The history of the "Big 5" American monsters

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J.J. McCullough

J.J. McCullough

Күн бұрын

At Halloween, there are three goblins everyone in America thinks of when they think of "monsters: vampires, mummies and Frankenstein. But why these three creatures, specifically?
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Пікірлер: 1 500
@tparkt_art
@tparkt_art 2 жыл бұрын
The imagery of the 'grey' alien with a big head and black eyes has also made a similar transition into folk culture, although this is slightly different as people claim they are real, unlike Dracula
@LucasBenderChannel
@LucasBenderChannel 2 жыл бұрын
Oh, believe me: The are DEFINETLY people, who claim that Vampires are real 😅😬
@hes_alive
@hes_alive 2 жыл бұрын
@@LucasBenderChannel some people, I’m willing to bet even believe Dracula himself is real.
@swampdonkey1567
@swampdonkey1567 2 жыл бұрын
@@hes_alive I mean vlad the impailers last name is Teppes and Dracula so uh......
@JJMcCullough
@JJMcCullough 2 жыл бұрын
I wonder what the origin of that stock character is
@naomiwallace3658
@naomiwallace3658 2 жыл бұрын
@@JJMcCullough Do different cultures have different space alien tropes? That would be fun to learn about.
@ajzeg01
@ajzeg01 2 жыл бұрын
The ghost mask from Scream, which actually existed before the movie but was popularized by the film, is now an American folk monster.
@TelephoneChanX
@TelephoneChanX 2 жыл бұрын
I was gonna say this! me and my siblings had never seen the movies, but we recognized him as a well-known spooky character as a kid, and my little brother (as well as countless other oblivious elementary-schoolers) dressed up as him. that face is included in lists of design ideas for sweets and crafts, with no official recognition of the franchise it represents. its quickly become an icon of Halloween in the U.S., and personally, I’m quite fond of it still too much of a scaredy-cat to watch the movies though 😅
@tomrogue13
@tomrogue13 2 жыл бұрын
I was going to say this too
@CellVoid
@CellVoid 2 жыл бұрын
I mean Ghostface Killa is a real person. Honestly the Scream mask's popularity and subsequent adoption was REMARKABLY rapid. It's kind of worth a look on its own.
@BackcountryForward
@BackcountryForward 2 жыл бұрын
What's even more crazy about this character is that it was inspired by the painting "the scream" lol
@ajzeg01
@ajzeg01 2 жыл бұрын
@@BackcountryForward Classic source material, just like Dracula, Frankenstein, and the mummy!
@twilliams2558
@twilliams2558 2 жыл бұрын
I think skeletons got shortchanged in that list, they’re not as easy to stylise in a way that makes them identifiable as a particular character, but they are nonetheless always present with the Halloween cast
@genzigzag
@genzigzag 2 жыл бұрын
They are generally overlooked as they are hiding in the closet 💀
@edgarallandope
@edgarallandope 2 жыл бұрын
i believe they were on the piechart in the 7th spot.
@emilynelson5985
@emilynelson5985 2 жыл бұрын
spooky scary skeletons
@beautyindarkness8146
@beautyindarkness8146 2 жыл бұрын
Spooky scary skeletons
@tomfrazier1103
@tomfrazier1103 2 жыл бұрын
I have seen skeletons as mass protagonists in Jason and the Argonauts, and other sword & sandal flics.
@insertnamehere3106
@insertnamehere3106 2 жыл бұрын
I wonder if "The Killer Clown" is a good example. Joker, Pennywise, and the like have certainty merged over the years into a singular, scary as hell character
@LucasBenderChannel
@LucasBenderChannel 2 жыл бұрын
Oh yes! Good one.
@DeviantEdspear
@DeviantEdspear 2 жыл бұрын
Oh definitely. I am curious as to where murder clown got its start. Is it strictly due to famed clown murderer John Wayne Gacey? Because the Joker I'm pretty sure precedes that. Or is it more uncanny valley stuff or generational detachment? Like some grandma in 80s with fond memories of clowns in the 30s showing them off to her grandkids and said grandkids not really having ever seen this thing before and not really getting it just not liking it. Same could be for creepy porcelain dolls. Bet they weren't always considered creepy. But they've gotten there with age and unfamiliarity.
@SwaggestNico
@SwaggestNico 2 жыл бұрын
Killer klownz from outer space is a good example
@johnmcdonald4881
@johnmcdonald4881 2 жыл бұрын
Especially because actual clowns are not exactly relevant anymore with circuses being increasingly less popular. So that the only exposure to clowns most people have are from the the monster clown
@larey9484
@larey9484 2 жыл бұрын
You're so right! That weird "killer clown" spree in 2016 definitely contributed to it. Clown costumes were even taken off the shelves for a while at its height lol
@tunnelsnakesrule7541
@tunnelsnakesrule7541 2 жыл бұрын
Zombies kind of feel like they fit in that category, now yeah they’re not copyrightable because they’re from Caribbean mythology and the modern zombie (as in a slow moving flesh eating monster) is also not subject to copyright because the rights issue with night of the living dead lead to the zombies being public domain (even if non Romero made zombie movies didn’t use them until the early to mid 80s)
@insertnamehere3106
@insertnamehere3106 2 жыл бұрын
Caribbean mythology?! This is new to me, I thought it was just another superstition from medieval Europe. Tell me more...😀
@Liletter
@Liletter 2 жыл бұрын
@@insertnamehere3106 The PBS KZfaq show Monstrum did a pretty cool video on it, here kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ga93oNapp7PSmnU.html
@bcubed72
@bcubed72 2 жыл бұрын
From Voodoo. Which is a mix of various African faiths in a Catholic framework.
@TheRealSkreegle
@TheRealSkreegle 2 жыл бұрын
Marvel comics had a copyright to the title of zombies back in the 70s
@TKinfinity01
@TKinfinity01 2 жыл бұрын
Mummies are basically Egyptian Zombies
@mikenike4266
@mikenike4266 2 жыл бұрын
Jason's Hockey Mask is 100% more associated with him than Hockey
@jacobjones4766
@jacobjones4766 2 жыл бұрын
Probably because that style mask hasn't been used since the 80s in the sport
@ALuimes
@ALuimes 2 жыл бұрын
@@jacobjones4766 70's actually
@jacobjones4766
@jacobjones4766 2 жыл бұрын
@@ALuimes lmao there's always one "actually" guy stfu. I know what im talking about. There were still about 15 guys wearing them in the 80s with the last one sam st Laurent in the 89/90 Redwing season. Yes the helmet cage combo was popularized in the mid 70s but the Jacques plante style mask was still worn and seen as a legitimate option up until the mid 1980s
@ALuimes
@ALuimes 2 жыл бұрын
@@jacobjones4766 Sorrrrry for making you mad
@MB-st7be
@MB-st7be 2 жыл бұрын
@@jacobjones4766 guys, guys, can't you see this hockey mask is tearing us apart
@hatandbeardmedia5925
@hatandbeardmedia5925 2 жыл бұрын
Jason Voorhees, for sure, is becoming the generic slasher monster, with Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger following suit. We're also seeing clowns (like Pennywise), skeletons (including the Grim Reaper) and some kind of pumpkin-headed character gaining popularity in Halloween related decorations and costumes. I'm pretty sure the pumpkin head thing stems from the headless horseman from Sleepy Hollow, particularly as he was portrayed by Disney. It seems to have inspired the Samhain ghost from The Real Ghostbusters in the 80s, and there have been countless variations on the idea. I suppose it's because it takes the Jack-o'-lantern from being a decoration to having an actual character in itself.
@Anonymous-376
@Anonymous-376 2 жыл бұрын
M8 skeletons have been in the norm for a while now. Cant say for how long but I don't remember a time after the 2000's where skeletons weren't considered classic Halloween characters
@WilliamTheMuddy
@WilliamTheMuddy 2 жыл бұрын
Fun fact, there actually IS a character called "Jack O' The Lantern" from an old spooky Irish folk tale, and he was _kind of_ the OG Halloween mascot, and I personally find it a shame that he never made his way over to American public consciousness. Check out this vid telling Jack's story. It's actually really neat: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/aNl_eLV2vZ-wlKs.html
@sp1tf1re9
@sp1tf1re9 2 жыл бұрын
@@WilliamTheMuddy I thought the the pumpkin was supposed to mean the headless horseman
@WilliamTheMuddy
@WilliamTheMuddy 2 жыл бұрын
@@sp1tf1re9 Nope! Jack-O-Lanterns were originally from Ireland, though rather than pumpkins, they carved faces into turnips. When the tradition was brought to America they used pumpkins instead because they were more abundant and held their shape better and were easier to carve. But the name "Jack-O-Lantern" comes from the tale of "Stingy Jack," who - to make a long story _very_ short - was transformed by the Devil into a fearsome looking creature with red skin and glowing yellow eyes after being denied entry to both heaven and hell. "Stingy Jack," now known as "Jack O' The Lantern" spends his days guiding lost spirits to where they're meant to be.
@in4mal_baker270
@in4mal_baker270 2 жыл бұрын
@@WilliamTheMuddy I thought the headless horseman was "Jack-O-Lantern" or "Headless Jack"
@Lanthanideification
@Lanthanideification 2 жыл бұрын
The scream mask is also moving into generic halloween / monster signaling.
@Aciel-
@Aciel- 2 жыл бұрын
A lot of the slasher characters from that era are headed in that direction. Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and Leatherface are other examples of that.
@Lanthanideification
@Lanthanideification 2 жыл бұрын
@@Aciel- Yeah, Freddy moved into the zeitgeist relatively quickly, although feel like he's fading out now as being a bit too campy and 80's cliche. Also to offer another thought: as a New Zealander, I always found the inclusion of the 'mummy' amongst the generic monsters to be really strange. Witches, ghosts, Frankenstein's monster and vampires make more sense as to why you should be scared of them, since they're all a-human and supernatural.
@compactedorb3135
@compactedorb3135 2 жыл бұрын
This mask was a generic mask before the movie was even written.
@ArnLPs
@ArnLPs 2 жыл бұрын
@@compactedorb3135 The rights for the Ghostface Mask are actually seperate from the movie rights, which is why they could add Ghostface to Dead by Daylight, but not make him an actual killer from any of the movies.
@jakubpociecha8819
@jakubpociecha8819 2 жыл бұрын
@@Lanthanideification I suppose it's not the mummy itself that's supposed to be scary, but the fact that it's alive (much like a zombie)
@sadskeleton309
@sadskeleton309 2 жыл бұрын
I think the best example of the American monster would be the headless horseman. The legend of Sleeping Hollow is one of the oldest pieces of American folklore and has become synonymous with Halloween in America.
@strandedmind9540
@strandedmind9540 2 жыл бұрын
It's not really folklore. It's a short story from 1820 written by Washington Irviving, and headless horseman myths are European in origin so its not really American Folklore so much as it is a good story that people only know for the antagonist.
@jacobjones4766
@jacobjones4766 2 жыл бұрын
Im american and yes the legend of sleepy hollow is an awesome tale. Amd it did have a big impact on American culture. But I wouldn't consider it american folk lore. Maybe the headless horseman specifically yes because he is suppose to be a hessian soldier killed during the american revolution, but there are creature with very similar stories amd appearances in Irish mythology and folklore. That being said I would love jj to do a video on actual american folkore
@mahatmarandy5977
@mahatmarandy5977 2 жыл бұрын
I don't thnk i've ever seen a headless horseman costume. It'd be cool, mind you, but i've never seen one
@lilylopnco
@lilylopnco 2 жыл бұрын
Aren't dullahans Irish tho
@Sonof_DRN2004
@Sonof_DRN2004 2 жыл бұрын
The headless horseman isn’t Americans, it’s from the Middle Ages and I like to think as uniquely British, well the version that carries his head below its arm. It fits that style of a creepy shadow lurking in the dark, dingy, foggy alleys, meadows etc. Like jack the ripper and the highway men. Besides we have a tonnes of history with beheadings. Perhaps the frogs beat us once they invented that damned guillotine, not even we wanted to be that efficient at it lol.
@9erik1
@9erik1 2 жыл бұрын
Some relevant Frankenstein history for you: Mary Shelley's time was the enlightenment, particularly when electricity was becoming more and more well-understood. The big debate that had been just settled concerned the church, whereby Christian scientists (namely Luigi Galvani) believed that there were two kinds of electricity - the regular kind, and "animal electricity", which was supposed to be God's energy (or something like that), explaining electricity in animals like eel and such. Alessandro Volta proved the church wrong by demonstrating that he could animate the limbs of dead frogs with current from a battery. After that was said and done, they took Volta's demonstration to the next level at the Royal Instutition in England, where the corpse of a decapitated criminal was laid out on the table. They electrocuted the body and the body sat up, shocking the hell out of everyone in the audience, including Mary Shelley. This was apparently the original inspiration
@gohanssj48
@gohanssj48 2 жыл бұрын
The most interesting thing about Frankenstein is How It turned from a futuristic horror genre to a some sort of cyberpunk, as nobody try to updated him.
@LuckyHicks2
@LuckyHicks2 2 жыл бұрын
That's really cool, and it does make sense...but I don't think it's entirely accurate. I don't think you're wrong about this experiments, but I don't know how much influence they had on Shelley's original work, because the original monster(or "Creature," as it was typically known as) was actually brought to life not by electricity or machinery, but rather chemistry. Most of the electric association came from the movie, I assume. At least, that's what I got from Wikipedia. And, for the record, I'm not trying to say "Uh, ACTCKHULAY, she was inspired by Konrad Dippel's experiments on life-extension," or something, because(again, according to Wikipedia, so grain of salt), it's unclear in general what the "primary" inspiration for the whole story was. Honestly, from what I can tell, it seemed to be a whole combination of things. I know this is a kind of weird area to take a stand on, but I guess I just wanted to... ...well, I'm actually unsure what I'm trying to do here, other than maybe inspire folks to research about her authorial process more, but more likely just to satisfy the dumb lizard part of my subconscious.
@9erik1
@9erik1 2 жыл бұрын
@@LuckyHicks2 Yeah the electrical experiment with the corpse I imagine is only part of the picture; reading a bit further I see that she seems to have taken a lot of inspiration from science at the time in general, including Humphry Davy (a famous chemist at the time)
@LuckyHicks2
@LuckyHicks2 2 жыл бұрын
@Da Cashman That makes sense. The specifics of which method she actually saw was likely less important than the general advancement of the time, as well as her own life. Where did you hear about this, though? I'm not assuming you're lying or anything. It's just that mostt of my in-depth knowledge of the OG story(and by extension Shelley herself) comes from either wikipedia or the Overly Sarcastic Productions video on it.
@seneca983
@seneca983 2 жыл бұрын
@@9erik1 "After that was said and done, they took Volta's demonstration to the next level at the Royal Instutition in England, where the corpse of a decapitated criminal was laid out on the table. They electrocuted the body and the body sat up, shocking the hell out of everyone in the audience, including Mary Shelley. This was apparently the original inspiration" I tried to check this but it seems it can't be quite true. I found a mention of a chemist named Andrew Ure performing this kind of experiment/demonstration. However, a) the experiment was done in Glasgow which is in Scotland, not England, b) the criminal was hanged, not decapitated, and c) it was done in 1818, two years after Shelley had come up with the story (though the same year it was published). It's not impossible that a similar experiment was performed at another time but this was the only one I was able to find.
@alansaxena7934
@alansaxena7934 2 жыл бұрын
The modern day zombie is an American creation as well based of George Romero's creation
@PakBallandSami
@PakBallandSami 2 жыл бұрын
agree
@Nikku4211
@Nikku4211 2 жыл бұрын
Wait, really? Then why are they in Minecraft, a Swedish game?
@nathanlevesque7812
@nathanlevesque7812 2 жыл бұрын
They were the creation of Richard Matheson in 'I am Legend', which Romero himself stated he ripped off.
@susballmapping9521
@susballmapping9521 2 жыл бұрын
@@Nikku4211 Minecraft arguably only made zombies more popular but they weren’t created bye Minecraft
@TheClintonio
@TheClintonio 2 жыл бұрын
@@Nikku4211 Zombies pre-date Minecraft by decades.
@burnin8orable
@burnin8orable 2 жыл бұрын
Characters like the Joker from DC comics and Pennywise from Sephen King's IT have really made the "Killer Clown" motif ubiquitous, although that is more of a type of monster then a specific individual monster like Dracula or Jason Vorhees.
@burnin8orable
@burnin8orable 2 жыл бұрын
@Thyme and Oregano very true
@honeydewgurlfriend
@honeydewgurlfriend 2 жыл бұрын
Idk about the joker especially since the joker is associated with a lot of memes that are just kind of associating the joker with cringe?? Idk. But I agree with the killer clown motif for sure
@joshualuigi220
@joshualuigi220 2 жыл бұрын
To add to this, Annabelle and Chuckie have made "possessed doll" a horror trope. I sometimes see people with "doll" costumes in Halloween themed attractions like haunted mazes.
@mysterygutardog101
@mysterygutardog101 2 жыл бұрын
I honestly don't even view the Joker as a clown in general, except for the Joaquín Phoenix version he does a lot more, but I always remember him as more of a mobster/ crime boss with a unique flare for his gang. Since every other Batman villain has a similar and unique look as well. To add to the list and go along with Batman, Scarecrows are also weirdly a Halloween staple, but its more commonly decoration than costume most of the time.
@ATClouse
@ATClouse 2 жыл бұрын
It feels like clowns are a common target of horror movies, usually depicting a broken man or one on the verge psychosis
@SmegEdmoOn
@SmegEdmoOn 2 жыл бұрын
The clown 'sightings' of the 2010s show that the spooky clown trope is leaking into popular culture! Both versions of Stephen King's IT and the Killer Klowns from Outer Space did a lot to help
@marcello7781
@marcello7781 2 жыл бұрын
Nostalgic people: Modern Hollywood can only make sequels and remakes. Old Hollywood used to be more original. Old Hollywood: 9:50
@MarcusTheDorkus
@MarcusTheDorkus 2 жыл бұрын
That's nostalgia for you. A feeling that makes people annoy the crap out of everyone by recounting a past that never existed.
@almightycinder
@almightycinder 2 жыл бұрын
There's movie franchises from the 1930's that would get well over 20 sequels within a 10 year span.
@itayeldad3317
@itayeldad3317 2 жыл бұрын
The funny thing is that if theres one difference is that now sequels are decent, or at least theres an expectation theyll be
@krombopulos_michael
@krombopulos_michael 2 жыл бұрын
There's definitely some truth in what you're saying, but I think there is still some difference. Back in those days these horror franchises were sort of schlocky, low-brow B movies. This is even kind of true with modern horror franchises too. But today, the mainstream franchise films and remakes are invariably pretty much all of the top 10 films every year, and are usually pretty well made too. They crowd out any original films to be promoted in the same way.
@jamrhein2
@jamrhein2 2 жыл бұрын
Most of old Hollywood was based off books and stolen ideas lol.
@davidf7076
@davidf7076 2 жыл бұрын
JJ is essentially the official KZfaqr of Canadian culture and politics. The dude should be a guest lecturer at colleges. Just don't lose that mustache :)
@SomeCrusader
@SomeCrusader 2 жыл бұрын
I'm glad that his moustache now looks good. A few years back tho, oh boy...
@georgekaplan6857
@georgekaplan6857 2 жыл бұрын
Do they have “Canadian Studies” at colleges in Canada the same way there are colleges that teach “American Studies” in the US?
@bobhart677
@bobhart677 2 жыл бұрын
All the hair above J.J.'s neck is subject to change without notice.
@jebthegodemperor7301
@jebthegodemperor7301 2 жыл бұрын
@@xp8969 thought slime is trash
@newtfigton8795
@newtfigton8795 2 жыл бұрын
I agree, especially since he makes leftists seethe
@alechenry1483
@alechenry1483 2 жыл бұрын
JJ has changed so much, he went from using Old School Nintendo Sounds to using New Nintendo Sounds.
@Myself23512
@Myself23512 2 жыл бұрын
The wicked witch of the West: As a character she isn’t that commonly depicted in Halloween decorations but witches are often depicted with green skin like hers. I don’t know if it was always like that but I think it’s inspired by the Metro Golden Mair musical. I think that before that, witches didn’t have green skin.
@DoggyHateFire
@DoggyHateFire 2 жыл бұрын
I'd definitely agree that Jason Voorhees has somewhat transitioned into American folklore. There's probably a lot of people now that don't know goal tenders wore masks like that and just associate it with the Friday the 13th films.
@bcubed72
@bcubed72 2 жыл бұрын
Yeah, a modern NHL mask doesn't have that same fear.
@silvirgo
@silvirgo 2 жыл бұрын
I think scarecrows can fit into the category too. Characters like Johnathan Crane from DC Comics and The Scarecrow from The Wizard Of Oz are quintessential examples of the trope.
@arthuruppiano3211
@arthuruppiano3211 2 жыл бұрын
On the topic of other popular movie monsters that have become folk icons, I would point to George Romero's depiction of zombies in Night of the Living Dead, and Universal's Creature from the Black Lagoon. These are monsters that everyone is somewhat aware of, even if one has never seen the films in which they first appeared.
@JJMcCullough
@JJMcCullough 2 жыл бұрын
I think the creature from the Black Lagoon has had a bit of a hard time fully breaking into the mainstream. When I did my little survey for instance I didn’t find anyone dressed as him.
@devenscience8894
@devenscience8894 2 жыл бұрын
@@JJMcCullough I think the movie The Shape of Water may help to make a generic humanoid ocean creature slip more into the zeitgeist, but time will tell.
@MagusMarquillin
@MagusMarquillin 2 жыл бұрын
@@devenscience8894 Not to mention Lovecraft appreciation/adaptations keeps getting bigger and bigger - fish people aplenty.
@rustydowd879
@rustydowd879 2 жыл бұрын
@@JJMcCullough , the Creature got a late start, being from the 50's. And it puts him from an era that was oversaturated with schlock monsters of all sorts . So he just doesn't have that classic monster feel despite his Universal pedigree, I think.
@americanminotaur2518
@americanminotaur2518 Жыл бұрын
When I was younger I loved the creature from the black lagoon! Definitely my favorite horror monster!
@icebergslim5009
@icebergslim5009 2 жыл бұрын
The first creature that comes to mind as an example would be the little grey/green aliens that date back to the late 19th century that I'd say we've all become accustomed to over the years. Considering that the emoji used for 'alien' follows this design indicates that, much like Frankenstein and Dracula, the modern stereotypical 'alien' design seems to have followed a similar trajectory.
@MasterGeekMX
@MasterGeekMX 2 жыл бұрын
Bogos Binted?
@porguinturtle3854
@porguinturtle3854 2 жыл бұрын
@@MasterGeekMX 👽
@PhantomationTV
@PhantomationTV 2 жыл бұрын
Wait, since the 1800's?
@ericfisher1360
@ericfisher1360 2 жыл бұрын
@@PhantomationTV There were news stories of "Little Green Men" who lived on the moon. It was actually kind of funny because most of the "discoveries" were by fictious "European Scientist" to make the tales harder to debunk. Obviously this was promoted to sell more newspapers.
@eccentriastes6273
@eccentriastes6273 2 жыл бұрын
This is kind of random but there's a 1960s Doctor Who episode called Journey into Terror, where the Doctor and friends land in a spooky house and are chased around by the Universal Dracula and Frankenstein's monster. The Doctor theorizes they're in a nightmare world created out of humanity's deepest fears that "exists in the dark recesses of the human minds." This was played straight despite the monsters being completely watered down versions of themselves that no adult and probably not many children would find scary, basically the stuff of Halloween decorations. But maybe the episode accepts the absurdity of that premise, because in the end it turned out they were just in an advanced haunted house attraction from 1996.
@KairuHakubi
@KairuHakubi 2 жыл бұрын
you would think that would happen more often. I mean the Doctor is fond of Earth and all that, but he's still an alien. He should be just out of touch enough to confuse a theme park with a manifestation of people's fears.
@Beavis-ej3ny
@Beavis-ej3ny 2 жыл бұрын
When you think about it, the universal monsters essentially invented the idea of the cinematic universe. There were a lot of crossovers and vs movies, with recurring actors (Although, the movies didn't have much continuity and actors were replaced often)
@rustydowd879
@rustydowd879 2 жыл бұрын
Universal tried not too long ago to start a contemporary cinematic universe with that Mummy picture starring Tom Cruise. I don't think it succeeded though and it seems like the vision has fizzled.
@Beavis-ej3ny
@Beavis-ej3ny 2 жыл бұрын
@@rustydowd879 I remember that movie, I feel like it tried so hard to set up other movies, that it couldn't make one good movie. There also was Dracula untold, which tried to start a shared universe, and Van Helsing, which did the same thing.
@jamrhein2
@jamrhein2 2 жыл бұрын
If we were really splitting hairs, there could be an argument that Mickey Mouse and his friends were the first cinematic universe lol.
@KasumiKenshirou
@KasumiKenshirou 2 жыл бұрын
@@rustydowd879 It was called "The Dark Universe", and it failed badly. The original Universal Monster movies just happened organically, whereas the most recent Mummy inserted a bunch of references to future movies that never got made because they forgot to focus on the current movie and it was terrible.
@KasumiKenshirou
@KasumiKenshirou 2 жыл бұрын
The continuity of the Mummy movies is really weird. Several of them state that the previous movie took place decades ago, so if you actually do the math the final movie would've taken place in the 1970s despite being made much earlier.
@trybeanpole1873
@trybeanpole1873 2 жыл бұрын
Perhaps not quite as over exposed but Cthulhu is definitely in the “monster” pop culture lexicon to some degree.
@starsINSPACE
@starsINSPACE 2 жыл бұрын
Oh yeah that's a good one!
@foxymetroid
@foxymetroid 2 жыл бұрын
Unlike the examples listed, which came from either british literature or was a generic Egyptian-themed corpse, Cthulhu was entirely the creation of an American, specifically Lovecraft. The monster was likely a representation of mankind's fear of the unknown as well as our species' insignificance in the grand scheme of things.
@trybeanpole1873
@trybeanpole1873 2 жыл бұрын
@@foxymetroid you’re not wrong. But this video specifically spoke about the Americanization of these now famous pop culture figures. And even though Cthulhu is American he still has become the same sort of satirized, sanitized type of figure that Dracula, Frankenstein or the mummy has. Not nearly as recognizable or overexposed but still, from funko Pop toys to tshirts to Metallica songs to video games and even a South Park trilogy. He’s a C-lister on the pop culture monster tier list.
@nathanl8622
@nathanl8622 Жыл бұрын
I don't think Cthulhu would count as a "Halloween" monster. You're not going to see him on people's lawns as a decoration or as a character kids dress up as. He also doesn't quite have that level of ubiquity the others have--as often as he's referenced, I don't think he's a household name like Dracula is.
@HeiligerGrimmnir
@HeiligerGrimmnir 11 ай бұрын
Agreed... psychological problems are especially terrifying. It's definitely something that has a subversive grip on the American psyche. One Flew Over the Cuckoos nest, House on Haunted Hill... Different ends of the spectrum but something so horrific were still not even able to talk about the need for involuntary mental care 40 years later...
@ndril
@ndril 2 жыл бұрын
It's very recent, but I think Slenderman could join the "generic monsters" crew. I guess it's just a question of whether people will recognize or appreciate slenderman in 10, 20, 30 years.
@normanclatcher
@normanclatcher 2 жыл бұрын
Might as well add Jeff to the mix. Heck, a lot of the Creepypasta stuff is really only missing the commodification aspect to qualify.
@ghostophelia2245
@ghostophelia2245 2 жыл бұрын
I don't know... after those girls killed their friend because they believed slenderman or whatever. I haven't felt the same about the character since 😕
@richarddavis8863
@richarddavis8863 2 жыл бұрын
@@ghostophelia2245 same. They ruined the fun for everyone else
@gamingandstuff1522
@gamingandstuff1522 2 жыл бұрын
@@ghostophelia2245 I may be wrong but didn’t their friend survive the stabbings?
@CM-di1oz
@CM-di1oz 2 жыл бұрын
@@ghostophelia2245 she was severely mentally ill, also she claimed to also see the teenage mutant ninja turtles. But the news can’t use that as a big scary boogy man so they didn’t report on it. And at the end of the day no one died.
@dannysroadshow
@dannysroadshow 2 жыл бұрын
The genre has increasingly leaned into the demonic over time, so I submit these 3 characters. 1. The possessed doll. 2. The possessed child 3. Death itself. And I'd be remiss not to mention the clown.
@cerebrummaximus3762
@cerebrummaximus3762 2 жыл бұрын
Oh yeah I forgot about the Doll. I feel like it used to be more popular before, but yes
@KairuHakubi
@KairuHakubi 2 жыл бұрын
also let's not forget _the devil._ like at this point the popculture character of a vaguely greco-roman horned creature with red skin is about as far from the actual Ha-Satan as Santa Claus is from the actual St. Nicholas. and you still get sporadic appearances in halloween decorations, in between periods where they don't wanna for various reasons
@glitchxero4687
@glitchxero4687 2 жыл бұрын
Loved the video. I think a lot of the popularity of these monsters at Halloween time comes from the fact that they're all fairly easy to costume. Put a kid in their church clothes and either give them a cape, plastic fangs, and slicked-back hair or some neck bolts and you've got Drac and Frank respectively. For the mummy, you just wrap them in bandages (or even toilet paper), and the classic ghost is, of course, just a white sheet with holes cut for the eyes. A black dress and pointy hat with a crook in it gets you a witch. Wolfman is the biggest outlier in that he's harder to make easily recognizable with just a few props, but even it can be done without too much fuss. When Halloween comes around, kids need spooky characters to dress up as, and at the time, Universal's movie monsters were both ubiquitous and easy/inexpensive to do recognizably.
@cerebrummaximus3762
@cerebrummaximus3762 2 жыл бұрын
Yeah good point. For example, I’d put Skeletons low on the popularity list, but a Skeleton is quite a generic idea, easy to merchandise. That is also why the Invisible man is a popular character, but not as popular as Dracula or Frankenstein’s monster
@beowyfe
@beowyfe 2 жыл бұрын
I’ve studied STEM for a number of years now, across several different levels of education, and all I can say about J.J.’s scientific method is... I approve.
@Its_PaPez
@Its_PaPez 2 жыл бұрын
I’m gonna make the call that some time in the future, terminators are gonna become this sorta monster. “An evil robot army sent from the future to destroy humanity” Probably not anything like Arnie’s since it’s largely based on his face specifically, but that sort of exoskeleton, robot skeleton form is pretty prime for riffing.
@alexandrzarezin7765
@alexandrzarezin7765 2 жыл бұрын
Hi There! Greetings from Russia! I am an English teacher from Russia and I can't quite figure out the meaning of the word riff. Could you help me with that! Thanks in advance.
@thecanadianclassroom3188
@thecanadianclassroom3188 2 жыл бұрын
@@alexandrzarezin7765 to riff is a musical word for copying
@NikkoHawkes
@NikkoHawkes 2 жыл бұрын
@@alexandrzarezin7765 It means to copy something else, but usually by taking inspiration from the idea and adding to it instead of making an exactly perfect copy. The term originally comes from music jargon but has spread to the general English language.
@josephedmond3723
@josephedmond3723 2 жыл бұрын
AI is a very real threat to humanity. Making robots into pop culture monsters isn't all that surprising
@ZCoupon
@ZCoupon 2 жыл бұрын
Similarly, Borgs
@collectingonthecheap56353
@collectingonthecheap56353 2 жыл бұрын
I feel that North American monsters are The Headless Horseman, The Wendigo, the flesh eating zombie, and those based off infamous U.S. serial killers.
@swampdonkey1567
@swampdonkey1567 2 жыл бұрын
Oh I remember dressing up as the headless horseman. Also skin walkers?
@Extinctanimals22
@Extinctanimals22 2 жыл бұрын
Mothman, Greys Aliens, Flatwood Monster, Hodag, Bigfoot, Jersey Devil come to mind as well.
@stevelafave309
@stevelafave309 2 жыл бұрын
Here in Southeast Michigan we have a not so well known folk character/monster known as the Nain Rouge. He's Saïd to bring bad luck to Detroit and the surrounding area this there is a parade/festival to drive him out of the area.
@moisesinfantes2797
@moisesinfantes2797 2 жыл бұрын
The chupacabra too.
@foxymetroid
@foxymetroid 2 жыл бұрын
Don't forget Cthulhu, which was created by Lovecraft, an American horror writer.
@bryce5203
@bryce5203 2 жыл бұрын
I find it really interesting that a lot of European horror-especially that of the avant garde film scenes in inter-war Germany and Russia- focuses on the horrors that stem from the human, whereas the Anglo-Americans try to paint the horrific as something incapable of being brought about by human hands...
@newtfigton8795
@newtfigton8795 2 жыл бұрын
That probably has something to do with the fact that Europeans have historically had their nations torn apart and devastated by wars where people commit disgusting atrocities. Meanwhile, Americans have never had their whole country devastated on that scale ever in history and have the luxury of not being afraid of another huge war in their backyards.
@tankermottind
@tankermottind 2 жыл бұрын
This is why Get Out is the best American horror film ever made--it is a mundane and human horror that is all the more horrible for being only a slight exaggeration of reality.
@jacobjones4766
@jacobjones4766 2 жыл бұрын
@@newtfigton8795 the us civil war and american revolution as well as the many wars of the 17th and 18th century would beg to differ. You can argue that it hasn't happened in recent history but don't you dare say it hasn't happened. Millions have died and the entire southern portion of the country am area akin in size to half of Europe was burned to the ground by the union army. Lynching of black and Irish soldiers was common by confederates, massacres happened all the time Andersonville prison camps were nearly 9/10 pows died of abuse and starvation. Not to mention the hundreds of native american wars fought through the 19th century. But as for the 20th century your right its hasn't happened anywhere but Hawaii and the american pacific islands.
@jacobjones4766
@jacobjones4766 2 жыл бұрын
@@tankermottind get out itself is a great movie. The fact that fans of that movie started using it as an example of how modern African Americans are treated by white people is fucked tho
@Big-Chungus21
@Big-Chungus21 2 жыл бұрын
@@jacobjones4766 it still doesnt even get close to a lot of european, asian and african conflicts in scale or the crimes commited, and even then theres a difference between being completely invaded by another country and a civil war.
@fabsmaster5309
@fabsmaster5309 2 жыл бұрын
“Scary, weird place full of superstitious people and murderous perverts” I don’t know about the British, but I think that is how Liam Neeson viewed Eastern Europe in Taken.
@larey9484
@larey9484 2 жыл бұрын
Or the Hostel series lol
@Croz89
@Croz89 2 жыл бұрын
I think the cold war, and its aftermath, changed the perception of Eastern Europe in the eyes of many in Western Europe. It went from dark, superstitious and mysterious to just kind of backward, impoverished and corrupt, kind of how the US sees Mexico.
@oldmanlogan9616
@oldmanlogan9616 2 жыл бұрын
The people behind " Taken ". Liam Neeson just acted in it. LOL
@DanWhalen
@DanWhalen 2 жыл бұрын
Also, that's how east Europe is portrayed in Borat 😀
@normanclatcher
@normanclatcher 2 жыл бұрын
@@DanWhalen Does Kazakhstan count as Eastern Europe? 🤔
@ewwpoorpeople5684
@ewwpoorpeople5684 2 жыл бұрын
Part of me wishes that the 50's B-movie monsters got this sort of treatment. Like, if the blob or the creature from the black lagoon showed up alongside Dracula and Universal Frankenstein
@JurassicReptile
@JurassicReptile 2 жыл бұрын
the Creature from the Black Lagoon totally does show up with them.
@bcubed72
@bcubed72 2 жыл бұрын
I'm going trick-or-treating as a Killer Tomato!
@calessel3139
@calessel3139 2 жыл бұрын
The Blob is definitely underrated as a Halloween monster. Although part of this might be due to the fact that it's fairly difficult to make a costume out of it.
@KairuHakubi
@KairuHakubi 2 жыл бұрын
@@JurassicReptile Yeah despite being kind of a mythological thing, there is a very specific version of that gillman design that can be considered a copyrighted character and does occasionally get to show up.. but generally that's scraping the barrel so hard you'll also see the invisible man and dudes like that.
@JurassicReptile
@JurassicReptile 2 жыл бұрын
@@KairuHakubi I think the film Monster Squad did a great version of his design. he teamed up with Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy and Wolfman there.
@supremeastro5300
@supremeastro5300 2 жыл бұрын
I feel like more modern horror villains that have gone through such sequel situations like Jason, Freddy Kruger, and Michael Meyers can become new mainstays of Halloween.
@joylox
@joylox 2 жыл бұрын
That made me think of the whole haunted doll thing being really popular too. With Chucky doll stuff all over the place, and lots of haunted doll things, although that seems to be a fairly long running trope, and you could even say Coraline could fall into that one. But I'm not a horror movie fan, I just see lots of creepy doll stuff.
@jakubpociecha8819
@jakubpociecha8819 2 жыл бұрын
@@joylox Heck, If you're gonna add haunted dolls, I might even add possessed nuns in there as well, since I feel like they're on the same page
@hunterketch989
@hunterketch989 2 жыл бұрын
I haven’t seen that many Micheal Meyers but otherwise yeah. Shame they’re copyrighted though.
@supremeastro5300
@supremeastro5300 2 жыл бұрын
@@hunterketch989 Frankenstein was copyrighted too, that can't stop the masses for long
@ravenlord4
@ravenlord4 2 жыл бұрын
Not exactly monsters per se, but "The Flintstones" pretty much codified how cavemen were supposed to look.
@i.m.evilhomer5084
@i.m.evilhomer5084 2 жыл бұрын
The origin of cavemen living with dinosaurs might go as far back as the origin of animation & special effects in films. You got films like Brute Force, The Dinosaur and the Missing Link: A Prehistoric Tragedy, & Prehistoric Peeps. The last of which is currently hasn't been archived online & might be lost, but of some the comic strips survive today. You could say that Prehistoric Peeps is the missing link that led to Tex Avery's The First Bad Man & then The Flintstones
@richarddavis8863
@richarddavis8863 2 жыл бұрын
@@i.m.evilhomer5084 Windsor McCray's Gertie the Dinosaur from the 1910's as well. I've heard there was a museum/natural science boom in the 1890's when a lot of fossils were being discovered. Maybe some of those animators saw them as kids
@geoffreyrichards6079
@geoffreyrichards6079 2 жыл бұрын
I recall seeing depictions of cavemen similar to that in media predating the Flintstones, such as the 1939 Looney Tunes short “Daffy and the Dinosaur” and the 1940s WWII Disney short “Reason and Emotion”.
@ravenlord4
@ravenlord4 2 жыл бұрын
@@geoffreyrichards6079 Hence the caveat "pretty much" and the use of "codified" vs "first". Cheers ;)
@richarddavis8863
@richarddavis8863 2 жыл бұрын
@@ravenlord4 based syntax employer
@DetroitBORG
@DetroitBORG 2 жыл бұрын
I would say the the girl from The Ring is up there as a recognizable horror icon, although that may not qualify as American.
@ajzeg01
@ajzeg01 2 жыл бұрын
Although the origins are Japanese, the image of the ghost girl was popularized by the American remake, just like how the origins of the classic monsters discussed in this video are European but popularized by Hollywood.
@blessednikki82
@blessednikki82 2 жыл бұрын
I agree, she is a character I thought of. Also the girl from exorcist
@Mar1aHass4n
@Mar1aHass4n 2 жыл бұрын
@@blessednikki82 nah
@RivLoveshine
@RivLoveshine 10 ай бұрын
Samara!
@FUSEDPICK
@FUSEDPICK 2 жыл бұрын
I think the characters from Lord Of The Rings are a pretty good example, their designs have become a standard. when someone thinks of a wizard a picture of Gandalf or some other Gandalf Inspired wizard comes to mind, same with the orcs and trolls and all of those, common depictions of them were very different before the movies came out. Kings, princesses, knights and dragons also have become very standardised, I don't know when the standard was set tho. Also: Aliens, Pirates, Cowboys are good examples. Cool video!
@jakubpociecha8819
@jakubpociecha8819 2 жыл бұрын
I'd disagree, wizards have on occasion been depicted the way they are today before LOTR, and Gandalf is said to be based on the descriptions of Odinn's appearance written in Norse sagas, so I'm afraid it's likely a coincidence
@uphillwalrus5164
@uphillwalrus5164 2 жыл бұрын
Most modern western-styled fantasy is just a rip-off of Tolkien in some form or fashion. Warhammer, Warcraft, The Elder Scrolls , etc
@susballmapping9521
@susballmapping9521 2 жыл бұрын
Cowboys and pirates are more seen as professions than anything, unless they are skeletons which is for some reason really common
@in4mal_baker270
@in4mal_baker270 2 жыл бұрын
@Thyme and Oregano As well as orcs. Edit: Which I mean they were original creations.
@almisami
@almisami 2 жыл бұрын
When I think "wizard" I think "Merlin with a pointed hat with stars and moons on it" way before I think about Gandalf.
@bathyspheretours1365
@bathyspheretours1365 2 жыл бұрын
I think that Ghostface from the movie Scream is becoming public folk culture. The mask originally came from The Oriental Trading Company a couple years before the movie just as a mask for $1.99 and Halloween stores would also carry them.
@washingtonradio
@washingtonradio 2 жыл бұрын
Probably the most accurate version of the monster in any Frankenstein movie is in Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein. The final scenes show the monster reading the Wall Street Journal.
@toddsutherland
@toddsutherland 2 жыл бұрын
Your videos were being used in my younger brothers social curriculum! My favourite Canadian educational content creator
@SomeCrusader
@SomeCrusader 2 жыл бұрын
Fun fact: Dracula was a title that Vlad the Impaler had, and in Romanian it means, "Son of the Dragon." It was a title first held by his father, Vlad II, who was titled, "Dracul."
@johnmcdonald4881
@johnmcdonald4881 2 жыл бұрын
Does that just mean dragon?
@willmfrank
@willmfrank 2 жыл бұрын
@@johnmcdonald4881 Yes. Vlad II was a knight of the Order of the Dragon, so he was basically Vlad the Dragon.
@Sorcerers_Apprentice
@Sorcerers_Apprentice 2 жыл бұрын
The Dracula in the book also mentions crossing the Danube River and fighting the Ottoman Turks, things that Vlad the Impaler did in real life.
@DaraGaming42
@DaraGaming42 2 жыл бұрын
@@Sorcerers_Apprentice Dracula Untold (2014) and Francis Ford Coppalla's Dracula (1992) incorporated these elements into the Dracula mythos and IT WORKS
@krashd
@krashd 2 жыл бұрын
@@johnmcdonald4881 Yes, another name for a dragon is a drake, which comes from dracu.
@JudgeTyBurns
@JudgeTyBurns 2 жыл бұрын
It’s not exactly something you can dress up as, but “man-eating plant” has kind of undergone a similar pop culture genericization after Little Shop of Horrors. Of course there are earlier examples of plant creatures, but the modern concept of this specific monster archetype is very much informed by Audrey II.
@ChessedGamon
@ChessedGamon 2 жыл бұрын
JJ, you forgot the most horrifying American monster of all: the _Commies_
@lemonp3r50n7
@lemonp3r50n7 2 жыл бұрын
Or the red coats
@marksmadhousemetaphysicalm2938
@marksmadhousemetaphysicalm2938 2 жыл бұрын
Invasion of the Body Snatchers...🤔🤷‍♂️
@armwrestlingfan6804
@armwrestlingfan6804 2 жыл бұрын
Dude they got nuclear!
@staC-wh6ik
@staC-wh6ik 2 жыл бұрын
Directed and written by Joseph McCarthy
@Mark-co8gt
@Mark-co8gt 2 жыл бұрын
Actually a great point
@willmfrank
@willmfrank 2 жыл бұрын
"...And a head that was screwed on with bolts on either side..." Those aren't bolts. The Monster is an electrical creature, brought to life by lightning; the studs on either side of his neck are terminals where the jumper cables are plugged in. There are a couple of movies in the Universal cycle that show the wires attached, and smoke coming off them.
@heatherswanson1664
@heatherswanson1664 2 жыл бұрын
I like how every time he talks about Dracula, the theme from Swan Lake plays
@AL-kr4wx
@AL-kr4wx 2 жыл бұрын
It is the only piece of music used in the 1931 Dracula film, and I think I remember characters go to see it midway through the story.
@mtacharlie649
@mtacharlie649 2 жыл бұрын
I've noticed the xenomorphs from the Alien franchise pop up occasionally up in various media. Not just as a tie-in like in Fortnite recently but in a similar way to Jason Vorhees where they appear casually as a genericized "big spooky alien" character. Which is ironic, considering how unique their design is.
@michaelwells529
@michaelwells529 2 жыл бұрын
I was looking for this comment
@Gabbyreel
@Gabbyreel 2 жыл бұрын
I think the slasher villains are starting to do that, and I predict that in the future Alien aliens will fall into this group. "Gray Aliens" in flying saucers are 💯 already in this pantheon if you will.
@ElBrandoTV
@ElBrandoTV 2 жыл бұрын
The masks from Psycho, and Friday the 13th are definitely starting to root themselves as Halloween icons
@benjamingrissom1828
@benjamingrissom1828 2 жыл бұрын
I assume Alien aliens means Xenomorphs?
@carteradams43
@carteradams43 2 жыл бұрын
@@benjamingrissom1828 I think they meant the "classic" aliens. ones with green/grey skin, large, oval-shaped, pitch-black eyes, and flying saucers.
@Dots321
@Dots321 2 жыл бұрын
@@carteradams43 no read it again
@jonathannerz1696
@jonathannerz1696 2 жыл бұрын
The British Dracula series is where Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee (Grand Moff Tarkin and Count Dooku) became very good friends.
@RandomDudeOne
@RandomDudeOne 2 жыл бұрын
I think JJ is becoming Wolfman
@SomeCrusader
@SomeCrusader 2 жыл бұрын
I hope so, Canadian Wolfman sounds lit
@armwrestlingfan6804
@armwrestlingfan6804 2 жыл бұрын
Stereotypical Canadian hockey player
@janmelantu7490
@janmelantu7490 2 жыл бұрын
@@armwrestlingfan6804 all he needs to do is wear an old-school goalie mask
@carteradams43
@carteradams43 2 жыл бұрын
you're alone in a forest. the howls get closer. you run for the cabin. You're nearly there! your heart is racing. you hear running sounds behind you. you climb the steps and pry open the wooden door, but before you get inside a hand clasps your arm. The claws dig into your skin. You turn around, to see a fearsome creature- A wolf, standing upright like a human. It's most horrifying features amplified. The creature snarls at you. you're frozen in fear. you close your eyes, accepting your fate... "I brought some maple syrup" you hear. You look at the creature, surprised. "I'm starving! can you make some pancakes with it?" "I-I-I don't have p-pancake mix" you reply, taking deep breaths between nearly every word "Oh, sorry to bother you then." "B-but you were chasing me down! I thought you were going to kill me!" "Oh yeah, sorry about that. just wanted to offer you the syrup. Here, i'll leave it by the door for you, as an apology." The creature reaches into it's torn pants, taking out a small bottle of maple syrup from a pocket. It gently places the bottle near the doorframe. The creature runs off to the night, never to be seen again.
@modder15
@modder15 2 жыл бұрын
The Ray Bradbury animated movie "The Halloween Tree" that aired on Cartoon Network was quite a good Halloween movie that explained the holidays traditions and origins. I wish more people were more aware about it.
@willfakaroni5808
@willfakaroni5808 2 жыл бұрын
The creator from the black lagoon has gone through a long transition into this sort of cultural monster for Americans , though the idea of it as a fish man rather then anything else about it seems to be the most popular thing about it
@calessel3139
@calessel3139 2 жыл бұрын
I think the creature tended to be more popular in the past. I know growing up in the 70s & 80s "The Gillman" was a staple in Halloween images, although only a minor one. Today it seems to me that he has been supplanted by zombies, slashers, aliens, etc. which is a shame because I always thought he was a pretty cool monster having roots that go back to Lovecraft's "Deep Ones."
@jackofallgamesTV
@jackofallgamesTV 2 жыл бұрын
I can think of the second most famous Gill man. Gill from Kim Possible, which seems to me like a recycling of a failed attempt of Simpsons Halloween humor because that show has "your old pal Gil" as a minor character that occasionally shows up. And Springfield does have a lot of mutagens near the power plant. Blinky stirred eye is a pinnacle of a evolution so why not l Gil becoming Gill?
@StarCords
@StarCords 2 жыл бұрын
The failure of Universal's "Dark Universe" is a great example of Universal thinking their "unique" IP in this area is valuable outside of the generic versions of the characters. They basically bet their entire strategy on it and got big actors signed on, only to it to go absolutely nowhere, with only one movie ever being released.
@neonsamurai4604
@neonsamurai4604 2 жыл бұрын
It flipped because the movies were bad not because of the source material
@JurassicReptile
@JurassicReptile 2 жыл бұрын
the Universal Monsters are insanely popular, there's still merchandise being made based on the films and not just for being generic Halloween monsters. People specifically want Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman as they were seen in the original films
@jamrhein2
@jamrhein2 2 жыл бұрын
Technically 2. Mummy was the second time they attempted the Dark Universe; the first time being Dracula Untold a few years before. 3 tries if you count Van Helsing. Which honestly just further proves your point lol.
@foxymetroid
@foxymetroid 2 жыл бұрын
The Dark Universe failed because they were trying to copy Marvel's success without understanding why Marvel succeeded.
@JurassicReptile
@JurassicReptile 2 жыл бұрын
@@foxymetroid turning horror films into action films was just a crappy idea.
@wolfpackproductions7270
@wolfpackproductions7270 2 жыл бұрын
It’s always a good day when JJ uploads
@TheKelsey
@TheKelsey 2 жыл бұрын
Ikr
@My.9209
@My.9209 2 жыл бұрын
Yes ikr
@aysenur6761
@aysenur6761 2 жыл бұрын
The process of these characters starting as parts of some dark literature or ancient history, then slowly becoming marketable, increasingly cartoonish, and family-friendly is very interesting. It's almost like every cultural and societal component is becoming suitable for the consumerist middle class culture. Though, I can't decide whether this is an inevitable outcome in today's (western?) societies or is purposely directed towards this way.
@Sorcerers_Apprentice
@Sorcerers_Apprentice 2 жыл бұрын
I think it's because the fears threats these monsters represented when first developed faded over time with societal shifts, better education and technology. Vampire myths arose in Eastern Europe from diseases like rabies and TB, then became evil aristocrats during the Victorian Era when Stoker wrote about them. Frankenstein's was first written when the Enlightenment clashed with the Romantic movement and people worried about the implications of new technology with philosophy. Zombies haven't quite reached this stage just yet. They speak to modern fears about overpopulation, disease, mob mentality and losing our identity/autonomy.
@candacen7779
@candacen7779 2 жыл бұрын
I would argue that the shift is due more to people being afraid of different things now, and how younger generations tend to mock whatever their parents and grandparents feared. I imagine the same will be true in years to come with the characters like Pinhead, Pennywise and Jigsaw. I already see younger people making fun of Chucky the doll and Freddy Krueger.
@compatriot852
@compatriot852 2 жыл бұрын
4:03 They actually are a lot more similar to one another. Both had an extreme bloodlust with Vlad being recorded as being physochpathic and enjoying the sight of blood. Even at a young age, he was known for torturing small animals. Remember this is the same guy who made a forest out of impaled people not even sparing the women and infants, terrorized the countryside at night, enslaved children to work to death, forced people to eat each other's body parts, etc. I assume the direct reference to the bloodsucking/bat related aspects came from other stories, such as countess Báthory of neighboring Hungary who bathed and dined on hundreds of young women.
@PositivePasta14
@PositivePasta14 2 жыл бұрын
I'm so glad I found this channel recently. Entertaining and highly informative! 👍
@morbidsearch
@morbidsearch 2 жыл бұрын
Creating uniquely American monsters. Don't we have the elections for that?
@seanlyons667
@seanlyons667 2 жыл бұрын
I know he's no monster, but Snoopy has started to be a cultural icon in America
@Jabberwockybird
@Jabberwockybird 5 ай бұрын
If we're talking Non monsters, then Santa Clause is probably the most iconic fictional character of all time. Most merchandised, and not just limited to America.
@doominionl.o.3358
@doominionl.o.3358 2 жыл бұрын
1. The Ghostface Killer (Scream) 2. The "Evil Clown" (Killer Klowns from Outer Space, et al.) 3. Aliens that look like "👽" (American fascination of outer space via UFO sightings, 50s Sci-Fi etc.)
@AlexGore511
@AlexGore511 2 жыл бұрын
I think Cthulhu is one character we can already see turning into an American symbol of Halloween. Although it is a bit niche still, the works of H.P. Lovecraft have only continued to grow in popularity and penetrate pop-culture (which even as a Lovecraft fanboy is genuinely surprising considering the kind of person Lovecraft was and the kind of culture we live in today) and should it continue we'll likely see Cthulhu's tentacle-ly face in Halloween aisles in Walmart in no time. Doesn't hurt that H.P. Lovecraft's work has basically been public-domain since August Derleth and Arkham House saved them from obscurity.
@josemanuellopezgiraldez404
@josemanuellopezgiraldez404 2 жыл бұрын
Mothman, bigfoot, the jersey devil, wendigo(more native?), skunk ape, or heck even slenderman.
@jackyex
@jackyex 2 жыл бұрын
Bigfoot? Sure, Slenderman? Maybe, the rest? I don't think so.
@josemanuellopezgiraldez404
@josemanuellopezgiraldez404 2 жыл бұрын
@@jackyex I named some popular with some less popular ones, like the Florida skunk ape and the mothman, though fallout made it more well known.
@MagusMarquillin
@MagusMarquillin 2 жыл бұрын
Popular in creepypastas and paranormal enthusiast circles, but we don't see them nearly so much as costumes or tacky decorations. I wonder if Mothman imagery ever shows up around Halloween around Point Pleasant? or the devil in Jersey?
@josemanuellopezgiraldez404
@josemanuellopezgiraldez404 2 жыл бұрын
@@MagusMarquillin they don’t but they should, my buddies and I always try and wear costumes of less popular characters.
@MagusMarquillin
@MagusMarquillin 2 жыл бұрын
@@josemanuellopezgiraldez404 _Jolly good show!_ I just hope you don't offend the real Mothman. It'll know all about it of course.
@ajzeg01
@ajzeg01 2 жыл бұрын
Tom Tyler played the mummy in The Mummy’s Hand. Lon Chaney Jr. played him in the sequels.
@KingOfInsanity777
@KingOfInsanity777 2 жыл бұрын
It is nice seeing a holiday themed JJ video just to freshen-up the channel a bit more!
@ihavetowait90daystochangem67
@ihavetowait90daystochangem67 2 жыл бұрын
The scariest Halloween custome out there is an IRS agent
@suprchrgr70
@suprchrgr70 2 жыл бұрын
Idk the ATF is pretty scary they'll shoot you and your dog
@lonestarasshole584
@lonestarasshole584 2 жыл бұрын
At this point any federal agency is pretty messed up
@Sorcerers_Apprentice
@Sorcerers_Apprentice 2 жыл бұрын
I'm more afraid of the FBI (Female Body Inspectors).
@TheSpaceboy33
@TheSpaceboy33 2 жыл бұрын
I mean Billy the Puppet from Saw has seen so many parodies I'd say it deserves a spot in modern folk culture.
@LARKXHIN
@LARKXHIN 2 жыл бұрын
Me thinking about Monster High as I watch this video: Oh shoot he's right.
@skywalkervonawesome
@skywalkervonawesome 2 жыл бұрын
I also think that one important thing to consider when explaining how these five characters became so iconic is that their costumes are really easy to make. We didn’t have a lot of money so I often dressed as a vampire since I had some dress clothes and could just slick my hair back. If you take that into account than zombies are the most obvious next candidate.
@PuddingPop41
@PuddingPop41 2 жыл бұрын
I never thought my KZfaq habits of watching JJ and old Bela Lugosi clips would intersect! Awesome video!
@scottcameron174
@scottcameron174 2 жыл бұрын
"which is of course completely different to how the British think of Eastern Europe today" killed me.
@Jabberwockybird
@Jabberwockybird 5 ай бұрын
Me too 🤣
@tomistom1721
@tomistom1721 2 жыл бұрын
The editing on this video is just 🤌 chef’s kiss. Well done JJ!
@emkultra2349
@emkultra2349 2 жыл бұрын
great video as usual. looking forward to next one
@FatTracksMusic
@FatTracksMusic 2 жыл бұрын
I love your videos so much! Please never stop!
@seannborba8416
@seannborba8416 2 жыл бұрын
I'm very curious to know if universal gets paid when stores sell halloween costumes that resemble the universal Frankenstein or the classy Dracula.
@carlosidelone8064
@carlosidelone8064 2 жыл бұрын
I would imagine, that the companies that make the costumes need to pay for using the designs, if they are big enough and in North America.
@Kosovar_Chicken
@Kosovar_Chicken 2 жыл бұрын
My grandpa was Transylvanian and when I was a kid he convinced me he was a Werewolf. We would howl at the moon together, and every Halloween he’d jump out and scare me to the point of tears in a werewolf costume.
@arkaea
@arkaea 2 жыл бұрын
I first found you by mindlessly scrolling the shorts and then navigated to your channel and found the candy flavors videos. From there, on....you've earned a subscriber and I look forward to each video and short.
@robertadams7129
@robertadams7129 2 жыл бұрын
I randomly stumbled upon this channel last week. Ive binge watched all your content, absolutely brilliant
@moshie-matic
@moshie-matic 2 жыл бұрын
Rudolf the red nose reindeer comes to mind when I think of privately owned folk characters
@TheRockinGinger
@TheRockinGinger 2 жыл бұрын
Fun fact: In the past in Ireland when 'Trick or Treating' children said "Help the Halloween Party" rather than nowadays "Trick or Treat" which came from the U.S. Frankenstein is the most frightening book I've ever read 😰 Love your shirt 👌🏽
@bcubed72
@bcubed72 2 жыл бұрын
"Trick or treat" is a shakedown! Taken literally, it means "Nice house ya got, there...sure would be a shame if somebody vandalized it! Now, be a nice fellow and get us some candy!"
@bodymuezik
@bodymuezik 2 жыл бұрын
It's likely that the phrase "trick or treat" actually originated in Canada, with the earliest known mentions of the phrase appearing in Canadian newspapers.
@TheRockinGinger
@TheRockinGinger 2 жыл бұрын
@@bcubed72 Give me the treats NOW 😈
@TheRockinGinger
@TheRockinGinger 2 жыл бұрын
@@bodymuezik Interesting, as a child living in Ireland anything from the continent of North America is seen/assumed as 'American' rather than Canadian.
@BRICK101
@BRICK101 Жыл бұрын
In a way, this is an interesting example of brand genericide. Universal did such a good job creating iconic takes on these characters that they became the default.
@OptimusPhillip
@OptimusPhillip 2 жыл бұрын
It's not really American, but when discussing monsters going from pop culture to folk culture, you can't ignore good old Godzilla. Back when he was first introduced as Gojira, was a legitimately terrifying character who evoked horrific memories of mid-20th century nuclear warfare. Since then, he has gone to appear in as many random crossover movies as possible and has even become something of a folk hero in Japanese and American culture.
@dracogaming13
@dracogaming13 2 жыл бұрын
I would say most of the original "80's" slasher characters have started or really entered that phase of cultural relevance. Like you mentioned with Jason but I would add Leatherface (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) as I've lost track of how many times shows use a hockey masked killer with a chainsaw as a stock character.
@budgetlifter
@budgetlifter 2 жыл бұрын
Frankenstein is the doctor, not the monster itself (although you could argue he was a monster metaphorically speaking since no normal person would stitch bodyparts together)
@foxymetroid
@foxymetroid 2 жыл бұрын
"Knowledge is knowing Frankenstein was not the monster. Wisdom is knowing Frankenstein was the real monster." Since Frankenstein is a last name (the doctor's first name is Victor) and the monster could be considered his son, the monster can technically be called "Frankenstein".
@darger3
@darger3 2 жыл бұрын
Love the material you come up with. As it has been said: Information I didn’t realize I needed.
@justinbaker2883
@justinbaker2883 2 жыл бұрын
You're editing is so good. Loved the smash bros style monster reveal
@HamSandwich277
@HamSandwich277 2 жыл бұрын
50's/60's monster movies. Dracula, mummies, Frankenstein. They were the inaugural "monsters" of the mass-media era, so they became the archetypes.
@Mtv-get-off-thee-air
@Mtv-get-off-thee-air 2 жыл бұрын
When you mentioned hammar I literally shouted “yes! I love hammar” out loud lmaoo
@robbicu
@robbicu 2 жыл бұрын
Excellent and well researched, your art is stunning. You went to a lot of work for this video and it shows!
@dcbandit
@dcbandit 2 жыл бұрын
Fun fact, the medal Bela Legosi wore in the film as Dracula was actually an ancient family hareloom he decided to wear with the costume. It really adds to the character.
@bjs301
@bjs301 2 жыл бұрын
I knew before watching this exactly where their popularity came from. I was the youngest of four brothers born from the mid 40's to the mid 50's. We all saw every one of these movies at least ten times each, almost always on Friday nights. Boys in those days all built model cars and model monsters. I built Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolfman and the Mummy, and maybe a few others. But my brothers' models were always ten times cooler.
@martind349
@martind349 2 жыл бұрын
I never really accepted Eddie as a werewolf but I did like his Michael Landon doll
@liamtahaney713
@liamtahaney713 2 жыл бұрын
I really enjoyed this video JJ. These classic monsters make me think of happy Halloween parties in elementary school.
@bobganskow
@bobganskow 2 жыл бұрын
It is really crazy to see how much JJ has been blowing up, I remember being here below 100,000 subs
@jamontiqueq8763
@jamontiqueq8763 2 жыл бұрын
Interesting you used the term ‘wolf man’ I have always called them werewolves.(Sw u.s.) The werewolf has also always been a much more introspective character than say Frankenstein. Usually depicted as the most popular teenage boy, you feel bad he is turned into a monster in a sense, and the parodies I remember always wearing something like a varsity jacket and jeans.
@ceucanis
@ceucanis 2 жыл бұрын
Isn’t wolf-man a character in Dragon Ball, along with man-wolf.
@nicegan8902
@nicegan8902 2 жыл бұрын
Personally, I hate most depictions of werewolves. To me a werewolf should turn into an actual wolf, not some wolflike monster.
@adrianblake8876
@adrianblake8876 2 жыл бұрын
@@nicegan8902 Well, "were" is old english for the greek "anthro(po)", so werewolf is just an anthro-wolf...
@willmfrank
@willmfrank 2 жыл бұрын
"Werewolf" is the generally accepted term; Wolf Man, however, refers specifically to the werewolf played by Lon Chaney, Jr. in the movie "The Wolf Man."
@willmfrank
@willmfrank 2 жыл бұрын
Oh! And the teenage boy in the varsity jacket and jeans refers specifically to Michael Landon's character in "I Was a Teenage Werewolf."
@d.m.collins1501
@d.m.collins1501 2 жыл бұрын
From the modern era, I kind of feel like "evil nun" is going to wind up being a stock character? That, and sort of the white-makeup Ringu-type ghost.
@stefan6347
@stefan6347 2 жыл бұрын
Evil clowns are very popular in American culture, especially with Pennywise and The Joker popularizing the concept in their own interpretations for decades, and they've been parodied multiple times in many pop culture properties. Maybe in the future, Evil Clowns would join vampires and werewolves as generic Halloween creatures.
@Scrimjer
@Scrimjer 2 жыл бұрын
Hit it out of the park on this one JJ
@ToddWSmith
@ToddWSmith 2 жыл бұрын
So I'mma be honest, I initially thought this video was gonna be JJ coming up with and drawing three new OCs for Halloween No disappointment here though, pop culture history is both fascinating and peak Americana
@JakeGunst86
@JakeGunst86 2 жыл бұрын
Similarly to the Universal monsters, the “Alien” and “Predator” franchises jumped the shark and eventually got combined into one universe.
@dernickjung342
@dernickjung342 2 жыл бұрын
fantastic video! 👍🏼
@kaisy5826
@kaisy5826 2 жыл бұрын
Bride of Frankenstein and the Abbot and Castello movies are actually pretty fondly remembered. They certainly aren't as famous but they still make the rounds
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