‘Eli Roth’s History of Horror’ Recap: ‘Killer Creatures’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It wasn’t that long ago, that we discussed what specific monster one would choose as their favorite one from the horror genre, and that’s a significant thought simply because… the monster and all of its variants truly are a keystone of the genre. For without the ghosties and ghoulies and other creatures that go bump in the night, there would be no scary stories for us to enjoy. Which is why it is supremely important to appreciate them when they appear on screen, regardless of how goofy or silly they might be, for they represent years of storytelling and deeper messages more often than not. The kind that the next episode of Eli Roth’s History of Horror was happy to explore.

Because ‘Killer Creatures’ took the time to examine how exactly monsters send shivers down our spines, and one particular way that these movies accomplish that feat, is by putting the worst parts of ourselves on display. Because deep down in all of us is a temper, and a touch of darkness and when all of that is unleashed, horrible things happen and that’s precisely why the werewolf is a creature that fascinates us. For in many ways it represents the evil within all of mankind, and its final form is a perfect physical manifestation of said evil. But while that alone makes the monster quite fascinating, since they can provide us with a compelling examination of the darkness in our souls, what truly makes them so worth our while is the sheer fact that they can represent so much more.

For these beings can in essence, personify any fear, since monsters can be anything, we want to them to be. Take the movie Gremlins for instance. For what appears to be a goofy and wild horror/comedy about a legend come to life, is really a Jekyll and Hyde story. One that uses the gremlin to explore the duality of man and how we are quick to give into our darkest desires when a mob mentality arrives and it’s not the only one to go that deep in such a smooth manner. For John Carpenter’s The Thing is a wonderful example of how an alien from space can serve as an allegory for our fears of being betrayed by those closest to us. Which are some stunning allegories to find within the framework of such classic films, but these messages and analyses are there and they are embedded in these stories for one key reason.

In that, horror films that dig into such powerful concepts are designed to help us cope with fear in general. Because the world can be a scary place and sometimes, we need a slice of fiction to remind us of that fact, so we are better prepared mentally for when chaos strikes and that’s why perhaps horror films that feature ‘natural’ monsters are so successful. Since they do a phenomenal job of representing the chaos of mother nature and how she can surprise us at any given moment in ways we never thought possible. Which is why movies like Jaws and The Birds hold up so well, because they fit that mold and are timeless, since natural disasters find us in every era. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that they are in fact, horrifying films since there really is something quite chilling about seeing the ever-cheerful bird try to rip someone’s eyeball out, and the same goes when it comes to watching a man be eaten by a big ass shark. 

If anything, this particular episode does a phenomenal job of exploring how the monster brings the primal nature of fear to the surface of our minds and our souls when we enjoy a well-done, monster themed horror flick. Since they know exactly how to rekindle our collective fear of the unknown. But what matters more, is that this particular chapter did an incredible job of analyzing movies that we quite frankly, take for granted. Because we simply come to expect the monster to terrify us when we drop by the theater to indulge in a scary story, and that’s allowed for us to forget what makes the monster so scary and hopefully this particular episode will provide everyone with a newfound appreciation for the monster flick and everything that they work to stand for. Until next time.   

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