Behind every great hero is a great monster. Chasing them.
Part of our Best of 2020 episode.
This one was a tough entry to add to the list. What do you even consider to be the “monster” of The Shining? Is it a spirit that lives within the hotel? Is it multiple ghosts? Is it simply all in Jack Torrance’s head as he tries not to be a dull boy? Regardless of exactly what it is (or maybe because we don’t know what it is), that terrifying force has haunted moviegoers since the film debuted in 1980.
Would you like to meet my creepies? Unleashed from their sadomasochistic puzzle box, they are known for not only the grotesque horror they inflict, but also their appearances. We don’t get much of a backstory in the original Hellraiser, but that mystery is part of what makes them unforgettable.
His family is gross, but Leatherface truly shines as a monster. He wears a sick mask that only gets more twisted when you realize how he actually made it. His noises are a frightening score to a disgusting looking film. The lasting image of his physical performance in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre‘s final moments stains your perception of the whole story.
Born from a surrealist painter’s nightmare designs, this creature subverts the rule of less is more. We want more of his dripping body, the sinewy lines, and of course that double mouth. While only one was present in wrecking the Nostromo, it left an impact on us all.
They call him Deady Krueger from everyone he’s killed, but this year we voted him Daddy Krueger. He’s our biggest and baddest monster while also notably our first monster. It’s hard to argue against the charisma dripping dialogue and inventive horrorful deaths we see in just his first outing.