Audiences think of two primary countries when they think of monster movies: the United States and Japan. The United States sports King Kong and the lineup of Universal monster movies from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Japan, of course, is responsible for creating the kaiju genre as its understood today.

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The dominance that the U.S. and Japan have over monster movie lore means that other notable films easily fall under the radar. There have even been occasions when a movie from another country will outdo that which has been offered by the other two, and those made by England's Hammer Films, whose inclusion here would be a cop-out.

10 Brotherhood Of The Wolf Gives A French Take On The WerewolfBrotherhood of the Wolf

Brotherhood of the Wolf meshes the idea of the classic werewolf with a French legend known as the Beast of Gévaudan, and the result is very entertaining. The film blends mystery and martial arts elements together with monster horror to deviate from other werewolf films.

The film also manages not to feel overlong with its run time of two hours and 22 minutes. There's enough swashbuckling action to make the time pass quickly. There's also enough mystery and intrigue to make audiences want to learn more about the legend of the Beast of Gévaudan.

9 Demons III: The Ogre Saw A Woman's Nightmares Manifest Into RealityDemons III: The Ogre

Demons III: The Ogre was a made-for-television effort by Lamberto Bava, the son of well-known director Mario Bava. It isn't a sequel to the younger Bava's Demons films, but it was marketed that way. It is, however, a nightmare in the main character's mind that comes to life.

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The film's most vital asset is its peculiar mood and atmosphere. This proves enough to fill the void of an incoherent plot and weak characters. It's pretty effective as a mere slice of chilling atmosphere and definitely worth the time of a viewer who hasn't seen it.

8 Tintorera Gave A Mexican Answer To JawsTintorera

Tintorera is one of a long list of Jaws knockoffs that populated the screen in the late-1970s. The Mexican film features a monster tiger shark wreaking havoc on a local village community. The film is no different from other Jaws knockoffs in its blatant inferiority to the classic movie.

The film does have its strengths, though, by way of some wonderfully hypnotic underwater shots that top anything those other films could muster. These shots are so hypnotic that the film begins to feel like some weird hallucination experienced by the audience.

7 Yongary, Monster From The Deep Is South Korea's GodzillaYongary, Monster from the Deep

Yongary, Monster from the Deep, is understandably seen as another Godzilla clone, but its significance to its home country of South Korea is obscured in this analysis. Just as Godzilla reflected on the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Yongary reflected on the Korean War.

Yongary's attack on the Japanese General Government Building in Seoul is also a way the film distinguishes itself. The monster lands a full-fledged attack on colonization by the Japanese with this attack, and therefore represents a liberator to the South Korean people.

6 Dog Soldiers Is Like Predator But British And With WerewolvesDog Soldiers

Dog Soldiers sees a group of soldiers dropped in a remote area to carry out a mission. This group of men discovers werewolves populate the site of their mission. The film becomes an all-out bash from that point on, with equal parts horror, action, and comedy.

The film was director Neil Marshall's debut. The director, who is more well-known now for 2019's stinker Hellboy, showed a lot of know-how with this project. Other directors had thought of the concept of having rugged macho men face off against dangerous creatures, but none did so with these kinds of laughs involved.

5 Trollhunter Is A Uniquely Norwegian MockumentaryTrollhunter

Trollhunter features trademark Nordic dry humor in a send-up of found footage films like The Blair Witch Project. A group of university students set out to make a documentary about a suspected bear poacher and got way more than they bargained for.

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The film maintains many true aspects of Norwegian troll folktales, particularly that there are trolls with multiple heads, trolls with tails, and trolls that can smell the blood of Christians. It's a fun ride that combines Nordic folklore, found footage horror, and dry comedy.

4 Backcountry Is Terrifying Canadian Natural HorrorBackcountry

Backcountry follows a Canadian couple on a camping trip that goes awry. After having to find another way due to their chosen trail being closed, Alex swears he knows where he's going. However, when it becomes apparent that he doesn't, the couple soon stumble upon an unwelcome visitor.

The bear in the film is a terrifying presence because it represents the potential danger lurking behind the corner of any poor decision made. The film is one of the best natural horror films since Jaws, if not the best, and its tension-building and believability is the main reason why.

3 Gorgo Is An Underrated British Monster MovieGorgo

Gorgo is one of the best giant monster films of all time and a highly underappreciated one. This British film features a group of fishermen who stumble upon a creature on a fishing trip and decide to capture it and bring it to London for public display. The creature's mother doesn't like that idea so much.

The film offers nothing genuinely unique as far as giant monster movies go, but everything in the film is executed so perfectly that it doesn't matter. This underdog monster film is more exciting than Godzilla and faster-paced than King Kong. It was later adapted as a comic book through Charlton Comics.

2 Nosferatu: A Symphony Of Horror Is German Expressionism At Its FinestNosferatu

Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror is a classic horror film from the silent era and remains one of the most culturally significant horror films of all time. It has also been featured in debates about whether the appearance of Count Orlok, and the film's themes, are anti-semitic.

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F.W. Murnau, who served in the Imperial German Army in World War I, fills his film from top to bottom with fear of the unknown. Bigoted as the film may be, there's no denying its forceful impact and its historical place in cinematic history. Max Schrek's performance as Orlok is threatening and chilling.

1 The Host Is Among The Top Two Or Three Giant Monster Movies Ever MadeThe Host

The Host is just one of several great films from Bong Joon-ho, but it's easily one of the top three giant monster movies of all time. Its social commentary on environmental devastation puts Godzilla to shame, but it's equally as critical of its homeland of South Korea.

The film's satirical treatment of the South Korean government and its treatment of individual characters as jaded and anachronistic reveals a cleverness on the part of the director that is rarely, if ever, featured in giant monster movies. It's also a rarity in that it's a giant monster movie not named King Kong or Godzilla that receives near-universal acclaim.

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