The movie pitted Dracula, the Mummy, the Wolfman, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon against Frankenstein's monster and a group of brave misfit kids. It wasn't a box office hit, but it developed a cult following on video that considered "Monster Squad" as essential an '80s coming-of-age adventure as "The Goonies" or "Stand By Me." Plus, it launched the career of one of Hollywood's most successful screenwriters, Shane Black (the "Lethal Weapon" series, "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang," "Iron Man 3").