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MONSTERS
A monster is any type of legendary creatures which usually appear in legend or horror fiction. The word monster derives from the latin word monstrum, meaning "omen", from the root of monere ("to warn") and also meaning "prodigy" or "miracle".
The term monster refers to a being that is a gross exception to the norms of some ecosystem. A person referred to as a monster is taken as exceptionally evil, grotesque, unreasonably strict and uncaring, sociopathic, and/or sadistic. The word monster connotes something wrong or evil; e.g.: a monstrous being is: very morally objectionable, physically or psychologically hideous, or a freak of nature.
Monsters in film
[edit] Pre-World War II
During the age of silent movies, monsters tended to be human-sized, e.g., Frankenstein's monster, the Golem, and vampires. The film Siegfried featured a dragon that was actually a giant puppet on tracks. A few movie dinosaurs were created with the use of stop-motion animated models, as in RKO's King Kong, the first giant monster film of the sound era.
Universal Studios specialized in monsters, with Bela Lugosi's reprising his stage role, Dracula, and Boris Karloff playing Frankenstein's monster. The studio also made several lesser films, such as Man-Made Monster, starring Lon Chaney, Jr. as an electrically reanimated zombie.
There was also a variant of Dr. Frankenstein, the mad surgeon Dr. Gogol (played by Peter Lorre), who transplanted hands that were reanimated with malevolent temperaments, in the film Mad Love.
Werewolves were introduced in films during this period, and similar creatures were presented in Cat People. Mummies were cinematically depicted as fearsome monsters as well. As for giant creatures, the Flash Gordon serial used a costumed actor to depict a large dragon. The cinematic monster cycle eventually wore thin, having a comedic turn in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948).
[edit] Post World War II
After World War II, however, giant monsters returned to the screen with a vigor that has been causally linked to the development of nuclear weapons. One early example occurred in the American film The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, which was about a dinosaur that attacked a lighthouse. Subsequently, there were Japanese film depictions, (Godzilla, Gamera), British depictions (Gorgo), and even Scandinavian depictions (Reptilicus), of giant monsters attacking cities. The most recent depiction of a giant monster is the monster in J. J. Abrams's Cloverfield, which was released in theaters January 18, 2008. The intriguing proximity of other planets brought the notion of extraterrestrial monsters to the big screen, some of which were huge in size, (such as King Ghidorah and Gigan), while others were of a more human scale. During this period, the fish-man monster was developed in the film series Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Britain's Hammer Film Productions brought colour to the monster movies in the late 1950s. Around this time, the earlier Universal films were usually shown on American television by independent stations (rather than network stations) by using announcers with strange personae, who gained legions of young fans. Although they have since changed considerably, movie monsters did not entirely disappear from the big screen as they did in the late 1940s.
Occasionally, monsters are depicted as friendly or misunderstood creatures. King Kong & Frankenstein are two examples of misunderstood creatures. Frankenstein's Monster is frequently depicted in this manner, in films such as Monster Squad and Van Helsing. The Hulk is perhaps the prime example of the "Monster as Hero" archetype. The theme of the "Friendly Monster" is pervasive in pop-culture. Chewbacca, Elmo, and Shrek are notable examples of friendly "monsters". The creatures of Monsters Inc. scare children in order to create energy for running machinery, while the furry monsters of The Muppets and Sesame Street live in harmony with animals and humans alike.
MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster
DRAGONS
This section is dedicated to the famous mythological beasts and monsters that are represented across many countries and cultures. It can be read by children and present the essence of the myth in a fun way. If you are a scholar and look for more detailed and accurate information, please proceed to Monstropedia, the largest monstrous encyclopedia in the world.
MORE: http://monsters.monstrous.com/
FRANKENSTEIN
Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, generally known as Frankenstein, is a novel written by Mary Shelley. Shelley started writing Frankenstein when she was 18 and finished when she was 19. The first edition was published anonymously in London in 1818. Shelley's name appears on the second edition, published in 1831. The title of the novel refers to a scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who learns how to create life and creates a being in the likeness of man, but larger than average and more powerful. In popular culture, people have tended incorrectly to refer to the monster as "Frankenstein". Frankenstein is infused with some elements of the Gothic novel and the Romantic movement. It was also a warning against the expansion of modern man in the Industrial Revolution, alluded to in the novel's subtitle, The Modern Prometheus. The story has had an influence across literature and popular culture and spawned a complete genre of horror stories and films. It is often considered the first fully realized science fiction novel due to its pointed, if gruesome, focus on playing God by creating life from dead flesh.
MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein
1931
The reshaping of Mary Shelley's story began almost from the moment it first appeared. The 1931 Universal Studios production of Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff as the monster, capped more than a century of variant tellings of the original story. Compared to Shelley's sensitive, articulate creature, Universal's was crude and unformed. But the sheer power of Hollywood image-making gave him an impact as great or greater than Shelley's, and made him into an icon of popular culture.
MORE: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/frankenstein/frank_celluloid.html
VAMPIRES
Vampires are legendary creatures said to subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, generally by drinking their blood. Although typically described as undead, some minor traditions believed in vampires that were living people.[1][2][3]
In folkloric tales, vampires often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deaths in the neighbourhoods they inhabited when they were alive. They wore shrouds and were often described as bloated and of ruddy or dark countenance. This is markedly different from modern fictional portrayals of gaunt, pale vampires beginning in the early 19th century. Although vampiric entities have been recorded in many cultures, the term vampire was not popularised until the early 18th century, after an influx of vampire superstition into Western Europe from areas where vampire legends were frequent, such as the Balkans and Eastern Europe,[4] although local variants were also known by different names, such as vampir (вампир) in Serbia and Bulgaria, vrykolakas in Greece and strigoi in Romania. This increased level of vampire superstition in Europe led to mass hysteria and in some cases resulted in corpses actually being staked and people being accused of vampirism.
In modern times, the vampire is generally held to be a fictitious entity, although belief in related creatures such as the chupacabra still persists in some cultures. Early folkloric belief in vampires has been ascribed to ignorance about the process of decomposition after death among pre-industrial societies. Porphyria was also linked with legends of vampirism in the 20th century and received much media exposure, but this link has since been largely discredited.
The charismatic and sophisticated vampire of modern fiction was born in 1819 with the publication of The Vampyre by John Polidori. The story was highly successful and arguably the most influential vampire work of the early 19th century.[5] However, it is Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula that is remembered as the quintessential vampire novel and which provided the basis of modern vampire fiction. The success of this book spawned a distinctive vampire genre, still popular in the 21st century, with books, films, video games, and television shows. The vampire is a dominant figure in the horror genre.
MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire
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MORE: http://www.thedailydust.co.uk/2008/10/31/top-six-sexiest-vampires/
ZOMBIES
A zombie is a creature that appears in folklore and popular culture typically as a reanimated corpse or a mindless human being. Stories of zombies originated in the Afro-Caribbean spiritual belief system of Vodou, which told of the people being controlled as laborers by a powerful sorcerer. Zombies became a popular device in modern horror fiction, largely because of the success of George A. Romero's 1968 film Night of the Living Dead.[1]
MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie
SPACE ALIENS
MORE: http://www.crowdedskies.com/alien_pictures.htm
Although the Space Aliens are a relatively new addition to the ranks of the New World Order, they are by no means newcomers to the evil conspiracy industry. The Space Aliens have been watching Earth for millenia, preparing for the day when all humans would be their slaves. That day is fast approaching, and the New World Order is proud to be involved in its arrival.
The Space Aliens come from Zeta Reticuli, a star system in the constellation Reticulum. The aliens come in several species, and each species performs a function within the alien collective. Because they are relative newcomers to the conspiracy, even the New World Order has limited knowledge of alien politics and biology. The aliens, while part of the New World Order, are an autonomous organization within the greater conspiracy, and are allowed to compartmentalize their activities. To understand the history of the aliens, one must understand the different species of aliens involved in the alliance:
MORE: http://www.officialnewworldorder.com/html/space_aliens.html
Kang and Kodos are a duo of recurring characters in the animated television series The Simpsons. Kang is voiced by Harry Shearer while Dan Castellaneta provides the voice of Kodos. They are aliens from the fictional planet Rigel VII and almost exclusively appear in the "Treehouse of Horror". The duo has appeared in at least one segment of all nineteen episodes. Sometimes their appearance is the focus of a plot, other times a brief cameo. Kang and Kodos are often bent on the conquest of Earth and are usually seen working on sinister plans to invade and subjugate humanity.
The duo first appeared in season two's "Treehouse of Horror". The first drawing of Kang and Kodos came from writers Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky. The finished design was based on an EC Comics issue cover. Kang and Kodos had brief cameo appearances in several non-"Treehouse of Horror" episodes and have appeared as villains in several of The Simpsons video games.
MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kang_and_Kodos
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Space Aliens Grill & Bar is a small, regional chain of outer space themed restaurants in the U.S. states of North Dakota and Minnesota. There are currently six locations. The company was founded in 1997 and is currently headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota
MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Aliens_Grill_&_Bar
MORE: http://www.war-ofthe-worlds.co.uk/gall_f18.htm
In the 1950s, science fiction traded on paranoia. No one was who you thought they were — as evidenced in Invasion of the Body Snatchers and I Married a Monster From Outer Space. And Invaders From Mars brought the threat into the American family. Mom and Dad became suspects.
MORE: : http://www.imagesjournal.com/2003/reviews/invaders/
Invaders from Mars (1953) is a science fiction film designed and directed by William Cameron Menzies from a scenario by Richard Blake, based on a story treatment by John Tucker Battle, who in turn was inspired by a recounted dream of his wife's. It was produced independently by Edward L. Alperson Jr., stars Jimmy Hunt, Helena Carter and Arthur Franz, and was picked up for distribution upon completion by Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.[1]
It is notable for being told from the point of view of an older child in an adult's world in crisis, vivid color cinematography (color by Color Corporation of America), subtly surreal set designs and unique use of outre sound effects, including a choral background consisting of an ethereal, rhythmically wavering syllable sung in unison.
Although some sources state that the film was designed for the 3-D process (unlikely, since the project was in production before the breakthrough 3-D film, Bwana Devil, was released), it was neither filmed nor released in 3-D.
MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invaders_from_Mars_(1953_film)
MORE: http://www.warezthegfx.com/movies/125938-mars-attacks.html
Mars Attacks! is a 1996 comic science fiction film directed by Tim Burton and based on the cult trading card series of the same name. The film uses elements of black comedy, surreal humour and political satire, and is also a parody of multiple science fiction B movies. Mars Attacks! stars an ensemble cast, which includes Jack Nicholson, Lukas Haas, Annette Bening, Jim Brown, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Glenn Close, Martin Short, Michael J. Fox, Jack Black, Natalie Portman and Danny DeVito.
Director Tim Burton and writer Jonathan Gems began development for Mars Attacks! in 1993, and Warner Bros. purchased the film rights to the trading card series on Burton's behalf. When Gems turned in his first draft in 1994, Warner Bros. commissioned rewrites from Gems, Burton, Martin Amis, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski in an attempt to lower the budget to $60 million. The final production budget came to $80 million, while Warners spent another $20 million on the Mars Attacks!' marketing campaign. Filming lasted from February to June 1996.
The filmmakers hired Industrial Light & Magic to create the Martians using computer animation after their previous plan to use stop motion, supervised by Barry Purves, fell through because of budget limitations. Mars Attacks! was released on December 13, 1996 to mixed reviews from critics. The film grossed approximately $101 million in box office totals, which was seen as a disappointment. Mars Attacks! was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation and earned multiple nominations at the Saturn Awards.
MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Attacks!
Mars Attacks is a science fiction trading card series released in 1962. The cards tell the story of the invasion of Earth by cruel, hideous Martians. Scenes depicted bizarre methods of attack, torture and slaughter the Martians used. The story ends with a combined Earth invasion fleet attacking Mars by landing on the planet and destroying it.
The cards proved popular with children but their explicit gore and implied sexual content caused an outcry, leading the company to halt production. The cards became collectors' items.
In the 1980s Topps began developing merchandise based on the Mars Attacks storyline, including mini-comic books and card reprints. An expanded set of 100 cards was issued in 1994. Director Tim Burton filmed Mars Attacks! in 1996 based on the series, spawning another round of merchandising.
MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Attacks
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