Top 10: Movie Monsters #2
Sep. 6, 2007
I'm not sure there's much better in genre than a good monster movie. Just look to the nationwide fangasm prepping to welcome 1-18-08 for proof (better deliver J.J.). The problem this poses is that most monster movies feature crappy monsters. If they're not outright derivative (Pumpkinhead, anyone?) they're ridiculous (A f#cking Leprechaun??).
But holy shite when they get it right the experience is so sweeeeeet! Now for this list I am focusing strictly on monsters. No sharks, giant beasts, or undead humans. Mutated humans? Sure. Undead? No. To be clear this leaves out vampires, zombies, Frankenstein, werewolves and Jaws among others. As always I encourage you to spit bullets if you disagree with my reasoning, but now you know why some of your favorites may not make the list.
The Gill Man suffers from overexposure now, but when I first saw that bad boy stalking Rita underwater it was scary as hell. Sure the man in a suit wouldn't work for today's audience, but this classic beast not only played with our expectations of where and how we could be attacked, but also possessed a visage and intensity that still have some effectiveness in the original context. That's pretty powerful stuff considering he's been on a lunchbox.
This was tough. Of course, Godzilla (original thank you very much, we shall ignore the American travesty) has to be on the list. Top 5 for sure, but where? Ultimately what keeps this nuclear love child from a higher spot is that he was never scary. Awesome for sure. Probably one of my favorite genre creatures of all time. Just not scary.
Infrared vision. Invisibility. Ripping skull and spine out of a body. This beast was not f*cking around, and he took down Action Hero legends like they were boy scouts. Any other opponent and this cast would have ground them down like pepper. Instead the Predator tore through them like boy scouts. Almost killed Arnold. Not California Governor, had to have heart surgery Arnold. Commando Arnold. Terminator Arnold. Invincible Arnold, and the Predator made him look weak. That is some seriously strong shite my friends.
OK, I know some are gonna tell me that the Cenobites are undead humans so why are they on the list. Partially because in the HELLRAISER universe they are "demons to some, angels to others", but definitely not human anymore, no matter how they started out. Plus they kick ass and it's my list so I say they get their due. The first entrance of the Cenobites is breathtaking in the horror and awe it inspires. They say man is struck dumb in the presence of God. Well I know many who are struck dumb simply at the sight of a well realized vision of a deity. I don't know where Barker's visions of the afterworld come from, but some of them just ain't right. Let's hope he keeps sharing.
Scariest goddamn thing I've ever seen on screen hands down. Ridley Scott's direction is outstanding of course, and who can argue with that cast. But the alien, from facehugger, to chest-burster, to adult is the most original, unlikely, and purely surprising monster we've ever seen - and are ever likely to see. It was an unanticipated leap into a darkness none of us even knew was imaginable. Forget all those faceless horrors Lovecraft bothered us with - this was real, this was here, and movie monsters will never be the same.
7:43PM on 09/16/2007
He said that the Alien creature is inspired by Lovecraft...
so don't blame on the great master!!
...but the list is pretty g...
He said that the Alien creature is inspired by Lovecraft...
so don't blame on the great master!!
...but the list is pretty good, though