Horror/creature features where the monster's form changes?
May 24, 2024 7:52 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for examples of horror films where there is a single monster/demon/alien (the less humanoid-looking the better) who drastically changes its physical form based on whom it is attacking or the circumstances under which the attack occurs.
For example: Freddie Krueger's shape-shifting based on the individual victim's nightmares -- but I'm hoping for something less human-based.
Similarly, less interested in creatures who mimic their human victim by taking on their appearance, or in monsters who just get bigger/grosser the more people they eat.
Thanks!
For example: Freddie Krueger's shape-shifting based on the individual victim's nightmares -- but I'm hoping for something less human-based.
Similarly, less interested in creatures who mimic their human victim by taking on their appearance, or in monsters who just get bigger/grosser the more people they eat.
Thanks!
The Blob, particularly in the 1988 version which has imaginative and disustingly awesome practical FX supervised by a then 22 year-old Tony Gardner.
That movie was written by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption) and directed by Chuck Russell (Nightmare on Elm Street 3, The Mask) and is sorely underrated.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:13 AM on May 24, 2024 [2 favorites]
That movie was written by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption) and directed by Chuck Russell (Nightmare on Elm Street 3, The Mask) and is sorely underrated.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:13 AM on May 24, 2024 [2 favorites]
There's also the uneven but fascinating and occasionally brilliant 1989 film Society (SPOILERS INBOUND), in which rich people turn out to be literally a different species, who have a ceremony/process called "The Shunting" by which they all become one writhing, pulsating heap that eats/absorbs poor people.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:16 AM on May 24, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:16 AM on May 24, 2024 [2 favorites]
Does the Alien facehugger vs chestburster vs adult form fit what you're after? I guess those are like stages of its lifecycle.
posted by sigmagalator at 8:18 AM on May 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by sigmagalator at 8:18 AM on May 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
(I see now that I missed the word "less" when discussing big gross things that change as they eat people, so those are imperfect recs. I will say that the 1988 The Blob has more permutations of how a blob can eat people that any reasonable person would exepct. And The Shunting in Society is bonkers, and the rich species has multiple forms.)
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:22 AM on May 24, 2024
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:22 AM on May 24, 2024
Best answer: Spoiler alerts obviously…
In The Thing, the monster takes on a distorted form of what/whoever it has last infected.
In Nope, the monster has a transformation into an impressive “final form” at the end of the movie.
In It, the titular monster takes on the form of whatever It’s victim fears the most (this is often the clown Pennywise, but It can be other people, animals, inanimate objects, severed heads, classic movie monsters, or the moon).
posted by mr_roboto at 8:36 AM on May 24, 2024 [4 favorites]
In The Thing, the monster takes on a distorted form of what/whoever it has last infected.
In Nope, the monster has a transformation into an impressive “final form” at the end of the movie.
In It, the titular monster takes on the form of whatever It’s victim fears the most (this is often the clown Pennywise, but It can be other people, animals, inanimate objects, severed heads, classic movie monsters, or the moon).
posted by mr_roboto at 8:36 AM on May 24, 2024 [4 favorites]
There doesn't seem to be a specific TV Tropes for this, but q.v.:
posted by zamboni at 8:36 AM on May 24, 2024
- I Know What You Fear
- "What Do They Fear?" Episode
- Shapeshifter Guilt Trip
- and the Shapeshifting category in general.
posted by zamboni at 8:36 AM on May 24, 2024
In It Follows, the monster (the "follower"?) generally chooses a form that will register as innocuous to the target, though it is imperfect at this and you can generally register it is "off." In a few cases, it chooses an intimidating form to exacerbate the character's isolation/terror as the only one that can see it.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:39 AM on May 24, 2024
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:39 AM on May 24, 2024
The very first 'Star Trek' broadcast: The Man Trap aka the Salt Creature of TOS.
posted by Rash at 8:48 AM on May 24, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by Rash at 8:48 AM on May 24, 2024 [2 favorites]
Demon Seed: Proteus is an AI that "wants out of the box." It builds a solution. As the name Proteus implies, changing its form is what it's all about.
posted by SPrintF at 10:55 AM on May 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by SPrintF at 10:55 AM on May 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
How about the terminator robot that's made of that liquid metal in the, what, third Terminator movie? It isn't human, and it can change itself to become a hook, resemble a wall, etc., not just a different-looking human. I suppose it's not exactly a horror film either, but I would not want to run into that thing in any kind of street or alley at any time of day.
posted by bluedaisy at 11:02 AM on May 24, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by bluedaisy at 11:02 AM on May 24, 2024 [2 favorites]
Not horror, but the NES game "A Boy And His Blob" and the later remake feature this as a core game mechanic. Blob turns into whatever is needed to solve the current puzzle (a cartoonish hole, a ladder, etc.) by feeding it the appropriate jelly bean.
posted by xedrik at 11:14 AM on May 24, 2024
posted by xedrik at 11:14 AM on May 24, 2024
Best answer: Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice
posted by chrisulonic at 11:21 AM on May 24, 2024 [2 favorites]
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice
posted by chrisulonic at 11:21 AM on May 24, 2024 [2 favorites]
Also not horror, but the Boggart in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban fits the bill.
posted by Don_K at 12:49 PM on May 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by Don_K at 12:49 PM on May 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
shin godzilla (2016) fits your post title to a T
posted by a flock of goslings at 1:25 PM on May 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by a flock of goslings at 1:25 PM on May 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
zamboni: "There doesn't seem to be a specific TV Tropes for this"
One candidate: One-Winged Angel
One candidate: One-Winged Angel
Classic Big Bads have the tendency, when push comes to shove, to turn into big honking monsters. A Mad Scientist, in a fit of urgency, might down his own Psycho Serum, or a practitioner of Black Magic might mutate himself into an Eldritch Abomination, and so on. Bets are good they'll become way more bloated, ugly, or plain disfigured. And with this new form, their power grows immensely.posted by Rhaomi at 1:57 PM on May 24, 2024
This indicates that the villain means business and it's time for the heroes to get cracking.
Best answer: Life. A tiny blob is recovered from a Mars mission. The blob has a ferocious directive to adapt and survive.
posted by SPrintF at 2:27 PM on May 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by SPrintF at 2:27 PM on May 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
Mimic ?
Predator? Maybe that's more camo than shapeshifting...
Species?
posted by adekllny at 6:30 PM on May 27, 2024
Predator? Maybe that's more camo than shapeshifting...
Species?
posted by adekllny at 6:30 PM on May 27, 2024
Alien was mentioned once, but only in the context of the xenomorph having various lifecycle stages... I think it might be more relevant to your needs to point out that the alien takes after whatever host the facehugger infects? Specifically, in 3, the xenomorph hatches from a dog and is quadripedal. I believe there's some other, spoiler-y-er work along those lines in other films in the franchise.
If you are looking for different phases of the same creature's life cycle, I don't think anyone mentioned Tremors, which basically adds a phase per movie as a way of getting more monster types out of one species.
posted by dick dale the vampire at 4:52 PM on May 29, 2024
If you are looking for different phases of the same creature's life cycle, I don't think anyone mentioned Tremors, which basically adds a phase per movie as a way of getting more monster types out of one species.
posted by dick dale the vampire at 4:52 PM on May 29, 2024
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posted by damsel with a dulcimer at 8:06 AM on May 24, 2024 [2 favorites]