Why I love B-horror movies

[CadorBolin]

New member here.  I started to get into B-horror movies (again) about 3 years ago when I bought a few $5 DVD compilations from the cheap Wal-Mart bin.  Some of the movies on these discs had LAST MAN ON EARTH, CARNIVAL OF SOULS, THE DEVIL'S PARTNER, and a couple of Roger Corman films.  While their production values and acting may be considered horrible, I found most of these entertaining (actually, Carnival might technically be a "B-movie" it certainly does not look like it).  I am too young to have seen these in the theaters or even on late night television, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that there is a treasure trove of 'dismissed 'classics.

I did watch a lot of B-horror when I was younger--mostly 1980s slasher fare on VHS like FRIDAY THE 13TH, BASKET CASE, SLAUGHTER HIGH but as I got a bit older, I didn't watch these types of films as much.  I did watch the occasional B-movie on late night television (Elvira Movie Macabre was playing on my local TV station in the early 1990s--I assume these were reruns from her 1980s show) but because of these cheap DVD sets, I've been watching a lot more 'cheesy' horror movies.

I've also got about 5 megapacks (50 movies each).  It took me about a year to watch the 50 HORROR CLASSICS set (at the rate of about 3-4 movies per month).  Some of the movies from that set that stood out for me were NIGHTMARE CASTLE, METROPOLIS, HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, etc.

After I finished that set, I proceeded to watch the movies on the NIGHTMARE WORLDS mega-pack.  I must admit, some of these are a bit harder to sit through.  The first set has mostly mainstream stuff that was shown in drive-ins, etc.  While I had to force myself to watch horrible crap like ATOMIC RULERS OF THE WORLD, WARRIORS OF THE WASTELAND, DEATH WARMED UP there were some real hidden gems like THE ALPHA INCIDENT, WEREWOLF WOMAN and IDAHO TRANSFER.

Just this morning, I watched THE FURY OF THE WOLF MAN -- while the plot is almost incomprehensible, I was able to appreciate certain aspects of it--mostly the look and the forboding mood of it all.  While I rate it a 3 out of 10 on the B-movie scale, it looked and felt like a monster movie--it was just very badly executed.

As for why I love B-horror movies?  Mostly, because I love horror stories.  I've read most of Edgar Allan Poe's stories (and I have only seen about 2-3 movies based on his works--I'll make sure to acquire some more of them in the future).  I think that b-horror is not as pretentious as mainstream horror--the latter which I see very few good movies being made nowadays.  Although I must admit, I really like the SAW series.

[Derf]

Welcome to the forum, CadorBolin.

You list some excellent movies in your run-down. Last Man on Earth is a favorite of mine (still haven't seen I Am Legend). I went through most of the video rental store's horror and sci-fi sections in a couple of different towns, watching mostly, as you did, the 80s cheeseball flicks. I've since bought some of them on DVD, though I still have some large holes in my collection. I have a couple of the 50 movie packs, but I don't think I could force myself to watch all of them, even in a year's time: some of the titles/descriptions just don't sound interesting to me. Metropolis and House on Haunted Hill are both great, and I share your love of Poe (got a few of the Vincent Price movies based on Poe stories).

I did see Idaho Transfer, which you mention, but I don't recall considering it a hidden gem myself; it just didn't work that well for me. I'm also in the minority (in fact, I may be the only one) who didn't much care for Carnival of Souls; it was too much like a stage play on film (the ghost makeup and effects were almost entirely stagey). I'm not criticizing your tastes; I like several movies that few others can tolerate (Popeye, Mom and Dad Save the World) and dislike several that are very popular on this board (the Terminator movies among them). We're a diverse bunch around here; I hope you enjoy your time here.

[CadorBolin]

I did see Idaho Transfer, which you mention, but I don't recall considering it a hidden gem myself; it just didn't work that well for me. I'm also in the minority (in fact, I may be the only one) who didn't much care for Carnival of Souls; it was too much like a stage play on film (the ghost makeup and effects were almost entirely stagey). I'm not criticizing your tastes; I like several movies that few others can tolerate (Popeye, Mom and Dad Save the World) and dislike several that are very popular on this board (the Terminator movies among them). We're a diverse bunch around here; I hope you enjoy your time here.

The movies that I said I liked came from cheapie public domain DVD sets and I didn't know what to expect at all.  Perhaps if I watched these from a prior recommendation, my expectations would have been much higher and maybe I might have felt let down.  I recall being bored for the first 80% if _Idaho Transfer_ laughing at the hippie idealism of the characters--but the last 10 minutes or so I found so sublime that I was taken aback.

It's true that taste in movies is just a personal thing.  Perhaps my recent interest in b-films is just a passing phase (well, it's been lasting for 3 years on a regular basis).  I do try to watch 1 movie per week--sometimes it seems like a chore to watch an intentionally bad film from the 50 movie megapacks; I now have 5 of these in total and I don't think I'll get any more of them because most of the good ones are on the initial CLASSIC HORROR set and they seem to really scratch the bottom of the barrel to fill up the other megapacks.  My biggest interest is 1950s-1960s gothic and zombie horror and I'll probably seek these out from now on.

[Jack]

Welcome to the board!

If you like the 60's Gothic stuff, you should check out the Hammer Horror Series, it's 8 movies for something like $20, hard to beat.  I've really been enjoying them.  They're not all the best, though a few of them are excellent, but even an average Hammer horror movie is a lot better than anything they're making these days in my opinion.  I've been meaning to pick up one of those 50 movie packs but haven't got around to it yet.  I always figure that a bad movie with no commercials is better than a bad TV show with lots of commercials.  I've got some 4 and 10 movie sets;  the 10 movie sets, well, they tend to be pretty bad, though there are usually one ore two that are at least amusingly bad.  If you have insomnia, they're a sure cure, I'll guarantee you that!  Some of the 4 movie packs, like Beasts of Terror, are a great flashback to those made-for-TV movies of the '70s. 

One of the great things about DVD is that they're coming out with so much obscure stuff, just about anything you can think of is either out already or probably will be before too long. 

[316zombie]

you like horror stories?have you checked out any of the hammer or amicus anthologies?please do,you'll love them! i can give you titles if you need them,i own most of them...there are a lot of anthologies from all decades you'd probably like,i'b be happy to list my personal faves,or even the ones i don't like,heheheee.............

[CadorBolin]

Thanks for your replies. Afew days ago I actually ordered a Hammer Horror box set (3 Dracula movies with Christopher Lee and 3 Frankenstein movies with Peter Cushing), it was a bit pricy, but I've always wanted to see them.

I'm currently watching "House of the Living Dead" (1973) (from the NIGHTMARE WORLDS mega pack).  It's a Victorian "mad scientist" film that was made in South Africa.  It's not bad.

[RCMerchant]

Did you realize your screen name is almost a anagram for Cal Bolder? He played the Frankenstein Monster in JESSE JAMES meets FRANKENSTEIN's DAUGHTER!!!
 oh...sorry-Welcome!

[flackbait]

Welcome, If your into earlier horror I would recomend IT THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE. The movie ALIEN stole alot from this movie.

[Dennis]

Welcome to Bad Movies, as a youngster I used to watch horror/sci fi at the local theater, they had a special matinee double feature every Saturday, there was just something fun about sitting there in the dark and watching monsters or alien invaders, even if the effects were awful, the movies were entertaining. There are 3 movies that I would recommend, they are:
Attack of the Crab Monsters, this one has a little bit of suspense, till you see the crab, then it's kind of funny.
The Wasp Woman (original), there's a cat in this one that scared the you know what out of me as a boy, even now it still creeps me out.
The Beginning of the End, don't know exactly why I like this one so much, it's really bad, but it always comes to mind when I think of bad monster movies.
I'm going to go now, I had a long conversation with my friend Jim Beam last night and I'm not feeling real good right now.

[RCMerchant]

oh yeah...why I love B Movies!

 Well,with all the money Hollywood throws at the screen nowadays,someting seems to be missing. It;s too ...I dunno-high gloss. It's the difference between pre fab music like the BACKSTREET BOYS and garage music. The heart and soul is missing. Movies and music ,for the most part,is mass produced by corporations. I'ts the difference between a piece of art and computer graphics. CGI vs. Ray Harryhausen,or AIP's rubber monsters. BB King,Janis Joplin, the Ramones...and if the same songs were covered by an American Idol winner.
 B-movies are more...I dunno...comfertable. The difference between sitting in a high class restaraunt picking at fancy over-priced pretty food...or enjoying some fried chicken and hot sauce while sitting on my couch.

 I like all sorts of B movies...even the ones that put me to sleep are good...because it's nice to be lulled to sleep sometimes.

[JaseSF]

More and more I think I love B-movies as an extinction of my love and fascination with the 1950s (20 years before I was actually born) but it's not only that as I love all B-movies stretching from the 1930s through to the 1970s. Likes some in the 80s too but I think that's when movies turned away more from traditional sci-fi and horror in favor of action with its explosions and simplistic plotting. I think most B-movies at heart featured some director, writer, acting star, whatever trying to get across some type of message or another, be it moral or otherwise, there was something trying to get said in a lot of these films although many weren't very good at getting this across, the effort was there and is it just me or does the idea of driving one of those classic 50s car to the drive-in or wherever with your gal as you see in so many classic films just downright appealing. The stars were often better years past or seem that way to me. As good as Johnny Depp, Ron Pearlman and Jeffrey Coombs, three of today's better stars are, even they don't measure up to the thrill I get when I sees Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Sr. and Jr., Vincent Price, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee appear on my screen.

[Oldskool138]

Welcome!

My path to B-Movie fandom was a little stranger than most.  I'm a big punk rock fan and my favorite band is The Misfits.  Almost all their songs have to do with B-Horror and Sci-Fi movies.  Plus, I was listening to a lot of White Zombie then too.  I just happened to run across a copies of Faster p***ycat!  Kill!  Kill! and Night of the Living Dead at my local video store (before the days of Blockbuster).  I've been hooked ever since.

[RCMerchant]

Welcome!

My path to B-Movie fandom was a little stranger than most.  I'm a big punk rock fan and my favorite band is The Misfits.  Almost all their songs have to do with B-Horror and Sci-Fi movies.  Plus, I was listening to a lot of White Zombie then too.  I just happened to run across a copies of Faster p***ycat!  Kill!  Kill! and Night of the Living Dead at my local video store (before the days of Blockbuster).  I've been hooked ever since.

Punk and B-movies seem to go hand in hand...I'm a huge fan of the CRAMPS, The GHASTLEY ONES....and the MISFITS,of course. Saw a White Zombie concert back in the day...they had a large screen behind them which would flash crazy images...many from B-films...including Bela Lugosi's eyes from the film WHITE ZOMBIE...of course! That was in about...eh...1995. I was already 33 by then! Still young enuff to get in the pit...but old enuff to feel it the next day! 

[DistantJ]

I always find today's B-horror movies to be closer to traditional horror films from the black and white ages than the big productions. I mean really, while some of the big horror films of today are truely terrifying and brilliant, you still can't beat that "OooOO they're coming to get YOU! THEY KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE!" vibe for a good bit of fun.

I mean, we carve pumpkins and dress up as Frankenstein's monster on halloween, we don't watch cursed videotapes and wear torture devices.

[Oldskool138]

...we don't watch cursed videotapes and wear torture devices.

Unless that videotape is a copy of I *heart* Huckabees or Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector.