10 More Horror Movies With The Most Shocking Monster Reveals
6. The Pale Man - Pan's Labyrinth
Venturing into the realms of Gothic horror, one of cinema's most memorable monsters can be found in the confines of Pan's Labyrinth.
The 2006 film sees lead protagonist Ofelia encounter a magical faun in an ancient stone labyrinth against the backdrop of Francoist Spain. The faun believes the young girl is the reincarnation of a mythical princess, charging her to carry out three tasks to allow her to return to her kingdom.
So what does all this have to do with an unforgettable monster introduction? Ofelia's second task is to retrieve a dagger from the lair of a terrifying child-eating being - the Pale Man. Viewers are introduced to Doug Jones' pallid monster in what can only be described as the most unsettling circumstances imaginable. Ofelia is greeted by the sight of a pale, eyeless man eerily sitting motionlessly at a table - a pair of eyeballs resting on a plate before him.
The initial reveal of the Pale Man's cadaver-like appearance is traumatic enough in itself before Ofelia duly manages to wake him up. Pressing the eyeballs into his palms before placing outstretched hands on his forehead, the monster lurches towards Ofelia - howling demonically before bloodily decapitating two of her fairy sidekicks with his teeth.
For a film that allegedly isn't even a full-blown horror, this gloriously unsettling reveal is straight-up nightmare fuel.