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“Since childhood, I’ve been faithful to monsters. I’ve been saved and absolved by them, because monsters are the patron saints of our blissful imperfections.”
— Guillermo del Toro
(Preemptive SPOILER ALERT! Here on out there will be spoilers aplenty, so proceed with caution.)
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: October! And you know what that means – I’ll be focusing on all the things that bump in the night/on the silver screen (not that I need an excuse to do that, of course, but this time of the year it’s traditional).
Since I’ve devoted recent ink to genuinely nasty creatures, I’m changing course with this List by focusing on a few creepies who are much nicer than they seem at first glance.
The “monster with a heart of gold” story is probably as old as fiction itself. The fairy tale of “Beauty and the Beast” verifiably goes back several centuries, but I’m 100% positive early humans were telling a variation of it in fire-lit caves.
As stories go, it’s one of the juicier set-ups. Plenty of marginalized communities over the years have seen themselves in the Beast (or in Belle). And it’s a good message to teach kids: To not immediately fear something just because it’s “monstrous”; to judge someone by their actions rather than just their appearance.
From “Gargoyles” to “Being Human,” there are hundreds of shows, books and movies that’ve mined gold from the premise of “monster that just wants to be happy, be helpful and live unharmed.”
Then there’s my boy Guillermo del Toro, of course, who’s built his entire career on monster-loving; this List could just be a ranking of my favorite del Toro Monster Heroes, but I’ve shown a downright admirable amount of restraint in picking just one.
I’ve also tried to cover the gamut of kinds of monsters, too, choosing a couple from projects that aren’t even classified as horror, starting with:
1. The Skrulls of “Captain Marvel”
When the Skrulls – shape-shifting aliens that can mimic anyone, and have scaly green goblin faces when not disguised – were first introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), everyone knew they were baddies. Because a) that’s what the heroic Kree said they were, and b) because those already familiar with Marvel comics knew they were often villains.
Also, Ben Mendelsohn played the primary Skrull, Talos and that guy is always playing Bad Dudes.
But “Captain Marvel” flipped the narrative by revealing that it was the Kree who were waging a genocidal, fascist war, and the Skrulls were refugees just fighting to survive/reunite with their families. It was one of the better twists the MCU has pulled off and led to some thrilling heroics with genuine stakes.
2. The Ghosts of “Crimson Peak”
Heroine (and Mary Shelley’s spiritual twin) Edith has seen ghosts all her life, starting with her own mother. So it doesn’t come entirely as a shock when she encounters more spooks at Crimson Peak, the decaying mansion she moves into after her marriage to Thomas Sharpe in Guillermo del Toro’s Gothic fantasy.
And while the ghosts of “Crimson Peak” are undeniably horrifying, with their elongated limbs, raw red skin, gory wounds and faces twisted by the pain they suffered, they’re figures of pity rather than terror. They’re trying to warn Edith, not harm her, and can’t help their monstrous appearance.
3. Frankenstein’s Monster
God, this poor Creature (also sometimes known as Adam, or the Modern Prometheus). He just can’t catch a decent break. No matter what book or movie or TV show you pick, he’s always made (quite literally) to suffer.
But he never asked to be created! All he’s ever wanted is what any child wants: to be loved, accepted, taught, treated like a person. Thanks to his dang deadbeat dad, all he ever gets is abuse and trauma and neglect. So it’s only natural that he might lash out or commit a murder or two…
(Yes, I’m a firm Frankenstein’s Monster Apologist. The boy has never done anything wrong on purpose.)
All that being said: nine times out of 10, the Creature truly does have a good heart and noble intentions; like in “Van Helsing” or “The Monster Squad” (perhaps my fave incarnation of Frankie, because he actually gets to have some decent friends for a while).
4. Sloth of “The Goonies”
Some may protest at my inclusion of Sloth in this list, since he’s a human with deformities rather than an actual monster – I absolutely mean no offense, but Sloth is introduced as a boogeyman figure, draped with chains in a dark basement and scaring the titular kids with his fearsome roaring. He’s very clearly initially framed as a monster in this kids’ adventure flick.
And, as is so often the case with these Monsters With Hearts of Gold, the true monsters are revealed to be the “normal” humans; in this case Sloth’s mother and brothers, the criminal Fratellis. By facing down his abusive family, taking a stand for both himself and his newfound friends, Sloth becomes just as heroic as his personal hero, Superman – and finds a new family in the process.
5. “The Iron Giant”
Speaking of Superman: this titular alien robot from space could have become a world destroyer, given his laser guns and massive size. That’s what paranoid government agent Kent Mansley, the true antagonist of this underrated animated classic, expects.
But when he instead meets a young boy named Hogarth (yes, Hogarth), his childlike wonder is encouraged and he learns “you are who you choose to be”, leading to him emulating Superman and intercepting a missile before it can destroy his new friends.
(And yes, I still cry every dang time. Even thinking about it makes me tear up. Dang noble giants voiced by Vin Diesel.)
6. The Crab of “Loves and Monsters”
“Love and Monsters” is a fun little creature feature/post-apocalyptic quest/sci-fi adventure flick that I feel nobody else has seen. It didn’t help that it was released during the first year of the pandemic; it deserves to develop a cult following in the coming years.
The story follows Joel, a survivor of a nuclear apocalypse that resulted in cold-blooded creatures (insects, reptiles, amphibians, etc.) mutating into giant monsters. Joel was separated from his girlfriend Aimee in the early days of this madness, and now lives in an underground bunker with other survivors who are all paired up. Afraid he’ll die alone, Joel sets out to reconnect with Aimee, battling various monsters along the way.
To paraphrase the Bard, the course of love never did run smooth, though, and Joel and Aimee’s reunion is somewhat soured by a double-cross that sees them fighting off a giant crab on the beach.
But thanks to his experiences, Joel has learned that not all monsters are hostile – “you can always tell in their eyes” – and by freeing the crab from its electrified leash, he saves them and unleashes righteous vengeance on the double-crosser. Gotta love when that happens.
7. Bub of 1985s “Day of the Dead”
Ah, Bub! My sweet cheese, my good-time boy! I saved my fave for last – if you’ve yet to watch the third installment in George Romero’s “Dead” series, stop reading this right now and go rectify that. “Day” may not be quite as good as the more-lauded “Dawn of the Dead”, but it’s still a fantastic zombie flick with some of the GREATEST practical effects ever seen on film (thank you, Tom Savini and Greg Nicotero).
... OK now that we’ve all seen this, we can agree that Bub is a delight, right? Truly one of the best zombies ever created. In a story where the humans have devolved into violent madmen or fallen into suicidal apathy and depression, Bub is one of the brightest lights in the whole thing, no exaggeration.
The wonder on his face when he hears music! The joy he expresses when he sees Dr. Logan! Bub is such a Good, Good Boy, who likes doing his little tests, who grieves with his whole body, and who actively seeks justice in a world fallen into chaos. Howard Sherman’s performance is just fantastic.
Unlike the brainless, destructive zombies of every film that came before, Bub has a soul. He’s regained his free will, transcending the monster label. Without a doubt, he’s the most human character in the entire film, an undead creature we unabashedly root for – and shambling proof that not all heroes have pulses.
Angie Barry is a contributing columnist for Shaw Media. To suggest future topics for The B-List, which covers topics in pop culture, history and literature, contact her at newsroom@mywebtimes.com.