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What would pop culture be like today if it weren't for monster movies? Truly, this badass, thrilling genre has been a force to be reckoned with in cinemas, smashing all-time box office records and being the dominant summer movie-going experience. There will always be an audience for these kinds of movies, as they entertain with giant spectacles and jaw-dropping effects.
Many incredible monster movies have been released throughout the years, and some are even considered the greatest ever made. They are wildly entertaining, visually stunning, near-flawless films that continue to thrill and have devoted fans who love coming back to experience the magic they created. These monster films immediately draw viewers in with their charms and don't let go until the credits are up. From collosal dinosaurs to terrors from beyond the stars, here are ten monster movies that are perfect from beginning to end.
10 'Godzilla' (1954)
Directed by Ishirô Honda
Image via Toho Pictures The original black-and-white Godzilla classic from 1954 is widely regarded as one of the most essential giant monster movies of all time. It introduced the world to the one and only king of the monsters, Godzilla, the indestructible force of nature who has stomped and smashed his way to becoming monster movie royalty. This story follows a small group of scientists as they figure out how to stop a mighty pre-historic dinosaur from rampaging through Japan after atomic testing awakens it from its aquatic slumber.
The iconic sequence as Godzilla rampages through Tokyo is a moment that's become edged in the annals of cinema history. The '54 Godzilla is a benchmark in the genre, one of its most influential and highly entertaining entries. It's a gripping tale with an iconic villain, fantastic characters, and a powerful message that warns viewers of the dangers of nuclear devastation. It was a monster hit when it first came out, and today, it thrives as a timeless classic.
Godzilla (1954)
American nuclear weapons testing results in the creation of a seemingly unstoppable dinosaur-like beast.
Release Date November 3, 1954
Director Ishirô Honda
Cast Takashi Shimura , Akihiko Hirata , Akira Takarada , Momoko Kôchi
Runtime 96 minutes
9 'Predator' (1987)
Directed by John McTiernan
Image via 20th Century Studios From iconic action filmmaker John McTiernan, Predator is his 1987 explosive sci-fi horror masterpiece, which defined the decade's action genre. Starring a beloved ensemble of '80s action hero archetypes, led by Arnold Schwarzenegger at the height of his powers, it follows an elite special forces rescue team as they're stalked by an invisible alien warrior on safari in the jungles of Central America.
Thrilling from beginning to end, this remarkable blend of action, horror, and adventure is one of the most kickass, exciting standouts of the creature feature genre. It's full of crowd-pleasing moments, led by a talented cast who dominate the screen and deliver some of the cherished, most quotable one-liners in movie history. Predator is a monster film purely made to make the audience cheer. It is undoubtedly the watchable action movie of the 1980s, one that's often the first to come to mind when thinking about this iconic era of cinema.
Predator
Release Date June 12, 1987
Runtime 107 minutes
8 'The Fly' (1986)
Directed by David Cronenberg
Image via 20th Century Fox Much of the body horror subgenre today owes great gratitude to the works of acclaimed filmmaker David Cronenberg. Known for his riveting tales featuring violent bodily harm and grotesque monstrosities, his films have rightfully been played on a pedestal and recognized as being essential to horror. His most outstanding achievement was the 1986 remake of The Fly, a heartbreaking monster tale of an ambitious scientist (Jeff Goldblum) who slowly transforms into a human/fly hybrid after a teleportation experiment goes terribly wrong.
Praised now as one of the most phenomenal horror remakes ever made, Cronenberg's The Fly improves its 1958 source material and elevates the monster genre with some of the most spectacular award-winning effects it's ever seen. The main character's slow, agonizing transformation into a fly is a benchmark in state-of-the-art makeup and prosthetics. They still look flawless and stunning today, a testament to this visual marvel that continues to be an essential monster movie. It's shocking throughout and leaves viewers feeling uncomfortable well after the finale.
In a daring exploration of science's potential to alter human life, a brilliant but eccentric scientist develops a technology for teleportation. When he decides to test the device on himself, a tragic error involving a common housefly leads to horrifying consequences. The film chillingly portrays his transformation and the impact it has on his relationship and psyche.
Release Date August 15, 1986
Runtime 96 minutes
7 'The Bride of Frankenstein' (1935)
Directed by James Whale
Image via Universal Pictures Monster movie history was made in the 1930s with the release of Universal's Classic Monster Era. This age saw many iconic creatures, like Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Invisible Man, shine on the silver screen. In 1935, arguably, the most remarkable of these films was released: The Bride of Frankenstein, an incredible sequel to its 1931 original, directed by James Whales. As a direct continuation, it follows the lonely monster (Boris Karloff) as he teams up with a sinister scientist to force his creator, Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive), to create him a mate.
Though not well known for being particularly frightening, The Bride of Frankenstein is a significant addition to the monster genre, one of the most complex and compelling horror films in history. It's thought-provoking and dramatic, featuring moments that have become staples of pop culture. As any great sequel must do, it builds on the original story and ideas, offering a deeper look into the monster and his heartbreaking struggles while trying to find his place in the world that doesn't understand him. It's one of the most essential monster movies to watch, and its importance to cinema hasn't dwindled over the years. It's a timeless black-and-white classic that needs to be seen.
Release Date April 20, 1935
Director James Whale
Cast Boris Karloff , Colin Clive , Valerie Hobson , Ernest Thesiger , Elsa Lanchester , Gavin Gordon
Runtime 75
6 'King Kong' (1933)
Directed by Merian C. Cooper
Image via RKO Radio Pictures Of course, there's no talking about the most perfect monster movies without mentioning the eighth wonder of the world, King Kong. One of the most thrilling classics in history, this game-changing monster movie was one of the first that changed how audiences look at movies. It's the now iconic tale of an ambitious film crew as they arrive at an uncharted island to shoot their picture. Only there, they encounter the island's massive apex predator, The Mighty Kong, who quickly becomes smitten by the crew's leading lady, Ann Darrow (Fay Wray).
Regularly regarded as a landmark in cinema, King Kong is a highly influential masterpiece that proved that films had the potential to go bigger and bolder with their spectacles. Though its stop-motion and projection effects have shown their age in modern times, it's still awe-inspiring how they were achieved during their time and continues to inspire other effects. Its plot takes viewers on an incredible adventure full of excitement and action. It later had a worthy remake by the legendary Peter Jackson, which was equally thrilling, but ut the original remains a definitive monster classic.
King Kong (1933)
King Kong (1933) is a classic adventure film following filmmaker Carl Denham, who travels to Skull Island to capture footage of a legendary giant ape named Kong. Fay Wray stars as Ann Darrow, the woman Kong becomes infatuated with, while Robert Armstrong and Bruce Cabot also play pivotal roles. The movie is renowned for its groundbreaking special effects and compelling narrative.
Release Date March 2, 1993
Director Merian C. Cooper , Ernest B. Schoedsack
Cast Fay Wray , Robert Armstrong , Bruce Cabot , Frank Reicher , Sam Hardy , Noble Johnson
Runtime 100 Minutes
5 'Dawn of the Dead' (1978)
Directed by George A. Romero
Image Via United Film Distribution Company Few movie monsters are beloved and recognizable as zombies. Indeed, these often slow-moving, flesh-eating undead creatures have become a staple of horror and our pop culture as they frequently appear throughout cinema. While they've been popular for decades, it's wildly all thanks to the legendary late filmmaker George A. Romero and his influential "Dead films," the best being his 1978 masterpiece Dawn of the Dead. Set during the chaos of a mysterious zombie epidemic, it follows two SWAT officers, a helicopter pilot, and a news station attendant as they work together to make an isolated shopping mall their sanctuary.
While Romero's Night of the Living Dead set the stage for the zombie subgenre, Dawn of the Dead elevated it to new heights and is today recognized as the most perfect and influential zombie movie of all time. It fires on all cylinders, featuring a talented cast, flawless performances, lavish sets, impressive gore, and a mature story that offers brilliant social commentary. It never lets go of the viewers' attention and reigns supreme as a stunning horror masterpiece that continues to be watched and studied.
A nurse, a policeman, a young married couple, a salesman and other survivors of a worldwide plague that is producing aggressive, flesh-eating zombies, take refuge in a mega Midwestern shopping mall.
Release Date March 19, 2004
Runtime 101 Minutes
4 'Alien' (1979)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Image via 20th Century Studios Audiences in 1979 weren't prepared for the absolute terror that was to be experienced in Ridley Scott's Alien, a sci-fi horror monster classic filled with so many unimaginable scares. It stars the legendary Sigourney Weaver as Lt. Ellen Ripley, a commercial space towing crew member who and her fellow astronauts encounter a frightening extraterrestrial killer after it sneaks aboard their ship after a distress mission. As the crew is picked off one by one, the survivors realize they're facing a formidable beast that is nearly impossible to destroy.
Scott's masterpiece is pure nightmare fuel, a perfect chiller that scares its audiences uniquely. It's claustrophobic and dark, utilizing audiences' fear of the unknown to make them feel uneasy, and gaze with anticipation, and wonder where the alien will strike next. It introduced cinema to the Xenomorph, a fantastic horror antagonist that looks, acts, and sounds utterly terrifying. Swiss artist H.R. Giger's Academy Award-winning design for the creature remains timeless and original, and today, it is still the most frightening cinematic monster ever.
In deep space, the crew of the commercial starship Nostromo is awakened from their cryo-sleep capsules halfway through their journey home to investigate a distress call from an alien vessel. The terror begins when the crew encounters a nest of eggs inside the alien ship. An organism from inside an egg leaps out and attaches itself to one of the crew, causing him to fall into a coma.
Release Date June 22, 1979
Runtime 117 minutes
3 'Jaws' (1975)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Image via Universal Pictures The summer box office season changed forever thanks to director Steven Spielberg and his monster classic Jaws. Indeed, the first film to kick off the summer blockbuster, Jaws, was a critical and commercial smash hit that amazed an entire generation with its exciting thrills, shocking suspense, and plentiful scares. It's about a massive great white shark as it terrorizes a thriving beach town. To stop the bloodshed, the town's new sheriff, a marine biologist, and a local shark hunter head out onto the open ocean to end its reign of terror.
This story is jam-packed with thrilling and jaw-dropping moments that keep the entertainment going. The directing is perfect, the cast does phenomenal work, and the shark featured in the film, referred to as Bruce by the developers, is one of cinema's all-time greatest villains. With nonstop excitement and never a dull moment, Jaws remains one of the finest monster movies ever made.
Release Date June 18, 1975
Runtime 124 minutes
2 'The Thing' (1982)
Directed by John Carpenter
Image via Universal Pictures In the history of horror, one monster movie has stood out as an incredible landmark and is praised as one of the scariest of all time. That is John Carpenter's 1982 masterpiece The Thing, starring Kurt Russell. With limitless terror and jaw-dropping thrills, this frightening creature feature follows a group of US scientists at an isolated Antarctic outpost as they descend into chaos and paranoia after an extraterrestrial parasite infiltrates their group and starts assimilating them one by one.
It's a monster movie that terrifies its audience without much need to show the actual monster. Carpenter, a genius of horror filmmaking, knew the terror came from what viewers didn't see and crafted a story that is monumentally creepy and dreadful. The scares and effects still hold up nicely today, and its shocking ending is enough to make viewers lose sleep. As the years go on, this monster masterpiece will continue to be an ever-present figure in the minds of movie buffs.
The Thing (1982)
A team of researchers set out to study an alien spacecraft found in Antarctica, where they also discover an alien body on the site. The alien buried in ice is actually alive and has the ability to imitate human form. The group must find a way to distinguish who the real person is from The Thing and stay alive. John Carpenter's 1982 film is a remake of 1951's The Thing from Another World and stars Kurt Russel as the hero RJ MacReady.
Release Date June 25, 1982
Runtime 109 mins
1 'Jurassic Park' (1993)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Image via Universal Pictures Spielberg's not done yet, as he returns, this time with his most profitable movie ever, Jurassic Park. Starring Sam Neill, it sees him as a revered paleontologist who must lead a small group to escape an island full of hungry dinosaurs after the extinct animals are brought back to life through cloning technology to become theme-park attractions.
Here is one of the most recognizable and beloved monsters of all time, a box office juggernaut that defined the summer blockbuster season of the 1990s. Jurassic Park is purely entertaining from its thrilling opening credits to its exuberant finale. It goes without saying that the state-of-the-art CGI and practical effects used to bring the dinosaurs to life still look flawless and mind-blowing today. It defines everything fun and exciting about the monster subgenre and continues to be a crowd-pleasing film. It's the perfect monster movie to watch from beginning to end.
Jurassic Park
In Steven Spielberg's massive blockbuster, paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) are among a select group chosen to tour an island theme park populated by dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. While the park's mastermind, billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), assures everyone that the facility is safe, they find out otherwise when various ferocious predators break free and go on the hunt.
Release Date June 11, 1993
Runtime 127 minutes
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