From “Killer Klowns from Outer Space” to “Hood of Horrors,” B-list films are an exciting way to celebrate Halloween.
It’s Halloween time, and that means it’s time to grab the stolen Netflix account and throw on some horror movies. Specifically, bad horror movies. There is nothing better than getting together with a group of your closest friends on and around Halloween and watching the worst, most atrocious horror movies you can find. Here is a short list filled with gems of B-list horror movies that every person who calls themselves a fan of horror needs to watch.
Starting off the list is “Killer Klowns From Outer Space.” This is a classic movie made in 1988; with a running time of under 90 minutes, it is a certified masterpiece. As the name suggests, alien clowns are the centerpiece of this film. The move is your regular ‘80s cliche with the girl eventually getting kidnapped and her boyfriend having to save her. These alien clowns are murderous, and their methodology is fantastic, ranging from shadow-puppets to cotton candy. Watching it is a fever dream, and, by the end, you aren’t sure if you’re still alive. It offers a few real scares here and there but overall it’s a great movie to laugh at. The best thing about it? It’s free to watch on Youtube.
Next is “The Return of the Living Dead,” another classic ‘80s flick and the origin of the zombie “brains” catchphrase. This isn’t a movie that is supposed to be taken seriously and pokes fun at a lot of horror movie tropes, but was still made in the ‘80s. It’s free with an Amazon Prime account, otherwise you might have to pay a few dollars to watch it. It’s a good film to throw on and be glad that the horror made in the 2010s are so much better than this.
“Unfriended” has to be on this list. “Unfriended” is the film that is kind of boring, filled with bad acting and a bunch of teenagers that have no idea how computers actually work. It’s fun to watch simply because of how laughable it is that any of the events taking place in this movie would ever happen. It has bad editing and worse acting with characters very obviously reading from a script off to the side. It relies entirely on jump scares and holds no real horror. It’s one of those “new age” horror films that takes itself too seriously, and that’s why it’s fun to watch. The film handles itself like it’s “Hereditary” or “Get Out” but falls so short. At least the other films on this list have some sense that they’re bad. It averages about $4 on various websites if you want to watch it.
Snoop Dogg makes an unexpected appearance on this list with his film “Hood of Horrors.” That’s right, Snoop Dogg made a film, a horror film, and it’s not good. The film is about three different stories of people in “the hood” and Snoop Dogg’s character, the Hound of Hell, is the one that politely shows you through their stories. This film had a budget of 5 million dollars, but it’s not obvious. It is a wild ride of a movie like every other film on this list. The entire movie can be found on youtube pointing even more to its excellence. If you’re a fan of Snoop Dogg check it out; if you’re not, still watch it.
Next is “Birdemic.” An homage to Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” this movie has it all. Bad acting, bad editing, a bad camera, a girl named Nathalie and a cubicle clearly placed inside someone’s house. This movie is more love story than horror film, despite the birds that keep killing people. The main characters Nathalie and Rod are too in love to have to worry about the birds. This movie is on the same level as “The Room,” if not worse. It’s a sight to behold this Halloween. A good soul has put the movie on Vimeo for free viewing.
Finally, we have “Troll 2.” Now if you’re there thinking, “Well, won’t I have to watch the first ‘Troll’ before I watch this?,” The answer is no. Because there is no “Troll” before this. Originally the movie was going to be called “Goblin,” until a movie called “Troll” did come out and was sort of successful. The company that made “Troll 2” decided to try to trick everyone that this was the sequel, and that should give you an idea of what kind of film this is. The movie is about vegetarian goblins that turn people into plants in order to eat them. This movie has been hailed as the best worst movie ever, so do yourself a favor and give it a watch this Halloween season. Vudu, an online movie renting platform, has a copy that you can watch for free if you’re willing to watch the ads, or pay $5 and own this great piece of artwork for the rest of your life.
Bad horror movies are great. It’s a general consensus that Halloween is the perfect time to watch them. Between being scared by actual horror films, it’s good to throw on one of these bad boys and give yourself a break. You also end up with a lot to talk about with your friends and plenty of inside jokes.
