Flashback: The Frighteners (1996)

The 1996 horror comedy The Frighteners starred Michael J. Fox as Frank Bannister, a man running a kind of “Ghostbusters” scam. Yes, he can see real ghosts, but they’re actually his accomplices: They haunt a place until someone pays Bannister to, um, “bust” them. But when the spirit of a mass murderer can attack the living and the dead, Frank and his ghost friends have to stop him.
The Frighteners was directed by Peter Jackson and co-written with Fran Walsh. The film also starred Trini Alvarado, Peter Dobson, John Astin, Dee Wallace Stone, Jeffrey Combs, R. Lee Ermey, and Jake Busey. The Frighteners was Fox’s last leading role in a live-action feature film.
British studio Hammer kicked off their classic monster movies with their Dracula films often starring Christopher Lee as Count Dracula and Peter Cushing as Doctor Van Helsing. Find out about all nine movies in their series.
Continuing our comparisons between the Fantastic Four and The Munsters—why do the FF and The Munsters fight crime? This is another example that THEY have in COMMON—but very few others would also have this in their description.
Bram Stoker’s novel DRACULA has left a lasting mark on the vampire genre. Published in 1897, the book also explores superstition, sexuality, and the clash between modern POVs with ancient evil.
In the latest episode of our show, we go over the uncanny similarities between the influential comic book legacy of the FANTASTIC FOUR and the monstrous (but beloved) television sitcom THE MUNSTERS!
The Rondo Awards honor the best in classic horror research, creativity and film preservation. This year's winners include the reissue of ROBOT MONSTER, the movie GODZILLA: MINUS ONE, the TV series WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, and more! Find out the details here.
Over the decades, there have been LOTS of robots on TV—including helpers and heroes, plus warnings about evil robots. We look at robots from a couple dozen TV shows, including sci-fi series, cartoons, and sitcoms.
The founder of 3D Film Archive talks to Monster Complex about the reissue of 1953 alien horror movie ROBOT MONSTER—including why he’s following it with a 3-D comic book anthology.
With tech so common now, we take a look at some of the best movie robots of all time—from charming co-workers who just want to help us out to menacing monsters planning to stomp on us.
Want to see some monster movies that are technically bad but are fun to watch? These may never live up to the standards of applauded horror movies, but you can’t say they aren’t fun to watch…
Looking for more options to watch classic monster movies like Frankenstein or Godzilla? Offering a bunch of websites with movies and TV shows—including stuff you can watch free, rent or buy digitally, or still buy physical media.
To join in Women’s History Month, Monster Complex wants to share several of the women authors we’ve talked about on the site. Find out more about these ladies—plus links to find them online.
Marvel Comics mini-series The Thing hits shelves just ahead of MCU's Fantastic Four movie July. Searching for a missing child, the Thing must unravel the mystery—even if that means becoming a wanted man.
Wondering how to get audiobooks and also support local independent bookstores? Libro.fm shares profits with local booksellers around the world—including the store that you got to choose.
Since its launch five years ago, online platform Bookshop.org has been helping local bookstores sell online. And now the company offers a way for indie bookstores to sell eBooks, too.
You have have more options where to buy your books. Offering links to find a bunch of different booksellers—including Bookshop, plus booksellers specializing in horror, SF, Fantasy, and more.
The star of Kevin J. Anderson’s hysterical mysteris, Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. was a private investigator when he was murdered. But even death won’t keep a good detective down.
Giant monster legend Godzilla returns to American comic books in 2025—with brand-new stories at Marvel Comics and DC Comics. The King of Monsters will meet again with the likes of Fantastic Four and Justice League in brand-new stories.
Monster Complex celebrates our articles that got the most views in the past year! Looking back at our most-read monster stories from 2024, including stories about monsters in books, movies, TV, music, comic books, and more.
Author J.J. Ackerknecht talks about his superhero LitRPG series All I Got is This Stat Menu. JayAck talks about how his sci-fi book series is moving from being mostly Earth-focused to expanding out into the farther reaches of space. “Each book really builds on the one before it.”

Chris Well been a writer pretty much his entire life. (Well, since his childhood.) Over the years, he has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio, and books. He now is the chief of the website Monster Complex, celebrating monster stories in lit and pop culture. He also writes horror comedy fiction that embraces Universal Monsters, 1960s sitcoms, 1980s action movies, and the X-Files.
The 1957 sci-fi horror movie called the “worst film ever made” has a new book version coming for the 100th birthday of Edward D. Wood Jr., the man who wrote, directed, produced, and even edited the movie.