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Movies => Bad Movies => Topic started by: JaseSF on January 17, 2012, 10:05:25 PM



Title: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: JaseSF on January 17, 2012, 10:05:25 PM
So what do you feel personally are the most "must-see" bad movies of the 1950s era? It was an era filled with goofy monsters, cheap costumes, cheap FX work but it also produced some marvellously fun drive-in fare. Sure there were so damned good films too, the likes of The Day the Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet and The Thing From Another World - films as great as they are often still get paired up in people's memories with all the cheesy stuff from the era too because a lot of these films tried to copy these and the elements are often the same or similar - monsters, robots, ray guns, spaceships, meteor showers, gals in short skirts on a planet seemingly devoid of men aside from perhaps a father figure of some sort. So which are the most existential, hopes I meant essential (or did I?) for the bad movie fan? Here I'm thinking more in terms of bad movies that are actually fun and enjoyable to watch instead of stuff that's rather tough slugging but feel free to discuss that as well if you'd like.  Anyways I consider the following to be must - see myself. I'll limit it to just five to give others a chance to add more.

The Angry Red Planet (1959): this is cheesy as heck and actually drags a bit for quite a bit of its running time but the outrageous monsters eventually put on display here truly take the cake - from the bat-rat-spider-lobster critter to its giant amoeba - this is your space opera exploration film turned on its head with truly the craziest, most whacked out Mars, palm trees and all, imaginable. You just have to love how they turn everything red on Mars to hide the cheapness of the FX work.

The Amazing Colossal Man (1957): the giant radioactive genre has to have an entry here and this one is more entertaining that most as it features a man becoming gigantic and pretty much wandering around most of the film in what for the world looks like a giant diaper. That said, the film actually has some depth as we see a man struggling with something he personally cannot control, a change in one own body reminiscent on some levels to a degenerative disease I suppose.  But keep a look out for that hypodermic needle - it's a killer.

The Brain From Planet Arous (1958): It would be most remiss to leave off the evil brain subgenre that spawned so many terrific B-movies. This, one of the very best, features an evil, twisted and perhaps somewhat perverted, certainly for the 1950s era, alien brain named Gor that takes possession of John Agar's mind and set outs on a mission to take over the world. However a rival good brain also from the planet Arous arrives and takes over a dog's brain hoping to stop Gor's demented plans. Actually this is surprisingly involving and just so much fun to watch, cheap FX (so what if you can sometimes see the strings on the brain?) and all. Gor is about as opposite of benevolent visiting alien as one can get.

Fire Maidens From Outer Space (1956): If you had zero budget and wanted to make something of a remake of Forbidden Planet crossed with Cat Women of the Moon, this is probably what's you'd get. Here we have all the elements of space opera - meteor showers, lonely men arriving on mysterious moon only to encounter various beautiful maidens who inhabit said world and the only male around is a fatherly figure. All would be well except for an evil presence that lurks on the outskirts just waiting to strike - said monster here is played by a very tall guy in an unconvincing mask, slightly reminiscence of the aliens from the Outer Limits episode "Nightmare" but nowhere near as well achieved as that, who just basically shouts and snarls a lot.

The Giant Claw (1957): An hideous unstoppable giant monster is what's described in this film, what we get instead is the laughable Giant Claw- an anti-matter flying buzzard described to be the size of a battleship and soon becomes an apparent threat to the whole world. It's hilarious to see the actors reacting with such seriousness to the critter presented here who just plan looks so constantly goofy and ridiculous. Yet considering it’s a giant anti-matter space buzzard..well the fact they dreamed that up and presented it in such a serious fashion deserves serious bad movie kudos all the way around.



Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: bob on January 17, 2012, 10:09:47 PM
Robot Monster (1953)

Glen or Glenda (1953)

Birde of the Monster (1955)

Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: JaseSF on January 17, 2012, 11:49:42 PM
Ah yes, how could I have forgotten Ed Wood?  :buggedout: Tremendous oversight on my part and you mentioned what are agruably his three best, or is that worst, films. Actually I do consider them his best because they are by far the most entertaining with the most outrageous scenes - of the three Wood films you mentioned, I like Bride of the Monster best as it feels somewhat closer to the classic Horror of yesteryear and even features the one and only Bela Lugosi for a large part of its running time but the final battle with the octopus has got to be seen to be believed. Plan 9 From Outer Space is frequently mentioned as one of the worst films of all time, many claim it is the worst - obviously there's a lot of bad choices made in terms of the film and it all feels very amateurish yet on some bizarre level, it kind of works - it's so bad it's good. "Your stupid minds. Stupid! Stupid!" - so outrageous it proves unintentionally hilarious many times over.  Glen or Glenda may be the most outrageous of them all mixing surreal bizarre imagery with Bela Lugosi saying "Pull the string!" while the main story focuses on the struggle of a man who tries to find acceptance in a world that frowns on his cross-dressing.

Robot Monster is another classic all the way. How can you get a cheaper monster that a guy in a gorilla suit with a diving helmet on his head. It's ridiculous many times over yet on some level again, this one works in that so bad it's good fashion especially as we see Robot Monster Ro-Man struggling with philiosophical choices and the nature of its existence. "I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot!"


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: joejoe on January 18, 2012, 03:56:24 AM
the blob (1958)

them! (1954)

invasion of the body snatchers (1956)

my favorite, the killer shrews (1959)


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: crackers on January 18, 2012, 05:08:51 AM
Teenagers From Outer Space - 1959

This film is great.


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: RCMerchant on January 18, 2012, 05:58:57 AM


them! (1954)

invasion of the body snatchers (1956)



Woah! WHOAH!  :buggedout:

You consider these BAD movies?
I always catagorized those 2 in with the classics,meself....

Some personal favorite BAD movies of the 50's....
.the ASTOUNDING SHE-MONSTER (1957)-2 Numbskull crooks and a drunken moll kidnap an heiress and hide out in a geoligists shack in the hills are terrorized by a Glow-In-the-Dark chick in a one piece body suit. She kills dogs and rubber snakes by touch-and numbskull gangters. Grade z shlock. Amazingly-this was remade by Fred Olen Ray in 1990 as the ALIENATOR!

.the BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE (1959)-A looney tunes doctor gets in a car wreck with his pretty fiance-who turns into a yappy,nagging b***h when she gets her decapitated head  brought back to life in a lasagna pan full of strange fluids. Can't blame her,I guess. Keeping her company while her beau is out scouting strip joints for a new body is a creepy cone-head monster locked in a closet. A very gory movie for it's time. This wasn't released to the public because of various legal reasons untill 1962. Producer Rex Carlton killed himself in 1968 when he couldn't pay back the mob money he borrowed. Some say it was murder. I dunno-After seeing his BLOOD OF DRACULA'S CASTLE (1969)-I think I would have killed myself too.

.EARTH VS.THE SPIDER (1958)-the same genuis who gave us WAR OF THE COLASSAL BEAST and VILLAGE of the GIANTS gave us this treasure too. Stupid teenagers wake up a supposedly dead giant spider with loud rock music at a high school dance. Havok ensues. Look for an uncredited Lee J. Cobb (Lt.Kinderman in the EXORCIST ) as a cop. One scene has a kid reading an issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland #1-the reading of choice for all hep teens back in the day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEUvhqGjubg


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: The Burgomaster on January 18, 2012, 08:46:51 AM
the blob (1958)

them! (1954)

invasion of the body snatchers (1956)

my favorite, the killer shrews (1959)

Yikes! I think the only one of these that's really a bad movie is KILLER SHREWS.  INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS is a classic. THE BLOB is a classic or at least a near classic.  THEM! is pretty decent, too.



Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: Rev. Powell on January 18, 2012, 10:06:54 AM
A few that weren't named:

ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN (1958) - I love Allison Hayes!
ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES (1959) - Roger Corman directs Yvette Vickers.
GIRLS TOWN (1959) - What a cast - Mamie van Doren, Mel Torme and Paul Anka!
HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL! (1958) - More Mamie and great hepcat dialogue 
SANTA CLAUS (1959) - The el bizarro Mexican version
THE TINGLER (1959) - Vincent Price takes the first acid trip in exploitation film history


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: ulthar on January 18, 2012, 10:34:36 AM
I was going to post THEM! as well, along with several Harryhausen masterpieces like IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA (1955), EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS (1956) and 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH (1956).

I read "bad" as "B" in this context...we run into this problem with "bad" all the time.

How about:

THE BEGINNING OF THE END (1957)
KILLERS FROM SPACE (1954)
THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953)

and one of my favorites, TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE (1959) has already been mentioned.


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: ChaosTheory on January 18, 2012, 11:14:23 AM
BLOODLUST (1959) - this one isn't that bad, considering it's just a remake of MOST DANGEROUS GAME.
THE GIANT GILA MONSTER (1959) - aka A cute lizard walks through some scale models while teenagers act stupid.  With original songs by Don Sullivan!
THE SCREAMING SKULL (1958) - featuring Mickey!
THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959) - I know it's considered a horror classic; I thought it was cheesy and ridiculous.

I must also show love for TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE.


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: alandhopewell on January 18, 2012, 01:03:42 PM
So what do you feel personally are the most "must-see" bad movies of the 1950s era? It was an era filled with goofy monsters, cheap costumes, cheap FX work but it also produced some marvellously fun drive-in fare. Sure there were so damned good films too, the likes of The Day the Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet and The Thing From Another World - films as great as they are often still get paired up in people's memories with all the cheesy stuff from the era too because a lot of these films tried to copy these and the elements are often the same or similar - monsters, robots, ray guns, spaceships, meteor showers, gals in short skirts on a planet seemingly devoid of men aside from perhaps a father figure of some sort. So which are the most existential, hopes I meant essential (or did I?) for the bad movie fan? Here I'm thinking more in terms of bad movies that are actually fun and enjoyable to watch instead of stuff that's rather tough slugging but feel free to discuss that as well if you'd like.  Anyways I consider the following to be must - see myself. I'll limit it to just five to give others a chance to add more.

The Angry Red Planet (1959): this is cheesy as heck and actually drags a bit for quite a bit of its running time but the outrageous monsters eventually put on display here truly take the cake - from the bat-rat-spider-lobster critter to its giant amoeba - this is your space opera exploration film turned on its head with truly the craziest, most whacked out Mars, palm trees and all, imaginable. You just have to love how they turn everything red on Mars to hide the cheapness of the FX work.

The Amazing Colossal Man (1957): the giant radioactive genre has to have an entry here and this one is more entertaining that most as it features a man becoming gigantic and pretty much wandering around most of the film in what for the world looks like a giant diaper. That said, the film actually has some depth as we see a man struggling with something he personally cannot control, a change in one own body reminiscent on some levels to a degenerative disease I suppose.  But keep a look out for that hypodermic needle - it's a killer.

The Brain From Planet Arous (1958): It would be most remiss to leave off the evil brain subgenre that spawned so many terrific B-movies. This, one of the very best, features an evil, twisted and perhaps somewhat perverted, certainly for the 1950s era, alien brain named Gor that takes possession of John Agar's mind and set outs on a mission to take over the world. However a rival good brain also from the planet Arous arrives and takes over a dog's brain hoping to stop Gor's demented plans. Actually this is surprisingly involving and just so much fun to watch, cheap FX (so what if you can sometimes see the strings on the brain?) and all. Gor is about as opposite of benevolent visiting alien as one can get.

Fire Maidens From Outer Space (1956): If you had zero budget and wanted to make something of a remake of Forbidden Planet crossed with Cat Women of the Moon, this is probably what's you'd get. Here we have all the elements of space opera - meteor showers, lonely men arriving on mysterious moon only to encounter various beautiful maidens who inhabit said world and the only male around is a fatherly figure. All would be well except for an evil presence that lurks on the outskirts just waiting to strike - said monster here is played by a very tall guy in an unconvincing mask, slightly reminiscence of the aliens from the Outer Limits episode "Nightmare" but nowhere near as well achieved as that, who just basically shouts and snarls a lot.

The Giant Claw (1957): An hideous unstoppable giant monster is what's described in this film, what we get instead is the laughable Giant Claw- an anti-matter flying buzzard described to be the size of a battleship and soon becomes an apparent threat to the whole world. It's hilarious to see the actors reacting with such seriousness to the critter presented here who just plan looks so constantly goofy and ridiculous. Yet considering it’s a giant anti-matter space buzzard..well the fact they dreamed that up and presented it in such a serious fashion deserves serious bad movie kudos all the way around.



     ANGRY RED PLANET actually dates from '62....still, an excelllent slice of Scandanavian cheese.


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: alandhopewell on January 18, 2012, 01:18:22 PM
THE ATOMIC SUBMARINE
CURUCU, BEAST OF THE AMAZON
THE DEAD TALK BACK
MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL
TARGET: EARTH
ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE
FROM HELL IT CAME
OUEEN OF OUTER SPACE
WORLD WITHOUT END
INVISIBLE INVADERS
GHOST OF DRAGSTRIP HOLLOW
THE HEADLESS GHOST
SON OF DR. JECKYL
DAUGHTER OF DR. JECKYL
CURSE OF THE FACELESS MAN
FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER
FOUR SKULLS OF JOHNATHAN DRAKE
BLOOD OF DRACULA


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: The Burgomaster on January 18, 2012, 01:34:33 PM
From the glorious year of 1957:

(http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l3vxm2vDOx1qz72v7o1_500.jpg)






Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: Ed, Ego and Superego on January 18, 2012, 02:02:57 PM
My personal favorite:
20 Million Miles to earth (1957)


Also:
Forbidden Planet (1956)



Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: major jay on January 18, 2012, 03:09:37 PM
(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w234/tcrine_photos/47065-large.jpg)

(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w234/tcrine_photos/8178__x400_indestructible_man_poster_01.jpg)

(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w234/tcrine_photos/DC02081112.jpg)

(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w234/tcrine_photos/J034.jpg)

(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w234/tcrine_photos/cyclops.jpg)


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: JaseSF on January 18, 2012, 04:45:48 PM
Consider The Blob, Them! and Invasion of the Body Snatchers to all be Good Movies yet they do get grouped with a lot of their imitators as they have similar elements but these films do it a lot better, a lot more effectively. The Killer Shrews though fits big time. A movie parading dogs wearing silly costumes off as giant shrews certainly has more than a few cheesy elements although you know when you get right down to it, the basic plot isn't that far removed from the much later Tremors films. James Best was certainly an interesting choice for the action lead too.

Teenagers From Outer Space is one of my all-time favourites too! I just love the way the alien teens don't give a rat's behind about disintegrating everything in their sight aside from the one of them who has a moral dilemma and becomes the film's hero. Also the monstrous Gargon are achieved in incredibly cheap fashion that deserves serious bad movie kudos. Teenagers is a definite must-see for bad movie fans.

Astounding She-Monster certainly belongs. Talk about a deadly woman. The Brain That Wouldn't Die I think is from the 60s but it definitely fits in well with the others named here and is certainly a bad movie exploitation taken to arguably tasteless extremes rarely explored before. Earth vs. The Spider actually almost borders on the Good Movie edge too and is certainly one of Mr. B.I.G.'s best films and feels like a quieter , small town version of a monster on the loose film. Perfect drive-in fare for the era, all of 'em, that's for sure.


Attack of the 50 Foot Woman certainly belongs here featuring amazingly cheap FX work but female leads Allison Hayes and Yvette Vickers are both so good and so beautiful one overlooks the cheesy plot featuring the sleazy two-timing husband. We get Vickers yet again in Attack of the Giant Leeches in another plot that feels somewhat sleazy but also backwoods country enough it somehow all seems to work on some level. The Tingler I feel borders on the good movie realm too. Honestly I really wonder if perhaps David Cronenberg didn’t catch this one way back and perhaps even developed some sort of fascination with it. I haven’t  yet seen the others mentioned by Rev. yet so I guess I have some for which to keep an eye out.

The Ray Harryhausen films are a lot of fun but more so for Harryhausen's terrific FX work. If one took that out, the films wouldn't be so good at all but Earth vs. The Flying Saucers, It Came From Beneath the Sea and 20 Million Miles to Earth all have their great moments. Earth  vs. The Flying Saucers is largely like I'd say a lot of kid probably imagined an invasion of UFOs might look like and is surprisingly action-packed. It Came From Beneath the Sea features prominently a female lead who wants to be a career woman and features one of those giant critters that dominated the era - here a giant octopus which somehow never seems as farfetched to me as perhaps it should. 20 Million Miles To Earth is rather like King Kong with its very sympathetic monster who doesn't go on a rampage until being poked and prodded far too much. Personally I also consider The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms to be a Good Movie given it was based on a short story written by Ray Bradbury and was largely the original inspiration for Godzilla.

Mr. B. I.G.’s Beginning of the End certainly belongs here there’s no doubt – the world threatened by giant grasshoppers! Certainly the ping pong balled eyed aliens of Killers From Space help it make this list as well.

THE ATOMIC SUBMARINE – I actually rather like this one. It feels rather like a young boy’s fantasy featuring a submarine encountering a bizarre alien critter who looks rather like a one-eyed monster and a surprising lack of women in the story. Definitely weird and I have to wonder about the perhaps underlying sexual connotations of this thing.

CURUCU, BEAST OF THE AMAZON – I actually have yet to catch this.
THE DEAD TALK BACK – haven’t seen this either.

MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL – now this one belongs in that “Bad” Bad Movie category in my opinion in that it features far too much walking and talking, is dreadfully dull overall and features lots of stock footage and poorly achieved stop-motion giant critters.

TARGET: EARTH – I kind of like this one. There’s some good ideas at work here. Too bad they couldn’t afford to have more than one robot though given this was supposed to be an invasion force in the story.

ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE – haven’t watched this one yet.
FROM HELL IT CAME – still need to check this out but understand it features a killer tree!

OUEEN OF OUTER SPACE – Cat Women of the Moon imitator featuring Zsa Zsa Gabor. Yeah, this was pretty tough slugging but certainly fun on some levels too.

WORLD WITHOUT END – still need to watch this.

INVISIBLE INVADERS – recall this being surprisingly good and rather like Night of the Living Dead despite featuring “invisible” monsters.

GHOST OF DRAGSTRIP HOLLOW- now this is pretty cheesy but is a mix of the many different genres of the era- part pajama party, part hot rod film, part monster on the loose story – all meant to be some hip with it comedy yet it never quite succeeds on any level. You got to love monster maker Paul Blaisdell showing up in this thing.

THE HEADLESS GHOST
SON OF DR. JECKYL
DAUGHTER OF DR. JECKYL
CURSE OF THE FACELESS MAN
I haven’t seen these 4 yet.

FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER – now this I recall being very, very bad and Frankenstein’s “Daughter” who goes on a rampage here I’m pretty sure was in fact a man under said costume. These kind of female monster movies with a man playing a female monster, often created by Paul Blaisdell himself, were certainly not uncommon – there was also The She Creature for one.

FOUR SKULLS OF JOHNATHAN DRAKE – I recall this one being pretty good actually but it has been a long time since last I saw it.

BLOOD OF DRACULA  - And a female take on Dracula from producer Herman Cohen, who also provided the aforementioned Target Earth, this one actually has elements that suggest lesbianism and unfair control of an adult over a minor leading to control and corruption of said young person. It’s actually a theme quite common in the works from Cohen. This film though is actually pretty good for what it is I felt, not half bad Drive-In fare at any rate.

Indestructible Man is pretty bad and features a largely mute, way past his prime Lon Chaney as an unstoppable man-monster bent on revenge against those he feels has wronged him. Actually the theme certainly isn’t uncommon to the crime genre but the added element of an indestructible man makes this a little more unusual.  Sadly it’s never as exciting as it sounds and I recall this being rather tough slugging to get through. I still need to catch a lot of the others mentioned and I certainly look forward to doing so,
   


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: joejoe on January 19, 2012, 03:52:02 AM
the blob (1958)

them! (1954)

invasion of the body snatchers (1956)

my favorite, the killer shrews (1959)



sorry everyone, I missread the original post

I thought the post was to recomend good '50s sci-fi.

when I wrote the post, I hadn't had my coffee yet.

sorry for the turmoil


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: RCMerchant on January 19, 2012, 05:40:14 AM
the blob (1958)

them! (1954)

invasion of the body snatchers (1956)

my favorite, the killer shrews (1959)



sorry everyone, I missread the original post

I thought the post was to recomend good '50s sci-fi.

when I wrote the post, I hadn't had my coffee yet.

sorry for the turmoil


Actually-some may consider them cheezy!
Consider this...
I was watching the original 1968 PLANET OF THE APES  and my son says-"This is cheezy,Dad."
I sez-"WHAT?!?! This is a classic!! How can you say that???"
Eddie-"The new one was better-these apes look so fake. They don't look like monkeys-they look like people with masks. Cheezy."

Sigh.  :bluesad:

Lesson learned-one man's meat is another man's cheeze.


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: Hammock Rider on January 19, 2012, 12:49:46 PM
Deadly Mantis
Tarantula
The Mole People


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: JaseSF on January 19, 2012, 08:36:16 PM
The Deadly Mantis: Actually I think this one is pretty good even if the giant flying preying Mantis does seem intent on invading Washington, D.C.?! There's some cool scenes involving it hovering over its prey and of the destruction it leaves in its wake. Personally I've always felt this was a tad bit underrated.

Tarantula: John Agar and giant spider rampage goodness. What's not to love? This is another one you could argue is actually a good movie. Got to love the scenery and direction by Jack Arnold in any case.

The Mole People: probably the least of the Universal Horror films yet it does have its moments and again we have John Agar (hmm he sure seems a regular in a lot of these gems now doesn't he?), here as an archaeologist who stumbles upon a lost deep underground Sumerian albino culture that uses hideous mole men as slaves.  The best moments do tend to feature these mole men and the albinos too, especially Alan Napier as their high priest.


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: Silverlady on January 20, 2012, 04:34:56 PM
So what do you feel personally are the most "must-see" bad movies of the 1950s era? It was an era filled with goofy monsters, cheap costumes, cheap FX work but it also produced some marvellously fun drive-in fare. Sure there were so damned good films too, the likes of The Day the Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet and The Thing From Another World - films as great as they are often still get paired up in people's memories with all the cheesy stuff from the era too because a lot of these films tried to copy these and the elements are often the same or similar - monsters, robots, ray guns, spaceships, meteor showers, gals in short skirts on a planet seemingly devoid of men aside from perhaps a father figure of some sort. So which are the most existential, hopes I meant essential (or did I?) for the bad movie fan? Here I'm thinking more in terms of bad movies that are actually fun and enjoyable to watch instead of stuff that's rather tough slugging but feel free to discuss that as well if you'd like.  Anyways I consider the following to be must - see myself. I'll limit it to just five to give others a chance to add more.

The Angry Red Planet (1959): this is cheesy as heck and actually drags a bit for quite a bit of its running time but the outrageous monsters eventually put on display here truly take the cake - from the bat-rat-spider-lobster critter to its giant amoeba - this is your space opera exploration film turned on its head with truly the craziest, most whacked out Mars, palm trees and all, imaginable. You just have to love how they turn everything red on Mars to hide the cheapness of the FX work.

The Amazing Colossal Man (1957): the giant radioactive genre has to have an entry here and this one is more entertaining that most as it features a man becoming gigantic and pretty much wandering around most of the film in what for the world looks like a giant diaper. That said, the film actually has some depth as we see a man struggling with something he personally cannot control, a change in one own body reminiscent on some levels to a degenerative disease I suppose.  But keep a look out for that hypodermic needle - it's a killer.

The Brain From Planet Arous (1958): It would be most remiss to leave off the evil brain subgenre that spawned so many terrific B-movies. This, one of the very best, features an evil, twisted and perhaps somewhat perverted, certainly for the 1950s era, alien brain named Gor that takes possession of John Agar's mind and set outs on a mission to take over the world. However a rival good brain also from the planet Arous arrives and takes over a dog's brain hoping to stop Gor's demented plans. Actually this is surprisingly involving and just so much fun to watch, cheap FX (so what if you can sometimes see the strings on the brain?) and all. Gor is about as opposite of benevolent visiting alien as one can get.

Fire Maidens From Outer Space (1956): If you had zero budget and wanted to make something of a remake of Forbidden Planet crossed with Cat Women of the Moon, this is probably what's you'd get. Here we have all the elements of space opera - meteor showers, lonely men arriving on mysterious moon only to encounter various beautiful maidens who inhabit said world and the only male around is a fatherly figure. All would be well except for an evil presence that lurks on the outskirts just waiting to strike - said monster here is played by a very tall guy in an unconvincing mask, slightly reminiscence of the aliens from the Outer Limits episode "Nightmare" but nowhere near as well achieved as that, who just basically shouts and snarls a lot.

The Giant Claw (1957): An hideous unstoppable giant monster is what's described in this film, what we get instead is the laughable Giant Claw- an anti-matter flying buzzard described to be the size of a battleship and soon becomes an apparent threat to the whole world. It's hilarious to see the actors reacting with such seriousness to the critter presented here who just plan looks so constantly goofy and ridiculous. Yet considering it’s a giant anti-matter space buzzard..well the fact they dreamed that up and presented it in such a serious fashion deserves serious bad movie kudos all the way around.



When I read your post and saw THE ANGRY RED PLANET on the list, I remembered I had the dvd.  Watched it late last night and forgot how cheezy it was.  Thanks for listing it  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: RCMerchant on January 22, 2012, 10:44:56 AM
 A few more gems(?)...
.MESA OF LOST WOMEN (1953) Just rewatched this insaneley ridiculous movie last night. Sweet Lawdy, this is bad.
 A totally brain-f**ked Mad Doctor (Jackie Coogan-aka Uncle Fester) mixes human and spider traits and gets giant spiders and tarantula women. Some of the most mind numbing dialouge this side of PLAN 9.
And the Lost Tarantula Women had corn rows waaay before Bo Derek!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvULjXQYbeA

.FACE OF THE SCREAMING WEREWOLF(1959)-The best-or worst,depending on your point of view-mummy changing into a werewolf movie ever. Actually the only mummy into werewolf movie ever. Worth it just to see Lon Chaney in his last werewolf role-and last mummy role too!This was originally a comedy called LA CASA DEL TERROR-but Jerry Warren chopped it up and mixed in scenes from an Aztec Mummy movie-and this mess was the result.
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l79/RCMerchant/casa2-1-1.jpg)


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: JaseSF on January 27, 2012, 04:28:14 PM
Nice additions there RC, you always add so much to threads like these.  :thumbup: So many times like this I've wanted to give you karma but couldn't...

Bad films in the 1950s though weren't really limited to sci-fi, fantasy and horror, we also got several films in the juvenile deliquency genre (including some early girls in prison films) which sometimes mixed with horror and sci-fi and sometimes didn't, also there were hot rod films (which sometimes also mix in JD thrills), biker films and other exploitation films, even beach party films some of which arguably got their real start in this era but would really take off in the decades to follow...

anyways another to add here:

Girls in Prison (1956): This movie, directed by Edward L. Cahn, focuses on a young girl who gets in with the wrong crowd, and ends up being convicted of being an accomplice in a bank robbery and is sent to an all-girls prison where she quickly becomes a target of others, some of whom seem rather unhinged, seeking knowledge about the whereabouts of the money in this seamy exploration, or should that be exploitation, of girls in prison. Actually overall, this film proves far more entertaining and well done than one might expect.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a7/Girlsinprisonpost.jpg)


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: alandhopewell on January 27, 2012, 04:44:08 PM
     Here's a "good" bad movie, complete with phony rubber octopus....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx8QEUw0Jvk

(http://www.bernardherrmann.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/beneath-the-12-mile-reef-2.jpg)

     A big-budget potboiler, fun to watch.


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: Pacman000 on February 01, 2012, 01:20:35 PM
When I watched Willow, when the witch sent out her wolf, my first thought was "Killer Shrew!" :wink:

From what I've seen Bert I. Gordon's movies are entertaining, not good, but entertaining.

It: the Terror from Outer Space is a decent movie, but it's dated.  Newer movies have done the same thing, only better.


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: alandhopewell on February 01, 2012, 01:27:12 PM
     A clip from FROM HELL IT CAME....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiP6W0ZCQRg


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: El Misfit on February 05, 2012, 01:17:45 AM
Fiend Without A Face (1958) is one of the best Sci if films that I ever scene. It is also bad, but yet it is good, in a way that the brain creatures kills without being seen. should see it. :thumbup:

The Wild Women of Congo is one of the MOST BORING films that I have ever come across that I decided to write this with a slash through it. You can see it, if you want, but it is extremely boring. how boring?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjCjgjk9n0o

Bride of the Gorilla (1951) is just plain padding, but is extremely awesome to star Lon Chaney Jr as the Sheriff.


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: major jay on February 05, 2012, 06:58:07 AM
Here's two more great prison flicks that are way over-the-top campy.
I love 'em both.

(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w234/tcrine_photos/inside-the-walls-of-folsom-prison-movie-poster-1951-1020458991.jpg)

ts6aAr3eh7E


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: CalrissianFoxxSteele on July 04, 2014, 12:25:15 AM
Surprised no one brought this one up yet. She's actually pretty hot (IMO)

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e0/Theastoundingshemonster.jpg/220px-Theastoundingshemonster.jpg)


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: RCMerchant on July 04, 2014, 01:12:47 AM
Surprised no one brought this one up yet. She's actually pretty hot (IMO)

([url]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e0/Theastoundingshemonster.jpg/220px-Theastoundingshemonster.jpg[/url])


I did bring it up-2 years ago,my freind....



Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: RCMerchant on July 04, 2014, 01:41:00 AM
What I haven't seen posted is one of the WORST-

GLEN OR GLENDA? (1953)

Ed Wood's first film is an incomprehensible mess of stock footage of buffalo stampedes (?) WW 2 footage,sexploitation bondage,art house nonsense-all about guys-not homosexuals,mind you! who like to dress up as women.
Oh-and Bela Lugosi saying the most inane dialouge ever. EVER.

(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l79/RCMerchant/tumblr_n7o4r80NlJ1spnykgo1_500_zps952b125d.jpg) (http://s93.photobucket.com/user/RCMerchant/media/tumblr_n7o4r80NlJ1spnykgo1_500_zps952b125d.jpg.html)

http://youtu.be/GRRgvDk-0MA (http://youtu.be/GRRgvDk-0MA)

Whats amazing-Bela makes this total nonesense sound like it means someting-so dramatic-he gives real emotion to total blather! Now tell me the man could not act! THAT is acting!!!


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: JaseSF on July 04, 2014, 03:59:13 PM
Actually Glen or Glenda? was mentioned by bob back on the first page. Still love to see people add more to this thread.


Title: Re: Must See Bad Movies of the 1950s
Post by: Umaril Has Returned on July 04, 2014, 04:27:18 PM
     A clip from FROM HELL IT CAME....

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiP6W0ZCQRg[/url] ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiP6W0ZCQRg[/url])


Oh man, Alan. I remember seeing this one on Creature Features God only knows how many times. This one and it's cousin film, "The Navy VS. The Night Monsters."