10 Terrifying Movie Monsters That Barely Appear
These blink-and-you-will-miss-it beasts knew how to leave an impression.
Human beings have a natural fear of monsters, which is why zombies, vampires, and demons are prevalent in the horror genre, but the most unforgettable creatures often prey on another primal fear: the unknown.
The less we see of a beast, the more unsettling it is. The audience's imagination is more terrifying than any special effect, which is why movie monsters usually appear sparingly.
However, certain creature features take this notion to the extreme. Sometimes, the fiend is never shown completely or for no more than a second at a time. Other times, they aren't revealed at all. In theory, taking this approach can be disappointing, especially if the big scary monster has been hyped up for most of the runtime. But this strategy can pay off, since it compels you to second-guess what kind of monster the characters are up against.
When the nasty critter's appearance or size is only hinted at, you may fill in the blanks with your own fears, which can be far scarier. After all, a monster that's shown outright might look like a guy in a costume, or a fully unveiled CGI effect might look awful, but a monster that's only glimpsed at can stay with you forever.
10. The Boar - Razorback
The unprecedented success of Jaws led to a splurge of copycats, involving piranhas, spiders, frogs, and rabbits. Unsurprisingly, many imitators didn't come close to matching Jaws, since they didn't emulate Steven Spielberg's "less is more" approach. Yes, a killer shark is frightening, but it leaves a bigger impact when it remains unseen, since viewers never know when the toothy fishy is going to pop out next.
One of the few Jaws clones that understood this concept is Razorback. Based on Peter Brennan's novel of the same name, the cult-classic is set in the Australian outback, where visitors and locals alike find themselves being tormented by a gigantic man-eating boar.
Effects artist Bob McCarron pulled out all the stops for this tusked tyrant, designing six animatronics, including one fully-sized model. Instead of showing off McCarron's impressive handiwork, the titular beast is kept off-screen or only partially seen. In fact, there isn't a full shot of the kaiju piggy at any point.
Luckily, this decision makes the brutish boar come across more like a mythical monster rather than an animal, accentuating the terror every time it shows up.