Monsters pt 1: What Are Monsters?

What Are Monsters?

In movies, for a varmint to be considered a Monster, it needs to be man-made. That is, not having existed - in that form - prior to humanity's direct or indirect alteration of it. Whatever else may be involved in the monster’s fashioning, two elements should always be present:  

A) Scientific understanding and

B) Harnessing of some natural element or energy.


Consider the following examples:

Frankenstein (1931)

Monster - directly assembled by man's scientific understanding of anatomy and harnessing of lightning.

Pretty evident Frankenstein's Monster could not have emerged letting nature takes its own course.

The Mummy (1932)

Monster - directly created through man's understanding of preservation and the harnessing of metaphysical powers.

Granted, the energy harnessed in Imhotep’s case has yet to be logically demonstrated, but the electricity used to restore life - say in the case of defibrillation - was yet to be demonstrated when Frankenstein was published or even put on screen in 1931.

So the term "natural" only means pertaining to our natural universe and what is in it whether proven or merely speculated. This as opposed to entities in a fantasy novel that are outright fabricated & not adhering to any laws of any nature in our universe. 

Gojira (1954) 

Monster - resulted from man's scientific understanding of plutonium & the harnessing of radiation.

Even though this Gojira was not the intended outcome of atomic testing, he still emerged entirely due to man's involvement in his environment.

For the nitpickers out there, the original Godzilla was considered a mutation of mankind’s use of atomic dissemination. Later iterations would portray the giant as a dormant Creature of enormous proportions that was awakened by humanity's doings.

In those versions, that Godzilla would not qualify as Monster.

Tarantula (1955)

Monster - altered by man's scientific understanding of nutrients and the harnessing of isotopes.

Tarantula, like Gojira were not intended outcomes, but rather an unforeseen consequence of the scientific process. It has no bearing on this discussion as without this understanding coupled with some harnessing, these Monsters could not have been formed however directly or indirectly.

Nemesis (2004)

Monster - produced by an understanding of viruses and harnessing the power of genetics. 

The results may be terrifyingly real like the mutated parasites in The Bay (2012) or maybe more comical like massive amphibian in The Host (2006), but in both cases, those beings are most definitely Monsters.     

Okay, so what about the things out there not made by mankind? ...

Genre Talk