When it comes to the horror genre, many of its best monsters, men, and other maniacal threats fit the same sort of mold. A lumbering monster, a vengeful spirit or demon, or a deranged maniac in a scary mask wielding a bladed weapon will never go out of style, but what about those creature features that offer something a little unorthodox.
Typical slashers, demons, and the like are all a dime a dozen nowadays. However, there are still those mad geniuses who want to push the boundaries of what can be scary. It just takes a little more imagination.
Dr. Frank-N-Furter (The Rocky Horror Picture Show)
Consider it an honorable mention, but the incomparable Tim Curry is definitely a familiar face in the horror community. An outlandish and over-the-top incarnation of the mad scientist archetype who knows how to deliver a showstopping number in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Frank might not be the average weirdo in a lab coat, but he's one of the most unforgettable characters on the list.
The Outcasts (The Final)
Nerds usually die early in slasher movies, but not this time. The Final is one of the most underrated and unconventional horror movies out there, simply due to the fact that its masked maniacs are a group of bullied teens who have simply had enough.
Though there's very little in ways of death and bloodshed, the Outcasts torture and mutilate their popular-kid tormentors in their own brand of karmic justice. It's one of those films that's both difficult and satisfying to watch.
Lucas Ward (Dismissed)
Reeling it in to a more realistic angle, Dismissed not only makes the nerdy/preppy kid archetype the villain but surprisingly intimidating as well. Thanks to a very impressive performance by Dylan Sprouse, Lucas goes from the likable overachiever to a fierce predator sooner than the viewer expects. When a high school English teacher undermines his star pupil's work, he learns just how far someone will go to achieve perfection, especially when they have everything to gain.
Spiders (Arachnophobia)
Arachnophobia affects over 3.5 billion people across the world so it's unsurprising Hollywood would make a horror film that exploits it. As unrealistic as its main antagonists might be, the mutated spiders in Arachnaphobia are certainly deadlier than the typical neighborhood wall-crawler.
A beastly hybrid of brown recluse and a new South American species, it's going to take more than John Goodman with a flamethrower to take these guys down.
Killer Klowns (Killer Clowns From Outer Space)
Clowns are creepy even in the mildest settings, but when fused with B-Movie space aliens, they get a whole lot more deranged. Killer Klowns From Outer Space is not meant to be taken seriously by any strict definition, but these guys are more than a little unsettling. For a race of aliens who use popcorn, cotton candy, and balloon animals as weapons, they can be downright nightmare-inducing at times, especially with those freaky laughs.
The Cloyne (Clown)
Where the last entry was as silly as it was scary, Eli Roth's The Clown has a ludicrous premise, but no shortage of painted terror. The aforesaid Klowns might have been kooky space aliens with appetites for humans, but the Cloyne is an Icelandic, child-eating demon who became humanity's basis for the clown.
Watching the film's protagonist slowly transform into a horrific monster after donning a cursed clown suit is enough to give anyone coulrophobia.
Gremlins (Gremlins)
Although Stripe and his gang of green goons in Gremlins have been imitated relentlessly by the likes of Ghoulies, Munchies, and Critters, there's only one unrivaled race of miniature monster. At the time, tiny terrors were a new phenomenon to the genre, and these guys held more than just the crown. Come for Gizmo, but stay for the massive amount of monster mayhem.
The Babadook (The Babadook)
If Dr. Seuss ever wrote a horror novel, it would be The Babadook. The titular creature earns a spot here for two reasons. One, a malicious, supernatural children's book character is the very definition of an unconventional horror character.
Two, the being is essentially a living personification of grief, giving an otherwise standard shadowy figure more substance than most of his breed. The film certainly earns more than a little credit for originality.
The Stuff (The Stuff)
Imagine if The Blob was edible and addictive and the result would essentially be The Stuff. Though it might look like marshmallow ice cream, the sinister snack is actually a living parasite that turns its hosts into mutated zombies in this '80s B-movie. Though it might fall along the same vein as Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Gremlins, and other kitschy films, killer junk food is not something most horror films feature.
The Game/The Countess (Stay Alive)
It's been said video games are rotting brains and corrupting the collective youth of the world, but what if a game did more than just mess with their minds. What if it cost them their life? Taking a page from A Nightmare on Elm Street, if a player dies in the game, they die for real in this flick. Inspired by games like Resident Evil and the real Elizabeth Bathory, this is one spooky flick no hardcore gamer should miss.
