List of films featuring giant monsters

This is an alphabetical list of films featuring giant monsters, known in Japan as kaiju. One of the first films involving giant monsters was the 1933 classic King Kong, as developments in cinema and animation enabled the creation of realistic giant creatures. The film influenced many giant-monster films in its wake, including many produced in Japan, starting with the adaptation King Kong Appears in Edo in 1938, which is now presumed to be a lost film.[1] The visual effects in King Kong, created by Willis O'Brien, inspired future monster film effects artists such as Ray Harryhausen and Dennis Muren.[2] Early giant-monster films often had themes of adventure and exploration of unknown regions, and incorporated fights with giant monsters as a climactic element.

The development of atomic weaponry in the 1940s gave rise to its involvement in popular themes. The 1953 American film The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms featured a giant dinosaur that awakens due to nuclear tests in the Arctic.[3]:42 The 1954 film Them! involved giant irradiated ants. Later in 1954, the Japanese film Godzilla was released. This was followed by an ongoing trend of giant reptiles created by nuclear radiation. Japan continued with a giant moth in Mothra, a turtle in Gamera, and many more that followed. Other countries have their own giant monster movies such as the United Kingdom with Gorgo in 1961.

Films featuring Godzilla and Gamera were made into the 1970s, and a King Kong remake was released in 1976. Awareness of toxic waste in the 1970s inspired the release of various horror films, and the giant monster subgenre saw the release of 1971's Godzilla vs. Hedorah.[4] Godzilla received a 1998 remake by TriStar Pictures, and King Kong received a 2005 remake by Universal Pictures. 2008 saw the release of the successful Cloverfield, which some critics have claimed inspiration from the September 11 attacks.[5][6][7] Pacific Rim, a film featuring giant mecha battling with kaiju, was released in 2013, and the following year Legendary reinterpreted Godzilla for a new generation of audiences in the series' 30th film. The latest entry in the Godzilla series, Shin Godzilla, premiered in Japan in July 2016.[8][9] A reboot of King Kong known as Kong: Skull Island was released in March 2017.[10]

List of films

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
Name Year Country Description Ref.
20 Million Miles to Earth 1957 United States extraterrestrial from Venus [11]
All Monsters Attack 1969 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Always Zoku Sanchōme no Yūhi 2007 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid 2004 United States snakes [12]
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters 2007 United States Insanoflex / robot [13]
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman 1958 United States human [14]:18[15]
The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms 1953 United States Rhedosaurus [16]:28–37[15]
The Beast of Hollow Mountain 1956 United States Allosaurus [16]:37–42
Beginning of the End 1957 United States radioactive grasshoppers [17][15]
Big Ass Spider! 2013 United States giant spider [18]
Clash of the Titans 2010 United States, United Kingdom monsters from Greek mythology [12]
Cloverfield 2008 United States Clover [14]
Colossal 2016 Canada/Spain unknown creature [19][20]
The Deadly Mantis 1957 United States Praying mantis [21]
Destroy All Monsters 1968 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Eight Legged Freaks 2002 United States, Germany, Australia giant spiders [12]
Galaxy Quest 1999 United States Gorignak (rock monster) [22]
Gamera 1965 Japan Gamera / daikaiju [23][24]
Gamera 2: Attack of Legion 1996 Japan Gamera / daikaiju [11]
Gamera vs. Barugon 1966 Japan Gamera / daikaiju [24]
Gamera vs. Guiron 1969 Japan Gamera / daikaiju [24]
Gamera vs. Gyaos 1967 Japan Gamera / daikaiju [24]
Gamera vs. Jiger 1970 Japan Gamera / daikaiju [24]
Gamera vs. Viras 1968 Japan Gamera / daikaiju [24]
Gamera vs. Zigra 1971 Japan Gamera / daikaiju [24]
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster 1964 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Ghostbusters 1984 United States Stay Puft Marshmallow Man [25]
The Giant Claw 1957 United States extraterrestrial prehistoric bird [26]
The Giant Gila Monster 1959 United States beaded lizard [27]
Godzilla 1954 Japan Godzilla [8][28]:Chapter 3[15]
Godzilla 1998 United States, Japan daikaiju [8]
Godzilla 2014 United States Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Godzilla 2000 1999 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla 2002 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha [8][28]:Chapter 32
Godzilla: Final Wars 2004 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack 2001 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8][11]
Godzilla Raids Again 1955 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. 2003 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha [8]
Godzilla vs. Biollante 1989 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8][28]:Chapter 28
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah 1995 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8][28]:Chapter 33
Godzilla vs. Gigan 1972 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8][28]:Chapter 20
Godzilla vs. Hedorah 1971 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8][4]
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah 1991 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla 1974 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha [8]
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II 1993 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha [8]
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus 2000 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Godzilla vs. Megalon 1973 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8][28]:Chapter 21
Godzilla vs. Mothra 1992 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster 1966 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8][28]:Chapter 14
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla 1994 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Gorgo 1961 Ireland, United Kingdom, United States sea monster [14]
Grabbers 2012 Ireland, United Kingdom tentacled [11]
He's a Dragon 2015 Russia Dragon [29]
Helluva Good Luck 1999 Czech Republic Dragon [30]
Helluva Good Luck 2 2001 Czech Republic Dragon [31]
The Host 2006 South Korea amphibious [11]
Ilya Muromets 1956 Soviet Union Dragon [32]
Invasion of Astro-Monster 1965 Japan, United States Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
It Came from Beneath the Sea 1955 United States radioactive octopus [33]
Jack the Giant Slayer 2013 United States giants [12]
Journey to the Beginning of Time 1955 Czechoslovakia dinosaurs [34]
Jurassic World 2015 United States dinosaurs [12]
King Kong 1933 United States King Kong [14]
King Kong vs. Godzilla 1962 Japan, United States King Kong / Godzilla [8][28]:Chapter 42
Kong: Skull Island 2017 United States King Kong [10]
Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus 2010 United States shark and crocodile [35]
Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus 2009 United States shark and octopus [36]
Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark 2014 United States shark [37]
Mighty Joe Young 1949 United States giant gorilla [38]
Mighty Joe Young 1998 United States giant gorilla [39]
The Mist 2007 United States various [12]
Monsters 2010 United Kingdom six-legged, tentacled beast [11]
Monsters vs. Aliens 2009 United States various [12]
Mothra 1961 Japan daikaiju / giant moth [40][41]
Mothra vs. Godzilla 1964 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Night of the Lepus 1972 United States mutated rabbits [26]
On the Comet 1970 Czechoslovakia Dinosaurs, Sea monster [42]
Outlander 2008 United States Moorwen [12]
Pacific Rim 2013 United States, Mexico daikaiju / mecha [11]
Primeval 2007 United States crocodile [12]
Princ Bajaja 1971 Czechoslovakia dragon [43]
Rampage 2018 United States Giant Three Monsters - George the Gorilla, Lizzie the Alligator, Ralph the Werewolf Upcoming
Reign of Fire 2002 United Kingdom, Ireland, United States dragons [12]
Reptilicus 1961 Denmark, United States prehistoric reptile [44]
The Return of Godzilla 1984 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8]
Rock Monster 2008 United States rock monster [22]
Rodan 1956 Japan flying daikaiju [45]
Shin Godzilla 2016 Japan Godzilla [8][9]
Snow Dragon 2013 Czech Republic Dragon [46]
Son of Godzilla 1967 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju [8][28]:Chapter 92
Space Amoeba 1970 Japan daikaiju [47]:75–76
Spider-Man 1978 Japan swordfish [48]
The Story of Voyages 1983 Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Romania Dragon [49]
Super 8 2011 United States alien [12]
Tarantula 1955 United States spider [50][15]
Tentacles 1977 Italy, United States octopus [51]
Terror of Mechagodzilla 1975 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha [8][28]:Chapter 24
Them! 1954 United States radioactive ants [11][15]
Tremors 1990 United States Graboids [11]
Trollhunter 2010 Norway troll [11]
World Without End 1956 United States mutated spiders [15]
Wrath of the Titans 2012 United States, United Kingdom, Spain monsters from Greek mythology [12]
The X from Outer Space 1966 Japan Guilala / daikaiju [52]
Za humny je drak 1982 Czechoslovakia Dragon [53]
Zarkorr! The Invader 1996 United States daikaiju [54]
The Arctic Giant 1942 United States Dinosaur-esque monster [55]
The Food of the Gods 1976 United States Giant Rats [55]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Morton, Ray (2005). King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon from Fay Wray to Peter Jackson. Applause Books. p. 123. ISBN 1-55783-669-8. Archived from the original on 2007-08-16.
  2. ↑ Gilles Penso (director) (2011). Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan (Documentary film). France: Frenetic Arts, The Ray & Diana Harryhausen Foundation.
  3. ↑ Jones, Stephen (1993). The illustrated dinosaur movie guide (1st Titan ed.). London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-1852864873.
  4. 1 2 Newitz, Annalee (6 February 2008). "How Pollution Created the Creepiest Movie Mutants". io9. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  5. ↑ Roger Ebert (January 17, 2008). "Review: Cloverfield". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on January 20, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
  6. ↑ Stephanie Zacharek (January 17, 2008). "Cloverfield". Salon.com. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
  7. ↑ Newitz, Annalee (Jan 18, 2008). "Nevermind the Monster — Cloverfield Is All About 9/11". io9. Archived from the original on 2008-12-29. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 "Godzilla Movie Listing". Toho Kingdom. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  9. 1 2 Alt, Matt (14 May 2016). "Godzilla Returns to Japan". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 20 June 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Warner Bros. Pictures Brings Heroes, Magic and Myth to This Year's Comic-Con International: San Diego". 11 July 2016. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Timpone, Tony (May 15, 2014). "13 Best Giant Monster Movies". Chiller. NBCUniversal. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Bellotto 2015
  13. ↑ "Plugged In". www.pluggedin.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Landis 2011, p. 18
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Waldman, Katy (January 2013). "The Nuclear Monsters That Terrorized the 1950s". Slate. Archived from the original on 7 July 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  16. 1 2 Berry 2005
  17. ↑ Warren, Keep Watching the Skies! American Science Fiction Movies of the Fifties, 1997, p. 325-326.
  18. ↑ Taylor, Drew (16 October 2013). "Review: 'Big Ass Spider' Starring Greg Grunberg Is An Oddly Satisfying B-Movie Romp". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "Colossal (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 11 December 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  20. ↑ Lussier, Germain. "Anne Hathaway Plays a City-Crushing Kaiju in the First Trailer for Colossal". io9. Archived from the original on 2017-01-20. Retrieved 2017-01-20.
  21. ↑ "The Deadly Mantis (1957)". Archived from the original on June 9, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  22. 1 2 Foy, Scott (24 March 2008). "Rock Monster (2008)". Dread Central. Archived from the original on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  23. ↑ "Gammera the Invincible (1965) - Noriyaki Yuasa - Synopsis". AllMovie. Archived from the original on 8 October 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mark, Jon (2016). "Is 2016 the Year that 'Godzilla Resurgence' and Gamera Battle it Out at the Box Office?". Inquisitr. Archived from the original on 7 July 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  25. ↑ Gallagher, Brian (March 2016). "Is Ghostbusters Bringing Back the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man?". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  26. 1 2 Eggertsen, Chris (4 March 2010). "Not So Scary... Top Ten Worst Movie Monsters!". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 11 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  27. ↑ "The Giant Gila Monster (1959) - Overview". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Kalat, David (2007). A critical history and filmography of Toho's Godzilla® series (reprint ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., Inc., Publishers. ISBN 9780786430994.
  29. ↑ "Рецензия: "Он – дракон" Индара Джендубаева с Марией Поезжаевой". THR Russia (in Russian). Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  30. ↑ Ceska Televize. "Za štěstím z pekla na zámek v Telči — Kde bydlely princezny: Telč — Česká televize". Česká televize (in Czech). Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  31. ↑ "Z pekla štěstí 2". www.ceskenoviny.cz (in Czech). Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  32. ↑ "Ilya Muromets vs. the Dragon". Cinema Sojourns. 18 April 2015. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  33. ↑ "It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955) - Overview". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 27 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  34. ↑ Ritch, Jim (3 March 1962). "Journey to the Beginning of Time!". Chicago Tribune: 3. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  35. ↑ Newitz, Annalee (4 November 2010). "The world isn't ready for Mega-Shark vs. Crocosaurus". io9. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  36. ↑ Mendelson, Scott (25 May 2011). "HuffPost Review — Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus (2009)". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  37. ↑ Bishop, Bryan (7 December 2013). "Machine battles nature in this insane trailer for 'Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark'". The Verge. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  38. ↑ Cady, Brian. "Mighty Joe Young (1949)". Leonard Maltin classic movie guide. Turner Classic Movies by arrangement with Penguin Group. Archived from the original on 29 February 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  39. ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Mighty Joe Young". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  40. ↑ "Mothra (1961)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  41. ↑ Weiler, A. H. (12 July 1962). "Screen: 'Hatari!' Captures the Drama of Tanganyika Wildlife:Howard Hawks Film Opens at DeMille Neighborhood Houses Offer 2 Twin Bills". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  42. ↑ Fencl, Ivo. "Šest geniálních a světových filmů Karla Zemana aneb co o nich určitě nevíte". Čítárny – Příběhy, knihy, lidé (in Czech). Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  43. ↑ "Bajaja: v úterý v podvečer si pro princeznu přiletí drak". iPrima. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  44. ↑ "Reptilicus (1962) - Overview". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  45. ↑ Galbraith IV, Stuart (2008). The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 1461673747.
  46. ↑ "PRVNÍ DOJMY: Na Boží hod zbyl Sněžný drak, pohádka po brněnsku". iDNES.cz. 25 December 2013. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  47. ↑ Barr, Jason (2016). The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema's Biggest Monsters. ISBN 9780786499632.
  48. ↑ McEniry, Matthew J. (2016). Marvel Comics into Film: Essays on Adaptations Since the 1940s. McFarland. pp. 92–94. ISBN 978-0786443048.
  49. ↑ ""Сказка странствий" Александра Митты". Субботний Рамблер (in Russian). Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  50. ↑ "Review: 'Tarantula'". Variety. 31 December 1954. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  51. ↑ Gallman, Brett (19 August 2012). "Horror Reviews - Tentacles (1977)". Oh! The Horror. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  52. ↑ "The X from Outer Space". Criterion Collection. Archived from the original on August 25, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  53. ↑ "Pozor: Za humny bude na Štědrý den drak!". Prima (in Czech). Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  54. ↑ Ward, Mikey (7 March 2016). "Zarkorr! The Invader (1996)". Mondo Exploito. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  55. 1 2 "Film Annex".

Further reading

  • Bellotto, Adam (July 24, 2015). "A new renaissance for giant monster movies is almost upon us". News. Film school rejects. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  • Berry, Mark F. (2005). The dinosaur filmography. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. ISBN 9780786424535.
  • Farlow, James O.; Brett-Surman, M. K. (2000). "Dinosaurs and the media". In Farlow, James O.; Brett-Surman, M. K. The complete dinosaur. Bloomington, Ind. [u.a.]: Indiana Univ. Press. pp. 675–706. ISBN 9780253213136.
  • Landis, John (2011). Monsters in the movies. Penguin. ISBN 9780756688462.
  • Marrero, Robert (1994). Giant monster movies: an illustrated survey (1st American ed.). Key West, Fla.: Fantasma Books. ISBN 9780963498229.
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