Giant animals have been stomping, biting, and smashing their way through movies since the height of the creature feature in the ’50s. Sometimes they are the result of scientific experiments gone awry, while other times it’s some sort of biological anomaly. They all imagine what would happen if a normal animal suddenly became enormous. The thing is, almost any animal becomes terrifying when you make it 100 times bigger.
1. King Kong (1933)
King Kong practically created the giant-animal movie as we know it. Filmmakers take a trip to the mysterious Skull Island, where they discover Kong, a towering ape. The behemoth is both worshipped and feared by the island’s inhabitants. The filmmakers capture him and bring him to New York City, which turns out to be a very bad idea indeed. Kong escapes and destroys Manhattan before making his famous climb up the Empire State Building. The effects may look dated today, but they were groundbreaking at the time. The movie’s influence can still be seen in pretty much every giant-monster movie since.
2. Them! (1954)
Nuclear testing results in a colony of enormous ants in this classic 1950s creature feature. The movie begins like a mystery, with investigators trying to figure out what attacked people in the New Mexico desert. They have no idea that the answer is ants the size of cars. Even worse, some of the queens have run off to establish new colonies. Authorities eventually track one colony back to the storm drains under the city of Los Angeles. Them! was one of the first movies to turn fears about radiation and nuclear weapons into gigantic, mutated animals.
3. Tarantula (1955)
A scientist experimenting with a nutrient meant to increase the world’s food supply accidentally makes a tarantula continually grow at a rapid pace. The spider escapes into the Arizona desert and becomes big enough to take down livestock and humans. Eventually, it gets so large that there is seemingly no way to stop it. Because plenty of people fear spiders in their normal tiny form, the sight of a gigantic tarantula crawling across the desert scared audiences everywhere. The movie is still creepy even decades later. It is one of the best giant-bug movies of the 1950s.
4. The Giant Claw (1957)
While the majority of massive animal movies are scientifically implausible, The Giant Claw is especially so. The premise follows a gigantic bird from another dimension that begins attacking airplanes and cities. Humans struggle to fight the creature because it is apparently protected by an antimatter shield. This film is notorious for creating a creature that looks hilariously bizarre, with a too-big-for-its- face beak, bulging eyes, and haphazard feathers. But the characters treat the threat completely seriously. Not surprisingly, this one is loved for its campiness rather than its scares.
5. The Food of the Gods (1976)
Based loosely on the work of H.G. Wells, The Food of the Gods turns several ordinary animals into monstrous killers. Some unknown substance causes rats, wasps, chickens, and other creatures to grow to enormous proportions on a remote island. The giant rats pose the biggest threat, as they surround a group of people trapped on a farm. Instead of the playful approach taken by many creature features, this one leans into gore, violent attacks, and exploitation-style horror. It is difficult to watch for anyone who has a fear of rodents.
6. Eight Legged Freaks (2002)
Starring David Arquette, Eight Legged Freaks brought the cheesy giant-bug movies of the midcentury straight to modern day. Toxic chemicals cause several species of exotic spiders to develop into enormous critters. They make their way to a small Arizona town. Each species continues using its natural hunting techniques, which means the humans have to deal with different threats. They face the sudden leaps of jumping spiders, the ambush of trapdoor spiders, and the running attack of massive tarantulas. The movie mixes creature horror with comedy and seems to be one great homage to the giant-critter movies of the past.
7. Rampage (2018)
Rampage takes the giant-animal concept and turns everything up a notch. A genetic experiment transforms an albino gorilla, a wolf, and a crocodile into humongous, mutated creatures. Not only do they continue growing, but they also develop bizarre abilities. They team up to take over Chicago in one major showdown. Dwayne Johnson plays a primatologist trying to save the big ape while stopping the other creatures from destroying the city. The gigantic crocodile is particularly nightmarish.
8. Love and Monsters (2020)
In Love and Monsters, an attempt to save Earth from an asteroid accidentally causes cold-blooded animals to mutate. Their specific form of mutation: gigantism. Seven years later, humanity has been forced to survive underground, while Earth is taken over by gigantic frogs, snails, centipedes, and crabs. One man leaves the safety of his bunker to navigate the treacherous landscape, all in an effort to find his girlfriend. Despite the ridiculous premise, the movie is surprisingly funny, sweet, and adventurous instead of dumb or gruesome. Its imaginative creatures make the film extra fun, and it all feels quite post-apocalyptic.