Recent releases like Monstrum and The Wretched continue to prove one thing: horror fans can’t get enough of monsters.
Of all the branching sub-genres of horror, one of the cornerstones belongs to the creature feature. At its most ubiquitous of definitions, the creature feature is simply a horror movie in which a monster plays a prominent role; the term says it all. It’s the creature part that’s loose for interpretation, of course. Cryptids, monsters from other dimensions, beings from outer space, and even mutated or vengeful apex predators fall under the broad umbrella.
That means there are plenty of entertaining creature features that have fallen through the cracks over the decades. And these ten under-seen gems unleash pure monster mayhem…
The Deadly Spawn
Released in 1983 under the title Return of the Aliens: The Deadly Spawn in the hopes of luring in audiences hopeful for an Alien sequel, this micro-budgeted labor of love charms with its DIY aesthetic. Think The Evil Dead gore meets 1950’s B-horror, in which a meteorite crash lands on Earth and unleashes a voracious man-eating alien upon a small town. It’s impressive in its ambition, especially for a group of amateur filmmakers, and has long since developed a significant cult following. As such, it’s far from the most obscure title, but that devout following still could grow even more prominent.
Curse II: The Bite
1987’s The Curse made for a strange adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Colour Out of Space. Its sequel, released two years later, had nothing to do with its predecessor or Lovecraft in any way. Instead, The Bite sees young couple Clark (J. Eddie Peck) and Lisa (Jill Schoelen, The Stepfather) road-tripping through the desert, unaware that they’re driving through a nuclear test site that’s mutated the local snakes. Clark is bitten, beginning his transformation into a snake monster. This sequel is a B-movie through and through, but there’s some fantastic creature work here, and Schoelen is always a plus in horror. There’s still a fascination with horror franchises that refuse to connect in any way, save for a title. Scream Factory released Curse and Curse II as a double feature on Blu-ray in 2016, but it’s now out of print. Meaning that its window for discovery (or rediscovery) shrunk once again.
Ticks
With Hellbound: Hellraiser’s Tony Randel in the director’s seat and Brian Yuzna attached as executive producer, you know to expect something icky, oozy, and fantastical. Enter Ticks, a direct-to-video ’90s creature feature about mutated ticks on steroids terrorizing a group of troubled teens on a wilderness retreat. Clint Howard sets up the entire plot as a pot dealer who opts to lace his plants with steroids. Notable genre actors Seth Green and Ami Dolenz also star, and look for Alfonso Ribeiro playing against type during peak popularity of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Again, though, the real star is the slimy, gross-out ticks, in over-the-top practical effects-driven glory.
Strange Invaders
An homage to the sci-fi horror of the ’50s, Strange Invaders sees a college professor (Paul Le Mat) set off on a search for his ex-wife (Diana Scarwid), whom he learns disappeared while attending her mother’s funeral. It leads him to the town of Canterville, an idyllic place seemingly trapped in 1958. That’s because aliens invaded in 1958 and took over, using the human residents as hosts. It’s a satire that plays off of other classics, like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and favors quiet mystery. In other words, it’s not your average creature feature, and the alien reveal is effective.
Scarecrows
Never mind the bizarre premise, in which a group of criminals hijack a plane and wind up seeking refuge on an abandoned farm. This creature feature begs the question, why aren’t there more horror movies about scarecrows? One by one, victims fall prey to terrifying scarecrows, rendered even more horrific by cool creature designs and effects by Norman Cabrera (Attack the Block, Drag Me to Hell). In a script that’s not that great, it does the critical thing that matters most in a creature feature. It makes the monsters, or scarecrows in this case, the centerpiece.
The Outing
More aptly known as The Lamp, this creature feature unleashes an evil genie upon a bunch of teens that sneak into a museum to spend the night. Full disclosure, The Outing isn’t a conventionally good movie, and it hasn’t aged well. The teens are obnoxious, but perhaps that’s what makes their rather creative and vicious deaths very satisfying. I admit I have a soft spot for this one, not just for being one of the rare evil djinn movies that go full-blown creature feature, but also for being set in my hometown. Like a lot of schlock, it’s also shockingly mean-spirited.
Blue Monkey
This creature feature wins entertainment points for its title alone; there are no monkeys here, let alone a blue one. Instead, it’s a hospital under siege by a larval insect monster that bursts forth from a patient and goes on an infectious rampage. Director William Fruet, who also helmed numerous episodes of Goosebumps TV series, Friday the 13th: The Series, and Killer Party, brings the fun. If you’re in the mood for zany, giant insectoid B-movie entertainment, well, this one delivers the goods.
Shakma
Horror has taught us time and time again that messing with nature rarely winds up well. At a medical school, Professor Sorenson (Roddy McDowell) experiments with a drug meant to reduce aggression in animals. His test subject, a baboon named Shakma, proves the drug has the reverse effect and instills even more rage-filled aggression. Botched euthanasia means Shakma is unwittingly unleashed on Sorenson and the group of students he’s gathered for a live-action role-playing game. Look for A Nightmare on Elm Street’s Amanda Wyss to go head to head with the fierce beast, too.
The Kindred
At her deathbed, a mother requests that her geneticist son destroy all of her research. She’s fearful it’ll fall into the wrong hands. Fulfilling her request, he discovers that he happens to have a tentacled baby brother. His monstrous brother is hardly the only aquatic inspired monster in the mix, either. This Lovecraftian tale is full of weird creatures and some notable special effects, from directors Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow (The Dorm That Dropped Blood). It stars David Allen Brooks (Manhunter) and Amanda Pays (Leviathan). There have been rumblings for the past few years of a pending Blu-ray release of The Kindred, finally freeing it from its trapped-on-VHS status, but as of now it remains a relatively obscure ’80s creature feature.
Alligator
Likely the most widely seen film on the list, but it’s one still in need of an updated release- its 2007 US DVD release is long out of print. The plot, borrowing from a popular urban legend, follows a baby alligator that’s flushed down the toilet. It winds up in the sewer, the precise spot being used as a dumping ground for growth hormones and waste by a local laboratory. That cute baby alligator grows into a monstrous beast and wreaks havoc on the town. Only Robert Forster’s Officer David can stop it. From director Lewis Teague (Cujo, Cat’s Eye), Alligator is legitimately good. It also earns major points for having the gall to kill a child, in a memorably suspenseful scene.