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.
[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.
