Halloween is the perfect season for watching as many horror movies as possible. Some horror movie makers have mastered the art of creating moody, spooky and terrifying movies. However, some film makers struggle to achieve this aim. Instead, their movies end up becoming funny, over the top or campy. Some film makers actually try to achieve this aim on purpose. Whether on accident or purpose, campy horror movies make a fun and relaxing alternative to frightening horror movies.
Child's Play
"Child's Play" (1988) is a movie that focuses on a small but deadly monster: a boy's small doll. A serial killed named Charles Lee Ray is chased into a toy store and cornered by the police. In a moment of desperation, he performs a ceremony that is supposed to transfers his soul into a small toy doll. He is killed moments later.
Through a strange series of circumstances, a young boy named Andy is given the same doll as a present from his mother. Almost immediately after he gets the doll, strange things begin occurring around the apartment. Andy claims that 'Chucky' is responsible for the strange occurrences. Andy's mother believes Andy is blaming the doll to protect himself. However, the problems become more and more serious and his mother begins to wonder if the doll isn't somehow involved.
Of course, by this point over 20 years later, everybody knows that Chucky was involved: this movie has spawned two sequels and a spin off series "The Bride of Chucky", which itself spawned its own sequel. Some people swear by the movie, saying it terrified them. However, the site of full grown adults being chased by a swearing and catch phrase spewing doll is often more risible than frightening. Although the movie has great special effects and a talented cast (including character and voice actor Brad Dourif) it usually inspires more laughs than screams.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
"Killers Klowns from Outer Space" (1988) is a campy horror movie that understands its ridiculous premise and milks it for a maximum amount of laughs. Written, produced and directed by special effects wizards, the Chiodo brothers, it features a premise that is not only fun and campy but a throwback to the 50's horror movies that inspired them.
A large comet streaks through the sky one night in the town of Crescent Cove. A farmer goes to investigate (an homage to 50's classic "The Blob") and finds a large circus tent in the woods. He finds several large and terrifying clowns who promptly kill him. Two young lovers, Mike and Debbie find the tent and the devastated "Lover's Lane" and try to warn the town. However, jealous deputy Hanson (Debbie's ex boyfriend) doesn't believe them. Neither does lead officer Mooney (John Vernon, most famous as the dean in "Animal House") even as phone calls pour in about attacks from the clowns.
The rest of the movie follows the clowns as they attack and kill the remainder of the town. Their methods of attacks are inspired by the sometimes frightening nature of real world clowns. They throw popcorn at people which mutates into horrible monsters. They trap them in giant cotton candy balls and throw skin dissolving custard pies. The special effects are inspired, the cast solid and energetic and the writing consistently entertaining. The gory special effects and the frightening look of the clowns may actually scare some viewers while making them laugh.
Cemetery Man
Many Hollywood actors have movies on their past resume that they would rather not remember. Rupert Everett starred in 1994's ambitious "Cemetery Man". Created in Italy, it focuses on Rupert Everett as Francesco Dellamorte, a lonely young caretaker at a cemetery. He takes care of the cemetery with Gnaghi, a hulking, nearly brute man who can only utter his name. He is played by renowned Italian violinist François Hadji-Lazaro. For some reason, the bodies in the cemetery return from the dead after a few days. Francesco and Gnaghi easily destroy them.
Things take a turn for the macabre when Francesco meets a young woman mourning her recently deceased husband. The two fall in love and make love on top of her husband's grave. He returns from the dead and attacks them, biting his widow. Although Francesco destroys the husband, the woman seems to die and is buried. Francesco destroys her and buries her. However, she comes back from the dead again, making Franceso realize she hadn't died from the bite and was killed by him. This leaves him on a road to madness, wherein he keeps seeing the woman in other women and killing them as a result.
This is a strange movie that is complex and difficult to discuss in a few paragraphs. For example, Gnaghi meets and falls in love with a young woman who dies. He digs up her head and the two fall in love. Francesco meets and has an angry discussion with Death. The acting is actually superb, with Everett showing the chops that would turn him into a star. The writing is quirky and humorous, with lines such as "I'd give my life to be dead" showing a unique and macabre sense of humor. Although this slowly paced movie may bore some viewers the high level of camp and humor should keep patient viewers entertained.
Bad Taste
Peter Jackson is well known for his string of successful "Lord of the Rings" adaptations as well as his block office smash "King Kong." However, Peter Jackson was also responsible for some of the best horror comedy movies of the 80's and 90's, such as the classic "Dead Alive." His first movie, "Bad Taste" from 1987 shows all the hallmarks of his film making career, such as a brisk pace, incredibly gory special effects and a nearly cartoonish sense of humor.
"Bad Taste" centers around a small town in New Zealand (Jackson's home country). The town has disappeared and the "Astro Investigation Defense Service" (create an acronym with the first letters to understand why one character complains about the name) believes aliens are involved. The group consists of four men: Derek, Barry, Frank and Ozzy. They find that aliens are indeed slaughtering humans for a very nefarious (if corporate sponsored) purpose.
Jackson directs, writes, produces and stars (in two different roles). His sense of humor is over the top and occasionally disgusting. Derek falls down a cliff and survives by landing on a nest of seagulls. However, the back of his skull is damaged and he must repair his brain damage by...well, revealing any more would ruin the fun. The special effects are very cheaply realized but effective and help contribute to the campy feel of the movie. Incredibly, the movie was filmed only on the weekends for over three years by Jackson and his group of friends.
Forever Evil
"Forever Evil" from 1987 is the sole movie written by Freeman Williams AKA internet horror movie reviewer Dr. Freex of the "Bad Movie Report" web site. Williams has a section on his site detailing the creation process of his movie. This fascinating break down of b-movie film making illustrates the ups and downs of the film making process for the aspiring film maker.
The movie he helped create is a classic of excessive horror movie camp. The movie begins with several characters being introduced and horrifically slaughtered in the first 15 minutes of the movie. The sole survivor ends up investigating the experience and finds that he is up against an ancient cult worshiping a powerful and evil god.
Williams script is ambitious in its scope (including scenes where characters focus their "chi" to become better martial artists) but ultimately fails to produce any chills. A major problem is the acting. At best, the actors are stiff and awkward. At worst, they are simply incompetent. The special effects are cheap and homemade. For example, car headlights are featured as the eyes of a monster at the beginning of the movie. Ultimately, the movie's failed ambitions and sincere attempts to frighten make this a perfect movie to laugh at this Halloween.
Sources
- "Review of the Entire 'Child's Play' Series." Horror.com. John Gugie October, 23, 2003. Link here.
- "Film Review: Killer Klowns from Outer Space." Horror News. John Gugie. February 26, 2011. Link here.
- "Cemetery Man (Dellamorte Dellamore) is Italian Zombie Horror with Artistic Flair." Best Horror Movies. Dr. Chills. January 5, 2007. Link here.
- "Bad Taste." Bloody Disgusting. Link here.
- "Forever Evil Review." Stomp Tokyo. Chris Holland. Link here.
Eric Benac - I hold an MA in Writing from Northern Michigan University in Marquette as well as a Bachelor's in English from the same institution as ...
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