20 Best Monster Movies of All Time

Monsters of all kinds have fascinated mankind for millennia, often as an explanation for some of the world’s most confounding ills and sources of fear. From sabertooth tigers painted on cave walls to modern Horror Movies, people have memorialized the nightmarish bogeymen who imprinted themselves in history. Contemporary pop culture is now marked by the latest interpretations of vampires, aliens, werewolves and demons, all of which have proven impervious to the march of time.

As cinema creeps forward with a revamped interest in the horror genre in the 2020s, it’s appropriate to look back at the greatest monster movies of all time. While one may consider any non-human entity a “monster”, this list is an attempt to represent some of the most well-known and highly-acclaimed monster movies from some of the most popular horror sub-genres. . While each horror subgenre can be broken down into its own list, a la the 10 best werewolf movies of all time, the list below attempts to collect the best of the best.

20

infested (vermins)

The 2023 French horror film features fast, deadly spiders

Although much of this list is composed of horror phenomena and cult classics, it starts with a brand new entry in the monster movie pantheon. From the French director Sébastien Vanicek, the 2023 movie vermin (Known in English as infested) follows a young man fascinated by exotic animals and insects, who buys a spider in a bazaar and brings it back to his apartment complex. The spider escapes from the box it is kept in and grows and reproduces at an amazing rate, with subsequent generations that are much larger, faster and deadlier.

Many horror movies have preached on the common fear of spiders, however infested Acts as one of the best depictions of what people hate about these eight-legged insects. The spiders in infested They are extremely fast, extremely large, and have a penchant for entering a person’s body to reproduce. This movie is unwatchable for anyone who suffers from legitimate arachnophobia, and even if you have no problem with spiders, this one will get under your skin.

19

Attack the block

The 2011 British horror comedy features alien invaders in South London

British horror comedy Attack the block is notable for its clever social commentary and as the debut movie for John Boyega, but the real stars are the alien invaders. These truly unique, furry, gorilla-shaped extraterrestrials look goofy and terrifying at the same time, and help make the whole movie more fun. Boyega and Jodie Whitaker (Doctor Who‘s Thirteenth Doctor) were both excellent in the movie, and while the movie was considered a box office flop upon its release, the fame of Boyega and Whittaker led to more people revisiting it, earning it true cult classic status.

18

tremors

The 1990 American horror comedy introduced the iconic worm monsters

The original tremors Kicked off a long-running franchise of sequels and TV shows that were mediocre at best, but the original has stood the test of time as a great horror comedy. Starring Kevin Bacon and featuring Reba McEntire, tremors Pits its characters against massive, flesh-eating worms in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The 1990 original creature feature has held up well over the years, with entertaining action, a memorable monster design in the “Graboid”, and early Kevin Bacon enjoying himself on screen. It’s firmly in the “dumb fun” realm for monster movies, but few movies execute the concept better.

17

The Babadook

The 2014 Australian psychological horror explored grief and parenting

The Babadook Makes for a watch that’s both frustrating and terrifying, but it’s powerful no matter how it’s viewed. The Australian horror follows a widowed mother and her young son as they are plagued by a humanoid monster that lives in their basement and torments them. The Babadook Acts as a powerful allegory for grief and the difficulties of parents, and is driven by the powerful performance of its leads, in Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman.

The Babadook is one of the most universally revered movies on this list, as it has a 98% Rotten tomatoes Tomatometer score 10 years after its release. The Babadook itself has grown in popularity as a viral internet meme, and in recent years the haunting creature has even developed into an unofficial LGBTQ icon thanks to a popular internet theory that the creature is actually gay. The Babadook is deserving of a place on this list because of its cult status and lasting legacy.

16

Cloverfield

Cloverfield Took the Internet by storm in 2008, as it leaned heavily on viral Internet marketing to build hype around the mysterious plot of the movie and the monster that ultimately was at its center, known as “Clover” colloquially. Nowadays, the found footage horror subgenre can feel played out, however Cloverfield Still manages to be as impressive now as it was when it was released, thanks to its masterful balance of obfuscated scares, compelling performances and clever monster mystery. Cloverfield was and is a truly revelatory twist on both found footage and kaiju horror, which is why it’s on the list.

15

The Wolf Man

The 1941 American Gothic horror is a cornerstone of the Universal Monster franchise

The Wolf Man is absolutely loaded with stars from the days of black-and-white cinema, and includes iconic horror icons like Claude Rains, Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney, Jr. His wolf man visage, which is some of the finest prosthetics and makeup work of the era. Once the clauses come out, The Wolf Man is at its best. The now-familiar and often-referenced story of an evil curse plays out with perfect pacing and just the right amount of dread to create a masterful atmospheric horror.

14

Destruction

The 2018 sci-fi horror addresses humanity’s propensity for self-destruction

One can certainly make an argument for that Destruction As one of the best sci-fi movies of the 21st century, it’s hard to find a better choice for the best sci-fi horror movie of the last decades. At the heart of what turns out to be an alien movie is an engrossing story from writer/director Alex Garland (Civil war) which features a number of monsters that are distorted versions of typically normal animals. Dripping with suspense and dread, Destruction Features powerful performances from its A-list cast and a confounding, haunting finale that will stick with viewers.

13

It goes

The 2014 American Horror Story is a modern cult classic

It goes Featuring modern scream queen Maika Monroe (Long legs) in her breakout role as Jay, a young girl who is constantly stalked by a malevolent entity that never moves faster than a slow walk. Monroe is huge, but the real star of It goes is writer/director David Robert Mitchell. This high-concept horror is marked by its nondescript temporal setting, unsettling score, and perfectly earned jump scares, all executed through the lens of Mitchell’s well-defined vision and atmosphere. Even the most seasoned horror veterans will be haunted by the simple but sinister images of It goes.

12

Game Creature from the Black Lagoon

The 1954 American horror classic features one of cinema’s most recognizable monsters

Although he first surfaced more than two decades after the earliest universal monsters, the Gil-Man of Game Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of the most visually recognizable monsters in American cinema. Part of what makes the Gil-Man such a lasting and memorable monster is the fact that he is in no way evil; Rather, he is a creature lost in time who defends his home from what he perceives as invaders. The Gil-Man’s design and suit still hold up against modern effects scrutiny, and the story stands spectacularly as a pure representation of 1950s creature horror.

11

The flight

The 1986 sci-fi classic is a quintessential body horror movie

David Cronenberg’s sci-fi body horror about an experiment gone wrong is one of the few movies on the list to actually win an Academy Award. Special effects and makeup artists Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis shared the award for the work they did in transforming Jeff Goldblum into the creature known as “Brundlefly,” which is the final form of his character, Seth Brundle, as he slowly evolves into a man – Flying hybrid. Body horror has always been hit or miss through the years, however The flight is the finest example of the subgenre.

10

The garbage

The underrated 2007 sci-fi horror film is one of the best Stephen King adaptations ever

somehow, The garbage Never gets the recognition it deserves. Based on a Stephen King novel of the same name, Frank Darabont’s adaptation is widely known for its unimaginably bleak ending, which Stephen King himself claimed was better than the book’s ending. The garbage is mostly driven by the increasing fear, distrust, and paranoia of a group of strangers locked in a grocery store by a mysterious fog that spews out Lovecraftian horrors every night. The garbage is breathtakingly gory at times, but it’s never outlandish or out of place; Every brutal death serves to increase the terror.

Thoms Jane stars as Drayton, but the supporting cast is what makes The garbage Really great. Marcia Gay Harden is one of the highlights as the religious fanatic Mrs. Carmody, who develops a literal cult even before demanding human sacrifice to appease the monsters that emerge from the mist. The creature designs are imaginative and visually stunning, and their sudden violence makes for a horrifying watch that’s impossible to look away from once it starts.

9

The descent

The 2005 British horror film elevates the terror with a claustrophobic attitude.

The descent Features an excellent monster in the humanoid cave-dwelling crawlers, but its real weapon is its claustrophobic setting. The movie features six women exploring an uncharted underground cave system, and predictably, a cave-in drives them further into the system than they intended. The descent Doesn’t just pit its all-female cast against the crawlers; They are forced to fight the crushing dark, the close quarters, and ultimately each other for survival. The descent is truly entertaining and scary, but at the same time it is so disconcerting that it may be difficult to watch more than once.

8

Predator

The 1987 action horror pits Arnold Schwarzenegger against a deadly alien hunter

The Predator The franchise has continued with multiple sequels over the past few decades, but aside from Dan Trachtenberg’s latest prequel preyNo one has come close to matching John McTiernan’s over-the-top action horror classic. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his most iconic roles as Dutch Shepherd, Predator Combines non-stop 1980s jungle warfare action with a truly memorable monster, a member of the alien hunter species known as the Yautja.

There is nothing really deep or thematic that sets Predator Apart from other monster movies. It became a classic due to its memorable lead character, advanced special effects (for the time), and the adrenaline-pumping game of cat-and-mouse that unfolds between the predator and its prey. Although not the scariest movie on the list, Predator is certainly among the most fun.

7

Dracula

The 1931 supernatural horror is the seminal American vampire movie

Bela Lugosi’s Dracula is, without a doubt, one of the best movie monsters to ever grace the silver screen. His interpretation of Bram Stoker’s aristocratic vampire is an archetype in the vampire subgenre. The movie Dracula is one of the finest examples of pre-Code horror, as director Todd Browning created a truly scary supernatural horror atmosphere for Lugosi’s Dracula to play in. Dwight Frye also shines as Dracula’s unhinged servant Renfield, and Helen Chandler is singled out for her performance as Dracula’s victim, Mina Seward.

Dracula Is well in the top ten not only due to its genuinely scary story, but also for its lasting legacy. The entire vampire subgenre of horror was essentially born from DraculaAnd specifically Bela Lugosi’s spell-binding performance. With vampire movies on the rise again, there are plenty of opportunities to count the homages and references to the all-time vampire classic.

6

Alien

Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic is one of the most influential sci-fi horror movies of all time

Ridley Scott Alien Set the benchmark for sci-fi horror, and echoes of its influence can be found throughout science fiction, but especially in the sci-fi horror subgenre. Ever since Ripley battled the original Xenomorph, alien monsters have permeated horror cinema, with no signs of stopping. The original Alien Won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, and it’s easy to see why: many of the effects still hold up almost 50 years later. Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley is one of the best sci-fi heroes ever, but it’s Scott’s direction that makes the innards of the Nostromo Truly terrifying.

5

The boss

The 2006 Korean monster horror is a beloved cult classic

Bong Joon-Ho won three Academy Awards for his iconic dark comedy thriller parasite In 2019, but more than a decade earlier he made his mark with one of the most criminally underrated monster movies of the last century. 2006s The boss Bears many of Joon-Ho’s signature traits, as he balances comedy and satire with genuine horror elements, all en route to a clever, provocative monster tale that provides enlightening social commentary. The boss It’s worth seeking out for any fan of Bong Joon-Ho’s work, but any true monster fan will also have a blast seeing it.

4

An American Werewolf in London

John Landis’ 1981 horror comedy is widely regarded as the best werewolf movie ever

While The Wolf Man May have initially set the bar for werewolf horror, it was raised in 1981 by An American Werewolf in LondonThe classic horror comedy that broke many established norms about horror upon its arrival. The movie won the first Academy Award for Best Makeup, thanks largely to its mesmerizing werewolf transformation scenes, which combine practical effects and standout performances to conjure a nightmarish body horror experience. More than 40 years later, it’s hard to find a more entertaining werewolf movie, and even harder to find better practical effects in one.

3

Godzilla

The 1954 Japanese classic spanned one of the longest-running movie franchises

This list could never be complete without the world’s most famous monster, the indomitable Godzilla. Long before Godzilla x Kong Copied Godzilla’s Toho Classics, the original Godzilla Awed audiences on both sides of the Pacific. Originally intended to be a visual metaphor about the devastation of nuclear war, the radioactive lizard has undergone many personality and appearance changes in its 70-year history. However, with the exception of Takashi Yamazaki’s recent global smash Godzilla minus oneNo Godzilla movie has matched the original as far as horror is concerned. Godzilla is a cornerstone of not only monster movies, but all cinema.

2

Frankenstein

The 1931 sci-fi horror is an iconic adaptation of the well-known gothic horror story

Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, the modern Prometheus has been adapted, satirized and re-adapted for more than two centuries, but one version of her classic story stands above all. James Whale’s 1931 Pre-Code masterpiece features Boris Karloff as the iconic monster and Colin Clive in an unsettling portrayal of Victor Frankenstein, and while it doesn’t follow Shelley’s novel to the letter, in its departure it taps into something far more visually compelling.

James Whale’s 1931 movie is still the gold standard for any story involving a mad scientist seeking to create life from dead flesh.

like Dracula Before it and The Wolf Man A decade later, Frankenstein is notable not only for its expertly crafted story and memorable monster, but for its lasting legacy. The scarred, bolt-neck iteration of Frankenstein’s monster is as iconic as any horror film in existence, and despite the many, many satires and reimaginings, Weill’s 1931 film is still the gold standard for any story involving a mad scientist seeking to Create life from dead flesh.

1

The thing

John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi horror left a lasting impression on the horror genre

The top spot on the list goes to one of the most complete and entertaining complex horror triumphs in cinema. John Carpenter’s 1982 adaptation The thing Brings so many classic elements of monster horror into one story, including breathtaking special effects, themes of paranoia, unique creature designs, an isolated setting and smartly placed gore. The thingIts nihilistic ending actually made it unpopular upon its release, and the film’s initial failure even cost John Carpenter other directorial gigs.

However, it has evolved into one of the most beloved horror classics of all time, largely thanks to its HP Lovecraft-inspired, shape-shifting monster. To this day, John Carpenter still can’t decide how the movie truly ended, and his big unanswered question about who is and isn’t a real person has haunted horror fans for decades, generating any number of fan theories. The thing deserves to be at the top of the list of best monster movies ever, but all 20 movies represented here helped shape Horror Cinema, and movies in general.

Source: Rotten tomatoes