Look what they've done to my monsters......Mum...

I have been around and around and seen things, many things, wondrous thing, also things I would rather scrape out of my ever darkening psyche, I know I could have done without seeing a girls arse sewn to another girls arse… but then that is progress in film… isn’t it?

What have they really done to further the cause of the horrific monster? The demented demon? The vulgar Vampire?... ok enough with the analogies you get my point. Are monsters and creatures, even killers in film what they used to be? With the birth of CGI and the development of new programs to create worlds like we saw in Avatar you would think that the answer is a simple “of course”.

Focusing on my history in film and my understanding of Horror and creature films I took a stroll to way back when and started to see how films have changed……

Vampires:

Way back when: The silent, black and white Nosferatu… a horrid, ugly beast, wanting love and I think a manicure, honestly he just seemed to wander around the film with his claws exposed.

Then: Gary Oldman’s definitive role as Dracula, sexy, brooding… hell generally BAD ASS you follow this with the fantastic world of Lestat and Louis and we get the beginning of the sexy brooding “I must resist the temptation” vampire.

Now: Edward Cullen…. Come on, he fucking sparkles for god’s sake!?! How is that bad ass?! Yet he follows the formula does he not?

BUT: Take a look at Eric in True Blood, talk about sexy and bad ass, plus he provides a wonderful spike like counter balance to the terrible Bill.

Werewolves:

Way back When: Wolfman, No dearies not the new one, the original, you know with the fake mask and weird hand gloves. Yes, not a great movie, but for its time; a paragon of the terror and sexuality of beast. 

Then: American Werewolf in London, this film shocked audiences with its realistic terror of the change from man to beast. The special effects alone were ahead of their time.

Now: Our dear shirtless Jacob, his name spread across teen breasts everywhere as he pants and lusts after Bella… though I have to admit, he is pretty bad ass. Add to that the loping dull production of the current Wolfman with Emily Blunt as the only saving grace in this otherwise borefest.

But: let us not forget our dear Oz, the beloved witty boyfriend of Willow… I am kinda clutching at straws here aren’t I…

Sea Monsters:

Way Back When: I know there are quite a few I could mention here, but I am going to stick to my all time favourite… THE KRACKEN. Possibly the only creature on the mystical earth I would think could kick Godzillas arse. We could even take a look further back here and mention the giant octopus from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Then: Jaws, Bruce terrorised the town of Amity Island and began a craze of freaked out summer swimmers… I know any time I hear the ominous sound I lift my toe out of the water.

Now:  The only recent activity I can mention here is the current Kracken… A thing of immense … CGIness…lame.

BUT: sadly I could not think of any recent Sea Monsters I loved, even the other Kracken in Pirates of the Caribbean was nothing but tentacles. I could give a fair mention to the bizarre Japanese tadpole creature from The Host I suppose.

Zombies:

Way Back When: I am going to go with some old school Romero and vote for Night of the Living Dead. A survival film of epic proportions, in most people’s opinions Romero created the fad for Zombies.

Then: Trying to step back from Romero in this category is difficult but let me try with Brain Dead or as the US called it Dead Alive. One of Peter Jackson’s first films and one of my go to comedy films, the monkey rat rape creature is a magnificent twist on zombie culture.

Now: Zombieland; in this category I think there is a definite display that holly-weird has it write on the nose. Not to mention the wonderful 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, Day of the dead, Dawn of the Dead… too many!

But: No need for a BUT here, the genre is more than well represented in my view.

Hillbilly killahs:

Way back when: I mention this area simply because I want to talk about Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This film is still in my opinion one of the most looked over Horror’s. The first film to allow us a glimpse into sadistic back water in bred killers.

A very special mention; Deliverance “squeal like a pig boy” will forever be burned into my retina.

Then: I struggled to find a 90s Hillbilly Horror worth mentioning, other than a few random films.  It would seem the early noughties were the time for the rebirth of Hillbilly Killers.

Now: Devils Rejects and House of 1000 corpses in my mind dragged this genre right back onto the map and slapped it down hard. Zombie nailed these films to your forehead and demanded you watch.

While I have simply touched on a few of the monsters alive and well in film land I hope I have at least offered up an interesting vision of how it has all changed….in my opinion.

Madeleine is a black haired, tattooed budding writer, daughter of a director, Carer, lover, fighter, wife to be, sister  and of course... hard core Horror Fan Girl.

Check out my blog's at  The Mad Geek Girl Blog Spot