10 Horror Movies With The Best Monster Reveals

For the last century, cinema has been there to keep the masses entertained. For roughly the same length of time, the horror genre has left viewers scared to sleep with the lights out. And there's nothing more likely to get hearts pounding and pulses racing than a good old fashioned movie monster.

Creature features like Predator and Alien have stood the test of time, not just because of their compelling characters and incredible action, but the remarkable design of their antagonists. But in many ways, how the monster is revealed is just as significant as the monster itself.

More often than not, the film's demon, ghost, or alien is built up slowly, teasing the audience with glimpses here and there, before unveiling itself in all its glory. Other times, the beast appears with no hype whatsoever, which can leave just as much impact, since viewers weren't prepared for it.

Of course, introducing the monster is never easy. If the timing, special effects, or lighting is off, the final result can be disastrous. But if the monster's grand reveal is pulled off perfectly, it stays with moviegoers forever.

In Pumpkinhead, grieving father Ed Harley unleashes a demon on the teens who killed his son. Recognising the evil he's brought into the world, Ed has a change of heart, and vows to send the dark entity back to hell.

Since "Pumpkinhead" sounds like a Care Bears villain, nobody was expecting much from the titular monster. But let's not forget this film was the directorial debut of SFX guru Stan Winston. Responsible for the mesmerising animatronics in The Thing, Jurassic Park, and Aliens, Winston has a knack for drumming up terrifyingly life-like creatures.

Although Pumpkinhead's design is incredible, his reveal is extra memorable, since viewers were adamant he would look crap! With his Wolverine-like claws, towering height, pasty wet skin, and leering face, it's hard to think of a more intimidating movie monster than this roided-up Xenomorph.

Pumpkinhead's intro is further accentuated by the effective use of sound, or rather a lack of. Every time the demon is near, a slithering noise can be heard, which resembles the movements of spiders and snakes.

But when Pumpkinhead appears on-screen for the first time, he doesn't make a peep, completely catching viewers off-guard.