Top 20 Monster Characters of All Time
Script Written by Nathan Sharp
#20: Slender Man
Top 5 Creepiest Things About the Slender Man Myth
Various
Slender Man is perhaps the most famous internet creepypasta of all time, and arguably the only one to break into the mainstream pop culture consciousness. It all started back on the Something Awful forums, when user Victor Surge uploaded photoshopped black and white pictures depicting a pale, tall, and thin figure in a black suit. The character of The Slender Man was given some background though Victor Surge’s textual accompaniments, which mentioned something called the Stirling City Library Blaze and the man’s penchant for kidnapping children. The creepypasta gained traction and spread, and he has since been the subject of memes, video games, a web series, and a movie that no one seemed to care for.
#19: The Gremlins
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“Gremlins” franchise (1984-90)
A lot of care and thought went into the creation of the titular Gremlins. We know that they start their lives as little furballs called mogwai. But if a mogwai becomes wet or is fed after midnight, they change into the little hellions known as Gremlins. We also know that the Gremlins love sweet foods, like candy and cookies, and we know that they love to cause destruction for destruction’s sake. They are also wickedly intelligent and devilishly cunning, which is more than we can say for some movie monsters. And finally, we know that they have a social structure of some kind, as demonstrated by the leadership of Stripe and Brain Gremlin. They’re certainly ugly, but they’re a lot of fun.
#18: Predators
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“Predator” franchise (1987-2018)
They may be ugly, but they are not to be messed with. Over the years, we know that their kind are technologically advanced, owing to the incredibly sophisticated outfits and weapons they carry throughout the franchise. We also know that hunting is an important source of pride, judging by the dashes on its arm piece which keep track of its victims. Oh, and speaking of victims, skinning them seems to be a habit. And perhaps most importantly, the Predator has an honor code, which is evident when the creature drops his weapons and mask to fight Dutch in the first film. An incredible amount of personality was packed into this iconic villain, which may have helped distinguish it from its many imitators.
#17: Pyramid Head
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“Silent Hill 2” (2001)
Pyramid Head is a bizarre but frightening figure, what with the pyramid head and all. While this villain appears throughout the “Silent Hill” franchise, most fans prefer to focus on his “Silent Hill 2” iteration; Because its existence had a deeper meaning here. It stalks protagonist James Sunderland throughout the game and repeatedly murders James’s companion, Maria. This is because Maria strongly resembles James’s late wife Mary, whom James killed to spare from a terminal illness. Pyramid Head is James’s manifestation of guilt, and by repeatedly killing Maria, it is tormenting and punishing James for his direct role in Mary’s death. Now that’s some heavy stuff. And it’s just the way we like our “Silent Hill.”
#16: Colossal Titan
“Attack on Titan” (2013-)
Colossal is one of the Nine Unique Titans and first appears in a thunderous explosion outside Wall Maria. (Pronounced “Mahr-ri-a” not Ma-re-a) His appearance is one of the show’s most iconic moments, as he gazes over the massive wall and dwarfs the buildings of Shiganshina. The Colossal Titan is different from other Titans in various ways (aside from his incredible size). He lacks a significant amount of skin, his feet appear swollen, and he emits large amounts of steam from his body. We later learn that the Colossal Titan is a transformed Bertholdt Hoover, a quiet and meek member of the Scout Regiment. Bertholdt also happens to sweat a lot, which is mirrored in the Titans’ release of steam. One look at this unimaginably enormous Titan is enough to curdle your blood.
#15: Pinhead
“Hellraiser” franchise (1987-)
Pinhead is one of the most iconic slasher movie villains - maybe because of all the pins sticking out of his head. But aside from his petrifying appearance, Pinhead is a great villain with a surprising amount of depth. He is currently the leader of the Cenobites, a depraved group of sadomasochistic individuals who torture their victims with chains and serve the deity Leviathan. But he was once an English soldier named Elliot Spencer who served in World War I and fought in the Battles of Flanders. However, his experiences left him disillusioned with humanity and religion, which in turn left him extremely nihilistic. He found the Lament Configuration in British India, and the rest is history.
#14: Brundlefly
“The Fly” (1986)
While its portrayal in the 1958 film was hindered by the effects of the era. The 1986 remake created one of the all-time greatest (and grossest) monsters. The Brundlefly begins its life as Seth Brundle, a brilliant, loving, and caring scientist who is devoted to his work with what he calls telepods. However, he inadvertently fuses his DNA with a house fly using the telepods, beginning his horrific transformation into the Brundlefly. The Brundlefly is everything Seth is not - physically and morally disgusting, ruthless, violent, and eventually, not even human. The Brundlefly is a horribly repulsive character, but also a deeply sympathetic one.
#13; Cthulhu
The Cthulhu Mythos (1928-)
Of all the brilliant stories penned by H.P. Lovecraft, “The Call of Cthulhu” is probably his most famous. This tale introduced the famous cosmic entity Cthulhu, although the monster itself only appears for like five sentences at the end of the story. However, other Lovecraft works, his personal letters, and his literary successors have greatly expanded the mythos and lore of Cthulhu. Yet most interesting of all, is that while he has yet to make a feature length film appearance, Cthulhu is probably best known for making guest appearances in other TV shows and music videos, thus his enigmatic appearances undoubtedly add to his horrifying charm.
#12: It/Pennywise
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“It” Franchise (1986-2019)
Stephen King has written some truly depraved villains throughout his long and prosperous career, but Pennywise may be the worst of them all. In the novels, It is an ancient cosmic entity who takes on the appearance of a clown, though his true form is completely unknown to man. The alien aspect of It was dropped for both the miniseries and the movies, although its true form as the Deadlights were featured prominently in the films. Either way, It is a character with a ton of, well, character. We know a lot about its background, its motivations, and its schedule, and Pennywise’s goading personality makes him one of the most entertaining villains in horror history.
#11: Sully
“Monsters, Inc.” franchise (2001-13)
Hey, who said monsters have to be the bad guys? “Monsters, Inc.” is a wonderful movie that flips the concept of monsters on its head. Yes, there are monsters living in your childhood closet. But they’re only there so they can power their city with your screams! While both Mike and Sully are technically monsters, Sully is the monster monster, as he’s the one doing the scaring. He’s given a lot of great characterization throughout the movie, including his poignant and wickedly touching relationship with Boo. Sully is perhaps the most adorable movie monster of all time. John Goodman’s impeccably-cast voice probably has something to do with it.
#10: Freddy Krueger
“A Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise (1984-2010)
As the “Elm Street” series progressed, Freddy Krueger turned into a bastardized version of his past self. He essentially became a parody of Freddy Krueger … though it was pretty cool to see him face off against Jason Vorhees. Still, he remains horrific and literally nightmarish. Not only from the fact that he can invade your dreams to kill you for real, but through his overt confidence, and a penchant for prolonged torment. We also learn that Freddy was once a child serial killer known as The Springwood Slasher who was burned to death by vengeful parents. He’s one of cinema’s most iconic slashers, and one of the most demonically charismatic of them all.
#9: Imhotep
“The Mummy” franchise (1932-55; 1999-2008; 2017)
The first of Universal’s Classic Monsters to appear on the list, while we do appreciate Arnold Vosloo’s portrayal of Imhotep in 1999’s “The Mummy” and its sequels, those movies were made with intentional B-movie flair. And the less said about the 2017 remake; the better. If you want straight-up horror, you’ll have to watch the 1932 movie starring the legendary Boris Karloff. Unlike the 1999 film, this Imhotep is reserved and calculating. He lives for ten years, takes on the persona of Ardath Bey, and uses manipulation and hypnosis over direct violence. It’s a far more subdued portrayal, and arguably a far more threatening one.
#8: Mr. Hyde
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“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” franchise (1886-2006)
Wishing to explore the human dichotomy between good and evil, Robert Louis Stevenson penned the seminal horror novella “Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.”. Hyde serves as the evil side of protagonist Dr. Henry Jekyll, and he is everything that Jekyll isn’t - ugly (both physically and spiritually), murderous, manipulative, and impulsive. He serves as the very representation of human immorality. The original novella was published in 1886 and became a big hit that spawned countless adaptations. Though perhaps most iconic of all; is the 1931 film adaptation starring Fredric March, who won an Academy Award for his performance. An extreme rarity for the horror genre.
#7: The Wolf Man
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“The Wolf Man” (1941-48; 2010)
There have been many great werewolves throughout film history, (xref) including David Kessler in “An American Werewolf in London.” But perhaps the most iconic werewolf of them all, was also part of Universal’s Classic Monsters, with Lon Chaney Jr.’s portrayal of the titualar Wolf Man. The wolf is actually Larry Talbot, an astronomer who was bitten by a werewolf while defending an acquaintance. Talbot embarks on various spree killings around the village before finally being killed by his own father. It’s a deeply tragic story, and the character greatly influenced further depictions of werewolves in film and television. And he would later appear in crossover films with Universal’s other monsters.
#6: Gill-man
“Creature from the Black Lagoon” franchise (1954-56)
Yet another great Universal monster to make the list. Played by both Ben Chapman and Ricou Browning. We don’t know much about the background of Gill-man. All we know is that he is the last remaining member of an ancient race of humanoid creatures from the Devonian period. But we know that he is deeply territorial - so much so that he will kill anyone who invades his space and steals evidence of his ancestral past. His methods are grisly and terrifying, and his physical appearance is iconic. (xref) Viewers of Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” may have recognized a startling resemblance.
#5: Xenomorphs
“Alien” franchise (1979-)
Ever since a single one of these creatures first burst onto the dinner table, the Xenomorphs have become THE defining alien monster in pop culture. Designed by legendary artist H. R. Giger, the Xeno’s have the features that read out like every child’s living nightmare. Acidic blood, a secondary retractable mouth, a spear tipped tail, the ability to climb on walls and the ceiling, hell even it’s parasitic life cycle is terrifying. There are many variations of the Xenomorphs, depending on the host species it incubates as a Facehugger, though if you want the scariest of the bunch; look no further than the Alien Queen.
#4: King Kong
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“King Kong” franchise (1933; 1962-67; 1976-86; 2005; 2017-)
Very few movie monsters achieve the stature of King Kong. He debuted in one of the most acclaimed horror films of all time, and Willis O’Brien’s stop motion animation has been decreed a landmark in the history of cinematic visual effects. This allowed Kong to come to life, both in physical terms and as a character. Kong grows a deep bond with the beautiful Ann Darrow, and acts more on impulse and preservation than outright hatred. He has seen several reiterations over the years, with one of his standout portrayals being delivered by Andy Serkis in the 2005 remake, that showed a more protective side of the ape. But no matter the story, the outcome always leads to tragedy.
#3: Frankenstein’s Monster
MsMojoNotes: Frankenstein
Various (1818-)
The oldest monster on the list, whose roots date all the way back to 1818 with the novel “The Modern Prometheus” by Mary Shelley, This Monster was born against his will as an artificial creation and was given a grotesque form by his creator, Dr. Frankenstein. Best known from the 1931 film adaptation, this horrifying looking creature is generally innocent and childish. And he is often the subject of deep misunderstandings, like when his fear is mistaken for aggression by Frankenstein and Waldman, or when he accidentally drowns little Maria and instigates a violent witch hunt. Since Frankenstein is within the Public Domain, there have been hundreds different iterations of his monster. Yet there’s one line that will always stick with him; “It’s Alive It’s Alive”
#2: Count Dracula
Various (1897-)
Vampires are enormously popular villains within the entertainment sphere, whether it be through literature, television, movies, or comics. But there has never been a vampire quite like Count Dracula. (xref) Well, except maybe Orlok from “Nosferatu,” but that doesn’t really count, seeing as how he’s a literal ripoff. What is it that makes Dracula such an iconic character? That answer will be different depending on who you ask, but there’s no denying his monumental legacy - both within vampire fiction and the wider pop culture consciousness. Bram Stoker, transformed the folkloric vampire forever with Count Dracula, and he remains the quintessential vampire after all these years.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
It’s Terror Mixed with Motown
Audrey II
“Little Shop of Horrors” (1986)
He’s X-Tremely Determined
Mr. X
“Resident Evil 2” (2019)
Not All Mutant Turtles are Heroes
Gamera
“Gamera” Series (1965-2006)
Because who needs a name?
The Thing
“The Thing” (1982)
#1: Godzilla
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“Godzilla” franchise (1954-)
Like King Kong before him, Godzilla is a highly dangerous creature who is antagonized by humanity’s foibles and arrogance. Symbolizing the consequences of Nuclear Weapons with the cinematography of his debut film mirroring that of the devastation of Hiroshima. Godzilla's lasting strength not only comes from his size; but also in what he stands for. Towering of many major cities, able to shoot an atomic ray from its mouth, and seemingly impervious to conventional military weapons, the only thing that has a chance to stop Godzilla is another giant monster. And there have been many challengers like Mothra & King Ghidorah. Yet no matter how many monsters he’s faced; Godzilla almost always lives to fight another day; they don’t call him the ‘King of the Monsters’ for nothing.
