Movies
Ode to ‘Popcorn’: Horror’s First Iconic Giant Killer Mosquito
There is no shortage of giant insect horror. The 1950s saw pioneers in this regard, giving us gigantic bugs of all varieties. The insects we saw wreak havoc in the fifties include, but are by no means limited to:
- Giant ants in Them! (1954)
- Beginning of the End’s enormous grasshoppers
- Extra-large killer wasps in Monster From Green Hell (1957)
- And you’ll never guess what was gigantic in The Deadly Mantis (1957)
Ants and spiders, especially, would be visited and revisited with time. However, surprisingly, it wasn’t until the nineties that giant mosquitoes began to grace silver screens. Since then, numerous movies have portrayed the blood-sucking creatures as gigantic. But Popcorn (1991) was the first horror movie to give us a giant killer mosquito, and we must pay homage to the OG.
On the instance that in the bowels of old Hollywood, there exists a gigantic mosquito horror movie that has been buried with time, I gracefully stand corrected – but still assert that Popcorn was the first to do so iconically.
Popcorn is an Underrecognized Horror Movie Pioneer
Released in 1991, Popcorn follows a group of film students organizing a horror-a-thon at a local theater. Each of the films they planned to show was individually equipped with interactivity for their theater audience, paying homage to one of horror’s greats: Willaim Castle.
In the 1950’s and 1960’s, William Castle was a showman of horror. When his movies were released to theaters, he would find ways to make the horror interact with the viewers. This audience interactivity included things like:
- Having a giant skeleton fly over the crowd during House on Haunted Hill
- Giving the audience a chance to “vote” for the outcome in Mr. Sardonicus
- Installing buzzers underneath movie seats to “shock” audience members during showings of The Tingler
Anyone familiar with the film Popcorn will recognize the utilization of at least one of these methods in the film. As Popcorn’s film students and their teacher devise multiple schticks to accompany the films they will show throughout the night, they’d see these things go wrong in myriad ways that I won’t spoil for those unfamiliar with the film. We’re just here to talk about that giant mosquito.
Popcorn’s Giant Killer Mosquito
The first time we see the gigantic blood-sucking fiend in action is during Popcorn‘s “film within a film,” Mosquito!
Inspired by the 1950s horror trend of bugs turned giant, ‘Mosquito!’ seems like it was ripped from an actual black-and-white fifties horror film. In fact, Mosquito seemed so authentic that many moviegoers of Popcorn believed the movie existed in real life.
In reality, it was Alan Ormsby, the then-close friend of producer Bob Clark, who directed the movies within the Popcorn movie. In Joe Bob’s Haunted Halloween Hangout, horror connoisseur Joe Bob Briggs shared that Alan Ormsby was supposed to direct all of Popcorn, but unfortunately, their financiers were getting impatient with how long everything was taking to film.
Bob Clark was subsequently tasked with firing the leading actress and the director. Alan Ormsby was so dismayed at being fired from the film (by his friend) that he wanted no credit for his work, and the two men never spoke again. Because of this, you won’t see Alan Ormsby’s name come up on the credits. It’s a shame he didn’t want credit for his work, as the film’s many mini-movies are just as entertaining as the film itself: Mosquito standing chiefly among them.
Death by Mosquito
On the silver screen, Mosquito! gives us an exquisite kill as the bug bursts through the roof of a car with its gigantic hose nose and begins slurping the contents from a passenger’s skull. We’re treated to a lovely little deflated-head moment that immediately begs the question: Why is Popcorn the first to give us a killer mosquito of this magnitude? Others must have wondered the same as the horror movies Skeeter and Mosquito (1995) released a few years later – and we haven’t even gotten to the William Castle-inspired aspect yet.
At the risk of referring to the mosquito’s protuberance as a hose-nose again so soon, let’s delve into mosquito biology for a brief moment. The sucker on a mosquito is called the proboscis, and only the female’s proboscis is strong enough to pierce flesh. In the film Popcorn, the professor and film students devised a giant model mosquito to swoop over their movie theater audience during the showing of Mosquito! Unfortunately for them, this flying mannequin mosquito must have been female because its proboscis was strong as hell. The mosquito flies across the air, dazzling the movie audience, until finally coming to a stop when its hose-nose gets impaled deep into the chest of an unsuspecting victim.
This isn’t the only death by proboscis in the film, and it makes me shudder to think of what those hose noses would be capable of on a larger scale. Thankfully, the horror industry caught on, and now there’s no shortage of gigantic mosquitos in scary movies.
Over the years, many may come and go, but Popcorn is the innovator of brain-sucking, proboscis-impalement horror. Mosquito! alone proved that of all the bugs that can grow to obscene sizes, the mosquito is an underrepresented nightmare.
Before we go, I also want to recognize the Shock Clock in Popcorn. Please help me raise a massive demand for this clock in hopes that they’ll begin to manufacture it. Then, we can all enjoy one of the coolest clocks ever featured in a horror movie. Until then, a Felix the Cat clock will have to do.
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Looks like another July will be spent getting cozy with Shudder in this house. Between all the new (to me) international titles and the conclusion of Hell Motel on July 29th, the app has filled my calendar for the month. Hold my texts, keep your emails in the draft folder, and don’t look for me outside. My TV and I are on a mission, and we’re prioritizing the five titles below. I hope they grab your attention and make it into your Shudder viewings this summer as well. However, I’ll be too busy watching them to know what anyone else is doing, so happy streaming whatever you decide to get into.
While we have you here, you should consider joining us for Bloody Brunches! Every Sunday at 11 AM CST / 12 PM EST, we’ll be livestreaming a new episode of Hell Motel. Who know’s who you’ll see, sometimes Ian Carpenter and crew stop by!
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Lake Placid (1999)
A small group of people try to capture a gigantic crocodile terrorizing the people of Black Lake, Maine. I am not an aquatic horror girl, and I am usually unimpressed with 90s action horror titles. I make a special exception for Lake Placid though. Sure, it stars Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, and Oliver Platt. However, real film buffs know that it’s really the late Betty White who carries this movie. Her foul-mouthed character stood on business and is the reason most of us revisit this title during the summer.
You can watch Lake Placid on July 1st.
Nyi Blorong (1982)
The South Sea Queen’s daughter rises to take a human lover. I have a long history of disliking snakes and movies about snakes. However, I’m leaning into this 1982 film because I deserve a retro Indonesian horror fantasy moment. I am also excited because it stars the late Suzzanna, the queen of Indonesian horror. I only learned about her a few years ago and wanted to spend some time with her work. As usual, Shudder is making it too easy to become a better cinephile.
You can watch Nyi Blorong on July 7th.
The Housemaid (2018)
An orphaned girl is hired as a housemaid at a haunted rubber plantation in 1953 French Indochina. Once there, she falls in love with the landowner, which sends the ghost of his dead wife into a jealous rage. I was excited to watch this just because it sounds chaotic, and I do not see enough Vietnamese horror for my liking. However, I recently discovered it is also an IFC Midnight title, so now my expectations are through the roof. IFC has been the home of upsetting, weird, and unique horror since 2010. I have a date with Shudder on July 14th, because I want this movie in my eyeballs the second it becomes available.
You can watch The Housemaid on July 14th.
Swallow (2020)
A pregnant housewife is compelled to eat dangerous objects, leading her husband and in-laws to become more controlling. Swallow had the misfortune of debuting during the top of the pandemic, so many people missed it. I found it on accident during Thanksgiving back when Showtime still had its own app. It’s quiet chaos that surprised me in a good way. I have been trying to make everyone I know watch it, and Shudder is making that so much easier this month. I am overdue for a rewatch myself, so I will also be hitting play while it’s available this July.
You can watch Swallow on July 21st.
Monster Island (2024)
A Japanese ship transporting prisoners of war and a British POW are stranded on an island where a mythical creator hunts them. Can they work together now that their very survival depends on it? I was bummed I missed this movie at Overlook Film Fest this year because all my friends loved it. So, obviously, I am thrilled Monster Island (also known as Orang Ikan) is hitting the Shudders streets so soon. I do not know what the other monster movies are doing this July because my heart belongs to this baby.
You can watch Monster Island on July 25th.
So, as usual, I will be hiding in my apartment and trying to make Shudder Saturdays my personality. I’m running at their international titles like it’s my job and revisiting a few movies I never spend enough time with. I hope your Shudder watches spark as much joy for you as I expect mine will this July.
In the 90 years since its release, The Bride of Frankenstein is still the Universal Monsters franchise’s strongest film.
I first watched The Bride of Frankenstein on cable around 15 years ago. Director James Whale’s fable of a misunderstood creature’s quest for a bride really stayed with me after subsequent viewings. Speaking of The Bride, she’s the Universal Monster with the most potential for a gripping and modern reimagining that hasn’t been fully tapped into yet. Universal’s newest theme park Epic Universe, opening back in May, inspired a deeper dive into The Bride of Frankenstein, the titular role and its legacy.
Unveiling The Bride: The Plot and Power of the 1935 Classic
Immediately following 1931’s Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein centers on Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) as the sinister Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) urges him to collaborate on creating a mate for The Monster (Boris Karloff). In the meantime, The Monster travels across the countryside, learns to speak, and meets Pretorius. When both scientists complete and unveil The Bride (Elsa Lanchester), she rejects The Monster, motivating him to pull a lever and famously say, “We belong dead.” Pulling the lever ignites an explosion, killing The Monster, The Bride, and Pretorius.
Just as it took two scientists’ minds to create her onscreen, two individuals gave life to The Bride’s characterization and look: Lanchester and makeup master Jack Pierce, who designed nearly all the original Universal Monsters.
The Bride’s Hiss: How Lanchester Stole the Show with Limited Screentime
The Bride not being the film’s main protagonist is ironic since she’s the title character. Making the most of her brief performance, Lanchester’s swan-like mannerisms as The Bride sharply contrast with the humanity Karloff brings out of The Monster. After her dual role as The Bride and author Mary Shelley herself in the film, Lanchester took on more horror film roles like Henrietta Stiles in Willard (1971). It’s not hard to imagine what could’ve been for her career if she reprised her role in The Bride of Frankenstein’s sequels Son of Frankenstein and Ghost of Frankenstein. If a lab explosion couldn’t kill The Monster, wouldn’t it be the same for The Bride?
Besides the white streaks, Lanchester surprisingly didn’t wear a wig to portray The Bride since Pierce shaped her red hair to look the way it does. Pierce’s work on The Bride is just as iconic if not more so than Lanchester’s performance, ensuring the character became inseparable from her intended suitor in pop culture’s eyes. Case in point: There’s so much officially licensed merchandise playing up a romance between the two characters, even though The Bride can’t stand her intended mate. Beyond Lanchester and Pierce, there is one man responsible for how the film itself would come out.
James Whale’s Masterpiece: Directing The Bride of Frankenstein
Whale stitched great set designs, fantastic performances and composer Franz Waxman’s eerie score together to create a masterpiece.
Having Frankenstein, The Old Dark House and The Invisible Man under his belt by the mid-‘30s, it’s clear Whale creatively peaked while working on The Bride of Frankenstein. Although so much about Whale’s talents has been said, there’s a reason why his work on the film stands out across his filmography: He really went wild when directing it. Every character is practically cartoony, the sets are more elaborate and the plot is thematically richer than the original’s. Being an openly gay filmmaker, he cranked up The Bride of Frankenstein’s camp to legendary heights.
The Bride of Frankenstein is the final horror movie Whale directed. The novel Father of Frankenstein and its film adaptation Gods and Monsters, starring actor Ian McKellen as Whale, dramatize his life after directing the film. According to the reference book Universal Horrors by Tom Weaver, Michael Brunas and John Brunas, he initially didn’t want to direct his horror work’s apex. Just like Henry Frankenstein’s relationship with the monster he created, The Bride of Frankenstein’s production is a case of life imitating art. The Monster’s in-universe infamy further parallels Whale’s Frankenstein duology’s lasting popularity.
How The Bride of Frankenstein Shaped Horror Sequels and Adaptations
The Bride of Frankenstein’s influence can be seen across other horror films and Frankenstein adaptations.
Having “Bride of” in a horror sequel’s title is synonymous with including the main character’s female counterpart, leading to Bride of Re-Animator, Bride of Chucky, etc. The similarities go further than the titles, with The Bride of Frankenstein inspiring the former’s plot and furthering Tiffany’s arc in the latter. The Bride of Frankenstein inevitably shaped Frankenstein’s future adaptations as well.
Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein from 1994 closely follows the original novel. Breaking away from the novel’s narrative, its third act pays homage to The Bride of Frankenstein when Victor brings Elizabeth back to life with similarly brief screentime. Mia Goth’s seemingly red hair on the set of Guillermo Del Toro’s upcoming Frankenstein may hint at her character similarly becoming The Bride.
The Bride’s Untapped Potential for a Modern Horror Remake
With Warner Bros. releasing its own take on the character with The Bride! in 2026, it makes Universal’s reluctance to make a new remake downright egregious.
The Bride is still the literally redheaded stepchild among the Universal Monsters. When it comes to being neglected by Universal, The Creature From the Black Lagoon is the only character who rivals The Bride, but that’s another story. Universal did plan a remake directed by Bill Condon, who helmed Gods and Monsters, for its aborted Dark Universe film franchise.
The Bride’s Absence in Epic Universe’s Monsters Unchained Ride
Looking at Epic Universe, the Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment ride apparently leaves The Bride out, even though she makes more sense to be in it than The Phantom of the Opera. However, The Bride does make meet-and-greet appearances across Dark Universe’s grounds.
Several ideas can be incredible for when Universal finally releases a remake of The Bride of Frankenstein someday. Based on what I’ve heard about 2023’s Poor Things, it’s exploration of a mad scientist’s creation’s experiences in a restrictive society is closer to what a modern reimagining should be. Having a woman behind the camera can lead to a feminist vision, delving into The Bride questioning her life’s purpose.
Until the day a proper remake debuts, the original 1935 film remains The Bride of Frankenstein’s definitive incarnation.
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