‘Eli Roth’s History of Horror’ Recap: ‘Monsters’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 202 of ‘Eli Roth’s History of Horror’.

​Over the course of the past two seasons, Eli Roth’s History of Horror has done a phenomenal job of spotlighting and examining the various monsters that populate the horror genre. To the point where we are now supremely educated on the history of the zombie and the vampire and even the ghost for that matter as well. But while it is wonderful to have a better understanding of the creatures that go bump in the night in this genre, the only element this series hasn’t covered when it comes to them… is why these creatures are so supremely popular with audiences. Because these abominations shouldn’t be something we crave, but we do and thankfully, the next episode in this phenomenal series took the time to examine why ‘Monsters’ are so popular with the masses. 

If anything, the quick and easy answer, is that these beings outright offer us a form of catharsis. After all, they are the personification of our worst fears, since they come from the deepest recesses of our imaginations. So, seeing them on the silver or small screen, offers us a chance to face them and overcome them in a safe and comfortable environment. Which may sound silly since, ‘it is only a movie’, but think about it for a moment. Because we tend to gravitate to the scary stories that strike a chord within our souls because we are in fact, afraid of whatever monster is going up on the silver screen. So, to see it in person and to see everyday folks like us figure out the weakness of our fears and use said weakness to defeat it, really is a cathartic and healthy way to overcome it in our minds and the wonder of the monster doesn’t end there.

Because in addition to a personal sense of healing, these creatures can help us to understand and cope with broader nightmares, the kind that impact society as a whole. Which is why King Kong continues to endure after all these years, simply because that monster represents race relations in America and the subtle manner in which it portrays that really does help an audience to understand the importance of equal rights for all. Or for that matter, this is why Godzilla has withstood the test of time. For that monster represents our fractured relationship with science and as time marches on, newer monsters appear to help us cope with new disasters. Which is why Cloverfield is such a poignant and powerful film, since its monster represents the sheer horror that America went through on 9/11, and its bleak ending serves to remind us that sometimes evil is a force of nature that we seemingly cannot defeat in that moment. 

But while it is wonderful to know that the monster can offer so much storytelling wise, we would be remiss to not point out that one big reason that we love them so; is because they are just a wonder to watch on screen. Because some incredible work goes into bringing these creatures to life, and the special effects wizards that make that happen, really do go the extra mile for certain. Which has led to some horrifying and captivating creations over the years. Because the xenomorph from Alien, truly looks like something out of this world, and the same goes for everything that Rob Bottin whipped up for John Carpenter’s The Thing, since his creations felt akin to a creature that didn’t understand the structural rules of our bodies and our world and really, these effects simply speak to the fact that monster movie will likely never die. Because these creations just keep getting better as the years roll along, and we are simply compelled to experience their wonder and the games they play with our brains.

In the end however, this really was a wonderful examination of the majesty of the monster. One that truly helped us to understand their collective staying power, and how some of the true titans of this sub-genre have not evolved throughout the years, and that’s not a bad thing in the slightest. Because it just means that the monster in question has achieved its own form of perfection and knows exactly what fears to tug upon in our souls, and now that this wonderful overview of the monster has come to a close, it should be interesting to see what aspect of horror this series is going to tackle next. Because History of Horror really is opening our eyes to segments of the genre we’ve never thought about before and that definitely leaves one eager to continue the journey, so our minds can be filled with new knowledge and a new perspective of a world of storytelling that offers us, so much. Until next time.    

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