Worst2First: My Top Ten B-Rated Films
Worst2First:
My Top Ten B-Rated Films
Here are my personal top ten B-rated films, worst2first.
**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**
#10
Iron Sky
#9
The Gingerdead Man
(the trailer has some vulgar language, viewer discretion is advised)
There is a production company called Full Moon that produces some of the most outlandish, unthinkable, totally insane films known to man, and "The Gingerdead Man" won't be the only one on this list. The story is reminiscent of "Child's Play" - a serial killer's soul is trapped inside a gingerbread man, and goes on a killing rampage, targeting the family who put him in prison when he was human. Not only is it an extremely ludicrous premise, but they managed to get equally ludicrous actor Gary Busey to voice the Gingerdead Man, and use his image for the face, which, needless to say, is the most terrifying aspect of this movie. What's amazing is that the film has spawned two sequels and a pairing with the Evil Bong (yes, that's another B-rated series about...yes...an evil bong).
#8
Basket Case
Creature features have always been a go-to for a good B-rated horror flick, all the way back to the 40s. The 80s, I personally feel, was the pinnacle of horror cinema with the likes of Jason, Freddy, Chucky and Michael running around, but there's also some incredibly decent creature features to be showcased, one of them is "Basket Case." Duane is your average, run-of-the-mill guy, but its his deformed Siamese twin Belial that's the star of the show. Basically just a gelatinous blob with a face and one hand, Belial lives in a basket Duane keeps with him at all times, and has a telepathic connection with Duane. He also gets insanely jealous of anyone close to Duane and kills them. The film also spawned two sequels in the 90s.
#7
Tremors
Two men tired of their dull lives in a small Nevada town set out to leave, but just as they're about to, a series of murders and earthquakes rock the town, and they discover a breed of large killer worms living below the town. Starring Kevin Bacon, the film has that "it's so bad it's good" quality that it spawned four sequels (all starring Fred Ward), and is easily an enjoyable film to see on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
#6
Puppet Master
Full Moon Entertainment strikes again, this time with its most profitable franchise (ten films and counting) with "Puppet Master," a film about a bunch of killer puppets who have different sorts of skill sets (one has a drill for a head, one regurgitates leeches, another has fists the size of a man, and another has a knife attached to his arm) to make the most unique and insane kills imaginable. The series is easily the most convoluted in B-rated history, with the puppets serving as killers, but also as good guys who fight Nazis and inter dimensional beings. They're all very entertaining and enjoyable to watch.
#5
Feast
Turning the monster horror tropes on their head, "Feast" (the winner of HBO and Matt Damon/Ben Affleck's "Project Greenlight" series) centers around a group of bar patrons who come under siege from monsters, and have to fight to survive. Each character is given their own unique introduction card ("Hero," "Heroine," "Vet," "Edgy Cat,"etc.), and those you think will make it bite the dust rather quickly, and it's a very intelligent B-rated horror flick that spawned two so-so sequels, but nothing beats the original.
#4
Chopping Mall
Eight teenagers decide to camp out at their local mall after hours, and come under attack from the mall's security - robots who turned sentient and are equipped with deadly lasers. It's been a dream of many people to spend the night in the mall (all the way back to "Dawn of the Dead"), and the premise is so over-the-top it's a pure delight to see. The cast is the epitome of horror tropes (the jock, the loose girl, the nice girl, the smart guy, etc.), and they play to their strengths because they don't have much more to work with, and with a film like this, that's alright by me. Not to mention the quintessential 80s soundtrack and hilarious sound effects.
#3
They Live
Spawning one of the most quoted lines in movie history ("I'm here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubblegum"), "They Live" is an excellent alien invasion movie where the aliens disguise themselves as humans, and only Rowdy Roddy Piper (and director John Carpenter) can stop them, because he can see their true form by wearing special sunglasses. Over-the-top, hammy, and yet with a deeply thought-provoking message about conformity, "They Live" is an amazing campy delight that can easily be watched over and over.
#2
Slither
The most recent movie on this list, "Slither" is a smart, intellectual B-rated horror flick that boasts an impressive cast and gets a bigger budget than most. Starring Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Jenna Fisher and Michael Rooker, the movie focuses on a small town being invaded by alien beings that overtake their hosts, and the result is a gory, zany, hilarious adventure. It's equal parts action, horror and comedy all rolled into one, with impressive effects and Michael Rooker turning into a blob-like creature. What more can you ask for?
#1
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
I've never been a big fan of clowns (they don't scare me, I just don't find them funny), and I blame "Killer Klowns" for my apathy, because I remember watching this movie when I was a kid and being a bit freaked out by it. Now it's a campy delight but from a young boy's eyes it's pretty terrifying. When a comet crashes outside a small town, aliens that look like circus clowns go about harvesting and eating as many humans as they can. The effects are laughable and the clowns look downright silly, but that only adds to the re-watchable value of this B-rated gem, one that can easily be enjoyed over and over again.
Comments
Post a Comment