Page 97 - Encyclopedia of the Unusual and Unexplained Vol. 3

Mysterious Creatures 77

avid J. Skal, author of The Monster
Show: A Cultural History of Horror (1997),
has made the observation that the histo-
Dry of horror entertainment closely paral-
lels the great social traumas of the twentieth century.
The Top Ten
Monsters became popular at the box office dur-
ing World War II (1939–45), particularly during the Movie Monsters
second half of the conflict, and Hollywood film studios
responded to the demand by creating horror tales fea-
5. King Kong, the giant ape, from the original
turing vampires, werewolves, and mummies. In 1944
King Kong (1933).
alone, 21 horror films were released.
6. Chucky, the possessed, murderous doll, from
After the war ended in 1945, audiences no longer
Child’s Play (1988).
were attracted to such classic monsters. Science fic-
tion tales of UFOs and aliens replaced Earth-based 7. Michael Myers, the masked murderer, who is
supernatural monstrosities. described in the film Halloween (1978).
During the Vietnam conflict, monsters and mad- 8. Hannibal Lecter, the erudite, cannibalistic ser-
men returned with a vengeance, and a remarkable 54 ial killer from The Silence of the Lambs (1991).
horror films were released in 1972. Then, after the 9. Jason, the unstoppable monster in the hockey
United States Armed Forces pulled out of Vietnam, the mask, from Friday the 13th (1980).
movie monsters retreated again. In 1975, only 17 hor-
10.The Alien, the multi-jawed, many-fanged crea-
ror films were released by major studios.
ture in Alien (1979).
In 2001, the Media Psychology Lab at California
State in Los Angeles polled people across the United Sources:
Seiler, Andy. “Oh, the Horror! Oh, Boy!” USA Today, October 25,
States from ages 6 to 90 in all ethnic groups to deter-
2001. [Online] http://www.usatoday.com/life/lphoto.htm.
mine which movie monsters ranked as the favorites.
Skal, David J. The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror.
According to the survey, the most frightening motion
New York: Boulevard, 1997.
picture of all time for all groups was The Exorcist (1973).
Stanley, John. Creature Features: The Science Fiction, Fantasy,
The favorite top ten monsters were the following:
and Horror Movie Guide. New York: Boulevard, 1997.
1. Dracula, the aristocratic vampire, in the 1931 Theokas, Christopher. “Bela’s Dracula Still Has Bite.” USA Today,
version, Dracula, with Bela Lugosi as the blood- October 31, 2001. [Online] http://www.usatoday.com/life/
enter/movies /2001-10-31-scary-movies.htm.
sucking count.
2. Freddy Krueger, the slayer of teenagers with
the razor-sharp metal talons on his fingers,
from A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).
3. The Frankenstein monster, the original version
with Boris Karloff, Frankenstein (1931).

4. Godzilla, the prehistoric giant reptile that spews
radioactive rays and stomps cities to rubble,
from the original Japanese film, Godzilla of the
Monsters (1954).

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