Did My Parents Create a Monster?

I’ve always had a soft spot for the Hollywood monsters. Although they’re far removed from their literary origins, their cinematic tropes have become the universally accepted visions of the vampiric, the lycandropic and zombification.

I was surprised to find that one man is credited for their design. Jack P Pierce is recognised as being the man who flattened Frankenstein’s head, styled Dracula’s hair, strapped up Imhotep and sculpted ‘Doggy’ Talbot’s nose. His iconic creations have remained in our popular culture for almost a century and, especially due to Universal’s current reboot, won’t be disappearing anytime soon. His versions provided the iconic foundations others would copy, embellish and rebel against as the characters have been reinvented throughout the years.

When I began my portfolio of monsters it was, unknowingly, his characters that first that sprang to mind. When asked to name six cinematic monsters I think few would be able to make a list without including them. It’s a testament to Pierce’s designs.

My fondness for them began as a young teenager. On Friday nights I was responsible for babysitting my younger brother while my parents went out for the evening. Once my sibling had gone to bed, I had free reign over (all four channels) of the TV. At the time BBC2 was re-running the classic horror movies and I discovered Lugosi’s Dracula, Karlof’s Frankenstein and Chaney’s Wolfman. Not only did I fall in love with these classic movies, they also provided huge inspiration on ways to scare the living hell out of my little brother. I would ominously loom into his bedroom and ‘hiss’ him awake. I would rise from the dead from inside of his wardrobe or violently howl from under his bed: hours of fun!

I became a monster – I blame my parents for not being there.

(300 words)