Post by burrunjor on Oct 27, 2024 10:49:45 GMT
I agree with Maxil and Iank on this one. The 80s was the absolute best when it came to monster films. I think the reason for that is because they used practical effects, unlike the CGI of later decades, but their practical effects were so much better than those from previous decades. It was at the right stage in between.
Examples of amazing 80s monsters done with practical effect work include the Terminator, Darkness from Legend, the vampires in the Lost Boys, the Gremlins, Critters, Deadites from Evil Dead etc.
In terms of themes and characterisations, to me 80s monsters can broadly be divided into the following categories.
1/ Body horror and transformation. A huge theme of 80s movies from the Terminator cutting its eye out, to the Gremlins bursting out of each others backs, or the vampires taking on more ugly, demonic appearances etc. The villain may also try and lure people over to the dark side too. More so than in previous decades.
2/ Xenomorph clones. It's fair to say that Alien really shook up the genre and a lot of 80s movies tried to create their own xenomorph like creatures that would have large sharp teeth, dribbling mouths, blank faces, a design that was oddly pleasing in some ways, yet gross in others, and possibly a Dinosaur/bug like body.
3/ Unstoppable Terminator style badguy. Basically the villain is this big hulking mass that pursues the hero above all else, never stopping, can't be killed etc. Examples of this include the Kurgen in Highlander and Sharptooh from Land Before Time.
4/ Slasher villains with a sick sense of humour and tons of gore. It was the golden age of the slasher genre, and even films that weren't slasher films per say, still followed some of their tropes like Terminator and Highlander.
5/ Urban settings. Whether it was vampires, or robots from the future, or aliens, the setting would usually be some dingy little area, a remote town, sleazy nightclub, dark alleyways in the rain etc. Even if it was a more sci fi setting, it would be still be a dingy, Bladerunneresque grubby looking future.
To me all these ingredients I think gave the 80s the most distinctive look and themes of any era of monster movies with the exception of the original Universal era. As much as I love the hammer era, and those movies obviously had their own distinctive look too, the actual monsters of that era are not quite as distinctive, at least in terms of movies in the west I don't think.
(Incidentally this is also why I love Venom and Carnage so much. They pretty much embody all of those tropes above in every way LOL and are therefore the most 80s monsters that ever lived.)
Examples of amazing 80s monsters done with practical effect work include the Terminator, Darkness from Legend, the vampires in the Lost Boys, the Gremlins, Critters, Deadites from Evil Dead etc.
In terms of themes and characterisations, to me 80s monsters can broadly be divided into the following categories.
1/ Body horror and transformation. A huge theme of 80s movies from the Terminator cutting its eye out, to the Gremlins bursting out of each others backs, or the vampires taking on more ugly, demonic appearances etc. The villain may also try and lure people over to the dark side too. More so than in previous decades.
2/ Xenomorph clones. It's fair to say that Alien really shook up the genre and a lot of 80s movies tried to create their own xenomorph like creatures that would have large sharp teeth, dribbling mouths, blank faces, a design that was oddly pleasing in some ways, yet gross in others, and possibly a Dinosaur/bug like body.
3/ Unstoppable Terminator style badguy. Basically the villain is this big hulking mass that pursues the hero above all else, never stopping, can't be killed etc. Examples of this include the Kurgen in Highlander and Sharptooh from Land Before Time.
4/ Slasher villains with a sick sense of humour and tons of gore. It was the golden age of the slasher genre, and even films that weren't slasher films per say, still followed some of their tropes like Terminator and Highlander.
5/ Urban settings. Whether it was vampires, or robots from the future, or aliens, the setting would usually be some dingy little area, a remote town, sleazy nightclub, dark alleyways in the rain etc. Even if it was a more sci fi setting, it would be still be a dingy, Bladerunneresque grubby looking future.
To me all these ingredients I think gave the 80s the most distinctive look and themes of any era of monster movies with the exception of the original Universal era. As much as I love the hammer era, and those movies obviously had their own distinctive look too, the actual monsters of that era are not quite as distinctive, at least in terms of movies in the west I don't think.
(Incidentally this is also why I love Venom and Carnage so much. They pretty much embody all of those tropes above in every way LOL and are therefore the most 80s monsters that ever lived.)
