Hi all!
Today I am going to be sharing with you my five favourite creature features. If you didn’t know, these types of horror films revolve around monsters, beasts and dangerous life-forms. They can be mythical, real or man-made. I’m not going to include movies I’ve discussed on this blog before, so please excuse the absence of Alien, Jaws, An American Werewolf in London, The Thing and more. I try to diversify my lists each time. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
1.) Malignant
James Wan’s Malignant is so polarising. You either love it or hate it. I LOVED it! It won best wide-release horror film of the year at the 2022 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards. It follows Madison, a young woman terrified by visions of strangers being murdered. Once the terror subsides, she sets out to help her victims before their fates come to pass. Little does our protagonist know, she’s more connected to the killer than she realises. I don’t want to give away the big twist reveal but the reason this fits under the creature feature category, lies in the title. When you figure out what’s going on, you’re in for a good time. Please note, this movie is meant to be tongue-in-cheek. If you try to take the plot seriously, you’ll probably end up disliking it. It’s ridiculous and brilliant.
2.) Silent Hill
Are you surprised to see Silent Hill on this list? You shouldn’t be! It’s filled with the most bizarre and grotesque monsters known to cinematic history. The film is also based off of the popular video game franchise. The story follows Rose, who takes her adopted daughter, Sharon, to the town of Silent Hill, to heal her consistent night terrors. On arrival, Rose is involved in a car accident and awakens to find Sharon missing. While searching for her, she fights a local cult and begins to uncover her daughter’s connection to the town’s dark past. It’s such a re-watchable, spooky movie. My favourite creature is Pyramid Head. You won’t want to mess with that one!
3.) The Fly
The Fly is one of the greatest creature features of all time. If you only watch one movie on this list, let it be this one. It follows Dr. Seth Brundle (played by Jeff Goldblum), an eccentric scientist who wants to change the world with his teleportation technology. Confident in his experiment, Seth tests the machine on himself and accidentally gets fused with the worst kind of pest: a fly. For an 80’s film, the special effects are stellar. It’s gritty, gross and intense. The transformation of man into insect will turn your stomach in the best possible way. Keep in mind, this is also a love story. You will get wrapped up in the romance before realising it’s not going to end well…
4.) Ginger Snaps
I don’t think Ginger Snaps is talked about enough. It’s early 2000s horror at its finest, with Jennifer’s Body vibes. The story follows two outcast sisters, Ginger and Brigitte, in the mindless suburban town of Bailey Downs. On the night of Ginger’s first period, she is savagely attacked by a wild creature. Her wounds miraculously heal but something is not quite right. Now Brigitte must save her sister and herself. Yes, this is a werewolf film and absolutely worthy of being on this list. Be warned, there is animal death, self-harm and talk of suicide. I love this movie so much and highly recommend it!
5.) The Blob
Last but certainly not least, I have to mention The Blob. A deadly entity from space crashes into a small town in Colorado. It isn’t long before it spreads through the streets, consuming everyone and everything in its path. I want to stress, I am referring to the 1988 remake, not the original from the 50’s. In my opinion, this film features top-tier body horror. I loved seeing the victims get swallowed by the gelatinous monster. Not to mention, Shawnee Smith is in this movie and we all know, I am a big fan of her work (Amanda from Saw). It’s a terrifying tale of survival.
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post. What are some of your favourite creature features?
Peace & Love