Noble Craig only appeared in six films before he died, but he is memorable in all of them, no matter how small the role. Born in Los Angeles, California in 1948, Craig was drafted into the Army in 1967 and sent to Vietnam two years later in 1969 (via Green Bay Press-Gazette). Craig was there for just 12 days before he stepped on a booby-trapped landmine. The blast, which the paper said was large enough to blow up a tank, took away his legs, right arm, hearing in his right ear and most of the vision in his right eye.
The same year I had that profile in the Press releaseCraig made his acting debut in Sssssssa cult classic film, where he plays a snake man. Craig went on to effectively use his injuries to play monsters and characters that others couldn’t. Craig’s name may not be up there with the most iconic actors behind movie monsters, but the six films he appeared in are considered classics of the genre. Noble Craig lived an impressive life before passing away in April 2018 (via Legacy) and it is a gift that these few performances left to film fans.
Related The Best Sea Monster Movies, Ranked
Sea monsters are a common trope in the horror genre: from Best Picture winners to enduring B-movie classics, the creatures appear in some excellent films.
6. Soldier of the Puddle (One of the many bloody deaths in this cult classic)
The Stain (1988)
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The stain (1988) is a remake of the 1958 film of the same name, and while it may not have the B-movie charm of the original, it is terrifyingly intense and horribly gory. The Blob not only kills his victims, but dissolves them in some of the most realistic and nauseating sequences of the era. People are pushed through tubes, children are liquefied, and innocent townspeople are melted into one another. It’s not for the faint of heart.
The noble Craig appears briefly toward the end of the film. After the government arrives to stop the blob, they get more than they bargained for when the creature explodes from the sewers and continues its rampage. Craig plays one of these soldiers whom protagonist Meg (Shawnee Smith) tries to help. When she picks him up, the still-living soldier’s arm comes off like candy and Meg realizes his lower half has melted into the pavement. It’s quick, but it’s memorable.
The Blob Horror Sci-Fi Thriller Where to Watch
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The Blob is a 1988 science fiction horror film directed by Chuck Russell. The plot revolves around a malevolent gelatinous entity that emerges from a meteorite and begins consuming everything in its path in a small American town. As the creature grows larger with each victim, a group of citizens race against time to find a way to stop the unstoppable threat. The film stars Kevin Dillon and Shawnee Smith.
Director Chuck Russell Release Date August 5, 1988 Cast Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon, Donovan Leitch Jr., Jeffrey DeMunn, Candy Clark, Joe Seneca, Del Close, Paul McCrane Running Time 95 minutes
5 Creature from the Crypt (The Horrifying Creation of Horror Icon Dr. Herbert West)
Re-Animator’s Bride (1990)
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By Brian Yuzma The Re-Animator’s Bride It is the second film of the Re-animator The trilogy once again follows Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) and Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott), who continue to experiment with Herbert’s reanimation fluid. They decide to try reanimating a person from disparate parts and succeed in creating a woman. However, they also accidentally revive the head of Herbert’s deceased nemesis, Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale).
He plays a terrifying monster, designed by legendary special effects artist Screaming Mad George, with a leg for an arm and other mismatched body parts all over the place.
Towards the end of the film, Herbert and his friends are locked in a crypt where Herbert’s only experiments are hidden. One of them is played by Noble Craig. It’s one of the few opportunities to actually see Craig’s face in one of his roles. He plays a terrifying monster, designed by legendary special effects artist Screaming Mad George, with a leg instead of an arm and other mismatched body parts all over the place.
Bride of Re-Animator (1990) RTerrorComedyScience Fiction
Bride of Re-Animator is a science fiction horror film directed by Brian Yuzna. Set eight months after the events of its predecessor, the film follows Dr. Herbert West and Dr. Dan Cain as they continue their experiments in reanimating dead tissue, resulting in a monstrous and gruesome outcome. Jeffrey Combs and Bruce Abbott reprise their roles, advancing the story’s exploration of the boundaries between life and death.
Director Brian Yuzna Release Date July 8, 1990 Cast Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, Claude Earl Jones, Fabiana Udenio, David Gale, Kathleen Kinmont, Mel Stewart, Irene Cagen Running Time 96 minutes
4 Tim McGraw, The Snake Man (A forgotten and strange film and Craig’s first performance)
Ssssssss (1973)
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Ssssssstitled Snake in the UK and Mysterious! The vampire human snake In Japan, it was the first role of Noble Craig’s career. In the film, a herpetologist, Dr. Carl Stoner (Strother Martin), faces off against a new lab assistant, David Blake (Dirk Benedict). Unbeknownst to David, Dr. Carl has been experimenting with turning humans into snakes and plans to do the same to David.
David’s girlfriend Kristina (Heather Menzies) finds out what’s going on when she goes to a fair and finds Tim McGraw (Noble Craig), now known as Snakeman, caged up in a fair exhibit and Dr. Carl’s former assistant. With a torso that ends in a tail and makeup that covers him completely, this was an early example of the roles Craig would end up being perfect for. He doesn’t do much more than whistle, but his exaggerated appearance provides a pivotal piece of information for the plot.
3. Creature from the Sewers (a terrifying scare that sets the tone for the underworld)
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
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Big trouble in little China is John Carpenter’s classic action-comedy in which Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) and his friend Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) search for Wang’s kidnapped wife in the mysterious and legendary underworld beneath San Francisco’s Chinatown. When Jack, Wang and a group of friends enter the subterranean lair, a giant, bug-eyed monster emerges from a hidden passage and swallows one of the men whole.
Although John Carpenter is known for his horror films, Big trouble in little China It’s much lighter and has few scary moments. However, this scene is a genuine scare and the creature, played by Noble Craig, appears right where the audience isn’t looking. It’s also a very well-lit scene, which is unusual for 80s monster movies. It’s very easy to see Craig’s big costume in all its gruesome glory.
Big Trouble in Little China PG-13ActionAdventureComedyFantasyWhere to Watch
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Big Trouble in Little China is a 1986 action comedy film directed by John Carpenter. Kurt Russell stars as Jack Burton, a truck driver who attempts to rescue his friend Wang Chi’s fiancée from the clutches of an evil sorcerer named David Lo Pan.
Director John Carpenter Release date May 30, 1986 Cast Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, James Hong, Victor Wong, Kate Burton Duration 99 minutes Budget $25 million
2 Vomit Monster (a disgusting creature that appears in a memorable scene)
Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
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In Poltergeist II: The Other SideOne year after the original film, the Freeling family has moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Their former home is now the site of an archaeological dig, but when the spirit of an evil preacher, Reverend Henry Kane, is unearthed, he seeks out the Freelings to torment them. He begins by possessing a mescal worm that Steve (Craig T. Nelson) swallows.
A gloriously disgusting and painful scene opens with Nelson vomiting up a white, throbbing creature that grows into a large, legless monster by the second. This Kane worm is played by Noble Craig, and it’s one of the best close-ups of his career. The worm is nauseating, but the costume also allows for a lot of expression on Craig’s part, giving him the chance to do more than just scream or roar like many of his other roles.
Poltergeist 2: The Other Side
Poltergeist II: The Other Side continues the haunting saga of the Freeling family as they face new supernatural threats. Directed by Brian Gibson and released in 1986, this sequel delves deeper into the dark forces that haunt the family. JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson reprise their roles as Diane and Steve Freeling, who must confront the evil spirit of Reverend Kane in order to save their daughter Carol Anne.
Director Brian Gibson Release Date May 23, 1996 Cast JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O’Rourke, Oliver Robins, Julian Beck, Zelda Rubinstein, Will Sampson, Geraldine Fitzgerald Running Time 91 minutes
1 Freddy Krueger (Freddy Fusion was one of the strangest versions of the iconic horror villain)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
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It’s debatable whether Freddy Krueger is the greatest murderous villain of all time, but what’s not debatable is that playing him is a jewel in any monster actor’s crown. For most of his life, he’s been played by Robert Englund, but others have donned the striped sweater and gloves for one reason or another. A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream ChildCraig takes on the character in one of his appearances in the film.
It may not be a lengthy sequence, but the fact that Noble Craig was able to play Freddy Krueger instantly puts him in the upper echelons of monster movie actors.
There’s a sequence where Alice (Lisa Wilcox) thinks she’s finally escaped the demon, but Freddy pops out of her torso. At that moment, Freddy is played by Craig. It’s a pretty cool effect, and it required Craig’s torso to be strapped to Wilcox’s chest to get the look right (via Bloody and disgusting). It may not be a long sequence, but the fact that Noble Craig was able to play Freddy Krueger instantly puts him in the upper echelons of monster movie actors.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child RHorrorThrillerWhere to watch
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Freddy Krueger returns to haunt the dreams of the Elm Street kids, and he targets the fetus of one of his past victims. As the line between nightmare and reality blurs, the survivors must find a way to stop Freddy before he can be reborn through the innocent soul he seeks to claim.
Director Stephen Hopkins Release Date August 11, 1989 Cast Robert Englund , Lisa Wilcox , Kelly Jo Minter , Danny Hassel , Erika Anderson , Nicholas Mele Running Time 89 minutes