The Creature Feature for a Horror Novice: The Beginner's Shelf Part 2
Introducing the horror novice to our favorite genre of film is a delicate task if we are to keep from scarring them irreparably. (See the case study in in The Beginner's Shelf Part 1 for an example of the tragic consequences of doing this the WRONG way)
In Part 2 of The Beginner's Shelf trilogy we explore how to expose the meek to the Creature Feature effectively.
Written by The Zombie Master Lee Roberts
March 6, 2007
In Part 1 of our discussion on how to properly introduce a horror novice to the wonderful world of horror, we touched on some of the more popular sub-genres of the modern horror film. The slasher, the ghost, the zombie, etc. are just as popular today as they were over 30 years ago. This time I want to move forward to the sub-genre that started life as the only genre; the creature feature.
The foundation of the horror film was laid with the creature feature. Think about it; where would we be without the vampire or the werewolf. Do you remember the first time you saw an Egyptian mummy walking on the screen or a cigarette seeming to smoke itself when an invisible man was the real culprit? Creature features have been an integral part of the horror film since the beginning of the horror film.
So the question arises, “How do you introduce a novice to the different types of creature features that are available?” Well, let us see what we can come up with that will frighten, but not frighten away our prospective new "horror freak".
The Vampire – Bram Stoker's Dracula
One of the first horror films was a vampire film entitled Nosferatu. Great movie but the last thing you want to use to introduce someone to horror is a silent film. That takes time in today’s world. You can, however, still use the original vampire creature feature story. In 1992 Francis Ford Coppola did the world a favor and released the closest version to Bram Stoker’s novel to hit the big screen. The story is classic gothic romance with a supernatural struggle between good and evil. The gore is non-existent and the pacing is steady. Follow-ups to this would include From Dusk Till Dawn or John Carpenter’s Vampires
The Werewolf – Ginger Snaps
For some reason (can we say "Hollywood"?) the werewolf has been relegated to the Action genre of film. I would not have a problem with this if they would keep it in the horror realm but alas, they haven’t. It is because of this that we have to turn to the independent film maker to keep the werewolf where it should be; a creature feature. Ginger Snaps is perfect in this respect. With a good story, good acting, and gorgeous ladies it is a film for the mainstream without being a mainstream film. If your “newbie” enjoys this particular creature feature then I can only suggest you move him/her directly into two of the best films of their kind; An American Werewolf in London
The Alien – Alien
Anyone who is a horror freak knows that aliens are not just for Sci-fi anymore. When done correctly, aliens can make for a great creature feature horror film. The main problem is that there aren’t many that qualify. Ironically, the best one to show to a novice is also (IMO) the best alien creature feature made. Alien is the collaborative effort of Ridley Scott, Dan O’Bannon and designs from H. R. Giger. It is also one of the few “perfect” horror movies out there. There is tension, suspense, an eerie atmosphere, scare tactics, and one of the coolest looking creatures ever to hit the big screen. Here’s the rub; once you have seen the best, what other creature feature do you follow it up with? Phantasm
The Demon – Night of the Demons
It took every ounce of restraint to keep myself from placing The Bad News Bears here but Night of the Demons was a better movie anyway. Demon films are similar to vampire films in the fact that they as a creature feature are really easy to screw up, so there are usually more bad ones than there are good ones. Night of the Demons is one of the good ones and is pretty “tame” compared to others in the sub-genre. You will find suspense, comedy, and light nudity but the gore is not over-the-top. If you can get them through this then I would go straight for the jugular with Hellraiser but that’s just me.
Man-Made – It's Alive
I believe that the scariest creatures are those that are created by man. Whether it is by nuclear waste, chemical warfare, or just a God-complex, man has come up with some terrifying “causes” that we have yet to see all of the possible “affects” from. It is a storyline custom made for the horror genre, and for a creature feature. With It’s Alive the culprit happens to be an experimental fertility drug that goes way wrong. This film is also custom made for the creature feature beginner’s shelf. You have dead bodies, blood, a mutant baby, and it is rated PG. Great follow-ups would be The Toxic Avenger,
Hopefully this horror movie list will help you on your quest to find the right creature feature movies to show the horror “virgins” on your list. For part 3 of the Beginner's Shelf trilogy we will leave the comfortable boundaries of our great land of the United States and head overseas to see if it is possible to wean someone into what the Europeans and Asians have to offer to the world of horror. Questions or comments about The Creature Feature? Contact us!
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