What Makes a Monster truly scary?

[verdant monkai]

The last monster I was actually scared of was that thing with the "hand eyes" in Pans labyrinth, it was just so odd. I was wondering what you lot thought made a monster frightening, and hoping you could give me some examples like no eyes, long hair, teeth etc.
Or if you cannot think of a certain terrifying aspect, an existing monster example (picture would be nice) would do just as well. Can we try and avoid silent hill monster images?, we all know they are terrifying, describing what makes them terrifying would be great though.
Thank you

 

[The Night Angel]

I'd say that not seeing it is the scariest. We fear the unknown more than most other things
If not, a lot of pointy teeth is always a good way of loosening bowels

 

[Rastien]

Well for me and i think alot of people, believe it was discussed in an extra credits episode so i won't do it justice but heres the concept and it certainly holds true for myself.

Things are most scary when we can recognise/sympothise with them but something really isn't right. I'll use the example you have provided, the hand eyes in pans labyrinth actually has very human and recognisable feautres yet its warped and twisted and not right.

You also mentioned silhent hill monsters this is pretty much the above they are so scary as they look vaguely human, but appear in constant agony by how they walk and not to mention the various pestruding rusty metal in most of them.

But yeah theres a fair few articles that have been done on this by extra credits even jim quisition did a decent video on horror. You should check them out if your intrested, another good example (one of jims) the zombies in resi 1 are far more terrifying than resi 5, they look human but due to the graphics restrictions the way they move and sound really puts you on edge.

Anwyays everything i have said here has pretty much been said by the people mentioned throughout. But it rings very true, at least for myself.

 

[verdant monkai]

Well for me and i think alot of people, believe it was discussed in an extra credits episode so i won't do it justice but heres the concept and it certainly holds true for myself.

Things are most scary when we can recognise/sympothise with them but something really isn't right. I'll use the example you have provided, the hand eyes in pans labyrinth actually has very human and recognisable feautres yet its warped and twisted and not right.

You also mentioned silhent hill monsters this is pretty much the above they are so scary as they look vaguely human, but appear in constant agony by how they walk and not to mention the various pestruding rusty metal in most of them.

But yeah theres a fair few articles that have been done on this by extra credits even jim quisition did a decent video on horror. You should check them out if your intrested, another good example (one of jims) the zombies in resi 1 are far more terrifying than resi 5, they look human but due to the graphics restrictions the way they move and sound really puts you on edge.

Anwyays everything i have said here has pretty much been said by the people mentioned throughout. But it rings very true, at least for myself.

I'd say that not seeing it is the scariest. We fear the unknown more than most other things

If not, a lot of pointy teeth is always a good way of loosening bowels

Yes thanks guys these are two great points, as for the resi 5 enemies I dont even class them as zombies, they just look like angry dudes to me. You are so right when you say things are scary when they are familiar but odd at the same time, Monsters that arouse pity and revulsion are also some of the best.

 

[White Lightning]

I think what makes a monster scary isn't so much it's appearence as much as how it acts, the way it moves, the way it reacts, the way it presents itself is very important. Not to say that a big ugly looking thing with huge teeth isn't scary, but if said thing stood with perfect posture and spoke the Queen's English and approached you with an eloquent stride you wouldn't be quite as intimitaded as if it jumped on the ceiling shaking it's head madly spraying drool everywhere.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I'd say intelligence. When a monster starts being stupid to let the heroes escape, it's not scary anymore.

If the monster acts in the way most likely to achieve success, it's much better than just running around going "argh!" at people. Claws and fangs and slobbering are all very well and good, but not if the monster is stupid.

 

[Rastien]

Well for me and i think alot of people, believe it was discussed in an extra credits episode so i won't do it justice but heres the concept and it certainly holds true for myself.

Things are most scary when we can recognise/sympothise with them but something really isn't right. I'll use the example you have provided, the hand eyes in pans labyrinth actually has very human and recognisable feautres yet its warped and twisted and not right.

You also mentioned silhent hill monsters this is pretty much the above they are so scary as they look vaguely human, but appear in constant agony by how they walk and not to mention the various pestruding rusty metal in most of them.

But yeah theres a fair few articles that have been done on this by extra credits even jim quisition did a decent video on horror. You should check them out if your intrested, another good example (one of jims) the zombies in resi 1 are far more terrifying than resi 5, they look human but due to the graphics restrictions the way they move and sound really puts you on edge.

Anwyays everything i have said here has pretty much been said by the people mentioned throughout. But it rings very true, at least for myself.

I'd say that not seeing it is the scariest. We fear the unknown more than most other things

If not, a lot of pointy teeth is always a good way of loosening bowels

Yes thanks guys these are two great points, as for the resi 5 enemies I dont even class them as zombies, they just look like angry dudes to me. You are so right when you say things are scary when they are familiar but odd at the same time, Monsters that arouse pity and revulsion are also some of the best.

Yeah not gonna lie resi 5 zombies... made me feel abit awkward "lets go hunt indigenous people 5 and steal their artifacts and really... a zombie dude... with a spear >_> siiiiiigh" my friend proclaimed as we went through the co-op.

Revulision is good indeed, reminds me of Kevin from sin city he is indeed human but my god did i find him scary and disturbing x) i wuold consider him a "monster" perhaps not in the classical sense.

 

[Bertylicious]

Scariest thing in the world is a midget with a knife.

 

[Casual Shinji]

There's no real clear rule of what makes something scary, I think.

Even a toaster can be scary if handled correctly.

Just take killer Bob from Twin Peaks; He's ultimately just a dude with long grey hair in a denim jacket, but thanks to camera angles, lighting, soundtrack, and ofcourse the performance of the actor himself, he becomes terrifying.

 

[Zhukov]

Can't speak for anyone else, but to be scary for me a monster...

a) Has to be human or human-shaped.
b) Has to be intelligent.
c) Has to remain mostly unseen and/or unknown.

 

[Zeema]

the one that is disfigured and the one that you see in the corner of your eye. but never see

it Preys it watches then

SNAP, like a bear trap

 

[Thaluikhain]

Scariest thing in the world is a midget with a knife.

Spoiler: Mr Sin

What about an artificial one, from the future?

 

[Bertylicious]

Scariest thing in the world is a midget with a knife.

Spoiler: Mr Sin

What about an artificial one, from the future?

Scary, but not as scary as a living, breathing, midget with a knife as he'll be less sexually aggresive.

Edit: Still though, a souless automaton coming for your crotch and waving a knife around is possibly more unnerveing than some drunk little guy hurling himself at you screaming "Who t'fuck 're you calling tiny, prick!?"

We should explore this with science.

 

[Vault101]

The last monster I was actually scared of was that thing with the "hand eyes" in Pans labyrinth, it was just so odd. I was wondering what you lot thought made a monster frightening, and hoping you could give me some examples like no eyes, long hair, teeth etc.
Or if you cannot think of a certain terrifying aspect, an existing monster example (picture would be nice) would do just as well. Can we try and avoid silent hill monster images?, we all know they are terrifying, describing what makes them terrifying would be great though.
Thank you

the uncanny valley (and I think that may have been in effect with hand eyes)

the way somthing moves or looks...when it looks "off"

Dren from Splice for example. She looks part human but has animal features and behaviours....which is also a disaster mixed in when she gets to her moody "teenage" years, its not just her disconcerting apearenece, but with her role in the story you never quite know what shes going to do next, if shes going to do somthing cute/funny or if shes going to stab you to death with her poison spike tail

and I dont know..body horror always gets me

I also found the illusives man "reaperfied" apearance in ME3 rather disconcerting

 

[Hunter65416]

No ammount of CGI can possibly create something as horribe and terrifying as something we cant see, Take paranormal activity, If we got to see the slightest peek at the monster/demon it wouldnt be anywhere near as scary.

 

[verdant monkai]

sorry double post (failed to quote)

 

[verdant monkai]

The last monster I was actually scared of was that thing with the "hand eyes" in Pans labyrinth, it was just so odd. I was wondering what you lot thought made a monster frightening, and hoping you could give me some examples like no eyes, long hair, teeth etc.
Or if you cannot think of a certain terrifying aspect, an existing monster example (picture would be nice) would do just as well. Can we try and avoid silent hill monster images?, we all know they are terrifying, describing what makes them terrifying would be great though.
Thank you

the uncanny valley (and I think that may have been in effect with hand eyes)

the way somthing moves or looks...when it looks "off"

Dren from Splice for example. She looks part human but has animal features and behaviours....which is also a disaster mixed in when she gets to her moody "teenage" years, its not just her disconcerting apearenece, but with her role in the story you never quite know what shes going to do next, if shes going to do somthing cute/funny or if shes going to stab you to death with her poison spike tail

and I dont know..body horror always gets me

I also found the illusives man "reaperfied" apearance in ME3 rather disconcerting

Dren from Spliced was really gross it just got to me on a really weird level, cant explain it. the most stressful things was the fact she killed a cat (love cats), and that she has sex with the two main characters it was just all too grim.

Seriously though Illusive man at the end? it just looked like bad face paint, if his throat was torn out and replaced with tech and one of his cheeks were missing and you could really see what the reapers had done then yes ok he would have been scary.

You are right though when you say it is scary if it looks off.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Scariest thing in the world is a midget with a knife.

Spoiler: Mr Sin

What about an artificial one, from the future?

Scary, but not as scary as a living, breathing, midget with a knife as he'll be less sexually aggresive.

Edit: Still though, a souless automaton coming for your crotch and waving a knife around is possibly more unnerveing than some drunk little guy hurling himself at you screaming "Who t'fuck 're you calling tiny, prick!?"

We should explore this with science.

Mr Sin was part organic, though, and the organic parts took over and made it delight in hurting humans and gave it a cackle and pig noises when excited.

 

[Vault101]

Dren from Spliced was really gross it just got to me on a really weird level, cant explain it. the most stressful things was the fact she killed a cat (love cats), and that she has sex with the two main characters it was just all too grim.

Seriously though Illusive man at the end? it just looked like bad face paint, if his through was torn out and replaced with tech and one of his cheeks were missing and you could really see what the reapers had done then yes ok he would have been scary.

You are right though when you say it is scary if it looks off.

shes also really weird in her larval stage..

I dont know what it was specifically about the illusive man..I was just unerved by it...I think it was the whole situation up to that point (the beam, waking up and trudging through the citadel) that crushing sense of hoplessness that had been building up the enitre game..culminating ot that point....and seeing the illusive man well and truly indoctrinated...

also sarens apearacne I also find a little creepy, now that we know what he was (prototype Marauder) Its not so aparent first time around since the player is unfamiliar with turians

 

[bobmus]

For me it's a human face with no expression to it. Just reads soul-less and merciless to me.