Monsters: 102

Predator (1987) is an American science fiction action film directed by John McTiernan and written by brothers Jim and John Thomas. An alien spacecraft deploys a shuttle to Earth, where Vietnam War veteran Major Alan ‘Dutch’ Schaefer and his military rescue team are tasked with saving a foreign cabinet minister and his aide from insurgents in an unspecified South American country. Accompanying Dutch’s team is CIA officer Al Dillon, despite Dutch’s objections. As they make their way, the team discovers ...

Directed and produced by William Dear, Harry and the Hendersons (1987) is a classic American fantasy comedy. After a camping trip in the nearby Cascade mountains, George Henderson drives his family back home to suburban Seattle when an unexpected encounter occurs. While traveling in their station wagon, they accidentally hit a Bigfoot. Excited by the potential for fame and fortune, the family brings the creature along by strapping it to the roof of their car. However, their plans are interrupted when a hunter discovers their damaged license plate, leading him to suspect foul play. That same night, George goes to check ...

Critters (1986) is an American science fiction comedy horror film directed by Stephen Herek in his directorial debut. On an asteroid prison, a group of dangerous aliens known as Krites plan an escape and hijack a ship, prompting the warden to enlist two shape-changing bounty hunters, Ug and Lee. The duo’s mission: track the Krites to Earth. Using satellite television transmissions to study life on Earth, Ug takes on the form of rock star Johnny Steele. Meanwhile, Lee remains undecided and keeps his blank, featureless head. In rural Kansas, the Brown family gathers for breakfast as they send off teenage daughter ...

Aliens (1986), a science fiction action film, was written and directed by James Cameron. As the second film in the Alien franchise, it serves as a sequel to the 1979 science fiction horror film Alien. After destroying her ship, the Nostromo, to escape an alien creature that massacred her crew, Ellen Ripley enters a state of stasis for 57 years aboard an escape shuttle. Upon being rescued and debriefed by her employers at Weyland-Yutani Corporation, they express doubt about her claims of alien eggs on exomoon LV-426. This is due to the fact that a terraforming colony now occupies the area. When ...

Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O’Bannon, is a science fiction horror film. The story was co-authored by Ronald Shusett. The seven-member crew of the commercial space tug Nostromo, including Captain Dallas, Executive Officer Kane, Warrant Officer Ripley, Navigator Lambert, Science Officer Ash, and engineers Parker and Brett, are in stasis as they return to Earth. Upon receiving a transmission from a nearby moon, Mother awakens the crew. In accordance with protocol to investigate any potential ...

The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977) is an American science fiction horror film helmed by director Don Taylor. It is the second English-language adaptation of H. G. Wells’ 1896 novel of the same name. The story follows three men who are stranded in the Pacific Ocean after the sinking of their ship, the Lady Vain. One man perishes at sea and after seventeen days, the remaining two reach an island where they encounter dangerous animals. Braddock, one of the survivors and an engineer from the Lady Vain, is taken in by a compound run by a scientist known as ‘Dr. ...

The Outer Limits (1963–1965), an American TV show, aired on ABC from September 16, 1963 to January 16, 1965 at 7:30 PM Eastern Time every Monday. Often compared to The Twilight Zone, it focused more on science fiction rather than fantasy or supernatural elements. Each episode was a standalone story with surprise endings. During its first season, the show gained a devoted fan base. Some dedicated viewers even brought their TVs with them when they were away so they wouldn’t miss an episode. However, the second season didn’t do as well in ratings after moving to Saturday nights and competing against Jackie ...

The British horror film The Mummy (1959) was directed by Terence Fisher and starred Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. In Egypt, three archaeologists – John Banning, his father Stephen, and his uncle Joseph Whemple – were in search of Princess Ananka’s tomb. However, due to a broken leg, John couldn’t join them when they opened the tomb. An Egyptian named Mehemet Bey warned them against entering, fearing the curse that awaited desecrators. Despite the warning, Stephen and Joseph proceeded and ...

The Creature Walks Among Us (1956) is an American monster horror film and the third installment in the Creature from the Black Lagoon franchise by Universal Pictures. After escaping from Ocean Harbor Oceanarium in Florida, the Gill-man is pursued by a group of scientists led by Dr. William Barton. As they travel on the Vagabondia III to capture the creature in the Everglades, it becomes evident that Barton is mentally unstable and treats his wife Marcia poorly. His possessiveness and paranoia intensify as their guide Jed Grant continually flirts with Marcia, despite her rejection of his advances. Despite her husband’s ...

Jack Arnold directed Revenge of the Creature (1955), a 3D monster film. After surviving multiple gunshot wounds, the Gill-man is taken to the Ocean Harbor Oceanarium in Florida for further observation. There, animal psychologist Professor Clete Ferguson and ichthyology student Helen Dobson study him. Despite Joe Hayes’s objections, Helen and Clete develop feelings for each other. Unfortunately, this causes obstacles for Clete’s attempts to communicate with the Gill-man, who seems quite taken with Helen. In the end, the Gill-man breaks free from his tank and fatally injures ...

The American black-and-white 3D monster horror film, Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), was produced by William Alland and directed by Jack Arnold. During a geology expedition in the Amazon, a skeletal hand with webbed fingers from the Devonian period is discovered, providing a direct link between land and sea animals. Expedition leader Dr. Carl Maia instructs his two assistants to remain at camp while he visits the marine biology institute. There, he meets up with his friend and former student, ichthyologist Dr. David Reed. After working at an aquarium in California, ...

Mighty Joe Young (1949) is an American black and white fantasy film distributed by RKO Radio Pictures. Produced by the same creative team behind King Kong (1933), it tells the story of eight-year-old Jill Young living in 1937 Tanganyika territory, Africa with her father on their ranch. One day, two Africans bring an orphaned baby gorilla to their ranch, which Jill happily trades her toys and money for. Twelve years later, Hollywood businessman Max O’Hara and his assistant Gregg are on a safari trip in search of animals for their nightclub back in LA. While they have captured several lions, things take an unexpected turn when Joe Young appears – ...

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) is an American horror comedy film directed by Charles Barton. A concerned Larry Talbot contacts the railway station in Florida, where baggage clerks Chick Young and Wilbur Grey are employed. In his call, Talbot urgently warns Wilbur of an impending shipment for ‘McDougal’s House of Horrors’. However, his message is cut short as he transforms into a werewolf with the rising full moon. Wilbur dismisses the call as a joke, unaware of the real danger. Meanwhile, McDougal demands that the crates be delivered directly to his wax museum. Despite it being after ...

The American horror film House of Frankenstein (1944) stars Boris Karloff, directed by Erle C. Kenton. After attempting to replicate Dr. Frankenstein’s experiments, Dr. Gustav Niemann is imprisoned and meets the hunchback Daniel. He convinces him to become his assistant and promises to create a new body for him. During an earthquake, they escape and stumble upon Professor Lampini’s traveling show. Wanting revenge on Burgomaster Hussman, Niemann revives Count Dracula from his corpse in the horror exhibit. The vampire hypnotizes Hussman’s ...

In the American horror flick directed by Roy William Neill, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi star as the two graverobbers who venture into the Talbot family crypt during a full moon. In hopes of reviving Larry Talbot, they remove the wolfsbane that was buried with his body. To their surprise, the full moon’s light transforms Larry back to life. Later that night in Cardiff, he is discovered by police with his apparent fatal head wound and taken to Dr. Mannering for treatment. When ...

The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), directed by Erle C. Kenton and featuring Cedric Hardwicke, Lon Chaney Jr., and Bela Lugosi, is an American horror film. The villagers in Frankenstein’s town believe they are cursed and attribute all their misfortunes to Frankenstein’s creation. As a result, the Mayor allows them to demolish his castle. However, Ygor discovers that the monster has been freed from his sulfuric grave due to the explosions. Although weakened, the ...

Directed by Rowland V. Lee, Son of Frankenstein (1939) tells the story of Baron Wolf von Frankenstein, the son of infamous scientist Henry Frankenstein. In an attempt to redeem his father’s name, Wolf moves his wife Elsa and young son Peter to their family castle. However, he quickly realizes that this will not be an easy task as the villagers hold a deep resentment towards the Frankenstein family due to past events involving Henry’s Monster. The only person who offers Wolf any friendship is Inspector Krogh, a local police officer with an artificial arm from a childhood encounter with the creature. While ...

Bride of Frankenstein (1935) is an American sci-fi horror sequel to Universal Pictures’ original film, Frankenstein. In a castle during a stormy night, Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron praise Mary Shelley for her story about the infamous Frankenstein and his creation. Mary reminds them that her purpose in writing the novel was to teach a moral lesson about the dangers of playing God. She reveals that she has more of the story to share. The scene then shifts to the end of Frankenstein, where villagers celebrate as the Monster seemingly perishes in a burning windmill. However, Hans, whose daughter was killed by the creature, wants to see its ...

Directed by Erle C. Kenton, Island of Lost Souls (1932) is an American science fiction horror film produced and distributed by Paramount Productions. Based on H.G. Wells’ 1896 novel The Island of Doctor Moreau, the film follows the story of Edward Parker, a shipwrecked traveler who is rescued by a freighter transporting animals to an isolated South Seas island owned by Dr. Moreau. While onboard, Parker witnesses the mistreatment of M’ling, a passenger with beast-like features, by the drunken captain. In retaliation, Parker is thrown overboard into Mr. ...

The American pre-Code supernatural horror film, The Mummy (1932), directed by Karl Freund, depicts an archaeological expedition led by Sir Joseph Whemple in 1921. During this expedition, the mummy of Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian high priest, is discovered. Upon inspection by Dr. Muller, it is revealed that the mummy’s viscera were untouched and there were signs of a struggle indicating that Imhotep had been buried alive. Alongside the mummy lies a cursed casket containing the ‘Scroll of Thoth’. Despite Muller’s warning, Ralph Norton opens the casket and reads aloud from the scroll, causing ...