Great Miniature Movie Monsters

By RodneyHatfieldJr for Movies

News dropped that my (and hopefully your) favorite little fuzzy balls, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai will also be airing on the Cartoon Network as part of the network’s new “ACME Night,” a Sunday night block of family-friendly films and shows that will debut on September 19th. However, we don’t know when it will begin to air the 10-episode animated series. Naturally, I am a happy camper, since I have been wanting new Gremlin stories since Pt.2. You can say I have always been a fan of the little monsters.

And that is what we are going to be discussing today. Let's list some of the greatest little monsters in movies. Naturally, this list will not be in any order. So no favoritism.


Gremlins 1&2 1982


Cute funny fuzzballs until you feed them. Add water to create a batch. 

Mogwai is so iconic, everyone and their granny knows who they are. It is a classic Christmas movie, especially during the Christmas speech by Kate(Phoebe Cates). Plus Barney the dog doesn’t die. It’s a win-win.


Munchies 1987


Have you ever wondered how the king of B-Movies Roger Corman would have done Gremlins? This is it. Corman is great at doing weird, psychedelic B-movies with classic horror, and this is full of cheese. Think of Munchies as punked-out gremlins with a bad attitude, pink mohawks, and an appetite for junk food. Yes, they're cute and cuddly at first, but mess with them and they will do a 180.


Critters 1-5


Critters is a movie about a race of small, furry, monsters with big teeth and a bigger appetite. The Critters come from an asteroid that crashlands on earth while being pursued by a pair of alien shapechanging bounty hunters. 


Ghoulies 1-4


The Ghoulies, a trio of ugly little demons summoned during a seance. Yes, they are a cheap puppet effect that completely dates the film, but it’s classic 80‘s schlock and it’s fun.


Troll 1986


Troll is a pint-sized monster with a magic ring who seeks to wreak havoc in an apartment complex. This troll uses his magic to transform apartment tenants into fairytale creatures. He's short, grotesque, hairy, and more comical than most of his type. Watch for the troll, monster, and mushroom song. One of those song that get stuck in your head. 

I could have put in Troll 2!!


Puppet Master 1-14


Jester, Blade, Pinhead, Leech-Woman, and all the rest of Andre Toulon's miniature minions are normally only as evil as the one who brings them to life. These guys might be little, but they'll rip you to shreds. They've gone up against psychics, an army of demonic toys, and even the Third Reich, never being picky about who they terrorize.


Dolls 1987


A group of travelers in the English countryside, an overly curious little girl, a pair of eccentric elderly toymakers, and a mansion with a gigantic doll collection, what could possibly go wrong? Dolls is one of those movies that go above and beyond to creep the audience out. Before Chucky we had Dolls.

Cannibal china dolls, toy soldiers with live ammunition, and possessed puppets cut from their strings. All are equally disturbing, and surprisingly not played for laughs.


Leprechaun 1-8


If you like limerick-spewing, gold-obsessed antagonists that just won't die, this is your guy.

The rules of the game are simple. Touch his pot of gold, get wrecked by the Leprechaun. 


Chucky 1-9


Evil cabbage patch doll possessed by a serial killer. The stories are not the best, but the action is. Just a fun murder doll. 


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