Anthony Michael Murphy

How about a marathon of movies that prove size doesn’t matter?… as long as you can make up for it in sheer number! In that case, queue up these movies featuring creature crumbs or tiny terrors who bring about horror through their miniature monstrousness.

Interestingly, most movies about monsters or creatures that are small enough to fit in a microwave (I’m looking at you, Gremlins) are often campy in nature and tone. Maybe, that suggests that creatures like this aren’t really strong enough or scary enough to be considered a serious threat? Well, watch these five movies and see if you think so yourself.

1. Gremlins (1984) – While it wasn’t the first, I don’t think anyone would dispute that Gremlins was the benchmark of the tiny terror trend that exploded in the 80s. Granted, they are often more mischievous than deadly, and more funny than terrifying, but I find that just adds to the overall enjoyment of the movie.
2. Critters (1986) – Riding hot off the coattails of Gremlins, Critters is just (barely) different enough to stand apart from Gremlins. With slightly more of a lean toward the violence and slightly less charming, it is still a fun campy ride.
3. The Gate (1987) – The Gate has been edited for tv to play as a kids horror movie, but in its original theatrical cut, there is a little more meat on the bone, so to speak. However, the most memorable part of The Gate is the fact that it played on tv so often during the late 80s and early 90s that it became a cult memory of sorts for a lot of children who grew up during that time. It makes great use of the stop-motion animation that was so popular during the 80s which adds to the surreal nature of the creatures.
4. Puppet Master (1989) – It takes a while for this one to really get going because – God bless ’em – they actually tried to make a series movie with a legitimate plot and everything! The appeal of this one is the uniqueness of each puppet and what each brings to the horror table.
5. Don’t be Afraid of the Dark (1974/2010) – I haven’t had the privilege of seeing the original made-for-tv movie from the 70s, but I have heard that it is one of the better made-for-tv horror movies out there. I have seen the 2010 remake and it wasn’t awful. If you can get your hands on the original, then I think that’s your better bet, but if not, the remake is fine.