Horror Movie Sidekicks can be some of the best aspects of a horror movie. Sometimes the can be the last thread of redemption for our hero, sometimes they help the final girl see the end, sometimes they can cause a big realization, and sometimes they can simply sacrifice themselves to help our hero or heroine battle the villain. On rare occasions they can even be more memorable than the heroes. In the end, a good side kick is everything, and these are five particularly good ones.
Nanook – The Lost Boys
Would the Emerson brothers have been able to ward off David and his clan without Nanook? Probably not. Actually if you want to get technical, Nanook is key to just about everything in “The Lost Boys.” He protects Sam against vampire Michael, he’s able to detect a lot of the evil revolving around the house, and yes, he even kills off vampire Paul, who threatens to murder the Frog Brothers. Nanook is just one of the unsung heroes of a true horror classic. He not only survives to the very end, but gives Paul a little cocky glance as he boils in the bathtub filled with holy water.
Tatum Riley – Scream
While Tatum essentially falls in to the trap of the buxom victim being slayed by the serial killer, Tatum is very important. She has to die in order for Ghost Face to get to Sidney. Not only does Tatum hover around Sidney like a mom, but she pulls her away from menacing people, and even manages to catch on to things Sidney doesn’t. Once Tatum dies, it opens the window for Sidney to be preyed upon. Tatum is a great sidekick and one of the more underrated of the “Scream” series, mainly because if she’d survived, she probably would have caught on to the bug scheme, long before Sidney ever did, warned her, and spared a ton of lives.
Uncle Red – Silver Bullet
Uncle Red is not just a great sidekick but he’s one helluva of a great comic relief, to boot. For a movie that’s dark, intense, gut wrenching, and features a child getting mauled to death, Uncle Red, as played by Gary Busey is hilarious and has good intentions when we meet him, Uncle Red is thrust in to an extraordinary situation with his niece Jane and nephew Marty. He’s having a hard time dealing with the fact that his nephew’s home town is keeping a vicious killer, but the fact the killer is a werewolf mauling locals is a situation he has to adapt to in a split second, or else he and his family will die. Uncle Red has some of the funniest moments of “Silver Bullet” but in the end he comes through for his family when faced again an immense threat.
Thor – Bad Moon
Thor is a good dog, he’s probably one of the most loyal cinematic dogs ever put to screen. Would Lassie fight a werewolf for his masters? I think not. In “Bad Moon” Thor is confronted with Ted, a traveler who is cursed with becoming a werewolf. When he moves in with his sister Janet and nephew Brett, he quickly realizes that Thor is a danger to them. The battle becomes a huge stand off of animal dominance, and soon Thor has to literally fight tooth and nail to make sure Ted doesn’t murder the only family he’s ever had. While “Bad Moon” is a great horror movie, it’s also a testament to the loyalty of dogs, and Thor is the classic man’s best friend who risks literal life and limb to ensure that his masters are free from the clutches of the threat of a genuine werewolf. You have to love German Shepherds.
The Cat (General) – Cat’s Eye
General is basically the main character of “Cat’s Eye,” but through no fault of his own he’s also the primary protagonist and side kick for “Cat’s Eye.” Even when pushed in to circumstances he always seems to aim for the right move, especially in “The Ledge” where his action inspires the villain to fall to his death. In the final segment “General,” he is fully realizes as a guardian and sidekick, helping his new owner from the scourge of a soul sucking dwarf that hides in her walls. He goes in to battle in the finale, in one of the most exciting sequences of the film, and he proves to be a great protector for his new owner in the final scene.