was excited to see the kind of performance she’d give in a Soska sisters film. I’ve not seen any of the Soska sisters' work but I’m going to keep an eye out for more of what they have to offer. This is a delightful film that mixes body modification with revenge. Mary Mason is a med student studying to be a surgeon someday. To pay the bills she performs an illegal operation on a stripper to make her more like a doll. Business is looking up until one of her teachers rapes her. That’s when revenge comes into play but as with all revenge stories one must be careful. Grade: B+

Nightmare on Elm Street: Part 5 Dream Child (1989)

Freddy is back and this time he’s here to take Alice and Dan’s baby. Obviously if you like the first four films you’ll probably enjoy this one too. The story is very disjointed at the end but it still entertains as a cheesy horror film that’s more funny than scary. Grade: B

The Abandoned (2007)

The foreign horror market seems to be saturated with these kinds of artistic ghost stories that would never do well in the theaters but always make for great viewing on DVD. Nacho Cerda directs the story of an American woman who returns to Russia to find out what happened to her mother and father. She returns to the abandoned farm her parents lived on before as a baby her dying mother drove her and her brother to safety. While there she discovers her brother is there too, also interested in the mystery of their parents. What they didn’t expect was that their parents’ ghosts would be there waiting for them. Good stuff. A bit long-winded at times, it’s still a well-shot film with excellent visuals. Grade: B+

The Living Dead of the Manchester Morgue [AKA Let Sleeping Corpses Lie] (1974)

Out on the English countryside, zombies are rising. No, this is not Shaun of the Dead or 28 Days Later this is a Spanish/ Italian production about a man and woman mistakenly believed to be satanic murderers because the police inspector in charge doesn’t realize that a new scientific farming technology is causing the dead to rise and eat the living. Right from the start I could tell I was in for a treat. This is a classic zombie film much like Night of the Living Dead or Dawn of the Dead. It has its twists and turns and keeps moving at a fine pace unlike some other Italian Zombie movies. I was pleasantly surprised. Grade: B+

Horns by Joe Hill

The premise of Mr. Hill’s new novel is so inviting and clever I can’t believe no one else has come up with it. Wrongly accused murderer of his girlfriend (freed because of a technically) Ig Perrish wakes up after a night of drinking with horns protruding from his forehead. With these horns comes the power to make any who see them share their darkest desires and truths. With these devilish powers can Ig find out who killed his girlfriend or will he wallow in his own despair? I loved this book. I thought Mr. Hill’s first novel was excellent but I think this one is better. It has a lyrical quality switching points of view and giving the reader a complete world. This is one of those kinds of books I can see re-reading again a few years from now. Grade: A

The Collection (2011)

After I saw 2009’s The Collector I’ve wanted so badly for a sequel. And because horror films can be made cheaply, my wish has been granted. Does it meet my expectations? Mostly, although I would have liked it more if they hadn’t tried to mimic Aliens plot structure as much. Still I’m happy Josh Stewart is back and that we get to see the Collector’s playhouse of horrors. Marcus Dunstan directs and delivers new thrills but this time around the tension isn’t as focused and the villain a tad less interesting. I’d say if you liked the first film you’ll probably like this one too. Grade: B+

The Lost (2006)

Based on Jack Ketchum’s novel of the same name (of which I want to read now), Chris Sivertson writes and directs the story of Ray Pye, a teenage psychopath who terrorizes everyone he comes in contact with. He has a girlfriend he doesn’t really care about anymore and a new girl he loves so much that when she eventually rejects him all hell breaks loose. Marc Senter kills it as Ray in a performance so dead-on I think it might open up his career (or at least cause him to get type casted as a villain for now on). Nudity, violence and wonderful characters make for an enjoyable dark film. If you’re interesting in delving into an evil teenager in a film made with a clear cut vision than you’ll have to see this mini-masterpiece. Grade: A-

Mama (2013)

Here I go again another Guillermo del Toro sponsored film. This one is directed by Andres Muschietti from a script he co-wrote with Neil Cross and Barbara Muschietti. Jessica Chastain stars as a woman forced into the role of Stepmother for her husband’s two nieces who were found in a cabin in the woods after their dead father tried to run with them after killing their mother. Wow, writing that setup makes this film sound even more absurd than it actually is. Oh, I forgot to add the two girls were cared for by a motherly ghost who follows them to their new home; and she wants them back. In many ways I would have loved this film except for the fact that there’s an unnecessary subplot about the girls’ psychiatrist that takes away from the real focus of the film and that’s Chastain’s character. And for the worst flaw about this film, something which makes me groan when I ever see it, is the overuse of CGI. When you can use an actor, you should, or you’ll be taking the audience away from the believability of the scare. Why they didn’t do this, especially for such a powerful ending, I don’t understand. If not for Chastain and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s work I really don’t think this film would have been saved. In the end I liked it but it’s one of those productions that could have been so much better. Grade: B

Los ojos de Julia [Julia's Eyes] (2010)

Whenever I see “Guillermo del Toro Presents” attached to a project I check it out regardless of his actual involvement. The reason why is simple: Guillermo del Toro has great taste (at least in my opinion). Here Guillem Morales directs with a script he co-wrote with Oriol Paulo. The story centers on a woman played by Belen Reuda who is slowly going blind and yet is tormented by the death of her twin sister (also going blind). For her sister was killed and to prove her death wasn’t suicide she must find a killer who may or may not be supernatural. While a bit slow moving at times, this is a solid thriller with a really great ending, the kind of beautiful last moment that sends shivers down my spine. Grade: B+

Magic (1978)

Anthony Hopkins first showed the world how creepy he was capable of turning with this psychological ventriloquist horror film directed by Richard Attenborough and written by William Goldman. With talent like this how could a film fail? Anthony plays a shy magician who uses ventriloquism in his act to get noticed. It works but it also fractures his mind to the point it’s not clear who is the dummy and who is the man. What a great little movie with a wonderful love story and tragic turn. This is certainly a classic of the genre. Grade: A-

The Violent Kind (2010)

I’ve now been initiated to the Butcher Brothers and I have to say I’m sold. This might be one of the most weirdly entertaining B-horror films I’ve seen since From Dusk ‘Till Dawn. When it starts I thought I was watching Sons of Anarchy but it quickly turns into a vampire/possession plot that turns again into something completely out there. It’s a really well-done film for its budget and wild story. I love when films surprise you like this. It will be interesting to see if this film is still around a couple decades from now. I hope more people who love horror films checks this out. Grade: B+

Room 237 (2013)

This documentary compiles a bunch of wild theories about the making of The Shining. Obviously this is a perfect documentary to watch while celebrating horror and in a weird way (the music helps) it’s kind of freakish feeling. Yet I have to say I think all of these theories are completely manufactured by imaginative people looking for something they want to see. That said it’s fascinating to hear what these people come up with. For me what makes this documentary so compelling is that it demonstrates how easy it is to formulate a “believable” conspiracy by piecing together seemingly organized consequences. If a person can convince a group that Stanley Kubrick used the Shining as way to confess to the world he helped the CIA fake the Apollo Moon landing than convincing people that the US government planned and executed the 911 terror attack shouldn’t be that much more difficult. Of course if you look at the facts and read interviews from crew members none of these “supposed” hidden meanings were discussed while making the film. If anything this just shows how great the art direction was for this film (If only Kubrick spent as much time concentrating on the story.) Grade: B+

Evil Dead (2013)

Here’s an example of a film I was glad they decided to remake (or re-imagine as the filmmaker’s like to say). The original Sam Raimi film is a cult classic but I always preferred the comedic sequels than the kind of cheesy “serious” one. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell produced but I’m not sure how much input they had in the production. Instead of a bunch of youths going to a cabin in the woods for fun they’re going for the purpose of helping the main character, Mia, fight a drug problem and working as a team to help her cope with her withdrawal symptoms. Along for the ride is Mia’s brother, David, who must save her when she becomes possessed not by drugs but by the demon in the woods. I really enjoyed this film and found the gallons of blood and violence to be just what today’s audiences would want. Grade: B+

Sinister (2012)

Ethan Hawke stars as a writer of true-story crime books who is working on a book about a family of four who hung themselves. To get close to his subject he moves his own family into the victims’ house (with his wife and two kids unaware of the house’s history). He then discovers a box of Super 8 film along with a projector in the attic. Each reel of film shows the camera operator killing an entire family, one of the reels showing the subjects of the book he’s writing getting hung on the tree outside. Events only get creeper when Ethan discovers a demon named Bughuul is visible in the camera footage hiding in the background. What probably most impressed me about this film was the sound design which evokes an eerie animalistic vibe that heightens the horror. In many ways I’d celebrate this one as a classic work of scary perfection but unfortunately director Scott Derrickson and writers Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill make a big mistake and over explain the monster and so take away the mystery element of the tale. Still I recommend it because regardless of its unnecessary ending it’s a ghoulish good time. Grade: B+

Spoiler Talk
They didn’t need to show us Bughuul so much at the end. And the weird gimmick with the children all appearing up on screen and Ashley joining them was completely unnecessary and left me more annoyed than in awe. Less is more and in this situation they had already done such a brilliant job following this rule they didn’t need to anything else. This film should have just ended with the Ashley killing her father and that’s it. Darn, it’s too bad I can’t erase that epilogue from my memory.

Tenebre (1982)

In my journey to watch all of Dario Argento’s work, I came across this film noir horror about an American horror novelist in Italy trying to assist an detective find a serial killer inspired by the novelist’s books. I really enjoyed this film. It has all the Hitchcockian gimmicks that Argento is known for using while still having a fascinating plot. Sure it’s dated as all of Argento’s work is, but in a way that makes it stand out as something unique and particular to an artist’s voice. Check this out if you like Italian horror films from the eighties and need something more grounded than gory zombie films. Grade: B+

The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

Having seen Alexandre Aja’s 2006 remake (which I enjoyed) I thought it was about time I saw the original directed by the legendary horror master Wes Craven. What I expected was a dated ‘70s low-budgeted horror film with bad acting and awkward pacing but what I got was a ‘70s low-budgeted horror film that still holds up with decent acting and terrific pacing. Mr. Craven learned a lot since his debut film five years earlier, and having a better budget probably helped too. It’s the story of a vacationing family getting trapped out in the desert and attacked by crazy cannibals. While not as disturbing as the remake it’s just as terrifying and builds to a very satisfying exciting ending. Grade: B+

The Loved Ones (2009)

We jump start my annual Month of Horror with this Australian goodie about a crazy teenager named Lola Stone and her even more insane father who kidnap a high school student named Brent so she can have her own personal prom in her kitchen, where the highpoint of the evening will be him getting tortured. I really enjoyed this mild torture porn thriller. The characters and the town felt well-developed and it’s always satisfying when you learn there’s more going on than you first suspected. That said I have one complaint and that’s the cliché of the cop running into a serial killer’s house with gun raised before calling for backup (So frustrating and lazy). That said I recommend it and I am happy it’s the film I started this pre-month-long-Halloween celebration. Grade: A-