Classic horror films often include the stuff that nightmares are made of. These inhuman beings are usually placed front and center on the film's poster, from giant blobs and blood-sucking demons to underwater sea creatures. Audiences love a good monster flick, but not all cinematic monster films have held up over the years. Special effects and theatrical makeup have undoubtedly improved over time, along with other aspects of production.
However, the physical appearances of a movie monster aren't always to blame when a film looks outdated. Sometimes thematic elements come into play, and not all horror films can be said to retain their staying power. While not every older film with a creature out to wreak havoc is perfect, a handful of eclectic films endure being every bit as watchable as the day they were released.
10 Dracula Is A Romance For Vampire Lovers
Vampires have been a staple of cinema since the medium's early years, and the draw to vampire flicks has proven its ability to endure. That appeal most likely stems from Bela Lugosi's portrayal of the titular character in Dracula. Based on the Bram Stoker novel of the same name, Dracula entails the story of a not-so-subtle immortal Count who obsesses over a human woman after meeting her at a theater.
While Dracula's attempts at winning over Mina Seward cause trouble and death for those around them, the story serves as an aesthetically pleasing Gothic romance at its core.
9 Frankenstein Is A Heartbreaking Experiment Gone Wrong
Mary Shelley's experimental 1818 horror novel Frankenstein (or The Modern Prometheus) was adapted into a film in 1931. It features Boris Karloff as the monster and Colin Clive as the creepy scientist, Dr. Frankenstein. As classic as the novel is, the film became a cultural icon, with many people, even to this day, still referring to Frankenstein's Monster as "Frankenstein."
10 Movie Characters With The Most Iterations (That Aren't From The DCEU Or MCU)Frankenstein's basis is on the complex idea of bringing the dead back to life. The plot revolves around a very human conceit – life after death – though Dr. Frankenstein's approach is ethically questionable. When Frankenstein's plan to renew life succeeds, the result is a bolt-necked cobbled-together man who's lost, confused, and angry when his creator fails him and society rejects him.
8 Alien Gave Way To Sci-Fi Heroines
While science fiction horror wasn't new to pop culture, Ridley Scott's Alien took the genre to an entirely new level. When the crew on board the spaceship Nostromo is awakened to a distress call from a nearby Moon, they stop to investigate.
While some crew members leave the ship to check out an alien spacecraft, they unknowingly bring back a parasitic creature that would eventually kill each member, save for Ellen Ripley and the cat, Jones. Despite her best efforts to keep her crew safe and eliminate the terrifying monster, she barely escapes. She would eventually return for several sequels that put Ripley in the lead.
7 The Invisible Man Is A Terrifying Concept
The frightening concept of a man who could become completely invisible and cause chaos was realized in the 1933 film, The Invisible Man. While there have been multiple iterations over the years, the original movie stunned audiences with cutting-edge technology that proved to be as horrifying as it is inventive.
Though previous Universal Horror classics saw monsters taking lives, The Invisible Man isn't afraid to have one of the highest kill counts. The main character, a scientist, Jack Griffin, abuses his successful experiment to become invisible by causing complete mayhem in a small town.
6 The Bride Of Frankenstein Has Become A Staple
The Bride, despite having been on the screen for just under 5 minutes, has become a surprisingly well-known image for classic Horror in the follow-up to Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein completes Mary Shelley's story with the creature having gained more intellect and self-awareness.
Frankenstein's Monster asks for a companion, to which his creator and a fellow scientist respond by once again recreating a body that they'd bring to life for him, in this case, a woman. Ultimately, instead of willingly submitting herself to the stranger, she sadly (but understandably) rejects him.
5 The Fly Gave A Disturbing Up Close Look At Flies
Though the 1958 film provided a good base, 1986's The Fly put Jeff Goldblum front and center for a darker and more brutal take on the story. When Dr. Seth Brundle innocently attempts to test his teleportation device by putting himself in it, a common housefly gets caught up in the machine with him.
While the device proves to be somewhat successful in recreating (rather than teleporting), he becomes one with the fly on the other side. As Seth's health initially seems to be altered for the better, it quickly deteriorates as he mutates into a hybrid fly.
4 Nosferatu Is A Spooky Unofficial Adaptation
The German silent horror film Nosferatu is one of the earliest vampire-centric movies, and it remains an intriguing watch, permeating with a sense of dread. While the filmmakers intended for the film to be a direct adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Stoker's estate sued the creators, causing multiple copies to be destroyed, making the once-elusive film even more titillating.
Contrary to the Stokers' frustrations over copyright, the film is regarded as an influential staple for cinema. The film takes itself seriously by portraying Count Orlok (or Dracula) in a genuinely formidable way, and as a cold-hearted killer with a weakness for sunlight.
3 Night Of The Living Dead Was A Reflection Of Social Unrest
Horror filmmaker George A. Romero released his first feature film, Night of the Living Dead, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement in 1968. When a sudden uprising of zombies takes over a rural town, a group of survivors finds refuge in a farmhouse.
While the film is a lower-budget movie, the story doesn't lack depth. Aside from being one of the earliest zombie horror films, it's been analyzed and appreciated as a reflection of the Civil Rights Movement at the time. With Black actor Duane Jones as the lead hero of the story (in a time when this was unheard of), who loses his life to other survivors in the end, it brings forth an interesting correlation to real life.
2 The Thing Sets Off Paranoia
When a group of researchers stationed in Antarctica comes across a malformed organism, they study it. The Thing is quite literally about a monstrous creature that's able to evolve and imitate living organisms. Before they can stop the thing from further mutating, it continues to absorb and mimic the human researchers.
They realize the universal danger if they let it escape, so they struggle through the dilemma of trying to distinguish the thing from each other and try to destroy it. Eventually, the core group is whittled down to two members, neither of whom knows if the other is the alien in disguise.
1 An American Werewolf In London Introduced Impressive Effects
The Wolfman might be a classic, but werewolves become even more terrifying in An American Werewolf in London. It entails the story of two American friends backpacking through England when, despite the locals' warnings, they're attacked by a werewolf.
After one of the friends has died, his spirit visits David – whom the curse was passed onto – telling him to end his life before hurting someone. A monumental scene comes when David transforms into a werewolf, where they utilize groundbreaking techniques to pull off the effect in the most gruesome manner. While the story has a sad ending, it remains a must-watch for werewolf fans.