Some monsters are more like mon-stars. We see these scary creatures in books, movies and even commercials. So where do these freaky fiends come from? Here’s the lowdown on a lineup of monsters.
Count Dracula
Hometown: A remote castle in Transylvania, Romania.
Born: Created by author Bram Stoker in 1897.
Why he is scary: The Count drinks the blood of humans and turns his victims into vampires. He also can turn himself into animals, such as a dog, although most movies show him turning into a bat.
How you know him: Drac is an aristocrat who is a vampire. This legendary monster was not the first freaky vampire story but one of the most famous. Count Dracula stories have been retold in more than 100 movies. The famous vampire also has been included in other scary movies, such as the 2004 film “Van Helsing.”
Frankenstein
Hometown: Bavaria, Germany.
Born: Created by author Mary Shelley in 1818.
Why he is scary: Frankenstein is a monster made of parts from several dead bodies. He is an ugly creature who only wants friendship. But rejection from humans makes him angry, vengeful and murderous.
How you know him: Since 1910, Frankenstein has been the star monster in many scary movies. He’s so famous there even is a cereal, Franken Berry, made with his likeness.
The Boogeyman
Hometown: Likely from Great Britain.
Born: Boogeyman history varies, but many scholars think the word “Boogeyman” comes from England in 1803, when people worried French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte would invade. People called Napoleon Bogey after a poem about an ogre who eats people.
Why he is scary: The Boogeyman is a monster who “lives” under the bed or in the closet and terrorizes little children. Many countries also have their own version of the Boogeyman.
How you know him: The Boogeyman has starred in lots of books and movies, most recently the 2005 movie “Boogeyman.” And in the 2001 movie “Monsters, Inc.,” Sulley and Mike work full-time as Boogeymen.
The Wicked Witch of the West
Hometown: Winkie County in the Land of Oz.
Born: Created in 1900 by author L. Frank Baum.
Why she is scary: In the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz,” the Wicked Witch has a green face, warts and a death wish for poor Dorothy. She also has a freaky flock of flying monkeys.
How you know her: Besides the books and the original movie, the Wicked Witch also was in movie remakes that include the “Wizard of Oz’s” unofficial 1985 sequel, “Return to Oz.” Onstage, the Wicked Witch was a character in the 1970s musical “The Wiz” and more recently in the hit play “Wicked.”
