Monsters & Villains of the Movies and Literature E-Book

Gerrie McCall

• Herausgeber: Amber Books Ltd
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Seitenzahl: 104

Beschreibung

From King Kong to Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky, from Tolkien’s Shelob spider to zombies, there are some monsters that children and adults love to be scared by. Monsters of Movies and Literature collects 40 of these characters, both from classical literature, with figures such as snake-headed Medusa from Greek mythology and the Ziz bird from the Book of Psalms, to recent fantasy literature, such as John Wyndham’s triffids and H.G. Wells’ morlocks. Examples are also drawn from right across the globe, with contributions from Norse, Malaysian and Creole mythology.

Illustrated throughout with outstanding new full-colour annotated artworks, easy-to- follow accounts of the characters’ stories and factfile boxes, this book will appeal to any child interested in tales, monsters and movies.

Leseprobe

www.amberbooks.co.uk

MONSTERS & VILLAINS

OF THE MOVIES AND LITERATURE

GERRIE MCCALL

This digital edition first published in 2012

Published byAmber Books LtdUnited HouseNorth RoadLondon N7 9DPUnited Kingdom

Website: www.amberbooks.co.ukInstagram: amberbooksltdFacebook: amberbooks Twitter: @amberbooks

Copyright © 2012 Amber Books Ltd

ISBN: 978 1 908696 86 1

PICTURE   CREDITSAll illustrations by Mike Taylor/The Art Agency© Amber Books Ltd

All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief passages for the purpose of reviewno part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from thepublisher. The information in this book is true and complete to the best of ourknowledge. All recommendations are made without any guarantee on the part of theauthor or publisher, who also disclaim any liability incurred in connection with the use ofthis data or specific details.

Contents

Introduction

6

Monsters from the Movies

Werewolf

8

The Creature from the Black Lagoon

10

Imhotep

12

Bride of Frankenstein

14

The Blob

16

Nosferatu

18

King Kong

20

Jaws

22

Flying Monkeys

24

Hannibal Lecter

26

Jason

28

Zombies

30

Terror in the Library

Frankenstein’s Monster

32

Dracula

34

The Headless Horseman

36

Triffid

38

Morlocks

40

Jabberwock

42

Mr. Hyde

44

Orc

46

Shelob

48

Lord Sauron

50

Ringwraith

52

Quasimodo

54

Phantom of the Opera

56

Moby Dick

58

Fairy Tales and Fantasy

Caliban

60

Macbeth’s Witches

62

Rumpelstiltskin

64

Witch

66

Evil Queen

68

Mordred

70

Creatures of Myth

Medusa

72

Hydra

74

Cerberus

76

Chimaera

78

Harpy

80

Siren

82

Sphinx

84

Grendel

86

Fenrir

88

Fafnir

90

Sleipnir

92

Ziz Bird

94

Index

96

6

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

T

he earliest tribes  of prehistoric humans were convinced there was something

dangerous out there in the dark, and there have always been monsters and

villains in every culture ever since. Humankind’s  natural curiosity draws us to

the unknown, and so primitive Man told  stories around the fire about

bizarre creatures and dangerous spirits. Ancient peoples, from Greece

to Norway, scared each other with sagas involving terrible monsters in

epic struggles between good and evil. Heroes did battle against

horrible creatures and, with the help of the gods, usually triumphed.

Fear is a deep and powerful emotion. Fans of horror who seek out

villains and monsters face their deepest fears, and it is true we need

to understand evil in order to know how to protect ourselves

against it. We also need reassurance that good will win out

in the end. Villains and monsters allow ordinary

people the opportunity to  rise to the occasion and

show the best in themselves by defeating those dark

forces that threaten their lives and their values.

INTRODUCTION

7

Vampires, ghosts, zombies, cannibals,  creatures risen from the grave, wild  beasts,

and strange  forces of nature all allow us  to explore the dark  side of our

imaginations and  confront our fear of  death. Every monster’s story

contains a lesson  in how to deal  with those who try  to harm us.

Whether the evil  is hiding  in the dark ready to  pounce or hunting us

down, there are methods  for conquering what  scares us.

One of the best  things about villains  and monsters is  that they

entertain us. They provide  us with the  excitement of being frightened

and they do  things that we  would never dare to do. They remind

us of the  difference between right  and wrong. But some

people worry  that they might not  recognize evil. This

book is a  guide to some  of the greatest villains and

monsters  throughout history. Inside  lurk the creatures that

people fear most.  The awful beast, the remorseless killer, the

supernatural, and  the just plain wicked  are at their  most enjoyable

when they can safely  be shut away in a book.

8

MONSTERS FROM THE MOVIES

Werewolf

EARSThe large, pointed ears hearthe faintest sounds made byprey from a great distance.

EYESKeen, merciless eyes can spotvictims even in the shadows.

MOUTHA bloodcurdling howl salutesthe moon and warns that thewerewolf’s hunt is beginning.Its fangs subdue prey andshred meat from bones easily.

BODYBuilt for endurance, the muscularbody stalks and chases as long asthe full moon is shining.

PAWSStrong hands and feet gripanything in this beast’s path.The claws tear away anyflesh not already slashed bythe fangs.

WEREWOLF

9

W

erewolves are humans with the ability to shift their shapeinto wolves. During the day, they are ordinary people, buta full moon triggers a terrible transformation. The person’s

body sprouts hair, grows fangs, and enlarges into its werewolf form.Prowling only at night, it devours cattle, kidnaps children, attacks

travelers, and destroys what it cannot eat.Once it tastes human blood, it is forevercursed. A person may not know he orshe is a werewolf. The only clue may berepeated nightmares of pursuing humansthrough the woods at night. Immune toaging and disease, the werewolf must eatthe flesh of the living for all eternity.

SIZE

ANYONE CAN BECOME A WEREWOLF by rubbing his or her body with a magic potion,drinking water from the footprint of a werewolf, eating wolf’s brains, sleeping under the

full moon on a Friday, having two werewolf parents, or being bitten by a werewolf. Unlikethe vampire, it cannot be harmed or frightened away by religious artifacts. The only way tokill a werewolf is with a silver bullet. The dead werewolf’s head must be cut off and burnedso that it does not return as a vampire three days later.

Where in the world?

Werewolves are prevalentworldwide. In any country youvisit, you may encounter awerewolf in the dark.

Did you know?

• Some believe that children born on December 24 will become werewolves.

• A poisonous herb called wolfsbane can be used to ward off a werewolf.

• Injuries suffered while in wolf form will show on the skin when the werewolf returns tohuman form.

• The mere touch of silver to a werewolf’s skin can cause burns and scarring.

• In Argentina, the belief that a seventh son would become a werewolf was so strong thatmany parents abandoned or killed their seventh sons. To stop this practice, a law was passedin 1920, which stated that the president of Argentina is the official godfather of everyseventh son born in the country. The state awards seventh sons scholarships, and theyreceive gold medals at their baptisms.

10

MONSTERS FROM THE MOVIES

The Creature from

the Black Lagoon

GILLSUsing his gills to extract oxygenfrom the water, the creatureremains submerged for longperiods of time.

BODYCovered in thick greenscales that protect his body,the gill-man weighs almost300 pounds (136 kg).

EYESAccustomed to the murkydepths of the Amazon, thecreature does not see well inbright daylight.

HANDSThe creature’s webbed handsact like fins for swimming,propelling him quicklythrough the water.

MOUTHThe creature is able to breathesurface air for a short timebefore returning to the water.

THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON

11

S

cientists visiting South America discover the skeletal hand of ahalf-man, half-fish creature with webbed fingers. Hoping to findthe rest of the fossilized skeleton, they embark on an expedition

to the Black Lagoon, a remote place from which no one has everreturned. It is home to a frightening creature more than 15 million

years old: the only survivor ofa species of gill-men. Thoughhe spends most of his timeunderwater, he is capable ofwalking upright on land. Hiswebbed hands are adapted forswimming, but they are strongenough to strangle a man.

SIZE

A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WHO IS PART OF THE SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION fascinates the

creature. When she goes swimming in the lagoon, she is unaware that he is following her.

The gill-man becomes tangled in underwater ropes attached to the boat’s dragnet as thewoman swims away. The single claw he leaves stuck in the net lets the scientists know justhow close they came to him. The crew uses a poisoned dart to temporarily paralyze the gill-man so they can capture him.

Where in the world?

With the largest drainage basin ofany river in the world, the Amazonprovides countless hiding places forthe prehistoric gill-man.

AMAZON

Did you know?

• In another failed attempt to capture the gill-man, a member of the crew wounds him witha spear gun. The angry creature takes revenge by killing one of the scientists. When they domanage to capture him, the gill-man escapes from the tank in which he has been placed.

• Furious about being held captive in a tank, the gill-man attacks his guard and would killhim if not for the woman onboard. She strikes the creature with a lantern, driving him away.

• The creature kidnaps the woman, taking her to his hidden cavern. The crew rescues her byfiring bullets into the creature and stabbing him with a knife.

• The gill-man’s normal diet is fish. He does not eat humans, but will kill them whenprovoked. He attacks when prying scientists disturb his habitat.

12

MONSTERS FROM THE MOVIES

Imhotep

BANDAGESLayers and layers of cloth stripsconceal skin that is as dryas parchment.

EYESThe mummy’s piercing glareis hypnotic and can turnanyone into his slave.

LEGSWhether he is wrapped inbandages or dressed as amodern-day Egyptian, Imhotepdisplays the stiff walk ofthe undead.

BODYOnce freed from the eternal prisonof the grave, the mummy possessessupernatural strength. Like manyof the walking dead, Imhotepdislikes being touched.

IMHOTEP

13

I

mhotep is a priest in ancient Egypt. As punishment for trying tobring his dead princess back to life, he is bandaged like a mummyand buried alive. All sacred symbols and hieroglyphics are removed

from his tomb so that his soul will not make the journey to theafterlife. A curse promising insanity and death to anyone who disturbsthe mummy is carved in his tomb. More than 3,000 years later, anexpedition from the British Museum discovers Imhotep’s tomb. The

Scroll of Thoth, which contains aspell that can revive the dead, isfound in the tomb with themummy. When the scroll is readaloud, Imhotep comes alive,seizes the scroll, and disappears.

SIZE

IMHOTEP DISGUISES HIMSELF AS A MODERN-DAY EGYPTIAN and approaches archeologists

with the location of the princess’ tomb. Her tomb is filled with unbelievable riches that

are displayed in the Cairo Museum. Imhotep plans to resurrect his princess using the scroll,but a museum security guard interrupts him. The few words he manages to read from theScroll of Thoth awaken strange feelings in a local woman named Helen. Imhotep begins topursue Helen, believing she is the reincarnation of his lost love.

Where in the world?

Imhotep lay buried in Egypt for3,700 years before the Scroll ofThoth brought him back to life.

EGYPT

Did you know?

• Imhotep wishes to use the Scroll of Thoth to transform Helen into his dead princessand make her immortal. When the scroll is burned, Imhotep disintegrates into acrumbled skeleton.

• Because a corpse’s eyes and tongue are removed for mummification, a resurrectedmummy’s first order of business is to snatch eyes and a tongue from a living victim.

• Vladimir Lenin, the Russian revolutionary, is a modern example of a person whose bodywas preserved by mummification. Lenin’s body has been on display in the Lenin Mausoleumin Moscow’s Red Square since his death in 1924.

• A mummy was being transported on the RMS Titanic when the ship struck an icebergand sank. Some believe that the mummy’s curse caused the disaster at sea.

14

MONSTERS FROM THE MOVIES

Bride of Frankenstein

HAIRThe jolt of electricity thatbrings her to life causes herhair to stand on end andstreaks it white.

FACEThe dull, black eyes are blankand staring. They dart back andforth in a nervous, birdlikemanner. Stitches underneathher chin betray the fact she isthe creation of a surgeon.

HEARTHer young, fresh heart recentlybeat in the chest of a peasantgirl who was murdered byFrankenstein’s assistant.

BODY