| Let us cut right to the chase...or right to the screaming | | | | Dracula is an icon. |
| as many of the folks on this list would prefer! Not only | | | | 5. Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) |
| am I married to a top home haunter, I have been a big | | | | Robert Englund is best known for playing serial killer |
| fan of horror movies (also called monster movies) for | | | | Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street film |
| years. In my experience, as a fan of the genre, here | | | | series. According to Wikipedia, he received a Saturn |
| are my top ten monsters of all time! | | | | Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A |
| 10. Kraken (1981) | | | | Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in 1987 |
| From the 1981 Clash of the Titans, this is a creature | | | | and A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master |
| that stirs the imagination. Although the Kraken is a | | | | in 1988. I am not surprised. He was excellent as |
| creature of myth, it is the film version that everyone | | | | Freddy. The new Freddy cannot hold a candle, or |
| remembers. Who could forget the end scene of the | | | | dingy red sweater, to Englund. He approached playing |
| original Clash of the Titans where the Kraken comes | | | | Freddy with a mixture of horror and comedy. His witty |
| for Andromeda? (What he wanted her for is not clear | | | | banter with his victims is the stuff of legend. |
| to me. Did he plan to eat her? Invite her to go for a | | | | 4. Wolfman (Lon Chaney Jr.) |
| swim?) At any rate, the Kraken was brought to life by | | | | "Even a man who is pure in heart and says his |
| the stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen, a | | | | prayers by night, may become a wolf when the |
| legend in horror and fantasy movies. The image of | | | | wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright." |
| Perseus turning the Kraken to stone is classic and so | | | | When you talk about werewolves, there is none better |
| is this multi-armed monster in this writer's opinion. | | | | than Lon Chaney's Wolfman in the 1941 Universal |
| 9. Creature From the Black Lagoon (all versions) | | | | Studios movie. From the iconic makeup to the gypsy |
| There have been many movies about terrifying sea | | | | curse, it is Chaney's Wolfman that society knows best, |
| creatures, but Creature From the Black Lagoon is still | | | | and with good reason - it is a darn good movie that |
| the best. (Sorry, Jaws!) Released in 1954, it features a | | | | stands the test of time. |
| monster-like gill-man discovered on an expedition in the | | | | 3. Frankenstein's Monster (Boris Karloff) |
| Amazon. Like many famous monsters of the silver | | | | Do I really have to write that Boris Karloff's portrayal |
| screen, the Creature spawned sequels. The original | | | | of the Frankenstein Monster is a classic creature of |
| Creature of the Black Lagoon movie is being remade | | | | the cinema? The crash of thunder, the sizzling |
| for a 2011 release, according to the IMDB Web site. | | | | laboratory machines, the monster's hand moving-these |
| 8. Mummy (Boris Karloff) | | | | are the images we all have embedded in our minds. |
| Boris Karloff makes his first appearance on our list! | | | | No version of the Frankenstein Monster gets better |
| The Mummy, directed by Karl Freund, is a 1932 horror | | | | than Karloff's version from the classic 1931 horror film. |
| film from Universal Studios. It starred Karloff as a | | | | 2. Leatherface (all versions) |
| revived ancient Egyptian priest called Imhotep. While | | | | Leatherface is the main killer in The Texas Chainsaw |
| the movie is not a drop-dead scare fest, it is a classic | | | | Massacre horror-film series. He wears masks made |
| that is in the collective memory of our society. When | | | | of his victims' skin (which is where the name |
| people think of mummies, they invariably think of | | | | Leatherface comes from) and is the character from |
| Karloff shuffling out of his sarcophagus in bandages. | | | | the movie who normally carries a chainsaw. Not only is |
| The Mummy was semi-remade in The Mummy's Hand | | | | Leatherface one of the first slasher-type villains but he |
| (1940) but it was Karloff's version that began the | | | | is drop-dead scary! While I think all versions of |
| Mummy movies. | | | | Leatherface are scary as heck, the best Leatherface |
| 7. Michael Myers (all versions) | | | | actors were Gunnar Hansen (from the first Texas |
| Michael Myers is the one who started the slasher | | | | Chainsaw Massacre) and Bill Johnson (The Texas |
| genre. He first showed up in 1978's Halloween as a | | | | Chainsaw Massacre 2). I still think the scene in |
| young boy who murders his older sister, and then | | | | Massacre 2 when Leatherface runs, chainsaw roaring, |
| returns home years later to kill again. His fights with | | | | out of the darkened radio station toward the lead |
| Jamie Lee Curtis in the first two Halloween movies are | | | | female actor is horrifying. |
| perfect examples of how scary movie chases should | | | | 1. Jason Voorhees (all versions) |
| work. Although, I think Michael's fights with Donald | | | | Sure, Kane Hodder has played Jason more than any |
| Pleasence (who played Dr. Loomis) are the best parts | | | | other actor, but I can't pick one Jason that is better |
| of the Halloween films. The only negative aspects to | | | | than another. Each actor who played the undead |
| the Halloween movies to me are the continuity issues. | | | | slasher Jason Voorhees brought something new to |
| For instance, Halloween III, although not a bad movie, | | | | the role. Jason Voorhees is the killer from the Friday |
| has nothing to do with the other installments. Also, | | | | the 13th series. He first appeared in Friday the 13th |
| Halloween H20: 20 Years Later almost ignores | | | | (1980); although, he was not the main villain in the first |
| established continuity from earlier movies with no | | | | movie. Jason is a great character because of the |
| explanation. | | | | iconic hockey mask, the creepy camp setting, and |
| 6. Dracula (Bela Lugosi) | | | | because you feel some sympathy for him. He was a |
| Bela Lugosi was a Hungarian actor, best known for | | | | deformed child who was mocked by peers and |
| playing Count Dracula in the Broadway play and | | | | ignored by camp counselors. He also loves his |
| classic Universal Studios Dracula films, too. The now | | | | mommy. (Watch the movies and you will see what I |
| classic Dracula that made Lugosi a star came out in | | | | mean.) Because he evokes sympathy in the audience, |
| 1931. Although the movie is a little slow and not as | | | | he is a little like Frankenstein's Monster but definitely |
| exciting as other Universal classics, such as the | | | | more evil. |
| Frankenstein films, Lugosi made the film work. No | | | | Agree with my choices? Disagree with me? Post a |
| matter how many vampire movies are made, too, this | | | | comment. And remember to watch over your |
| is the most memorable. Ask anyone who is Dracula | | | | shoulder when walking in the woods at night. The guys |
| and they immediately think of Bela's Dracula. His | | | | above may be stalking. |