AceShowbiz draws together a top ten list of good monsters from the green superhero in 'The Incredible Hulk' to gentle bigfoot in 'Harry and the Hendersons'.
- Mar 25, 2009
AceShowbiz - Monsters, they are often portrayed as hideous and evil creatures that would scare the hell out of children and some grown-ups too. But, not all monsters are evil or exceptionally grotesque and uncaring. Some of them are actually misunderstood, others are friendly and a few may even tickle your funny bones.
As people tend to enjoy seeing misfit beings becoming heroes, many Hollywood movies present new breed of monsters, ones who go against their nature and have some good left in them. Celebrating the upcoming "Monsters vs. Aliens", AceShowbiz compiles a top ten list of good monsters seen in feature films throughout the years.
#10 Gizmo in "Gremlins"
When it comes to Gizmo, this furry little mogwai in 1984 horror comedy "Gremlins" is far from the definition of monster. It is cute and clever though sometime mischievous. Still, there are rules you have to obey if you want to adopt mogwai. Don't let a single drop of water touch him and don't feed him after midnight. If the rules are broken, you may get yourself a troop of man-killing gremlins. Nonetheless, Gizmo is atypical mogwai and may come to your rescue if you are in danger, like the time it helps Billy in killing the notorious gremlin of all, Stripe.
#9 Swamp Thing in "Swamp Thing"
At first glance, Swamp Thing is no different than any other scary monsters in folklore or legends. Having a human posture and covered in swamp plant, this creature is actually made out of an accident when Dr. Alec Holland, who is trying to create a new species, becomes a subject of his own creation. With his physical appearance altered by chemicals, Holland is forced to hide away in the depths of a murky swamp. But, when he learns that the woman he loves and the world are in danger, he has no hesitation to save both.
#8 Beast in "Beauty and the Beast"
Beast is not exactly the hero in Disney's 1991 animation "Beauty and the Beast"; in fact, throughout the first half of the movie he is portrayed as the villain. Cursed by a beautiful enchantress years back due to his lack of kindness, this once-a-handsome-prince is bittered with his hideous appearance. But, when a young peasant woman, Belle, offers herself in exchange of her father's freedom, he slowly unravels the kindness and gentleness that he has to her, leading him to release her when her father needs her the most. He also has a compassionate side as he spares Gaston, the narcissistic man who desires to marry Belle, his life when Gaston begs him for it.
#7 Eva in "Igor"
Eva is meant to be the most sophisticated, bizarre, monstrous and terrifying invention of all. Built from various human tissues with an 'Evil Bone' planted inside her, she comes to life in the contrary of what Igor expects her to be. Despite having a 'frankenstein-ish' appearance, she is gentle, polite, and affectionate with a wish of being in a theatrical production. Though Eva turns to be a growling monster after Doctor Schadenfreude activates her 'Evil Bone', she can be quickly talked into remembering who she really is by Igor. And in the end of "Igor", she achieves what she's always been dreaming of, becoming an actress.
#6 Pikachu in "Pokemon the Movie"
Pikachu is another monster in this list which appearance is far from the typical hideous and fierce creatures. A central character in Pokemon anime series, Pikachu is small, mouse-like Pokemon that has short, yellow fur with brown markings covering its back and some parts of its tail. While he is trained to battle other pocket monsters, Pikachu is different from other Pokemon in a sense that it has its own set of morality. In "Pokemon the Movie", this creature refuses to fight with its own clone while others do so. It also helps to revive its trainer, Ash, when he is turned to stone.
#5 Harry in "Harry and the Hendersons"
Bigfoot is a vicious and dangerous creature. Who can say that after "Harry and the Hendersons" came out in 1987? Accidentally run over by the Hendersons when they were on their way home to Seattle from a camping trip, Harry gives the family quite a scare when they realize they are bringing a bigfoot into their home. Soon after, they find out that the ape-like creature is far from being harmful as Harry is very gentle towards anyone. Still, his curiosity leads him and the family to experience many hairy situations.
#4 Hulk in "The Incredible Hulk"
Famous for turning green and monstrous when being angry, Hulk is one of the misunderstood monsters who eventually becomes a hero. Hulk comes to life after Dr. Bruce Banner is accidentally exposed to the blast of a test detonation of a gamma bomb he invented, turning the withdrawn and reserved physicist into a giant, raging, humanoid monster. In "The Incredible Hulk", this green monster still has his humane side amidst his rage as he uses his body as a shield to protect former lover Betty from the military crossfire. He also chooses to battle The Abomination to save the world that has turned its face against him.
#3 Mike and Sully in "Monsters, Inc."
Wondering why your kids are afraid of monsters in the closet? These two have the answers, though they may say that making kids scream are in their past. A large and furry blue monster with purple spots, Sully is Monsters, Inc.'s top scarer, while Mike, a cyclops with a tennis ball shape, is his work-partner. While scaring kids is their everyday job, don't take it in the wrong way, they are not close to being wicked or even evil. Through "Monsters, Inc.", it can be seen how they do whatever they can to return human child named Boo to the human world without harming the kid, hiding her away from the real monster, Randall.
#2 Shrek in "Shrek"
While most ogre is being depicted as a large, cruel and hideous humanoid monster, Shrek is exactly the opposite. In "Shrek", it is explained that the character whose voice is filled by comedian Mike Myers is merely an ogre who seeks to live peacefully in his swamp. When his peace is disrupted by the arrival of talkative Donkey, he does not scare him off with his cruelty. Instead, he decides to travel the country to see Lord Farquaad and asks him to return his privacy, which leads him being ordered to rescue Princess Fiona.
#1 The Monsters Crew in "Monsters vs. Aliens"
"Monsters vs. Aliens" will see a group of ragtag monsters consisted of the 49 feet, 11 inches tall Ginormica; the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho half-ape, half-fish The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus. While being dubbed monsters and confined to a secret government compound, they are the ones who come to the rescue when the Earth is being invaded by a mysterious alien robot. And, though clueless, this misfit team tries its best to save the Earth.
