8mm Forum: The Cheesiest of Movies (or ... Gawd, how we LOVE them!)

This is topic The Cheesiest of Movies (or ... Gawd, how we LOVE them!) in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on December 06, 2008, 10:23 AM:

Having read the review of Star Crash, I got to thinking about how much we really do love our really BAD movies. One of my personal favorites is "Hawk the Slayer" as it has one of the all time Kings of the cheesy movies ... Jack Palance, who makes it a habit to choose the quality of movie based upon how much he can get away with over-acting, (an absolute neccessity if you are in a cheesy movie!)

It should be stated that a quality that typlifies a cheesy bad movie is that the actors are honestly trying to make a serious film. Comedies that are funny because thewy are comedies do not apply. This is for films that probably tried to say something, but did it in such a terrible fashion that you can't help but groan happily as you watch!

It seems that, no matter what genre the film actually belongs in, it really belongs in the "Cheese Genre", that genre of bad films that we love to love because they are so rediculous!

There are the classic bad films, like "Reefer Madness", (one of the early all time stinkers) that has a whole cult following in and of itself.

... and then there's the acknowledged all time bad film, (which most people label as the worst of the worst) ...

PLAN NINE FROM OUTER SPACE!

... starring the great Bela Lugosi, (well, for maybe a minute or two, he died while filming took place. Ed Wood just got a little footage of Bela at his house, with his Dracula cape on
and stalking around his house. They then got someone who was a lot taller than Bela, and simply had him slinking through lots of other scenes).

... so what typlifies a really bad film? Another example from Plan Nine From Outer Space! For the spaceship exploding as it took off, they took two paper plates, glued them together, set it on fire, and through it at the camera! ACTION!

So what are your picks for the films that are so bad that they are incredibly, unintentionally funny and therefore, beloved by you?

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 06, 2008, 10:39 AM:

Region 2 users may be interested to know that the DVD of PLAN NINE FROM OUTER SPACE is due for release in the UK on 23 February 2009 @ around £5.99.

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on December 06, 2008, 10:43 AM:

Well, to get Ed Wood out of the discussion, if you haven't seen "Orgy of the Dead"....you really should. [Big Grin]

It's a horror tale of a couple who come upon a graveyard where an initiation ritual takes place at night, in which we are treated to "psychic" Chriswell at his worst, making hammy pronouncements, and extended periods of 'interpretative dancing' (not to mention the lowest-budget wolfman and mummy costumes in film history.)
In my book, that one and "Glen or Glenda" are actually more fun than "Plan 9".

"Nightmare Castle" from the mid-sixties is a good example of well-meaning gothic horror at the mercy of poor directing and acting (but with a lovely score by, I believe, Ennio Morricone.)

I'm sure I'll think of more..... [Wink]

Claus.

Posted by Marshall Crist (Member # 1312) on December 06, 2008, 12:18 PM:

My favorites are probably:

REVENGE OF THE CHEERLEADERS--Another Hasselhoff masterpiece, LOADED with nudity and "What the..?" moments.

HORROR HIGH--Death by papercutter, acid rock soundtrack, face-stomp with cleats, dutch angles...

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on December 07, 2008, 04:49 PM:

"Plan Nine" is so joyously bad that I don't even have to see the thing to enjoy it. All I have to do is find a review of it written by someone who appreciates it for what it is and I can't stop myself from laughing.

How many intentional comedies will have people in stitches just reading about them? Will just reading about a dramatic film ever bring you to tears?

The worst thing ever to do with this film is see it as Ed Wood did. He was legendary for his filmic blindness and of all people doomed to miss the hilarious point it makes. The best thing is to notice all the obvious things he missed.

It's basically an elementary school play brought to the big screen by people who thought they were professionals, and that's what's wonderful about it!

PS They're re-making it!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1238299/

-Can you ruin this movie by fixing it?

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on December 07, 2008, 06:20 PM:

Interesting ...

I hope they don't try to make a bad movie, as you can't purposefully make a bad movie. I'll explain.

Really bad movies, as stated above, were not made to be bad movies, (ala the excellently clueless bad movie "genius" Ed Wood), but just had just so little real ability, that they make unintentionally bad movies.

Now, when someone decides to make a "homage" to really bad movies, they're attempts at making a purposefully bad movie, (in my opinion) doesn't really work.

I hope that explanation works ...

... but my sincere attempts at explanation, may be construed as a "bad, (but hilariously good) explanation?!

Posted by Chip Carpenter (Member # 1330) on December 07, 2008, 09:45 PM:

Without a doubt - Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, plus the original Toxic Avenger - of course, I doubt that either of these were ever on Super 8 . . .

Chip

Posted by John W. Black (Member # 1082) on December 09, 2008, 10:07 PM:

Here's some bad classics that were availible on either reg or super 8.
Hideous Sun Demon
Night Caller From Outer Space (Aliens Impregnating Go Go girls!)
Cry Blood Apache (Cowboy film made by hippies!)
Any Blood Island film
Nightmare In Wax
Trapped by Mormons (great silent era cheese)
They must be told! (VD classic)
Child Bride

So many more

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on December 10, 2008, 09:54 AM:

TRAPPED BY MORMONS !?!

That sounds like a major winner, kind of like that perennial holiday comedy classic, "Orgasmo", (It's not a porn film, but anybody who's heard of it will know what I'm talking about.

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