Their labor unions must suck because these guys have been overworked. What happened to people creating stories and making up monsters you get giddy and jealous from at the same time because it was such a good idea? Even though the movie wasn't exactly blockbuster, I LOVED the monster from Jeepers Creepers. It was the most original I've seen in a long time. (I guess. Maybe they got it from some older story or obscure cultural folklore, but still new to the screen anyways) Werewolves, vampires, zombies, aliens, poltergeists, dark wizards, and pathogens...anyone got a new monster on their minds?
There are plenty of new monsters being created by authors in pretty much all of the speculative genres. But the thing is that the more famous monsters are "ready made", as it were. Both in terms of being a template which authors can apply to a story and twist as they see fit, as well as one which the readers will be familiar with (at least the fundamentals) and won't require so long laying groundwork. There's still room for creativity using the old favourites though. Just look at vampires. They can range from the emo not-really-vampires in Twilight, to the coldly organised post-human creatures in I am Legend (the book, not the film, before someone pipes up that that's not what they were like, or that they were zombies). Really, a lack of originality comes down to the author, not the creature. Whilst a new creature idea can be brilliantly entertaining to read, a good author can do the same thing with a traditional monster and some creativity. For "new" monsters, I think that's an area where Doctor Who shines. Just look at the Weeping Angels, or the Silence. Both excellently visualised creatures, which scared the living crap out of myself and many others.
You should play the Silent Hill-games. Technically, many of the monsters can be called zombies, but I'm not so sure they qualify. I don't even know if they are dead. But there are a lot of other weird monsters there, not to mention really creepy and truly scary moments. Resident Evil is also pretty good at that. True, all their monsters can be blamed on the T- or G-virus (and probably a third I don't remember right now), but so what? They look awesome. Who doens't remember their first encounter with a hunter or licker?
The thing I always loved about the monsters in Silent Hill was that they were made out of bits and pieces of the characters' fears and subconscious. They were a part and parcel of the story and the character, and the whole thing was so beautifully crafted as to be damn near perfect. Or at least, the first few games were. Ironically, the shitty monsters in the latter games could be argued as a reflection of the shallow and unbelievable protagonist* character. *I say protagonist. Some of them were so dire they had me rooting for Pyramid Head and co.
Yep. Amen to that. @ Banzai, yeah I realized that most anime has a new monster nearly every episode. Guess I meant no monsters that become icons like the above. I completely forgot about Pyramid Head, lol. I never played the game, but I saw the movie.
Oh, play the games! Silent Hill 2 and 3 in particular. They have the advantage over the film in that they immerse you in the atmosphere, and don't have Sean Bean dicking around with some irrelevant sub-plot.
Well, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not making any new monsters, but then again, I have no drive to. Some people invent the wheel, some people re-invent the wheel, and I'm the latter. Is it a bad thing I want to put a new human, non-emo spin on what a vampire can be? A werewolf that is more of a weredog? Magical creatures who live in fear of the humans who rule the planet? Alternate history, alternate character interpretation, alternate-whatever tends to be my thing. Re-doing something is my inspiration; if I like a piece why bother to do my own?
@ Banzai, if I can play them on PS3, sure. Wonder if it's going to be as spooky as that game called Fatal Frame. I once read this woman's short story over the internet that she didn't publish but was pretty awesome. It has to do with her real life being paralleled to journeys in and out of a fairy town or village. It was very well written. Clearly a shadow of her life, but the story was moving and it mixed the magic and odd peculiarities of fairies with real life hardships and deep issues. Of course, it seems to be a part of this new "angst-ride" that's going on, but ride while you can.
This. Recently, instead of creating new monsters, people just reimagine the old ones. That doesn't mean that there aren't new ones. Doctor Who is indeed fantastic for that, and the ones Banzai mentioned are my particular favorites.
Well Clive Barker invented Cenobites, And HP Lovecraft gave us Cthulhu and that's just off the top of my head. I picked up Call of Cthulhu one day and I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!!! So I've been reading a lot of his stuff lately. Going through At the Mountains of Madness now.
I remember blowing away a licker with a shotty in the hall way of the police station in RE2. Even though there was a cut screen showing it before I could react i was all like, "AHHH! HOLY CRAP!! O GOD! DIE FOOL!!!" As far as "new monsters" go, I realize that there is hardly any originality left in the world. We see it all the time in media with countless reboots of previous films; not to mention that almost every fantasy novel includes elves & orcs. With that being said I think that the occasional tweek of an idea over time is a good thing. Overkill is one thing but we always look to the greats for inspriration and use there creations as a foundation for our own creations. Basically, I think that having such paramount creations(werewolves, vampires, zombies, or anything else) is vital to the big idea pool that we all pull from.
its not my favorite genre. I stick to more sword & socery and Tolkien-ish stuff. No D&D for me. Honestly I prefer more sci-fi. Regardless, that wasn't the focal point of my previous comment, but I dig your passion for the genre.
Well, I haven't been watching the news lately, so I'll just have to take your word for it. I'm not sure if they're in my town yet because I went to the supermarket today and no one appeared to be a monster. However I'm certain I saw a guy with that, 'A vampire just bit me... what's my wife going to think' look on his face. Well, shit... I guess there already in my town, or at least the vampires are. You're right dude, we've got to to come up with some ideas quick! Before the vampires steal our girlfriends and the aliens steal our facial hair. First: The zombies. The zombies will be easy. Like always Hollywood has prepared us for another real life situation. Everyone remember Shaun of the Dead? Zombies are slow. Braindead. And besides zombies can be detected a mile away by the constant sound they make. It's kind of like a sick cow mooing. Just like in the movies. Off with their heads. Don't try and be a hero. And wait it out until the antidote is delivered EMP style - with a frequency that targets only the brains of zombies. Second: The Warewolves and Vampires. A few of us will break into the movie studio where Underworld: Awakening was filmed and steal some costumes, don monster make up, infiltrate the camps of both the warewolves and vampires, and work to incite both sides against one another. This will result in a war between the vampires and the warewolves which will rage in the shadows of our most populated cities for many years. Once the vampires and the warewolves have driven each other almost to extinction, we, the humans, will step in as mediators to negotiate a peace deal between the two sides. And the warewolves and vampires will hail us, the humans, as their saviours. Third: The Aliens. Initially we'll split into two teams: Task 1: Team A will work with lawn mowers to create a giant crop circle with the words "Welcome to Earth Our Bald And Grey Better's' mowed around the crop circle in giant letters. Team B will work underground digging an elaborate system of tunnels underneathe the crop circle. Task 2: Team A will then wait by the crop circle on the porch of a nearby house. There will be three cows in the backyard. And we'll also get a bull so as not to arouse suspicions. When the aliens arive Team A will greet them warmly, introduce themselves, and then bow before the aliens. The aliens will then be offered 2 cows as a present and invited inside the house to drink a few of the local beers. Team B will wait until the aliens are distracted by the delicious beer (I'm not buying it, someone else will need to) and will then rush through the tunnels to the point directedly beneathe the aliens mothership. Carefully dig up through the earth. Sneak aboard the mothership. Hot-wire it. And fly that thing to the moon. Task 3: Having recieved a sleeping pill in each of their beers that didn't work because of the differencce between the biochemical structure of humans and aliens. It would be best for Team A not to panic when the aliens pull out their lazers and start speaking very quickly in a language never before heard on Earth. But instead to say 'they're not with us!' 'they're not with us' 'they're not with us' over and over again. Until the aliens get the point. Put down their guns. Quickly finish their beers. Run Outside. Pick up the walkman cd player left behind by Team B and placed right where theytheir spaceship. And read the note that says: PLAY ME. And then Team A just get to sit back, relax, sip their beers, and watch the show go on. Once the aliens turn on the walkman it will play the first 25 seconds of 'It's Tricky' by Run DMC. And then the music will stop. And then a voice recording stating the following will be heard: "We have your spaceship. And we're only giving it back on one condition. You must all compete with us in a dance competition. If you win: you get your spaceship back and you can carry on doing whatever you wanted to do on Earth. But if we win: you'll still get your spaceship back but you all have to leave Earth immediately and never come back. If you accept: hold up your thumbs and we'll pick you up. But be ready, coz you'll gonna get served!" Because of the alien code of honour established 500 years a go on a planet that I now forget the name of as far as I'm aware no alien will ever turn down a dance battle face-off. In the president of the alien republic's own words: "Once it's on - It's on. And if yo get your gray ass served - Yo gotta pay up! Obviously, the aliens having no choice but to except the challenge, will stick up their thumbs like in the movie Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. And they'll be beamed up to the spaceship (hovering next to the moon). It will be on. And it will look something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svsLt5QcuQY Team B will win the dance battle. And the aliens will leave our world in peace. We'll have saved the world. And the vampires won't have stolen our girlfriends. -------- Edit: Why is everyone else talking about movies, video games, and books..? I know this is a writing forum... but SHEESH! Monsters... Outside... In Real Life! In Real Life! IN REEEEHAAL LIFE! And all you do is talk about is popular fiction...
I mix my races up with new and partial features of others. For the most part, i try to make up a whole new spin on it. I want to be an innovator if that makes sense.
