In the ’80s and onward, improved special effects ushered in a new phase of genre storytelling and fantasy building. No longer did we have to use our imagination, as VFX artists were being put to work like never before. ’80s horror was chock full of human-sized foes, whereas in the ’90s, we were seeing more and more monsters.

Jurassic Park really helped to jumpstart the movement for fantastical beasts in the ’90s. But for every magnificent creature we saw that decade, there were some that looked…less than. So, let’s take a tour of this menagerie of ’90s-era monsters that are either scary or silly-looking.

Silly: King Cobra

If you think the titular serpent in Jennifer Lopez’s 1997 movie Anaconda looks goofy, then you haven’t seen King Cobra. This straight-to-video creature feature slithered in before the new millennium with little to no fanfare. If you watch the movie, you’d know why. First off, let’s commend the film for using practical effects. The gargantuan snake is achieved through a life-sized animatronic prop. For what it’s worth, the cobra looks all right. There’s not enough articulation or movement to suggest the snake is more than a remote-controlled toy, but it looks passable. Especially for a low-budget movie.

Scary: Virus

Jamie Lee Curtis has made it clear she is no fan of her 1999 sci-fi horror movie Virus. She’s not alone in that sentiment either. The critics followed Roger Ebert’s suit and tore the film apart. However, audiences come back to Virus because of the horrific monster hot on Curtis’ tail. That amalgamation of devices and fleshy matter, then hoisted up on its own haunches, is overwhelming ⁠— both visually and physically. Yes, the movie is in desperate need of some lighting, but that actually helps in this case. A creature like the one in Virus would look quite silly in broad daylight, no?

Silly: Jack Frost

This movie should not be confused with the 1998 Michael Keaton film of the same name. Believe it or not, though, the Keaton vehicle has the better-looking, sentient snowman. There are so many things wrong with the 1997 horror movie Jack Frost. Some of which are better left unsaid. The namesake is basically what you’d expect if you placed three oversized Styrofoam balls on top of each other and called it a day. It’s doubtful this movie or its sequel — yes, there’s a sequel! — had the budget for a convincing-looking killer snowman. If there was ever such a thing.

Scary: Lake Placid

One of the scariest living animals today is none other than the saltwater crocodile. These fascinating reptiles mainly reside in Northern Australia, but seeing as they can swim in saltwater as well as fresh, who knows where else they could possibly show up. Steve Miner’s 1999 movie Lake Placid proves salties can pop up where you least expect them to. The reason why the croc in Lake Placid looks so darn good is simply because of Stan Winston. His effects know-how was crucial in making Pumpkinhead, Jurassic Park, and The Thing all so visually captivating. Lake Placid boasts CGI, too, but it’s skillfully carried out.

Silly: Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest

Stephen King’s short story “Children of the Corn” was tuned into a 1984 movie that was, at best, met with a lukewarm response. Its success nevertheless triggered a successful franchise. Yet they keep making these movies at the most random times. In the third entry, the entity officially known as “He Who Walks Behind the Rows” is finally given form. And what a form it is. It’s unclear what this thing is supposed to be. It has a form yet it doesn’t. One could argue it’s an atmospheric beast that’s tied to the land. Whatever it is, it looks goofy.

Scary: Deep Rising

Sea-faring horror is far and few between these days. But the ’90s kept us wet with top-notch actioners like Deep Rising. To no one’s surprise, the mainstream critics generally hated the movie. Horror fans, on the other hand, venerate this box office flop. It’s an unfaltering, worshipful retread of deep sea terror found in past films like Deepstar Six and Leviathan. Deep Rising excels, though, because of its villain — the Octalus. This wormy, multi-tentacled behemoth is stunning, to say the least. The speed at which it moves also adds to its fearfulness. Bon voyage to your life if you ever cross paths with this unfathomable monster.

Silly: There’s Nothing Out There!

Before Scream was a thing, there was a 1991 indie horror movie that parodied the genre’s tropes we all know and love. Or in some cases, love to hate. In many ways, There’s Nothing Out There! was Troma’s pièce de résistance. It’s self-aware, funny, and ahead of its time. Yes, we had Student Bodies — a comedy that poked fun at slashers — ten years earlier, but There’s Nothing Out There! is all around more successful. The only problem with the movie is its antagonist. Rather than using a human killer, we have an alien-like creature that looks like a mutated tadpole. It’s a glaring flaw in a hidden gem.

Scary: Stephen King’s Graveyard Shift

Beneath a large textile mill in a small Maine town lurks a fearsome predator like none we’ve ever seen before. As a group of workers clear out the rat-infested basement in the mill, they encounter nightmare fuel in the form of a hideous, bloodthirsty bat demon. Its origins aren’t entirely known, but that doesn’t matter as it chows down on you. Thankfully, it never flies in the movie. Witnessing it swim in the rank basement water or crawl to reach its prey is unnerving enough. No matter how one feels about Graveyard Shift, they have to admit that bat-rat monstrosity is unforgettable.

Silly: Shrieker

If your movie’s monster doesn’t look great, then it’s your job to make sure the audience doesn’t realize that until after they watch the film. Which means the poster and video art both need to be deceiving. The Full Moon flick Shrieker fails on this front. The basic plot of this supernatural slasher features an otherworldly demon picking off the squatters in an abandoned hospital. When the title creature shows up, it’s a jaw-dropping sight. The Shrieker is a hunchbacked, multi-headed sort of ogre that looks constantly stunned. It has limited mobility and range so one has to wonder how it catches its victims so easily. The movie will make you shriek, but not in a good way.

Scary: The Relic

Stan Winston is one reason why The Relic is better than it deserves to be. The visual effects guru’s prowess only improved with age, and he definitely gets top marks with the Kothoga. In the 1997 adaptation of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s novel, a museum is under attack by a primordial beast. The chimeric Kothoga has insectoid, mammalian, and reptilian traits. The Relic is not considered a proper onscreen translation of the novel, but at least the monster looks impressive. That is, when you can actually see it in the movie.