Some of the horror movie classics have the best villains that still creep me out to this day. But that is not the case for everyone. Illustrator Anastasia Panina, better known as Anastasia in Red on her social media accounts, reimagines these creepy characters as sweet and innocent ones.
This contrast is both funny and heartwarming, bringing a refreshing twist to the terrifying world of horror. So if you are a fan of horror movies, we highly advise you to follow Anastasia for more of her content. Also, feel free to visit our previous post on Bored Panda, where Anastasia illustrated these villains giving advice on the fight against COVID-19.
More info: Instagram | Facebook | ainred.com
Meet Anastasia Panina, the artist behind these artworks
#1 Samara Morgan, The Ring (2002)
In 2002, director Gore Verbinski released one of the most iconic horror films of the century: the Hollywood remake of the classic ‘The Ring’.
Praised by experts for its gripping, chilling atmosphere, as well as the visuals and performance of Naomi Watts, the narrative brings to life the terrifying Samara, an obsessive spirit who collects victims via a cursed videotape – and who gives her targets seven days to say goodbye.
In addition to the critical success, the feature also made a box office bang, grossing no less than $249 million from a budget of $48 million, making it one of the most successful remakes in history and yielding two sequels that, unfortunately, did not receive the same reception.
Image credits: anastasiainred
Bored Panda reached out to Anastasia to learn more about her and her work. Anastasia shared that her interest in horror movies started in childhood: “I’m an artist and Illustrator, best known as Anastasia In Red. I’ve been obsessed with horror, macabre, and bizarre themes since childhood. I was 7 when I watched my first horror movie. My favorite activities were summoning spirits, listening to and telling scary stories. I was in love with everything about witches, magic, vampires, demons, and ghosts. And, of course, I enjoyed drawing.”
“As I grew up, the love for all the spooky stuff grew with me. So, I’m extremely glad that I was able to make it part of my work. One of the features of my art is that I really like to mix creepy and cute, scary and beautiful, horror and humor.”
“In addition to digital illustrations, I also work with physical materials and make Dark, Fantasy, and Horror-themed wooden jewelry and home decor painted by hand.”
#2 Predator (1987)
Predator (1987) is one of the most iconic films of the ’80s and definitely one of the most remarkable in Schwarzenegger’s career. In the plot, the Austrian star is the leader of an elite military team, the kind that performs missions that no one else could.
Their task is simple: rescue the crew of a helicopter that has crashed behind enemy lines in a Central American country, and contains a high-ranking officer.
Image credits: anastasiainred
#3 Ghostface, Scream (1996)
There was a very peculiar period for horror films at the end of the 1990s. At that time, fans were able to get excited again, with productions of a certain prestige that raised the genre to a high level, also creating a legion of new followers. For someone who was a teenager, these films meant a lot, giving life to a subgenre that seemed dead and buried. Adding a lot of humor, metalanguage, and jokes with the subgenre formula, but obviously not forgetting the scares, tension, and gore, a new era for such productions was born. The influence was so strong that this mold was assimilated by all and any production of the genre, even new copies of consecrated franchises.
Image credits: anastasiainred
We were wondering if Anastasia was influenced by any particular film or a villain to create her dark but cute illustrations. She shared: “I guess the whole point is that these movies, first of all, have a connection with my childhood. I watched them on TV with my parents and was scared but very curious at the same time. What an amazing feeling! Probably someone thinks that a kid at this age is too young for such things, but I regret nothing.”
“I think the biggest influence on my work is not even movies, but the TV series Tales from the Crypt with its dark humor. By the way, I draw not only well-known characters but also create my own, which become recognizable as well. For example, Derpy Black Cat is one of my most popular characters. I think he could be a great companion for the Crypt-Keeper. Hehehe.”
#4 Jason Voorhees, Friday The 13th (1980)
“Friday the 13th” (1980) is an independent film directed by Sean S. Cunningham. The story revolves around a group of teenage camp counselors who mysteriously disappear one by one while attempting to reopen a haunted summer camp. Following the success of “Halloween” (1978), the film was produced on a budget of $550,000 and garnered significant attention. It became a major box office hit, grossing $59.8 million worldwide. While receiving mixed reviews, it paved the way for a long-running franchise, including sequels, crossovers, and a reboot. Its impact on the genre solidified its status as an influential horror film.
Image credits: anastasiainred
#5 Pennywise, It (2017)
A journey into King’s cold, dark mind. Made for American TV, ‘It’ shows a quiet town that was terrorized 30 years ago by a being known as ‘The Thing’. His victims were children, and he appeared most often as the clown Pennywise. In this form, he reappears 27 years later. Seven young people who saw ‘The Thing’ return to fight it. However, this battle could cost them their lives. The new adaptation of ‘It” (2017) arrived in theaters exactly 27 years after the release of the last film. And the most sinister? In the book, Pennywise returns every 27 years.
Image credits: anastasiainred
Anastasia possesses a remarkable talent for transforming terrifying villains into adorable and harmless-looking characters. We were curious to learn more about her approach to this creative process. Anastasia shared: “To answer this question, I think it’s worth telling how exactly I came up with the idea of making horror icons funny and cute. It started with the memory of how Freddy Krueger cured my insomnia when I was 8-9 years old. Sounds absurd, I know!”
“I remember very well the first time I experienced insomnia. It was very difficult for me to fall asleep, and I couldn’t sleep properly for about 2 weeks. Apparently, this happened because I was too worried about school, lessons, homework, tests, grades, etc. I just wanted to be a good student. But after watching one of the parts of A Nightmare on Elm Street on TV, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. That night, I saw Freddy Krueger in my dream. He turned out to be a nice guy and said that actually he isn’t so bad, it’s just a job.”
“One day, I remembered this story, and that’s how I came up with the idea to create My Cute Villains art series. I just imagined that horror icons have a life behind the scenes with their own problems. And at the beginning of the COVID era, to distract from negative thoughts, I again decided to turn to my favorite characters and created the Villains against COVID-19 art series. I wanted to make anti-COVID tips that would be really memorable and not boring. I thought very carefully about which villain should give particular advice.”
#6 Pinhead, Hellraiser (1986)
The supernatural franchises of the 1980s are some of the most loved and adored by fans of the horror genre – and one of them is ‘Hellraiser’ with the unforgettable character Pinhead.
Officially released in 1987, the British feature film brought Clive Barker as director and screenwriter and was based on his own novel ‘The Hellbound Heart’. In the plot, Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman) is a connoisseur of sexual depravity, who seeks the latest sensual experience and buys a beautiful and intricate puzzle cube. Only Frank has experience with the cube after solving the riddle and opening the doors of Hell and Heaven, which causes his death. When an old lover moves in with him, he tries to convince her to help him get back to the world of the living.
Image credits: anastasiainred
#7 Michael Myers, Halloween (1978)
“Halloween” (1978) is a groundbreaking independent film directed by John Carpenter. The story follows Michael Myers, a mental patient who escapes from a sanitarium and returns to his hometown to stalk a babysitter and her friends, all while being pursued by his psychiatrist. With Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut and Donald Pleasence, the film was highly successful, grossing $70 million and becoming one of the most profitable independent films ever made. Praised for Carpenter’s direction and score, “Halloween” is recognized as a pioneer in the slasher genre, drawing inspiration from classics like “Psycho” (1960) and “Black Christmas” (1974). It is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential horror films of all time, earning a place in the United States National Film Registry in 2006. The franchise spawned numerous sequels, a remake, and a recent direct sequel that disregards previous entries. Various adaptations, including a novelization, a video game, and comic book series, have further expanded the film’s legacy.
Image credits: anastasiainred
Although the artwork is created in a consistent style, the drawing duration for each piece varies. Anastasia shared the time difference it takes: “It always depends on how many characters and details are in the illustration. But thinking about the idea itself can take quite a long time as well. So it can be from 1-2 days to several weeks. One of my most complex pieces called Eerie Mirror Beauty Salon took me about a month.”
#8 Hannibal Lecter, The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
Released on circuits across the USA on February 14, 1991, having previously held preview sessions in New York (January 30) and California (February 1), The Silence of the Lambs turned 32 years old.
The film is based on the homonymous novel by writer Thomas Harris – responsible for a series of books starring the character Hannibal Lecter. The story features a rookie FBI recruit-in-training, Agent Clarice Starling, facing the biggest opportunity of her short career as well as her most daunting challenge: maintaining professional ties with an incarcerated psychopath, Dr. Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ Lecter, in order to gain insight into the hunt for another maniac, the transvestite Buffalo Bill – who is kidnapping and taking the lives of young women.
Image credits: anastasiainred
#9 Critters & Dr. Alan Feinstone, The Dentist (1996)
“The Dentist” follows Dr. Alan Feinstone, a successful but mentally unstable dentist in Los Angeles. Consumed by obsessive-compulsive disorder and a quest for perfection, his life takes a dark turn when he discovers his wife’s infidelity. Fueled by rage and hallucinations, he embarks on a violent spree, attacking patients and colleagues. As the police close in on him, Alan’s descent into madness reaches its peak. Eventually captured, he finds himself confined to a psychiatric hospital, subjected to a twisted fate in the hands of his toothless wife, Brooke.
Image credits: anastasiainred
And lastly, Anastasia added: “Have you ever heard that horror movies can be good for health? For example, they can help us face our fears, boost our immune system, relieve depressive feelings, and more. So watch horror, and stay healthy!”
#10 Elvira: Mistress Of The Dark (1988)
Elvira is a comedy and horror film starring Cassandra Peterson and based on the character created by her on television, an absolute success in the ’80s. Released in 1988, the original film didn’t do much at the box office – just $5.5 million – but it has become a cult classic over the years, gaining a respectable fan base.
Image credits: anastasiainred
#11 Jack Torrance, The Shining (1980)
In 1977, Stephen King released his third novel and increasingly built his name as one of the geniuses of contemporary literature, revitalizing and even rebuilding the horror genre with incredibly heartbreaking works. It didn’t take long until ‘The Shining’ won its version for theaters in the hands of another incredible name in the entertainment industry, Stanley Kubrick.
In the feature film, Kubrick introduces us to the Torrance family, whose patriarch Jack accepts a job as a janitor at the imposing Overlook Hotel during the winter season, in which the building remains closed. Thus, he will be able to get rid of the creative block and write his works in peace, accompanied only by his wife Wendy and his son Danny, endowed with inexplicable psychic abilities that potentiate the problems to be faced by the core protagonist. From the first act, the melancholic and mysterious tone is gradually built, reaching several heights as the turns become more and more distressing. Danny is able to converse with intangible entities, which are viewed with excessive normalization by parents, as it is normal for children to have imaginary friends.
Image credits: anastasiainred
#12 Freddy Krueger, A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984) is a critically acclaimed supernatural slasher film directed by Wes Craven. The story follows a group of teenagers who are haunted by Freddy Krueger, an undead killer who can take people’s lives through their dreams. Seeking revenge against their parents, who burned him alive, Krueger targets the teens. Made on a modest budget of $1.1 million, the film became a huge success, grossing $57 million worldwide. It is regarded as one of the greatest horror films ever made, spawning a franchise with multiple sequels, a TV series, and a remake. The movie’s exploration of dreams versus reality and its clever manipulation of audience perceptions have made it a significant contribution to the genre. In 2021, it was added to the United States National Film Registry for its cultural and historical importance.
Image credits: anastasiainred
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