It’s October! That means horror movies, discount candy and so many monsters! Now, I am one of the biggest scaredy cats out there when it comes to horror movies, but I love a good monster! But, before you get lost in the corn maze , let’s weigh the pros and cons (coming from the perspective of trying to survive one) from some of the classic monsters that have appeared in movies over the years:
- Swamp Monsters:
Pros: Has a specific place it can survive and stays there, can’t wait for you to leave safety cause it dries up too quick.
Cons: Can’t be rationed with, has a clear upper hand if you try to boat out into his lair (also very smelly).
Tragically underused, swamp monsters are one of those ‘classic monsters’ that only really got a few times in the spotlight over the years. Our water monsters tend to trend towards alligators and sharks. Apart from The Creature from the Black Lagoon, I feel like the only time it’s been used was in the short lived Swamp Thing series from DC Comics. I think that Swamp Beast has a lot of untapped potential, especially given people’s fear of the water and drowning. - Mummies:
Pros: Historically slow and only come after you if you wake them up (which…same, honestly).
Cons: Doesn’t need to eat, sleep or stop until the job is done.
Mummies are another one of those film monsters that don’t get as much light as they deserve. Apart from the Brandon Fraser series and the classic Boris Karloff movie, I can’t think of any ‘Big Mummy’ media. The culture of mummies is rich with tradition and history that has so many different stories to tell. - Vampires:
Pros: Classic, sophisticated, and attractive (if you’re gonna die, you might as well enjoy it).
Cons: Older, smarter and probably cleverer than you.
OK. I know what you’re thinking. “Vampires are old news, everyone’s done vampires, they’re boring and inconsistent!” And you’re right! Vampires have been done to death…or rather un-death. However! There’s something to love about a classic monster that’s done well. Vampires have become the subject of not only horror movies (like any of the Dracula movies) or comedies (see What We Do in the Shadows), which means that have a potential to be just as versatile as we make them. - Werewolves:
Pros: Loud, tactless, and not very bright. Easy to trick and well established solution: Silver Bullets!
Cons: Sucks if you have pet allergies.
Anyone who knows me, knows I love some werewolves! It probably comes from my love of dogs and wolves, but–as far as monsters go–the werewolf is a powerful opponent for both the humans fighting the werewolf and the human who is the werewolf. The classic conflicts of Man vs. Nature and Man vs. Self packed into one leads to some really interesting characters, especially when the story is told from the perspective of the werewolf.