Since there are no great horror flicks in theaters right now, here's a list of my favorite horror rentals of all time. Some are funny, some are scary, and some are downright terrifying.
But the one criteria they all had to meet was that they are B list movies. There are no digital characters, no credits to Stephen King, no big budgets and no characters named Freddy or Jason. So, without further ado, let's get started:
#5: Rawhead Rex. Clive Barker is Britain's version of Stephen King, only with more gore and less ego when it comes to movie adaptations of his ideas. Rumor has it that one night Clive and his buddies were drinking and he said (this is not an exact quote), "What if there was a horror movie where a giant penis ran around killing people?"
Believe it or not this idea was eventually translated to film, although a slightly phallic-looking Celtic demon was substituted for the aforementioned penis. Rawhead Rex is the funniest freakin' horror movie you will ever see, guaranteed.
#4: The Re-Animator. This movie answers the question, "What happens when a zombie (decapitated, no less) is fresh enough to still have a sex drive?" It may not be a pretty sight, but it's the most bizarre thing you'll see outside of a John Waters film.
#3: The Evil Dead. A horror classic from Sam Raimi, who mastered the art of low budget movie-making long before those Blair Witch folks ever did. Borrowing from such varied films as Night of the Living Dead and The Wizard of Oz, this film will leave you numb. And you'll never want to be alone in woods again. Ever.
#2: Return of the Living Dead III. So, you ask, why is a sequel to a sequel to an offshoot of Night of the Living Dead in my top five? Because it is the only horror flick I have ever seen that successfully joins the themes of zombie-ism and true love. This is one B movie that goes over the top with class.
#1: In the Mouth of Madness. Like many films in the genre, In the Mouth of Madness borrows heavily from the works of H.P. Lovecraft. However, it is the only one that matches that author's gift for transporting one into the darkest recesses of the unknown.
Its deft juxtaposition of the ultimate mind-trip with some otherworldly evil, creates what is arguably the best horror flick ever. You may have to watch it a few times to understand the concept, but this movie more than stands up to multiple viewings.
