I’m working on a novel about a video clerk in a small town who’s obsessed with straight-to-video, B-movie horror (gee, wonder where she got that from?). So of course I had to do some research, and I found a few gems that were way better than I thought they’d be. Each one’s a little bit freaky, a little bit silly, and offers a glimpse into the kind of movies I remember renting with my friends on sleepovers or watching alone on rainy Saturday afternoons.
The Funhouse
After Texas Chainsaw Massacre but before Poltergeist, legendary horror maestro Tobe Hooper directed this wacky little delight about a bunch of teenagers who regret a dare to spend the night in a carnival funhouse.
The characters are goofy (what is up with that creepy little brother?) but the movie features real 1950s amusement park rides, haunted-house attractions, and natural oddities (a two-headed calf!) to great effect. Apparently they even hired real carnies to add to the vibe. The barker is especially great, and the monster, created by Oscar-winning SFX dude Rick Baker, has a whiff of pathos. After all, he can’t help what he is. Or how stabby he gets. Even with all those powerhouses behind it, this isn’t a great film, but a good time nonetheless.
Trick or Treat
Horror and metal go together like peanut butter and jelly, and this lost classic is tasty as a sandwich. In true ’80s style, a bullied metalhead teenager brings his favorite singer back from the dead through backward masking, but things get out of control.
Not super slasher-y, but good cheesy fun with a surprisingly solid story (it all makes sense, sort of). Bonus points for the main character who looks and acts like a real metalhead (the mullet! the ripped denim! the Alternative Tentacles t-shirt!) and the dead rock star who really sells the over-the-top, rock-star vibe. The soundtrack, by English metal band Fastway, is decent ’80s hair metal, and cameos by Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne are just plain fun.
Basket Case 2
The first Basket Case, in which formerly conjoined, psychic twins go around ripping people’s faces off, is kind of legendary for its bizarreness, but I didn’t know there was a sequel (and apparently a third) until I heard about it on Random Number Generator Horror Podcast Number 9. Far from scary, and not even particularly stabby, this is a surprisingly thoughtful exploration of what it means to be an outsider and to build a found family. Aw!
Belial, the more *unique* of the brothers, even undergoes therapy via psychic communication to overcome his anger issues. But he’s also called upon to defend his newfound family of unusual personages (the special effects here are hilariously delightful), never realizing the true threat comes from within the house. My favorite scene was at the bar, which is shot like a classic noir complete with fedoras, trenchcoats, and “normie” masks on all the family members. Though the picnic scene is pretty great too.