Top 10 Scariest Movie Monsters

Top 10 Scariest Movie Monsters

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Top 20 Scariest Movie Monsters of All Time

These are the beasts that go bump in the night. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Scariest Movie Monsters. For this list, we’re ranking frightening monsters from the movie worlds of horror, science fiction and other genres; those creatures that haunt our nightmares, regardless of whether they’re born monstrous, or are created through some accident or act of nature. We’re excluding human killers, and animals gone amuck, though. Of course, given that we might be discussing some creature feature origin stories and motivations here, a mild “spoiler alert” might also be in order.

There are a lot of monsters in the “Insidious” world, but this one just might scare us the most. This red-faced entity is one of the most memorable villains from this first installment of the “Insidious” franchise, as it’s a frightening example of exactly what terrors are lurking in “The Further,” an astral plane where lost, dead souls are forced to wander. The Lipstick-Face Demon was played by Joseph Bishara - but with its bright red skin and deep set, frightening eyes - it’s honestly tough to distinguish any human features from the horrific, otherworldly nightmare.

#9: Mutant Baby “Eraserhead” (1977)

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Nightmarish and surreal, this body horror flick from visionary director David Lynch has been haunting the dreams of audiences for years - thanks largely in part to the presence of this iconic movie creature. The Baby from “Eraserhead” is often seen as reflective of protagonist Henry Spencer’s fear of sex and fatherhood: sickly, screaming and misshapen, it’s a mutated being barely recognizable as humanoid and it serves as one of the most memorably frightening effects in film history.

As one of the most disturbing and iconic horror films of all time, “The Exorcist” has haunted the dreams of moviegoers for decades. One of the reasons for this is the movie’s equally legendary antagonist, Pazuzu. This demon starts out with the name “Captain Howdy” - when it’s the imaginary friend of Linda Blair’s Regan MacNeil - but it isn’t long before Pazuzu’s true colors are shown. Through its violent and perverse possession of Regan, we are eventually led to the climactic exorcism scene. And, although we only get a couple of brief glimpses of Pazuzu during the film, the character’s impact would go on to influence countless horror fans and filmmakers in the years to come.

As a tool of vengeance for distraught father Ed Harley after the death of his son, the titular Pumpkinhead is a clawed and malevolent demon with a thirst for blood. In this debut directorial feature from legendary special effects artist Stan Winston, veteran character actor Lance Henriksen plays Harley. But it’s the Pumpkinhead design that is the standout, as an example of Winston’s infamous practical and imaginative creature design. The physically imposing Halloween beast has also helped the film itself gain fans some twenty-plus years after its initial release.

Hope you’re not afraid of the dark. Or dark caves, because that’s exactly where you’ll find these next movie monsters, which prey upon you when you’re most vulnerable. Director Neil Marshall’s “The Descent” was a nerve-wracking exercise in tension even before these humanoid crawlers show up, thanks to a plot that has a group of young women spelunking in pitch-black, close-quartered caves. When the creatures do surface, however, all survival bets are off, and Marshall’s film enters true monster movie territory. These hideously malformed, human-like cousins of the vampire bat are bound to give you nightmares for weeks.

David Cronenberg has managed to gross us out and freak us out as the master of body horror cinema for over forty years, yet this film might just be the man’s greatest legacy. The Brundlefly exists as the result of a tragic accident which befalls scientist Seth Brundle: as his experiments in teleportation go horribly awry, his DNA is combined with that of a common housefly. Although the mutation initially gives Brundle super strength, agility and endurance, it isn’t long before the scientist’s body begins to become more fly than human, devolving deeper and deeper into a horrific hybrid that has Brundle literally begging for extinction.

#4: Pennywise “It” (1990)

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Those suffering from “Coulrophobia”- which is an uncharacteristic fear of clowns - should probably avoid contact with this next creature, as it is an evil, fear-mongering entity that decides to take residence upon our Earth as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. In this film adaptation of author Stephen King’s classic story, Pennywise is portrayed with vicious glee by actor Tim Curry. Brandishing sharpened teeth and a piercing stare guaranteed to chill the bones of just about anyone - not just those suffering from Coulrophobia - the sadistic serial killer not only knows all of your deepest fears but he can shape-shift as well, so no matter what form “It” takes, “It” is sure to be terrifying!

Director Guillermo del Toro has a wild and fertile imagination when it comes to his animated creatures, yet very few have disturbed or frightened us more than the Pale Man from the Spanish-Mexican fantasy, “Pan’s Labyrinth.” As part of the second task assigned to young Ofelia by the mysterious faun character, the Pale Man is a child-consuming monster that noiselessly presides over a feast. Ofelia is warned by her fairy companions not to touch or eat anything in the Pale Man’s lair, lest she risks disrupting the menacing creature. Unfortunately, the curious young girl can’t help herself and steals two grapes. This releases the blind Pale Man from his position, after which it shockingly grabs two eyeballs from the table and raises them to its horrifying face so that it may chase after the disobedient little girl. It’s a legendary scene that stands as a cornerstone of del Toro’s film.

#2: Alien [aka Xenomorph] “Alien” franchise (1979-)

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Is there anything more frightening than an intelligent, relentless, hateful killing machine from outer space? We didn’t think so. The Xenomorphs are an alien species that have been hunting for human hosts since their big screen debut in director Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi/horror classic “Alien” and who continue to fascinate us with appearances in films, video games and comics to this day. The Xenomorphs have acid for blood, sharp claws, and a tendency to impregnate their human victims with smaller larvae, which then burst through the host’s stomach hours later. With an existence dedicated only to hunting, killing and serving their queen, is it any wonder that these not-so-friendly aliens are so scary? Before we reveal our top pick, here are some honorable mentions. - The Demon “Night of the Demon” (1957) - The Creeper “Jeepers Creepers” (2001) - Sugarplum Fairy [aka Ballerina Dentata] “The Cabin in the Woods” (2012) - Small Parasite Creatures “Cloverfield” (2008) - Ghoul “La Meute” [aka “The Pack”] (2010)

#1: The Thing “The Thing” (1982)

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Director John Carpenter would cement his reputation as one of cinema’s true masters with this legendary re-imagining of 1951’s “The Thing From Another World.” In this sci-fi horror, a group of researchers located in a remote Antarctic outpost are terrorized by a smart and malevolent alien lifeform that’s able to take on the appearance of anyone or anything. Paranoia and tension take over from this point, as mistrust and murder lead up to some stellar, iconic special effects work from Rob Bottin and Stan Winston. The less said about this one, the better: if you haven’t seen “The Thing,” then buckle yourself in for one terrifyingly scary ride. Do you agree with our list? What other movie monsters terrify you? For more scary-good top 10 lists published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.