It’s been a joyous couple days of gaming. My one-shot adventure seemed to be a rousing good time for the 5th-level party that undertook it. Zombies killed, pits fallen into, limbs severed, curses activated, bandits destroyed and routed–fun had by all. At the time of this writing, I’m still deeply into the Dungeons & Dragons mindset, but I still plan to maintain my current bloggin’ streak. So in the interest of time and in keeping with this weekend’s theme, here’s a short list of 7 D&D Monsters That Have “Appeared” In Movies.

#7 Fungi

William Hope Hodgson wrote a story called “A Voice In The Night” that was first published in 1907. In it, a man and wife stranded on an island become overcome by a fungus growing on the island. Later this was made into the movie Matango (aka Attack Of The Mushroom People). Well D& D is full of fungi that are more than they seem on the surface. They shriek, they lash out, and they often try to consume anything that comes within range.

#6 Flameskull

These nasty suckers are made from dead wizards and are unpleasant surprises in any dungeon. They guard stuff, cast spells, and generally make life difficult for adventurers. All ya gotta do is put one of these suckers on a motorcyclist right where his head used to was, and you’ve got Ghost Rider.

#5 Mephit

 

These are mean little elemental imp-like critters that love playing tricks on people. There are Dust, Ice, Magma, Mud, Smoke, and Steam mephits. Mostly this is based entirely on resemblance, but Mephits look an awful, awful lot like Panic from Hercules.

#4 Shambling Mound

 

Basically sentient vegetation that can destroy and/or devour you. What is that besides Man-Thing?

#3 Thri-kreen

 

Sentient insects that are able to use tools and weapons. Hello District 9.

#2 Oozes And Slimes

 

In D&D these take the forms of Grey Oozes, Black Puddings, Gelatinous Cubes, Green Slimes, and some others. What is The Blob but one of these that has come from space?

#1 Beholder

 

After the classic red dragon, this is possibly one of the most iconic images from all of D&D. Each eye causes a different kind of damage, from sleep to petrification to disentegration and lotsa nasty stuff in between. The thing next to it isn’t from a sword and sorcery movie like Krull or Beastmaster, but from Big Trouble In Little China of all places.

And now, time to go roll for initiative.