AnEldritch monsterhas no one official meaning, but there’s a specific kind of horror creature that comes to mind with the designation. Monsters have been a part of Hollywood culture since at leastUniversal’s classic monsters lurched onto the screentrying to bite, transform, or mummify an assortment of terrified heroes and heroines. However, monsters and horror go back far earlier than those movies. H.P. Lovecraft published his first story in 1908, Mary Shelley wroteFrankensteinin 1818, and even Greek myths are filled with monstrous creatures who terrorize humanity.
It’s movies that have proven to be the most effective medium for monsters, however, and we might look at them differently ifhorror movies were not filled with memorable monsters. The shark inJaws, the Xenomorph inAlien, Godzilla in his films, these monsters are as important pieces of film history as any Academy Award-winning actor or actress. Taking a whole team of people to create, from designers, to puppeteers, to actors,monsters feel like the perfect vehicle to showcase movie production talent. Eldritch monsters are a bit trickier to get on screen, but plenty of movies succeed anyway.
An Eldritch Monster Often Refers To Lovecraftian-Type Monsters
Cthulhu Is The Most Famous Eldritch Monster
While Eldritch monster is not an official designation,the term is most commonly associated with the creations of H.P. Lovecraft. The monsters that make up his vast mythos are referred to as “Eldritch” beings. They are impossibly old, and exist outside the dimensions that can be experienced by humanity. Creatures and gods like Cthulhu and Shub-Niggurath are described as almost impossible for a human mind to comprehend, which is why characters who encounter them are often driven insane by their minds not being able to handle the cosmic horror.
10 Best Lovecraftian Eldritch Horror Movies
H.P. Lovecraft’s influence can be felt in many eldritch horror movies, from adaptations of his stories to completely original science fiction films.
An impossible to describe monster is, by definition, hard for anyone to accurately render outside of a novel, butDungeons & Dragonshad a big hand in popularizing the design of Eldrich monstersthanks to initial printings of the game including several characters from Lovecraft’s novels (viaTheNewYorker). Later tabletop games likeCall of CthulhuandArkham Horrorwere even more directly influenced by Lovecraft and Eldritch monsters.
Tentacles and lots of eyes usually define the style of Eldritch monsters.
Tentacles and lots of eyes usually define the style of Eldritch monsters. They are often impossibly large as well, but that can be hard to pull off on screen, so they tend to be Kaiju-sized, or closer to human-sized, depending on which monster someone is dealing with. Eldritch monsters also tend to have some psychic powers, and characters can “hear” them before they even see them.The point of Eldritch monsters is that it’s their existence that is horrifying to behold, not necessarily how they look, though they often look pretty horrible.
Eldritch Monsters Are Popular Horror Movie Villains
TV Shows And Movies Have Depicted Eldritch Beings In Different Styles
Eldritch monsters have woven their way into plenty of movies, with some successes and some flops, considering how difficult it can be to visually describe something defined as “indescribable”. John Carpenter’s “Apocalypse Trilogy”,The Thing,Prince of Darkness, andIn the Mouth of Madness, have Eldritch monsters discovered by unlucky humans, even making direct reference to characters in Lovecraft’s mythos.The Mist,Prometheus, andUnderwateralso feature Eldritch monsters, withUnderwaterhaving a direct Cthulhu inspiration.
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities,Lovecraft Country, andLove Death + Robotsare some modern series filled with Eldritch monsters. Other movies likeCloverfield,The Host, andEvent Horizonall have or hint at Eldritch monsters. Lovecraftian horror is a rich text and there should be plenty ofEldritch monstersto come.
