Sumatran Rat-Monkey
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The Sumatran Rat-Monkey (Simian Raticus) is a fictional creature created by director Peter Jackson for his 1992 horror/comedy film, Braindead (also known as Dead-Alive). As seen in the film, the animal is found only on Skull Island, a fictional island first conceived of in the 1933 film, King Kong.
According to the film's lore, the Sumatran Rat Monkey is the offspring of small tree monkeys and giant plague rats. The resulting offspring were then used in black magic ceremonies among the natives.
It is a nearly hairless creature with vacant, wide eyes. It appears to resemble a rat far more than a monkey. It is a carnivore and bites at nearly anything it can fit within its mouth.
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[edit] The bite
The Rat-Monkey's bite is what gives the creature its notoriety. A single bite from the creature is fatal, with even the smallest wound becoming infected and pustulous within one day's time. The victim then enters a coma-like state and passes away, only to return from death several minutes later. The reanimated corpse of the bite victim is ravenous and inhuman, with little more to guide them than simple, primal instincts.
The only known cure for the bite of the Rat-Monkey is the amputation of the affected area before the creature's toxins reach the victim's heart.
[edit] Additional information
- The animal's bite is known by local tribesmen who live in its region as "Zengia" or simply "The Bite".
- Although the animal is not seen onscreen, a crate labelled "Danger - Sumatran Rat Monkey" can be seen early on in Peter Jackson's 2005 remake of King Kong .
- In the book "The World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island", it is mentioned that the Rat-Monkey live in the ravines of the island, snatching at falling meat.
[edit] Other Connections
A "giant rat of Sumatra" is mentioned in the Holmes short story "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire", written by Arthur Conan Doyle in 1924. It is one of the many Sherlock Holmes untold stories.
- "Matilda Briggs was not the name of a young woman, Watson," said Holmes in a reminiscent voice. "It was a ship which is associated with the giant rat of Sumatra, a story for which the world is not yet prepared. But what do we know about vampires? Does it come within our purview either? Anything is better than stagnation, but really we seem to have been switched on to a Grimms' fairy tale. Make a long arm, Watson, and see what V has to say."
There is also a comedy album by The Firesign Theatre called The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra.
