Eldritch Monsters Explained: Their Scariest Horror Movie Appearances

Although there isn’t a single formal definition for eldritch creatures, they recall a certain type of terrifying entity.  Although their beginnings are considerably older, monsters have been a mainstay of Hollywood since viewers were frightened by Universal’s iconic beasts.  Monsters abound in ancient Greek mythology, Mary Shelley authored ‘Frankenstein’ in 1818, and H.P. Lovecraft penned his first horror story in 1908.  

But the best vehicle for making these animals come to life has turned out to be movies.  Famous cinematic monsters that highlight the skills of actors, puppeteers, and designers, such as ‘Godzilla’, the Xenomorph from ‘Alien’, and the shark from ‘Jaws’, have had a profound effect on the film.  Despite being more challenging to imagine, eldritch monsters have nevertheless made an appearance on screen.

Most frequently used in Lovecraftian horror, the word “Eldritch monster” describes creatures that are old, unfathomable, and beyond human comprehension.  Cthulhu and Shub-Niggurath are examples of creatures that defy reason and frequently drive their encounterers insane.  

Image Courtesy: Screen Rant 

Despite their famously difficult visual representation, these monsters’ terrifying designs became more widely known thanks to tabletop games like ‘Dungeons & Dragons’, ‘Call of Cthulhu’, and ‘Arkham Horror’.  Usually enormous, they have many eyes, writhing tentacles, and eerie psychic skills that enable them to be “felt” before being seen.  They are horrified not only by their outward look but also by the existential fear they evoke.

Horror movies and television series have effectively depicted Eldritch monsters in spite of their intricacy.  Lovecraftian horror is a major influence in John Carpenter’s ‘Apocalypse Trilogy’, which includes ‘The Thing’, ‘Prince of Darkness’, and In the ‘Mouth of Madness’.  Eldritch-inspired creatures can also be found in other movies, such as ‘The Mist’, ‘Prometheus’, ‘Underwater’, and ‘Event Horizon’.  Eldritch horror is still a major component of the genre because of contemporary shows like ‘Lovecraft Country’, ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities’, and ‘Love, Death + Robots’ that continue to examine these horrifying beings.

–Farheen Ali