10 Terrifying Horror Movie Monsters With Very Little Screen Time
These beasts know how to leave their mark.
It's common knowledge how the shark in Jaws was meant to appear more frequently, but because the animatronic kept malfunctioning, the man-eating fishy was absent for most of the runtime. Astonishingly, this worked out perfectly, since the shark's fleeting appearances made him far scarier.
Simply put, Jaws proved that less is more. If we see too much of the monster, we become desensitised to it. If we just catch a glimpse of the demon, witch, or ghoul, it can leave a bigger impact than if it had a prominent role.
Over the years, there've been countless movie monsters that made our hair stand on end, despite their brief tenure. Some of these ghastly creatures popped up for a matter of minutes. Others for mere seconds.
These beasties show themselves so irregularly, you might struggle to describe them, and yet, you still remember the fear you experienced after seeing their haunting visage. On occasion, these disturbing figures end up being the highlight of the movie, even if they appeared only for a split-second.
Here are ten movie monsters that scared us (despite having very little screen-time).
10. The Jackal - Thirteen Ghosts
This 2001 remake opens with Arthur's family moving into the mansion of a recently deceased relative, only to learn it's haunted by, you guessed it, thirteen ghosts.
This paranormal B-movie has all the hallmarks of a shoddy horror flick - clunky dialogue, a convoluted storyline, idiotic characters, and choppy editing. Most importantly, the ghosts aren't scary... save for one.
Arthur's assistant, Dennis, mentions The Jackal is the most dangerous spirit, referring to him as the "Charlie Manson of ghosts". As soon as you see this rebarbative phantom, you understand why. Because he's wearing a straightjacket and a metal cage around his head, you know this guy is deranged beyond measure. With his razor-sharp fingernails, this sinister spook makes short work of anyone foolish enough to go near him.
To highlight his insanity further, psychotic screaming and maniacal laughter can be heard anytime he's near. As such, The Jackal leaves viewers terrified, even before you see him.
If you haven't seen Thir13en Ghosts in a while, it's likely you don't recall much about the other dozen spectres. But it's impossible to forget The Jackal, despite his limited screen-time.