Supernatural (TV Series) Monster Movie (2008) User Reviews

A favorite

[jmdanley · 9/10 · 22 April 2015]

From a joke stolen from The Simpsons to the tacky sets that look like they came off a 1930's Universal Studio monster film, this episode was a pleasant surprise in taking the typical Winchester storyline and turning it on its head as a classic monster movie.

The characterization of the sleepy Pennsylvania town (which looks like the backdrop for "Frankenstein") as a hotbed of supernatural activity surrounding an Oktoberfest celebration gives credence to the story that includes a poor Lugosi impersonation as Dracula, an unseen werewolf and a mummy that comes to life in the town's museum. Definitely a fun show that steps outside the series' sometimes overwrought seriousness.

Full disclosure: I am from that small town, Canonsburg, PA, and it does have an Oktoberfest, it's definitely steeped in 1950-70 architecture, it does not have a natural history museum and it does have a few people who look like they stepped out of a 1930's horror film. And it has a statue of hometown favorite Perry Como in front of the Borough Building.

A high water mark

[jrizos · 9/10 · 5 August 2013]

Brilliant nods to detective and noir genres, let alone monster movies. Full of smart and witty humor, great acting, and self-aware meta-fiction that isn't cloying or brash. Takes an interesting and risk gamble on the plot/premise and pays off handsomely. I'm not a die-hard fan of the series, this one stands alone fairly well and is one of the top 20 must- watch episodes of television ever, in my opinion, just as a work of art if nothing else. That said, it's also genuinely funny and the lead character Dean isn't as eye-rolling dorky-Cassanova as he tends to be in other episodes. His womanizing is, well, let's just say he's kind of cute and earnest this time around.

It was Beauty that killed the Beast!

[zombiehigh18 · 8/10 · 4 November 2011]

Watch this episode if:

1- You want to see Dracula, a full time movie Werewolf and a Mummy in one episode.

2- You want to see the boys looking fabulous in Black and White.

3- You want to see Dracula riding a motorcycle and eating garlic free pizza bought by a coupon.

4- You want to see Dean in a weird outfit.

5- You want to relax a little bit from the season's heavy plot.

6- You want to have a big smile on your face all through the episode.

And finally if you want to see Dean back to being funny with hilarious one liners.

This might not be the best of season 4, but it was sure fun to watch. It was a tribute to old monster movies, with so many references.

And, I know we don't like Shape Shifters, but you will definitely sympathize with this one.

An all time great episode

[CubsandCulture · 10/10 · 3 March 2020]

This is episode is a lovely homage to the classic universal horror films and the details are just right. Whether it is the pathos that "Dracula" invokes with their death or the self-aware gags, i.e. need a black and white case, this is an fully realized episode that is completely enjoyable from start to finish,

I think Edlund giving voice to why otherized people might be drawn to monsters is noteworthy aspect of the episode. When society calls you a villain you end being drawn to them; "Dracula" here is very much The Creature in Frankenstein. He is a figure of awkward, clumsy naivety who's trying to connect to people. And failing.

That this sentiment is wrapped up in some of the funniest and most light material in the show's run makes it land all the stronger.

Brilliant homage to classic horror films!

[Red_Identity · 10 September 2010]

Monster Movie is one of the funniest episodes of the entire series, as well as one that holds much ambition.

The episode is sure to split opinions, simply because in the middle of this season fans will want to see the storyline of the season continue and not stop for such a light-hearted episode. However, I think this is one of the best stand-alone episodes there can be. It is entertaining, hilarious, and above all, it makes you remember about the type of classic black-and- white horror films there are out there. I thought the plot was simple, but very effective, and some of the scenes are sure to become iconic among the show. Overall, very strong episode, one of the finest of the fourth season.

One of my favourite monsters

[shwetafabm · 10/10 · 11 June 2020]

This was one cool monster and one cool episode. I love the crazy out of the box spn episodes and they aren't just imaginative and fun they have a great mystery and comedy to it. Absolutely brilliant tho starts slow. Also another tragic monster figure but i really really liked this one.

Black and White

[ulrikekalb · 10/10 · 21 January 2020]

What a fun episode! I love the references to old monster movies...and shapeshifter storylines are always great! Also so much funny, ridiculous little details... Dracula on a Vespa, the guy in underwear playing the organ, the pizza delivery! OK, Dean in Lederhosen is a bit over the top...but otherwise... fantastic!

A nice change from the standard care of bleeding, beatings,killing,drinking and emotional suffering.

[hsabgardner · 8/10 · 29 July 2020]

Really, light humored, fun, if you like theme episodes and the old classic movies this light to entertain you. And let's be serious.mina is a truly pretty lady. Heather Locklear was the most stunning blond ever, and this lady could be her reincarnation.

Golden episode.

[m-47826 · 9/10 · 16 December 2020]

It is everything I loved about this show. Monster Movie, was funny, scary and smart. Todd Stashwick is hysterical, and the werewolf attack, and its buildup, was chilling and rewarding. I'm not a viewer of old monster movies, in black and white. But the way that episode gives them homage, looks spot on, and respectful. Even when it's simply to make fun of those.

Nice...

[MissTofu · 9/10 · 6 January 2011]

Spoiler warnings! Can't say I didn't warn any of you, folks! =)

I totally loved this episode. It was fun, whacky and a refreshing break from the ongoing plot line. The music, ambiance and even much of the scene setup were really quite well done. Plus with how the entire cast pulled off the cast interactions, it felt more like watching one of those black and white movies than some pretend movie that was pure filler.

The writing wasn't too bad either since it tied the movie tribute elements into a real hunting case and it also hinted at the poor brothers taking a well-deserved break after tangling non-stop with heaven and hell. For this episode, some of my favourite moments were when Mr. D picked up the pizza from the delivery guy and when Sam crept up on some poor sod and tried to yank his ear off.

I felt that the timing of this episode was okay. After all, Supernatural did the same with Season 3 where it sometimes broke off from the ongoing "kicking demon ass" storyline and focused on Sam and Dean chasing after ghosts, monsters and freaks of the nature. As long as the events and plot don't go against the logic in Supernatural's universe, it suits me just fine. Heck knows how many series have strayed from the laws their creators set up and started on a path to damnation by having logic jumps, character turning different with no valid explanation, suddenly trying to do social or political commentary out of nowhere, etc.

A Black & White Case

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 24 May 2010]

Sam and Dean head to Pennsylvania after reading a case of vampirism. They arrive in the middle of the Oktoberfest pretending to be FBI agents and they interrogate the only witness, the drunkard without credibility Ed Brewer, and Dean flirts with the blonde bartender Jamie. After interviewing Ed, who insists to tell that Dracula has attacked the victim, they decide to leave town. However, the youngster Rick Deacon is slaughtered by a werewolf in accordance with the statement of his girlfriend and sooner the mummy kills the security guard in the Canonsburg Museum and the brother decides to investigate further. When Dean and Jamie are attacked by Dracula and Dean yanks his ear, they conclude that it is skin of a shapeshifter that is impersonating the Universal Studio classic monsters.

"Monster Movie" is a silly but funny episode and a tribute to the Universal Studio classic monsters. The idea to make the show in black and white does not work well and is totally out of the context of the four first episodes of the Fourth Season; besides that, Dean and Sam look unusually stupid. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Filme de Monstro" ("Monster Movie")

In my top three favorite episodes!

[sevenof9fl · 10/10 · 24 January 2023]

This is one of my favorite episodes in the entire Supernatural series, and in my opinion one of the best. In this episode, the writers take a break from building the Supernatural mythology, and give us a funny, light episode, and still manage to integrate a monster of the week. Points for creativity, by basing the episode on the old 1930s monster movies, with a heavy camp emphasis. It's one of the funniest episodes in the series, led by a knockout performance by actor Todd stashwick, who portrays a shapeshifter, who has adopted the personas of the monster movies of the 1930s, complete with hilarious bad acting of that time period.

Inventive, hilarious, creative, and poignant. Should have won an Emmy. 10/10.

X-Files anyone?

[XyphoidProcess · 6/10 · 16 February 2009]

Supernatural is a superfun and cool series. Some of the episodes remind me of X-Files episodes. This one reminds me of the X-Files episode "The Post-Modern Prometheus". Not only because the bartender asks Dean and Sam if they are some kind of Mulder and Scully.

Not the best episode of the series, but it still was funny as hell. The acting was not as (intentionally) bad as "The Post-Modern Prometheus". So it didn't really feel like an old monstermovie.

Not much special effects, so it looked just like a normal episode, but in black and white.

Because it is part of a great series I gave it 6 out of 10.

Please don't ruin the show!

[Inferno666 · 1/10 · 7 November 2008]

I get it.

"A 'horror-show' must pay its tributes to its predecessors within the field of horror. I get it. Its funny. So let us do an episode dedicated to Frankenstein, werewolves and good old Count Dracula. That is going to be so much fun. And let us make both Winchesters seem really stupid too. LOL ROLFMAO!!!!11"

This must have been the writer of this episode's idea when he launched the idea of violating Supernatural with a stupid, dumb and mostly irrelevant episode where Supernatural goes away from all the cool things in the show and ends up being a bad comedy that is so bad that even Martin Lawrence, Chevy Chase and Bob Saget would have run away from it screaming.

Supernatural is facing a tough season 4 with Dean just coming out of Hell, and my idea is that the screen writers probably are just buying some time until they really figure out what the want to do. As a result, they mock the viewers with stupid episodes just like this when they could have given us a good old ghost story or something in the same style. One way or the other; this episode stinks. A lot.

But I have a coupon

[fireflyfan619 · 10/10 · 8 September 2021]

That line had me rolling!!!😂😂😂 Really great episode!

A mockery on it's own nature.

[Adam-09265 · 8/10 · 27 May 2020]

A Supernatural episode that tries to humour us with open book cliche's on the subject of Supernatural monsters from old movies.

Watch for a cheap laugh or skip to the next episode. It doesn't affect the story much and tries to have depth at times but doesn't quite justify.

Didn't mind the show

[mm-39 · 7/10 · 21 October 2008]

The most non-serious of all the episodes of Supernatural so far! I repeat so far! A tongue and cheek homage towards the throwback of black and white horror movies. Wolfman, Dracula, and The Mummy are characters in Monster Movies. The camera angles, acting style, character names, credits and even the awkward acting take you back to the old time black and white horror film. I love the shows comic parts. Dean is overly silly, and Dracula is just as silly with the pizza coupon scene. Does he kill because he is lonely or is he lonely because he kills, is another silly line from the shape shifter. One problem with the concept. Doesn't a shape shifter have to touch someone gain their form? OK show 7 out of 10.

Too Old, Too Cold

[ttapola · 6/10 · 10 May 2011]

The opening episode of season 4 raised Supernatural to a whole new level. The second added missing details to the show's Mythology. The third one was a great Monster-of-the-Week episode. On first viewing, this one appeared to be a great Weird One, but after three viewings, while it still remains amusing, the faults cannot be ignored.

First, to throw to the audience a Weird One, that is *completely* irrelevant to the Mytharc (there isn't even the opening "Then" recap!) *just* when the Mytharc shifted to a higher gear, is ill-judged. At this point, the show shouldn't be doing back-to-back Monster-of-the-Week episodes - at most, there should be one Mytharc episode for every Monster episode, for balance's sake.

Second, a homage to/parody of classic black & white Universal monster movies - no matter how good it is, is likely to remind anyone who's seen The X Files of said show's similarly themed *and* also B&W episode "The Postmodern Prometheus". Frak, this episode even throws in an X Files reference! This actually *is* better than The X Files episode in question, but no way can one say this is original.

Third, the pacing is slow. On first viewing it may not be noticeable, but on further viewings, when one compares this to a typical episode of Supernatural, this seems so slooooww. The old Universal movies are bit slow too, so maybe the writing was intentional for the episode to be "truer" to its origins. In any case, the more one watches this, the more bored one becomes of the tedious bits, anxious to re-see the *great* bits. Simply put, while there are truly classic moments here, as a whole, the episode is hardly classic.

As a proof how a Weird One is made and later considered a classic, see - for example - Angel's "Smile Time", Buffy the Vampire Slayer's "Doppelgangland", "Hush", "Once More With a Feeling" and, of course, The X Files' "Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'", possibly the greatest Weird One ever (famously the director had to read the script thrice before he fully understood it). Supernatural itself has classic Weird Ones like "The Monster at the End of This Book", "Changing Channels" and "The French Mistake" further down the road! Compared to them, this is "just" good. There's nothing wrong with being a solid 6/10 - that's the most common IMDb rating and much higher than some of the episodes from the first season - its just that there are better episodes in the series.

Shockingly Bad

[conorp · 1/10 · 27 February 2013]

This has to be one of the worst episodes so far. The script writer must have been totally devoid of ideas when he wrote this one. The attempt at humor fails miserably. It reminds me of episodes of series that are running out of steam. This sort of stupid plot isn't new. Its been done in star trek as well as in many other series. Its like a fall back plot when the writer is having a bad week. Cobble something together and get it out because there is a deadline. Baby Looney Tunes is funnier and more entertaining than this. The true horror of this is that I wasted 40 minutes of my life watching this rubbish. How far this episode falls away from the core qualities of what makes this series so good is incredible. But, not only was the episode bad, but the acting of the guest stars was also terrible. This definitely rates as the worst episode followed closely by Hollywood Babylon towards the end of series 2.

Terrible.

[caitlin-doherty · 1/10 · 19 June 2018]

Literally the worst episode of Supernatural. If I could go back and never start watching this episode, I would. The series itself is great, except this episode. Horrible.