Almost two percent of the Earth's surface is covered fresh water. It is not surprising that much of what the lakes hide began to be covered with a layer of mystery, from which legends and myths were born. Now we can easily remember, perhaps, only Nessie - the famous Loch Ness monster. But folklore has preserved stories about much more scary creatures from lakes. And this collection contains only a few of them.

A terrible beast from the myths of the Mayans and Aztecs. It looks like a cross between a small dog and an otter. The auistol has two stripes on its head, small ears, and a very long, strong tail that ends in a human hand. According to legends, the ahuizotl hunts from ambush: he lies in wait for his prey, plunging into a lake or stream, and at the sight of a person begins to moan and cry pitifully like to a small child or a frightened girl. A passerby hears the screams and immediately rushes to the aid of the “victim.” When approaching the water, the hand on the ahuizotl’s tail strangles the “savior,” and he himself tears out the victim’s eyes, nails and teeth and eats them. Then he throws the lifeless body ashore and waits for the next traveler.

Mishipishu

In the mythology of the Indians of many of the Great Lakes and the northeastern Woodlands, the Mishipishu is one of the most important aquatic creatures. Mishipeshu translates to "great lynx". It has the head and paws of a giant cat and is covered in scales and spines on its back and tail. More detailed sources describe it as having the head of a mountain lion or lynx with the antlers of a deer or bison; its spine to the tip of its tail is covered with scales, spines and sometimes bird feathers. Being a spirit, mishipishu can enter the human body and control it. He can be both a protector and an avenger who will not stop until he achieves his goal. As a rule, Mishipishu kills its victims by biting them in the throat. The behavior of the Mishipishu in general resembles that of a cat: it licks its hands and laps up water with its tongue.

Emela-ntouka

In the Lingala language, the name of this creature is translated as “killer of elephants.” According to legend, the emela-ntouka lives in shallow swamps and lakes of the Congo River basin, especially in the Likouala swamps and possibly Cameroon. Also presumably inhabits Lakes Bangweulu in Zambia. They say that Emela-ntouka has a bay or gray color, dimensions large elephant, a tail like a crocodile and one, but powerful horn on the nose. The tracks of the strange beast resemble those of an elephant. Emel-ntouki has three thick, clawed toes on each paw. The “elephant killer” lives in a swamp, can breathe underwater and has the habit of gutting any forest elephant that, willingly or unwillingly, crosses the borders of the territory “staken out” by a strange bloodthirsty creature. At the same time, the main food product of Emela-ntouki is malombo fruits and leaves various plants. The archives of periodicals mention the only case of a man’s victory over Emel-ntouka, but then, in 1934, the shot animal was not studied by scientists and ingloriously rotted in the forest.

El Cuero

In Spanish, "el cuero" translates to "cow's skin." This is a Chilean mythical monster that lives in the mountain lake Lacar in the Andes. They say it looks like the skin of an animal without a backbone. Such a legend most likely could have arisen from observations of large freshwater electric ramps, although, unlike stingrays, El Cuero has eyes located on “horns” and has claws. In the middle of El Cuero's body there is a face with a retractable mouth, with which the monster sucks out the blood of its victims - to the last drop.

Dobharchu

A certain semi-aquatic predator that supposedly lives in the rivers and lakes of Ireland. It is described as a large creature, similar to half-wolf and half-fish. Translated from the Gaelic language, Dobhar-chu means “water dog”. The old people talked about a beast living in the lake, and that a certain daredevil with his wolfhound once met such a beast; and after a long struggle he ran away from the man and his dog; and then he was found dead and decomposing in a rocky cave when the water in the lake subsided. Some researchers suggest that dobhar-chu is a distorted description of the giant river otter. And although otters do not attack people, they can grow to considerable sizes, why does a person A person watching a fast-swimming otter may misjudge its size and mistake it for a dog-like creature.

Faun

Reports of observations in some American states talk about a strange hominid, which is most often observed in Louisiana, Maryland and Texas. It is described as a hybrid creature that has the lower body of a goat and the upper body of a human, with ram's horns growing from its head. Some claim he is related to the evil chupacabra of New Orleans. Urban legends about them often say that the monsters kill young couples in parked cars on a whim or kill pets in the neighborhood. They are also said to break into people's homes and usually rape their victims. They usually live in forests with large lakes.

Grutslang

The Grutslang, or "huge snake", is a mysterious aquatic monster supposedly living in the flooded caves of the Richtersveld, a mountainous desert region in the northwestern part of the world. South Africa. In local mythology, Grutslang was a creature with the head and half of an elephant's body and the other half of the body and a tail. huge snake. According to legend, Grutslang had such strength and cunning that the gods - the creators of the Earth - decided to divide it into two separate species - the elephant and the snake. But some grutslang survived the transformation and hid in the deepest caves, where they have survived to this day. Reliable evidence of the existence of Grutslang has not yet been found. Although, according to the natives, the monster reaches 20 meters in length. It is also believed that the cave in which Grutslang lives is full of diamonds, but no one can get close to them, since the monster guards them day and night.

Shell rock

Original English name This creature is Shellycoat, literally translated as “thin coat.” In the Russian version, it is more often called shell rock. This is a nasty water bogle from the Lowcountry that lives in streams and running water. He got his name due to the fact that he often appears in a torn cloak, hung with shells, which rattle with his every movement. There is a well-known story that tells how, late one night, two people heard drawn-out plaintive cries in the distance: “I’m lost! Help!" - They walked for a long time towards the voice along the banks of the Ettrick River. And only at dawn they realized who was calling them: a shell man jumped out of the stream and galloped away along the hillside, bursting with laughter. “Skinny Coat” loves nothing more than to tease, deceive and amaze people without causing them real harm, and then laughs loudly at his own jokes.

Divers

This is the name given to these creatures, which were first spotted in 1955 in Loveland, Ohio. There were three of them, and they looked like small (1 meter in height) humanoid humanoids. Their skin was similar to that of frogs or lizards, and they had webbed hands and feet. The creatures lived in rivers and other small bodies of water, but they also moved well on land. Many eyewitnesses said that most likely they were aliens.

The Beast of Busco

The mysterious giant snapping turtle from Indiana. The first mention of this cryptid dates back to 1898, when farmer Oscar Falk said that a giant turtle lived in a lake not far from his farm. Half a century later, in 1948, two fishermen on Fulk Lake in the area reported seeing a huge turtle, 4.5 meters long and weighing more than 200 kg. According to legend, after this turtle destroyed almost all the livestock on neighboring farms, it was finally caught. True, as soon as the police turned away, the turtle broke the chains and disappeared in an unknown direction at an incredible speed.

Entities that terrify people probably exist in myths and legends different nations. Their appearance goes back to the origins of folklore. As a rule, a variety of terrible supernatural monsters brought evil, death, or were instruments of punishment higher powers. Our review contains the most terrible and terrible entities from different cultures.

1. Pishachi

Pishachas are one of the most feared carnivorous demons in Hindu myths. They were depicted with dark faces, bulging veins and bulging red eyes. Pishachas have always craved human flesh.

2. Vetals

Vetalas are ghostly creatures from Hindu mythology. They are spirits that inhabit corpses, after which they stop decomposing and gain the ability to move around, like zombies. However, vetalas can also leave a corpse of their own accord.

3. Ronov

In demonology, Ronov is considered a marquis and great count of hell, who commands twenty legions of demons. He is most often depicted as a kind of monster with vague outlines, who holds a staff in his hand. It is also believed that he collects the souls of people and animals that die.

4. Rakshasa

These demonic spirits come from Hindu myths, but can also be found in other religions such as Buddhism. They are known as cannibals, and devour their victims while they are still alive. According to Hindu traditions, they were so filled with bloodlust that when they were created they tried to devour their creator, the god Brahma.

5. Preta

Preta spirits, also known as "hungry ghosts", can be found in some Indian religions. They are doomed to wander and suffer from terrible hunger and thirst, which they cannot satisfy. According to these religions, people who were greedy, corrupt, jealous and greedy during their lifetime become preta in their afterlife.

6. Lemurs

In ancient Roman religion, lemurs were evil, restless spirits of the dead who were known for their terrifying appearance. They were also believed to be related to the Greek monster Lamia, after which they were named.

7. Yorogumo

According to ancient Japanese myths, the yorogumo is a bloodthirsty monster. In most fairy tales he is described as huge spider, taking the form of a very attractive woman who seduces men, lures them to her lair and devours them.

8. Hundun

Hundun is a faceless evil, which in Chinese mythology and cosmogony is considered the source of disasters and chaos. The strangest thing about this demon is how ancient it is. According to Chinese beliefs, it existed before heaven and earth were separated, that is, before the Big Bang.

9. Eligos

Edigos is the Great Duke of Hell who rules over sixty legions of demons. He discovers hidden things and knows the future of wars. Eligos is usually depicted as a pious knight carrying a spear, banner and serpent.

10. Genie

Jinns are supernatural beings in Arabic as well as later Islamic mythology and theology. The Qur'an states that the jinn are composed of smokeless and "scorching fire", but they are also physically capable of interacting with people and objects.

11. Barbatos

Barbatos in demonology is the Duke of Hell who rules over thirty legions of demons. He has four kings as his companions, who help him command his legions. It is believed that he can lead people to treasures that have been hidden by the magic of wizards, but for this he asks for a very high price - souls.

12. Barakiel

Barakiel is the ninth overseer of the twenty leaders of the two hundred fallen angels who are mentioned in the book of Enoch. His name means "lightning of God", which is not surprising since Barakiel is believed to have taught people astrology before his fall.

13. Azi Dahaka

Azi Dahaka is a storm demon from Iranian mythology and religion. It was alleged that he steals livestock and attacks people. It is a snake-like monster with three heads and six eyes, which also represents the oppression of Iran during the time of Babylon.

14. Agares

Agares is the Duke of Hell who rules its eastern part and commands thirty-one legions of demons. He appears riding a crocodile and carrying a hawk on his arm. It was believed that Agares could bring back deserters and put enemies to flight. He can also exalt people, teach all languages ​​and cause an earthquake.

15. Abaddon

In the book of Revelation, an angel named Abaddon, who looks like Satan, is described as the king of an army of locusts. He holds a trident, has frightening wings, a snake tail and an evil face with cruel eyes. His name in ancient translation from Greek means “destroyer.”

16. Asag

In the ancient Sumerian religion, Asag was a grotesque demon who looked so scary that his presence killed fish in the rivers. His name translates as "causing disease."

17. Dibbuk

In Jewish mythology, the Dybbuk is evil spirit, which inhabits a person and lives in him until his death. This harmful creature leaves the host's body only after it has fulfilled its vile purpose.

18. Abizu

In the myths of the Middle East and Europe, Abizu is a female demon. She is blamed for miscarriages and infant mortality because Abizu is allegedly jealous of people because she is infertile.

19. Ghoul (ghoul)

The ghoul is one of the most famous creatures in ancient Arabic religion and was first mentioned in the Arabian Nights. He is described as an undead creature that can also take the form of an immaterial spirit. As a rule, ghouls live in cemeteries and feed on carrion.

20. Succubus

Those who think that only men commit rape are sadly mistaken. Succubus is a demon who, in medieval legends, invaded the dreams of men and boys in the form attractive women, and then seduced or raped them.

21. Xin Tian

Xin Tian is an evil divine giant in Chinese mythology who fought the heavenly emperor Huang Di. Even after he was defeated and beheaded, Xin Tian continued to fight by creating a face on his torso: eyes from his nipples and a mouth from his navel. At the same time, he was armed with an ax in one hand and a shield in the other.

22. Buer

Buer is a demon who was first described in demonological literature of the sixteenth century, where he is described as great president hell, commander of fifty legions of demons. Buer was described as having the head of a lion and five goat legs surrounding his body so that Buer could move in any direction.

23. Azazel

According to the Book of Enoch (an apocryphal book in the Jewish religious tradition), Azazel was one of the leaders of a group of fallen angels who took human women as wives and taught people many things. After he was thrown into hell, without being able to kill him (for “liquidation” fallen angel archangels were sent), Azazel became the most mysterious supernatural being in sacred literature.

24. Belphegor

In Western demonology, Belphegor is a demon who was originally an ancient Semitic god and later became one of the seven princes of hell. The sixth of the ten archdemons offers people ingenious inventions that can make them rich in exchange for souls.

25. Nephilim

According to ancient biblical texts, the word Nephilim means "giants." They were known as great warriors, born from the "sons of God" who were divine beings and the "daughters of Adam" who were mortals. God condemned his sons for rebellion and association with humans, and this is why their offspring were called “nephilim” or fallen ones.

Horror films are primarily stories about monsters. Each generation creates its own monsters, and its fears say a lot about itself. Cinematic horror began with Dracula and Frankenstein's monster, and was replaced by Alien, Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. How will our era remain in the history of horror? We offer you the ten most terrible and unusual monsters of the twenty-first century.

10. Trolls - “Trollhunters” (2010)

It would seem, who can be scared by trolls?

But in the film "Trollhunters" these creatures are shown to be eerily realistic. From it you can learn a lot of details about the habits of these creatures and their habitats. Usually the unknown is more frightening, but here it is the details that make the trolls convincing, and the pseudo-documentary style of filming and the words that the authorities are supposedly hiding the problem almost make you believe in the reality of these creatures.

And be horrified by them, because trolls are by no means cute little animals. They can easily tear a person apart, crush a car, and some of them are the size of an entire mountain.

9. The Host - "Invasion of the Dinosaur" (2006)

We bet that most of you haven't seen the Korean horror movie "Invasion of the Dinosaur" aka "The Host". But it is in it that one of the most unusual monsters of our century is shown. This very Master is a cross between an Alien and an underwater predator. Despite its size, it is very dexterous, swims quickly and easily hides in the sewers, where it stores captured people in reserve. Like Godzilla, the Host symbolizes nature's revenge on pollution. It was born due to toxic waste dumped into the river, and now people are paying for their carelessness.

8. Subterranean creatures - "Descent" (2005)

The creatures from The Descent are similar to Gollum from The Lord of the Rings, only he seems funny, and they are scary. Underground creatures are strong, fast and merciless. They are blind, but they are guided by hearing just as well bats. They eat human flesh, and they have a whole warehouse of bones in their dungeon.

A group of female speleologists who stumbled upon these creatures were doomed. We don't know much about these monsters. Perhaps this is a branch of humanity that has broken away from us. Or perhaps they are victims of some bad experiences. In any case, the caves are their home, and you are always welcome for lunch here.

As a main dish.

7. Weeping Angels - Doctor Who

The Weeping Angels from Doctor Who only come to life when no one is looking. When you look at them, they turn to stone and appear to be harmless statues. When the observer turns away, the monsters can do whatever they want to him. Angels can kill victims with a kiss, turn them into dust, or send them back to the past. This releases energy that these monsters feed on. Weeping angels are graceful and unusual killers. Perhaps too beautiful to rise higher in our top.

6. The Human Centipede - “The Human Centipede”

The human centipede is both monster and prey. It does not cause fear, but disgust. It was created by a mad doctor by sewing together the mouths and anuses of several people. This disgusting creature can make even the most diehard viewers vomit.

The centipede is frightening not because of its danger, but because of what it says about the audience and their craving for the shameful and disgusting. Everyone you ask criticizes the Centipede films and criticizes their creators. But somehow the series is collecting money at the box office and has already acquired a third part. The Human Centipede reveals the monster in its viewers themselves.

5. Clover - "Monstro"

The image of a giant monster destroying cities is not new. King Kong and Godzilla are unlikely to scare anyone today because they are predictable. We know everything about them.

But Clover from the movie “Monstro” is an element that defies comprehension. We know nothing about the creature: neither its origin, nor its structure, nor why it caused an apocalypse on the streets of New York. The monster is invulnerable, bullets for Clover are dust, explosions of rockets and bombs are light slaps in the face. People hide in the subway, but they find no protection there either. Small creatures that are capable of reaching the most hidden places drop out of the monster’s body. Clover is a horror that is beyond human strength.

4. Jeepers Creepers - “Jeepers Creepers”

The mythology of the Jeepers Creepers series stems from the cannibal belief that whoever eats a person's flesh gains their strength. So the demon from this series of films goes on the hunt to profit from human flesh. The body parts of the victims he devoured replace his own.

It is almost impossible to destroy. He can cure any injury by eating the desired organ. And his superhuman strength, sharp teeth and excellent sense of smell make any meeting with him fatal. However, there is a chance. The appearance of Creepers is preceded by a song. If you hear her, run immediately.

3. Creatures from the Mist - “Mist”

Everything in this Stephen King adaptation is shrouded in fog. Monsters are hard to see. Most of them appear in the frame for a few seconds or partially, showing a tentacle or claw. It's a shame, because they look impressive, and many of them deserve a place on this list. That's why we include them en masse. And creepy insects, and spiders, and a four-winged pterodactyl, and gigantic mantises, and others.

But the most terrible thing in this film is the darkness itself, which seems to have enveloped the entire Earth - habitat habitats of creatures that force our world to live by their own rules and drive people into shelters. It is impossible to fight the darkness, and it drives you crazy.

2. The Pale Man - Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Guillermo del Toro is a master at inventing movie monsters, and his best creation is a monster with eyes on the palms of his hands. On the Internet, many people call him “Hand-Eye,” but in the script he is called the Pale Man.

The image of this monster is inspired by mythology. Del Toro was influenced by Goya's painting Saturn Devouring His Son, thanks to which the monster acquired the habit of eating fairies alive. Another source is the Japanese myth of Tenome, a vengeful spirit with eyes in the palms of his hands. Likewise, the Pale Man personifies punishment for disobedience and weakness of will. As soon as the girl Ophelia steals a grape, the monster comes to life and gives chase.

Pan's Labyrinth has many interpretations. According to one, the Pale is a disguised Faun who frightens the heroine for fun, so the fairies eaten in the finale are alive. According to another version, all events take place in Ophelia’s imagination.

But this doesn’t make the monster any less scary. If you die in the Matrix, you die in reality.

Worth mentioning

Necromorphs. Creatures from the Dead Space game series are worthy successors to Alien. Unfortunately, they have so far appeared in cinema only in one little-known cartoon.

Thin Man, aka Slenderman. This online folklore character is truly creepy and has appeared on screen before. But the film “Slender” does not reveal the topic at all. Let's wait for the new film adaptation.

Monsters from Pacific Rim,"Hellboy" and other films by Guillermo del Toro. They are all bright and original, but you can’t call them scary.

1. Pyramid Head - Silent Hill (2006)

The Silent Hill series of games has become a cult series largely thanks to this monster, which personifies the conflict in the hero’s soul. He understands that he deserves punishment, and his conscience is embodied in the form of a formidable executioner. Pyramid Head, like the Pale Man, is a revived sense of guilt, only even stronger and even more terrible.

The monster turned out to be so bright that it moved into other parts of the series and into the film adaptation. In the film Silent Hill, he punishes sect members who tried to kill the girl Alessa.

But it doesn’t spare the heroes either. He walks around in a butcher's apron and with a huge cleaver, which he drags with a terrible grinding sound. And his iron pyramid without slits for the eyes looks like an executioner's cap. Unfortunately, in the movies, Pyramid Head ceased to be a symbol and simply turned into a mysterious monster.

Nevertheless, he remains the most terrible monster of the 21st century.

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Every monster we fear says something about ourselves. After all, people invent monsters, but how can a creator put into a creation something that is not in himself? The 21st century has only recently begun and will certainly give us many more terrible creatures; New similar tops will appear...

But the most terrible of monsters will always remain man himself.

Horror films are inextricably linked with monsters. The horror genre in cinema began with Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, the mummy and the werewolf. Over time, they were replaced by Freddy Krueger, Alien and Jason. But the world does not stand still. Humanity is changing, and with it, its fears are changing. Now we are in the 21st century - so what is the modern public afraid of? We bring to your attention the ten most terrible monsters of our days.

Human fear has evolutionary origins. He helped our ancestors survive in prehistoric times. An unexpected encounter with a fanged tiger in the forest is enough reason to sprint over a kilometer distance, and a crocodile swimming in a pond is the perfect hint that you need to find another place for swimming.

At first glance, the images of fictional monsters are composed of the same signals warning of danger: large size, unnatural behavior, strength and aggressiveness. But meeting a predator in the forest and in a zoo are completely different things. The monster on the screen always appears at a safe distance. The distance between him and the viewer is paradoxical: what in its pure form embodies our fear and should instinctively put us to flight turns out to be helpless, unable to escape from the screen.

Our fear is aestheticized; monsters not only do not frighten us - they attract us, we admire them. They stand at the junction of two worlds: ours, sorted into shelves, lived-in and understandable, and another, which we only vaguely guess about, not having the strength to look into it.

Clickers
The Last of Us game (2013)

Creators games The The Last of Us provided its zombie apocalypse with a scientific foundation, albeit not a very solid one. Cordyceps unilateral fungus, which causes all the horrors in the game, really exists. True, in nature it only infects small insects like ants, after which they begin to follow the orders of the fungus, spreading spores.

According to the plot, a mutated cordyceps is capable of turning a person into a puppet. Clickers are people in the third stage of infection with the fungus. Although it is already difficult to call these creatures people. The fungus infects the victim's brain and takes control of it. The skin of the infected is completely disfigured, and there is no hint of humanity left in their aggressive behavior. Now they are soulless monsters, capable only of killing.

Clickers have no vision at all. IN environment They navigate through echolocation. The use of this ability can be recognized by the characteristic sounds that give the monsters their name. In battle, clickers are much stronger than ordinary opponents, so it is recommended to avoid them and kill them on the sly. Their unique ability also turns out to be a weakness - clickers can be easily deceived by creating artificial noise. The echolocation of creatures works within a radius of three meters, so it’s not difficult to get around them unnoticed.

Clickers, like Alien (partly inspired by wasp wasps), are monsters based on real natural phenomena, as terrible as they are natural. But still, basically they are all the same zombies, so they only deserved tenth place.

Nemesis
Resident Evil (1999–2004)

IN Greek mythology Nemesis (Nemesis) was the goddess of retribution and justice. But don't look for any semantic analogy between it and the most famous monster from the Resident Evil series of games. Just corporations like Umbrella creating bacteriological weapon, love to call their offspring beautiful names.

Nemesis is depicted as a large, somewhat clumsy, tightly built monster, who always has a large gun in his arsenal - a minigun or grenade launcher. However, this is not the creature’s only weapon. Before each new battle with the player, the monster acquires a fresh set of “organic” weapons such as claws and tentacles. It has the ability to regenerate and can mutate very quickly, taking on new forms. Because of this, it is extremely difficult to destroy the monster.

However, in the film “Resident Evil 2: Apocalypse” the image of a soulless, inexorably cruel creature was spoiled. At the end of the picture, human traits awaken in Nemesis, and pity and mercy peek through the rage and cruelty.

Film series of the same name (2009–2015)

The human centipede stands out among the rest of our top. It evokes not so much fear as a feeling of disgust. The centipede was created by a mad doctor by sewing together the mouths and anuses of several people, and this disgusting creature is capable of awakening the gag reflex of even the most resistant viewers. As well as a feeling of pity - one can only sympathize with the victims of a sadistic experiment. The centipede is a monster and a victim in one, and there is no contradiction in this.

The centipede causes real horror, but not because of its danger, like other monsters. Fear appears when the viewer tries to comprehend the phenomenon of the centipede, to understand what its elusive attractiveness is. It’s embarrassing to admit this even to yourself, but there is something about the monster that attracts and holds your gaze. It’s not he himself that frightens, but our indecent curiosity and desire to look at such disgusting things. Everyone you ask criticizes the film and scolds its creators, but somehow the film series continues to bring in the box office and has already acquired a third part.

Psychoanalysis often tells us what we least want to hear. The Human Centipede is a monster that brings out the monster in all of us.

Doctor Who series

What have you done, Schrödinger's cat! The assertion of physicists that the presence of an observer influences quantum processes could not fail to find a response in popular culture. And even more so in such an intelligent series as Doctor Who.

Weeping angels are monsters that are dangerous when you can't see them. If anyone looks at them, they turn to stone. But that is precisely why no one can figure out their true essence - in appearance they seem to be just stone statues. When there is no observer nearby, the monsters come to life. However, if several angels look at each other or one of them sees his reflection in the mirror, the stone “shield” will turn into an eternal trap for them.

In addition to quantum tricks, angels have many mysterious abilities. They can kill a victim with one kiss, turn a person into dust or send him into the past. The last option is of “gastronomic” interest for the angels - when the victim jumps in time, a special energy is released, which they feed on.

Doctor Who's angels are graceful, unusual and beautiful killers. Perhaps even too beautiful to climb to a higher place in our top.

Movie "Monstro" (2008)

The image of a giant monster rampaging through a metropolis is not new and even textbook. King Kong and Godzilla are unlikely to scare anyone today. Yes, they are infinitely strong and unstoppable in their rage. They can crush people like ants and sweep away skyscrapers with an accidental wave of their paws. But they have significant drawback: We know everything about them. They have been studied, tamed, and can even be classified biologically. They are not mysterious, and therefore predictable and not frightening.

As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said, “only the unknown scares.” Its embodiment is Clover - a chthonic beast, an irrational element, a force that cannot be comprehended, marching under the banner of blind rage. We know nothing about the creature: neither its origin, nor internal structure, or why the monster came up with the idea of ​​causing an apocalypse on the streets of New York. Bullets for Clover are dust, explosions of rockets and bombs are light concussions. The monster is completely invulnerable, and the only salvation for city residents is the subway tunnels. But even there there is no complete safety: small creatures drop out of the monster’s body, capable of reaching the most protected places.

Clover is a horror that is beyond human strength. The authorities' decision to raze the entire city to the ground in order to get rid of the monster is akin to a hysterical scream, indicating a complete inability to cope with the situation.

Films in the Jeepers Creepers series (2001–2016)

The mythology of the Jeepers Creepers series is quite naive and goes back to the ideas of primitive cannibals, according to which whoever eats a person’s flesh gains his energy. Every twenty-third spring, the demon goes hunting to profit from human flesh and gain strength. And the limbs of the victims he absorbs replace his own. It sounds far-fetched and fabulous, but when you come across the monster’s regenerative abilities in practice, it becomes creepy.

Outwardly, he somewhat resembles Freddy Krueger: a disfigured face, an insidious smile, rags and a stylish hat create the image of a kind of demon in a cowboy outfit. The creeper cannot be destroyed: it easily replaces any damaged part of the body with a new one, devouring the necessary organ of the victim. Superhuman strength, razor-sharp teeth and an absolute sense of smell make the fatal outcome of any encounter with a monster almost inevitable. However, there is a small chance of salvation. The appearance of Creepers is preceded by the song Jeepers Creepers. If you ever hear it, you better just run.

Creepers is a little old-fashioned monster, but not outdated at all. It proves that some tried-and-true horror movie tricks still work today.

Dead Space games (2008-2013)

It's hard to exaggerate the importance of Alien for space horror films. What was remarkable about this film was not only the image of the monster itself, but also its well-thought-out biology. Ridley Scott's xenomorphs use human bodies to breed their offspring in them.

There are quite a few types of necromorphs, but they all have something in common: uncontrollable aggression towards all living things. And this is understandable, because they can only exist thanks to dead organic matter. Before us rare case: “living carrion”, completely different from zombies. Dead Space is destroying our associative series, and therefore the necromorphs smell of something illogical, unnatural and unbearably terrible.

Film "Pan's Labyrinth" (2006)

Guillermo Del Toro is one of the best monster creators in cinema. Even the occasional monsters from his paintings are unforgettable. And his best creation is a monster with eyes on his palms. On the Internet, many people call him “Rukoglaz”, but in the script he is called the Pale Man.

The image of the Pale is inspired by two mythical creatures. Firstly, Del Toro was impressed by Goya’s painting “Saturn Devouring His Son” - from it the monster got the habit of eating little fairies alive. Secondly, the director was influenced by the Japanese myth about Tenoma, a blind man killed by robbers. After death, the spirit of the unfortunate man acquired two eyes on his palms and boundless hatred for his killer. However, he did not know what the criminal looked like, and therefore punished everyone.

So in “Pan’s Labyrinth” the Pale Man personifies punishment for disobedience and weakness of will. While the girl Ophelia does not touch the delicious dishes, the Pale One sits motionless. But as soon as the girl gives up and tries a juicy grape, the monster comes to life, puts its eyes into its palms and begins to pursue Ophelia.

The film has many interpretations. According to one of them, the Pale is just one of the images of the Faun, who frightens the heroine for fun, which is why the eaten fairies are alive in the finale. According to another version, in general, all “magical” events take place in Ophelia’s imagination. However, this does not make the monster any less scary. Just because something happens only in your head doesn't make it any less meaningful. If you die in the Matrix, you die in the real world.

Thin Man
Internet folklore, films based on

The Thin Man, coined on the Something Awful forum, is the unknown personified. However, unlike the same Clover, the human “framework” is clearly expressed in him. The scariest monsters always resemble people. The absence of humanity in a person causes misunderstanding, a feeling of unnaturalness - and fear.

A monster doesn't necessarily need big fangs, claws, and tentacles to be awe-inspiring. He can be dressed in an elegant suit and still inspire genuine terror. All that Slenderman is notable for in appearance is his elongated limbs and lack of face. Nobody knows how he kills his victims. None of the surviving eyewitnesses saw the monster move or attack. He simply silently looks towards the victim, standing at some distance from her. And then the unfortunate people disappear without a trace.

Slenderman's traits vary from story to story. This is not surprising, because it is inaccessible to the human eye. As follows from the game Slender: The Eight Pages, an attempt to examine the creature in detail ends in death for the curious. You must always have your back to the monster - and this is the worst thing. Wandering around in the dark, knowing that a mysterious something is “breathing” at your back, is still fun.

Silent Hill games and movies

Silent Hill 2 is a cult horror game, not least thanks to its original story concept. Everything that happens is a symbolic expression of the psychological conflict in the soul of the main character James, who killed his wife. Unconsciously, James understands that he has committed a crime and deserves punishment, and this feeling finds expression in the figure of Pyramid Head. That is why the monster has the formidable appearance of an infernal executioner: a giant pyramid without slits for eyes instead of a head and a huge blade.

Pyramid Head is a sense of guilt come to life. Hence the sexual aspect of his image. James had to suppress his sexuality for a long time due to his wife’s serious illness. Therefore, the hero several times catches Pyramid Head at the moments when he copulates with someone. So the monster wants to remind James that it was his hidden craving for pleasure that caused Mary’s death.

The monster turned out to be so bright that the creators used it in other parts of the series and in film adaptations. Unfortunately, at the same time, Pyramid Head ceased to be a symbol and turned into simply a mysterious monster - without history or origin. The motive for punishment gave way to mad, blind rage. But the monster did not become any less terrible. There is something inexpressibly terrible in this cast pyramid, something that lies beyond all psychological interpretations.

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Thinkers of all times have argued that the most terrible monster is man. We ourselves invent monsters, but how can a creator put into a creation something that is not in it itself? Each monster is a mystery, and by solving it, we learn something new about ourselves. And often this knowledge is not as pleasant as we would like.

The 21st century has just begun and will probably give us dozens more charismatic, deceptively beautiful and insanely terrible creatures. The tops will change, and it is not so important who takes what place. The person himself will always be in the top position.

“You know, you can’t hear the thunderstorm here at all, so there’s no interest in being afraid. I’d rather go and be afraid in the attic again.” kitten woof

We watch movies to experience all sorts of different emotions. And fear too. Vile creatures are great for this. And they are also interesting to look at. You half-close your eyes with your fingers so that it’s not so scary, and you peek. This selection contains the very best. It was scary to even insert pictures.

Perhaps in no other film were witches so terrible. For many children of the 90s, it was these “beauties” that became the cause of nightmares.

The story of the rivalry between vampires and werewolves is far from new and has become the basis for many books, films, TV series and even comics. However, regardless of whether these creatures are fighting each other or twisting romance novels, they still remain monsters. And in the film “Another World” werewolves look especially creepy. These are huge, muscular creatures with the head of a mad dog. This is probably the last thing you would want to see in real life.

Now, someone, but a predator can fully be called a terrible creature. Absolutely everything about him is creepy, from his name to his appearance. Just look at the jaws, like those of insects. In addition, Predators are not just some kind of monsters, they are a race of highly intelligent creatures, whose development is significantly ahead of ours, and this makes them even more dangerous.

When you hear the name Pumpkinhead, you might think of a funny cartoon character, but that's not the case at all. Pumpkinhead is an evil demon of revenge, summoned from the underworld by the father of a murdered boy, thirsting for retribution. You only have to see this creature once to understand that he is truly one of the most terrifying monsters in film history.

Unlike most of the other monsters on this list, which are mostly much larger and stronger than man, Goblins are tiny creatures that take the concept of “ugliness” to the extreme. new level. Despite their size, these are evil and bloodthirsty creatures that attack people.

An alien life form that can take on almost any form. But the image of the creepy dog ​​that we saw in the film is truly scary.

Seth Brundle was a promising scientist who invented a teleportation device. But a fatal incident ended his career overnight. During one of the experiments, a fly got into the teleport device, its cells were mixed with Brundle's cells. As a result, Seth began to turn into a creepy humanoid creature.

Aliens are often depicted in films in the most various forms and guises. But in the film "Edge of Tomorrow" they are especially frightening. And it's not just their appearance. After all, they have an excellent command of military tactics and strategy, and also know how to manage time, which makes them very dangerous opponents.

The Acromantula is a huge eight-eyed spider, its entire body is covered with thick black hair, and its paw span reaches several meters. It secretes a deadly poison, and when it is angry or scared, it clicks loudly. Among other things, he is a predator, and is not averse to snacking on humans.

A humanoid creature with eye sockets in its palms, into which it independently inserts its eyes, and then, spreading its fingers wide, looks around, isn’t that creepy? Such a fabulous monster rightfully deserves a place on this list.

The same old Viy from the 1967 film, of course, is also creepy, and instilled fear in more than one generation of our viewers. But the new Viy from 2014 with many eyes and long eyelids, looking more like a giant insect, is also very scary.

A clear demonstration of what happens when you don’t bow to talking humanoid mushrooms. But seriously, this creepy bear face still looks scary, but even then, in the 1960s, it was simply terrifying.

This six-foot, acid-spitting alien monster is without a doubt one of the creepiest creatures to ever grace the silver screen. Aliens are somewhat similar to giant ants, they also have a queen - the main and largest individual in the colony, and also have soldiers and drones. It’s scary to even imagine the horror of that world where strangers can be just as harmless ants.

The terrible monster that Breacher turned into, although he did not live on the screen for very long, managed to scare many of his viewers.