Men and women who are shorter in stature can be just as heroic as taller people, and nowhere is that more in evidence than on the silver screen, where all our heroes stand 40 feet tall. On the flip side of that equation, however, is the reality that shorter people can be just as villainous as anyone else in the movies.
In the world of horror cinema, smaller creatures -- whether human or otherwise -- are often effective villains because of society's preconceptions, namely, that small equals cute and harmless. The villains in the clips below may be small, but they are far from harmless; their evil looms large.
Leprechaun (1993)
In her film debut, Jennifer Aniston receives an unpleasant surprise from a small creature when she stands near a truck. No wonder she moved to New York and got some friends.
Army of Darkness (1992)
Bruce Campbell time travels to Medieval England, where he must retrieve the powerful Necronomicon. First, though, he must fight off evil, miniature versions of himself.
Critters (1986)
These murderous creatures come from outer space and have a taste for cattle -- and find human flesh to their liking as well.
Troll (1986)
Young Wendy runs afoul of a creature that's smaller than she is and far more dangerous.
Cat's Eye (1985)
The troll that comes out of a wall in Drew Barrymore's bedroom is only glimpsed in the trailer, but rest assured that the creature earns star billing for its homicidal impulses toward the helpless young girl, whose only defender is a cat.
Ghoulies (1985)
A young man summons forth mighty, if small, creatures of evil who are ready to do some harm.
Gremlins (1984)
Joe Dante's classic was a trailblazer in its free mixture of horror and comic elements, revolving around a small creature called a Mogwai and the havoc that results when instructions for its care are ignored. In this scene, it takes a very determined woman to stand up to a Mogwai invasion in her kitchen.
