8 patriarchal figures who go to hell and back
To the courageous and the scared and confused. To those willing to plumb the darkest corners of their soul and go to hell and back to save their family, even if it means becoming a complete bastard (or monster) in the process. The good fathers in horror films are often overshadowed by the insane, menacing patriarchal figures in cinema. Some dads just have to shoulder the burden of the threat that befalls their family and they make the ultimate sacrifice. Let us celebrate some of our favorite good-intentioned on-screen fathers in the genre. Happy Father’s Day, fellas.
Ed Harley (Pumpkinhead)
⢠Single dad. Runs a quaint feed store nestled alongside rolling hills. Hard worker, loves his kid. Until his son is accidentally crushed beneath the wheels of a dirt bike. Drawing on his own childhood memories and local lore, Ed seeks out an old crone and feeds his needs for vengeance by unleashing a demon called Pumpkinhead on the city folk responsible for the death of his boy. Here’s the rub: In order to defeat Pumpkinhead, Ed needs to make a sacrifice.
Steve Freeling (Poltergeist)
⢠Life was good for ol’ Steve. Lovely home. Good, profitable job. Father of three. A quiet night involves reading and smoking pot with his hot wife. Then his daughter is whisked off to “the other side” and his house goes bonkers; guess who has to take some time off of work? Steve Freeling. By the time a team paranormal investigators crash his, this guy looks disheveled. The stress is palpable. Okay, so he’s not the one that is forced into the unknown to retrieve little Carol Anne, but don’t downplay his role in the family. He’s the rock. The stern dad who sometimes needs to put on his disciplinarian voice to talk to his daughter lost in the a supernatural void.
Wolf von Frankenstein (Son of Frankenstein)
Haunted by his father’s actions, it can’t be said Wolf has the strongest of wills. Even he succumbs to the obsession that fueled Henry Frankenstein and, thanks to a persuasive Ygor, Wolf revives the Frankenstein monster, must to the chagrin of the townsfolk. A father himself, Wolf ultimately has a few “man up” moments when his child is put in peril.
George Lutz (The Amityville Horror)
⢠He shouldn’t have taken that house on Ocean Avenue. Should have just said no and not agreed to work more when he learned how much the property was. But the abode was just too good to pass up, especially for the wife and stepsons. Little did George know his life would be a living hell at his haunted Ocean Avenue home. He’s losing sleep. Losing checks. Work falls by the wayside. He’s always cold. George is not himself. Luckily, like Steve Freeling after him, George takes control, packs his family and get the hell out of dodge.
Martin Brody (Jaws, Jaws 2)
⢠Coolest dad ever? Perhaps. When was the last time your father killed a great white sharkâ¦twice? Brody’s life isn’t easy. While home life might be a breeze, he’s got an island to protect. Residents – and their trivial problems – to please. Bureaucrats to contend with. And sharks to destroy. This weighs heavy on the poor guy and plays on his nerves. Brody faces some level of public humility, but he overcomes it, and the underwater threats that swim his way.
Mr. Meiks (Frailty)
⢠Meiks, a father of two, can be viewed as a villain, sure. When he wakes his boys up one day to say he’s been given a mission to kill demons, you might think he’s gone off the deep end. The problem is, he hasn’t. While one of his kids rolls with his father’s plan, the other doesn’t, forcing Mr. Meiks to doll out strict punishment from time to time. Meiks has his flaws, to be sure, but he thought he was doing what was right.
Louis Creed (Pet Sematary)
⢠Talk about a guy who comes apart at the seams. The pressure in this dad’s life is omnipresent. His father-in-law doesn’t care for him. He’s got a toddler to raise (whoops, you failed there, man!). And he’s a doctor. But Louis Creed just can’t win. The choices he makes are good-intentioned. He’s not the strongest of listeners, however. Especially when the friendly neighbor next door warns him not to go to that Indian burial ground to resurrect the dead cat, the dead son and the dead… Well, let’s just say Louis is a sucker who doesn’t get what he wants.
Rick Grimes (The Walking Dead)
⢠No bullet or shambling corpse can keep Rick down. A cop who awakens from a coma to a world where zombies have taken over the earth, Rick sets out on a journey to find his wife and son. Once he does, every decision he makes is to protect them. Unfortunately, because of his leadership qualities, Rick is appointed the go-to guy for every problem his group of survivors face. It’s a lot to put on a man.
These are just a few of our favorite “good” dads. Who else should be celebrated? Use our comments board below and sound off!
Source: Ryan Turek, Managing Editor
