The last of the great monsters to come out of Universal’s iconic horror era – that ran from the 1920s through the 1950s (following in the footsteps of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man, as well as many others), The Creature from the Black Lagoon has captured the hearts and minds of people over the past six plus decades. Seen as being a forebear to films which have people dealing with some sort of unknown or super-animalistic type creature (think Alien, Predator or Jaws), director Jack Arnold’s 1954 horror flick developed the formula for this style of films success. Set in the heart of the Amazon, the leader of a geology expedition, Dr. Carl Maia (Antonio Moreno), stumbles upon an earthshattering discovery.

With Jack Reacher: Never Go Back opening today, I thought this would be the perfect time to reflect on the original 2012 film. I am sure that most of you have heard the controversy revolving around it, with ardent fans of Lee Child’s ‘Jack Reacher’ novels being discouraged by the casting of Tom Cruise in the leading role. Much like an overzealous carny following the stringent rules and regulations of height restrictions on rides, book lovers were uninspired by the selection of the action superstar, as his five foot seven inch frame did not fit with the character’s description – at a gargantuan six foot five inches tall.

Iconic German director F.W. Murnau is often considered to be one of the most influential filmmakers of the silent film era. Creating the first ever vampire movie, Nosferatu (a perfect example of German Expressionism) in 1922 and Sunrise (sometimes considered to be the best silent film drama of all-time – and the first motion picture he made in America) in 1927, a perhaps slightly lesser known movie (of his) that is equally as impressive is 1926's Faust: A German Folk Legend. Revolving around the age old struggle of good versus evil, the tale begins with the demon Mephisto (Emil Jannings) debating with an Archangel (Werner Fuetterer) about the nature of human beings. The agent of darkness believes that he will be able to corrupt the righteous, wise old sage Faust (Gösta Ekman). The two agree that, if Mephisto succeeds, the Devil will be given rule over the Earth.

From a modern perspective, it may not be immediately recognizable that the classic 1954 monster movie Godzilla was, in many ways, a product of its time. Highlighting the anxiety of the nuclear age at the height of The Cold War, the gargantuan reptile first appears after a hydrogen bomb test in the middle of the ocean. Even this occurrence that starts off the film is based on reality, as the United States tested a giant nuclear weapon on March 1st, 1954, under the code name Castle Bravo. Fishermen, who were outside of the radius, were hit by the fallout from the blast, being covered with copious amounts of coral and radioactive ash. One man died following the event, creating an onslaught of international press that questioned these tests (though, other articles impugned the men on the vessel, suggesting that they were spies).

It is rare that a sequel can match the quality of the first motion picture. Whether it is an effort to outdo the original, or simply an attempt to cash in on the popularity of the primary offering, it usually comes off as less original, with the story feeling lackluster – often blandly regurgitated. Yet, one film that is able to match its predecessor is James Wan’s 2016 horror flick The Conjuring 2. Written once again by Carey and Chad Hayes, along with director Wan and David Leslie Johnson, the story picks up with the spectre-hunting married couple, Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) dealing with their most famous case, the Amityville house. Lorraine sensed a horrible presence in that home, with the ominous figure resembling some sort of demonic nun. During this vision, she witnesses the death of her husband at the hands of the spook.