SQUASHED: The Top 10 Gigantic Monsters Of Cinema
Giant monster, or kaiju, movies are the best. They walk a fine line between silly and serious, but with many swaying more to the silly side. But that’s ok! Because sometimes all you want to see is a gargantuan creature decimating a city. Others, such as The Iron Giant, are able to tug at your heartstrings, providing a rare emotional side to the massive monster canon.
In honor of the release of Full Moon’s Attack of the 50-Foot Camgirl, we’re looking at 10 of horror’s best massive monsters, from stone-cold classics to newer entries in the well-loved subgenre.
Godzilla
The King of Monsters is of course on the list. He is the iconic kaiju, the epitome of big monster madness starting with the original Godzilla film released in 1954. He’s been around a long time. Ishirō Honda’s original film isn’t silly, though. It’s a rather disturbing look at the effects of nuclear bombings on Japan during World War II. Godzilla becomes an allegory for nuclear destruction and the hell wrought by manmade horrors. The creature slowly morphed into something campier, but recent reboots such as Hideaki Anno’s Shin Godzilla have made him a true monster again.
Mothra
I am biased here but Mothra is the best kaiju right after Godzilla. Not only is she virtually immortal thanks to cycles of rebirth, but she’s a surprising voice of reason to other monsters. In films such as Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster, she tells Godzilla and fellow kaiju Rodan that they need to work together to save the world. And she’s one of the few female-coded monsters. It’s always the woman talking reason.
Sentient Seafood from Monster Seafood Wars
Monster Seafood Wars is a newer kaiju movie that taps into the dumb fun of campier Godzilla films. A giant squid, octopus, and crab terrorize Japan after being exposed to an experimental new drug that makes living things grow to unusual sizes. There’s a very loose plot, but the focus is on monsters fighting humans, fighting each other, and causing massive destruction in their wake.
The 50-Foot Woman from Attack of the 50-Foot Woman
Giant monsters aren’t just relegated to Japan. In the 1957 film that was the obvious inspiration for Attack of the 50-Foot Camgirl, a wealthy woman, Nancy Archer, comes in contact with aliens. She then grows to 50 feet tall, which causes quite a stir in her marriage. But, it’s not just her newfound height that’s causing issues; her husband is already cheating on her with another woman. So, with her newfound strength, Nancy is able to go on a revenge-fueled rampage. Hell hath no fury like a 50-foot woman scorned.
The Ants from Them
If you’re looking for a good schlocky midnight movie, Them is the move. Them is all about giant ants mutated by nuclear radiation. While a sheriff investigates mysterious disappearance in the desert, he discovers the culprit is these massive monsters. Using their now-giant pincers, the ants are able to chow down on human flesh. It’s a bit gruesome but between the shaky acting and rather impressive giant ants, it’s a fun watch for a late night with friends.
The Alien from Cloverfield
We may only get a few glimpses of Cloverfield’s monster, but suffice to say it’s still an iconic kaiju. The creature, supposedly only a baby, bursts to life in an unsuspecting New York City. It rips off the Statue of Liberty’s head like it’s nothing and easily topples the Empire State building. Plus, it sheds tiny monsters that cause people to explode. It’s nasty, scary, and an incredible accomplishment in contemporary movie monsters, especially as the film is found footage.
King Kong
King Kong is another staple of the giant monster movie genre. This giant gorilla was introduced to the world in 1933 in a film that, for the time, was an incredible technical accomplishment in horror. Predating Godzilla, Kong’s climbing of the Empire State Building wowed moviegoers in 1933. And honestly even today it’s a technical marvel.
The Iron Giant
So The Iron Giant isn’t horror, but this sweet alien creature deserves his recognition as the rare giant monster with a love for humans. This heart-wrenching animated tale follows a young boy who discovers the Iron Giant after he crashes on Earth. Instead of being scared, he forges a bond with the machine. And if that ending doesn’t make you cry, you have a heart of stone.
The Creature from The Host
Speaking of heart-wrenching, that’s exactly the word to describe Bong Joon-ho’s 2006 monster movie. Formaldehyde dumped in Korea’s Han River causes massive deformations and mutations in wildlife. This includes a mutated fish monster who, years after exposure, is able to wreak havoc on Seoul. The film follows a street vendor and his family as they try to rescue his daughter who is kidnapped by the beast. It’s pure mayhem and a stunning example of environmental horror. Plus the monster has a rad design.
The Shark from The Meg
Aquatic horror is a subgenre that truly captures the collective fear of the ocean and what lurks in its depths. Giant shark movie The Meg takes that and dials it up to 11 with a massive shark unleashed from the Mariana Trench. And Jason Statham gets to kick shark ass.
Attack of the 50-Foot Camgirl is now available on VOD.
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