History Main / TentacledTerror

But it doesn't have to stop to mere cephalopods: some have noticed that cephalopod's tentacles are so creepy and unnerving that they could considerably crank up the horror meter of other monsters, and decided that they could be used on creatures even more menacing than actual cephalopods. Cue the various MixAndMatchCritters like cecaelias, Cthulhu-like {{Eldritch Abomination}}s and a plethora of monsters with entirely gratuitous tentacles. As far as non-cephalopod tentacled animals go, jellyfish are also prone to this trope- the fact that some of them really do [[https://www.livescience.com/54608-alien-jellyfish-discovered-mariana-trench.html look like they're from outer space]] definitely helps.

* In ''Film/BrideOfTheMonster'', MadScientist Dr. Vornoff keeps a giant octopus in a tank in his lab and releases it to kill intruders.

* Creator/RayHarryhausen's ''Film/MysteriousIsland'' based on Jules Verne's novel features a giant ammonite that attacks the characters when they're working to float a sunken ship the end of the movie.
* The [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dianoga dianoga]] from ''Film/ANewHope'', the one in the Death Star trash compactor, happens to be octopus-like. They're also called "garbage squid". And they will [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/File:Dianoga_in_Toilets.jpg invade toilets.]]

* The Italian movie ''Film/{{Tentacoli}}'' (or ''Tentacles'' in its U.S. release) features a giant octopus that was stirred up by an underwater tunneling project, and developed a taste for humans.
* The [[TripodTerror Tripods]] in ''Film/WarOfTheWorlds2005'' use long, roping tendrils to search out places that the HumongousMecha can't reach, to lift people (and vehicles) off the ground, and on one memorable occasion [[spoiler:to drain a victim of blood for use in growing the aliens' Red Weed]].

* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' has the Watcher in the Water (a huge squid-thing that guards the gates of Moria) and to make it even clearer that it is far beyond any comparison to a real animal its tentacles have ''fingered tips'' on each of their ends.

* The giant octopus boss of [[UnderTheSea Quaria]] in ''VideoGame/{{Bug}}!'', which stays in the background, [[TentacleRope grabs fish with its tentacles]], and throws them at you. You counter by [[TennisBoss whacking them back at his head]], after which he will come up close and personal, [[CombatTentacles using his tentacles to hurt Bug directly]].

* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' has the Watcher in the Water (a huge squid-thing that guards the gates of Moria).

** The mutated creature that resides within a Dalek casing resembles a brain with tentacles and a single eye, and is determined to ''[[{{Catchphrase}} exterminate]]'' everything that is not Dalek.

* Shuma-Gorath is a recurring enemy of ''ComicBook/DoctorStrange'' who can best be described as a pile of green tentacles with a giant eye in the middle. As the name and appearance might suggest, he's a [[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraftian]] chaos entity residing outside our dimension, and is constantly trying to find a way in. He is very unpleasant to deal with to say the least.
* The Ogdru Jahad from ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'', being a mix of Lovecraft and Babylonian myths, are often portrayed as enormous tentacled masses beyond our universes borders. They're also the BigBad of the entire setting, are responsible for the creation of Hellboy and have intended for him to bring them into our reality to usher in the End of Days.
* [[http://www.comicvine.com/octoboss/4005-54336/ Octoboss]], a minor ''ComicBook/{{Invincible}}'' villain, is a horrifying anthropomorphic octopus who straddles the line between {{Humanoid|Alien}} and StarfishAliens. His head and hands are all masses of [[{{Super Strength}} super-strong]] {{Combat Tentacles}}. Since ''Invincible'' is in part a [[{{Franchise/SpiderMan}} Spider-Man]] homage, Octoboss is probably based loosely on Doctor Octopus.

* ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian2011'' has one which lives under the BigBad's castle called the Dweller. Interestingly, only its tentacles are shown.

* ''WebOriginal/OrionsArm'' has the horror story of the [[http://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/47e9add0e5e11 Bitenic Squid]], an UpliftedAnimal variant created to self-direct its psychological development, totally free of human preconceptions. {{Rousseau Was|Right}}... very wrong: the one in a million who achieve coherent thought and communication are total sociopaths with BlueAndOrangeMorality revolving entirely around their solipsistic interests, and all the more dangerous for it when they find outsiders to exploit. Their presence it outright banned on several worlds, and quite a lot of people consider their basic existence to be an atrocity.