If you were to ask most people to name their favorite movie monsters, you’d likely hear a lot of the same answers. You’d get people who were into the classics like Dracula and Frankenstein’s Monster, some who dig ’80s slashers like Freddy and Jason, others who favor creatures like Xenomorphs and Predator, and more than a few who are all about kaiju like Godzilla and Kong.
However, as most COMET viewers will know all too well, there are plenty of other movie monsters out there who are just as great but don’t get the love they deserve. So take a look below at the 21 greatest forgotten monsters of Hollywood, and see if they change your own ranking of the best movie monsters ever.
1. It – It! The Terror from Beyond Space
Maybe the scariest-looking alien in a 1950s sci-fi movie, It was made even scarier thanks to a publicity stunt where the movie studio offered anyone $50,000 if they could prove that It wasn’t actually lurking on Mars that very moment; an impossible task at the time.
2. The Aliens – Strange Invaders
A 1980s tribute to ’50s sci-fi, this film sure got the look of its creepy aliens right.
3. Giant Mollusks – The Monster That Challenged the World
Maybe the best sea monsters ever depicted in a film, assuming you don’t consider Godzilla to be a sea monster.
4. Ro-Man – Robot Monster
Is he a robot? Is he a monster? Is he a guy in a gorilla suit wearing a space helmet? Whatever he is, he should be way more iconic.
5. The Alien – Without Warning
Rumored to be the inspiration for Predator, this alien hunts people for kicks and looks awesome doing it.
6. Quetzalcoatl – Q: The Winged Serpent
Another ’50s throwback from the ’80s, who doesn’t love a stop-motion Aztec god that decides to live in the Chrysler Building?
7. The Mahars – At the Earth’s Core
Giant flying telepathic dinosaurs that rule the center of the Earth? Yes please.
8. Radu Molasar – The Keep
A demonic golem who feeds off human energy, Molasar’s appearance changes as he grows stronger, but he always looks menacing with the red light emanating from his face.
9. Cellar Dweller – Cellar Dweller
A demonic comic book character come to life, this guy has one of the most frightening designs of any movie monster ever.
10. Belial – Basket Case
This is one Siamese twin who did not want to be separated.
11. Kali – The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
One of legendary special effects artist Ray Harryhausen’s greatest achievements.
12. The Sun Demon – The Hideous Sun Demon
It’s official: Too much sun is really bad for you.
13. The Beast – The Beast with a Million Eyes
With a fantastic original design and a clever ability (it can see through the eyes of other lifeforms, hence the million eyes), this ’50s alien really deserves a bigger following.
14. The Aliens – The Falling
This movie’s alternative title was Alien Predators, and it’s not hard to see why when you look at these grotesque creatures that fell from the sky.
15. Dwight Renfield – The Night Flier
He may have a boring name, but this airplane-flying vampire is probably the scariest-looking villain out of any Stephen King movie.
16. Alyda Winthrop – The Unnamable
Another mundane name (maybe they should have not named her, like the title says), this rare female demon is all kinds of terrifying.
17. Billy Connors – The Beast Within
Seriously, what is with these names?! Billy’s main moment of terror comes when he busts out of the body of his host Michael, showing the truly horrifying beast within.
18. Zuni Fetish Doll – Trilogy of Terror
Chucky has nothing on this doll.
19. The Roc – The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad
Everyone wants to talk about the Cyclops in this Harryhausen classic, but this giant two-headed bird is far more menacing.
20. Rawhead Rex – Rawhead Rex
This glistening ’80s creature deserves to be mentioned right up there with Freddy and Jason.
21. Kothoga – The Relic
By far the most recent film on this list, having been released in 1997, it’s surprising that no one talks about its toothy nightmare fuel since it debuted so recently. What’s that? 1997 was 20 years ago? Oh God, I’m old.
No one is more committed to honoring these forgotten movie monsters than COMET, and you can see many of these films on our network throughout the coming months. Check our schedule here to see what’s on!
