The main aim of horror movies, as it goes without saying, is to scare the audience. To achieve that, the movies feature slick production, really fine acting and masterfully crafted narrators that keep the audience hooked from beginning to end and make them jump out of their seats in true fright. However, some horror movies instead opt to send them into hysterics through their unintentionally bad plots, subpar acting, and ridiculous special effects.
These so-bad-they're-good movies have a special place in our hearts. Because horror is a diverse genre and movies like Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and John Carpenter's Halloween exist, it's possible for us to understand what elements of suspense and thrills actually work. And while these classics strive for perfection, some B-movies simply cannot fool even the drunkest of viewers. They don't want Academy Awards or a really high Rotten Tomatoes rating; all they want is to let that imagination run wild – for better or worse.
Speaking of which, critics are usually unforgiving towards these movies. On the contrary, horror movie fans still flock with delight to experience the absurd and entertaining exploitation of the genre every October. Some of these so-bad-they're-good horror movies even drew a cult following mostly because of, not despite, their numerous flaws and plot holes. Now, with Halloween around the corner, once again, it's time to channel your inner committed bad movie level and revisit these so-bad-they're-good horror movies.
10 Maximum Overdrive (1986)
- Release Date
- July 25, 1986
Written and directed by Stephen King, and loosely based on one of his short stories titled Trucks, Maximum Overdrive is set against the backdrop of a small North Carolina town, where a radiation storm strikes all machines – from vehicles to household appliances – and brings them to life. They go on a rampage, attacking people and wreaking havoc with their sinister sentience. It’s up to Bill Robinson, a diner cook, to rise to the occasion and help the survivors escape.
When Machines Begin to Attack
Absurd from beginning to end, Maximum Overdrive is one of King’s adaptations that fall into the so-bad-it's-good territory. Starring Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington, and Yeardley Smith in the main roles, the movie has a bonkers plot, average performances, and the most hilariously impossible scenes. And yet, the over-the-top disasters caused by trucks are particularly crazy and entertaining.
9 Black Sheep (2006)
- Release Date
- September 10, 2006
- Director
- Jonathan King
- Cast
- Nathan Meister , Peter Feeney , Danielle Mason , Tammy Davis , Oliver Driver , Tandi Wright
Black Sheep centers around Henry, a young man returning home to his sheep farm in New Zealand to see his older brother Angus and to sell their family land. What Henry isn’t looking forward to, however, is to discover that Angus is carrying out secret genetic experiments that turn well-behaved, harmless sheep into aggressive and ferocious beasts intent on killing humans, which forces him to do something to avoid being the sheeps’ main course.
A Hilarious Sheep Massacre
This little New Zealand slasher takes an already-ridiculous premise and runs completely off the rails with it. The sheep causing menace at the family range in an over-the-top gory fashion itself is so jaw-droppingly awful that you almost overlook the subpar acting and dialogue. The horror elements, however unexpected, are completely (sheep pun incoming) baaaah-sic, and most of the scenes induce more laughter than fear.
Horror Movies That Are Actually Scary
Sure, there are myriad great horror films, but as artistic as they may be, they're not truly scary in legitimately terrifying ways. These movies are.
8 The Bye Bye Man (2017)
- Release Date
- January 12, 2017
- Director
- Stacy Title
Based on a singular chapter in Robert Damon Schneck's book, The Bye Bye Man is a supernatural horror that follows three college students, Elliot, his girlfriend, Sasha, and his friend, John, who move into an old house off-campus and find that it’s inhabited by the titular supernatural entity. They accidentally summon the Bye Bye Man by calling his name out and are then stalked violently.
Features Dumb Humor and Little Scares
The movie wasn’t entirely dead on arriving at the box office, although it received bad reviews from critics, with the Rotten Tomatoes aggregated review describing it as a movie that “clumsily mashes together elements from better horror films.” That said, all the spooky cliches are there in The Bye Bye Man – college kids caught in a haunted house, creaking doors, (predictable) jump scares, and a campiness to match its silly premise. But instead of being wicked and terrifying, it’s just… bad.
7 The Driller Killer (1979)
Directed by Abel Ferrara, this black comedy slasher flick takes place in a bleak New York City and follows struggling artist Reno Miller (Ferrara) as he descends into total madness after suffering financial ruin. To satisfy his emerging death fetish, he steps out of his house with a a power drill connected to a portable battery pack and begins to gruesomely murder people.
Induces Low-Budget Nightmares
Ferrara was not as popular back when he made The Driller Killer, but the movie kick started his signature trend of making gritty thrillers in a depraved New York City and focusing the lens of the violence occurring in dim-lit streets. Nihilistic in tone, the slasher and its practical effects shocked audiences as much as Ferrara’s raw talent as Reno, whose declining sanity was grim. Rough around the edges and not as gory, the movie is a must-watch on Halloween.
6 Dead Silence (2007)
- Release Date
- March 16, 2007
- Cast
- Ryan Kwanten , Amber Valletta , Donnie Wahlberg , Bob Gunton , Laura Regan , Michael Fairman , Joan Heney , Dmitry Chepovetsky , Judith Roberts , Steve Adams , Keir Gilchrist , Shelley Peterson , Steven Taylor , David Talbot , Enn Reitel , Julian Richings , Fred Tatasciore , Austin Majors
Directed by James Wan (known for creating Saw and Insidious franchise, as well as The Conjuring universe), Dead Silence follows Jamie Ashen, a young man who loses his wife after they receive a mysterious package with a ventriloquist doll in it. He realizes that the death has something to do with the puppet, so he returns to his hometown to seek answers years later.
Just Don’t Look Closely at the Plot Holes
Inspired by urban legends and homicidal puppets, Dead Silence has all the elements that make a fun horror movie. And it’s also achieved a cult status since the years of its release. But it’s definitely not because the performances are incredible or the story is simply perfect. In anything, it's more comical than scary. But what makes this movie work is the tasteful slasher tropes, the creepy doll villain, and the good ol’ campy charm.
5 Prom Night (2008)
- Release Date
- April 10, 2008
- Director
- Nelson McCormick
A reboot of the 1980 original, Prom Night follows high school freshman Donna Keppel who keeps her past a secret from everyone – three years ago, she was the sole survivor of a bloodbath caused by Richard Fenton, who stabbed her entire family to death. Now that Fenton’s out of prison, it’s decided he’s coming after her to finish what he started. Donna gets the help of her friends to fend him off.
The Killer’s Always a Step Ahead
A slasher staple redone with no real flair whatsoever, Prom Night prioritizes style over scares and fails even in that department. The characters are generic, walking right into predictable situations that will either terrify them or get them killed. And yet, the midnight catharsis of watching clueless teens get picked off one by one is what makes this cheesy, slightly creepy movie a perfect selection for Halloween.
4 House of Wax (2005)
- Release Date
- April 30, 2005
In House of Wax, a group of friends are on their way to a football game when their car breaks down and they get stranded in a remote town. They follow a stranger into town and take refuge in a wax museum, having no clue that the exhibits are about to come to life. At the same time, they encounter Bo Sinclair and his twin brother, Vincent, who kidnap visitors and use them to create the museum pieces.
Tries to Take Several Chilling Turns
Delivering the ultimate B-movie thrills, House of Wax is a glossy remake of the 1953 film of the same name. Directed by Jaume Collet- Serra, in his feature directorial debut and starring Chad Michael Murray, Paris Hilton, and Jared Padalecki, with Brian Van Holt in the dual role of the twin brothers, it is a delightful and unintentionally funny abduction horror that works perfectly for a Halloween indulgence because it basically mocks the genre.
10 Horror Movies That Deserve a Sequel
In horror, the monster always comes back, unless the movie lacks a sequel. Here's our vote for the horror movies that deserve a follow-up film.
3 Jason X (2001)
- Release Date
- April 26, 2002
- Director
- James Isaac
Combining elements of science fiction with slasher droves, this 10th installment of the Friday the 13th franchise takes place centuries in the future. With Earth having turned into an inhabitable planet, all the remaining humanity has moved on to Earth II. A professor, his Android companion, and an intern take a field trip to Earth and stumble upon the frozen corpses of a man and a woman, with the man believed to be none other than the notorious serial killer, Jason Voorhees.
Jason Voorhees in Space
After nine iconic films, everyone’s favorite hockey-masked murderer entered his most nonsensical installment yet – one set in space. But that’s exactly why fans enjoy this entry so much, because it unleashes their inner nostalgia and forces them to find familiarity in the absurd deaths, creative kills, and numerous plot holes. Despite being nearly indestructible on real Earth, Jason is not taken seriously by the space crew, which makes Jason X feel less like a Friday the 13th movie.
2 The Happening (2008)
- Release Date
- June 11, 2008
M. Night Shyamalan writes and directs The Happening, a sci-fi horror set in Philadelphia. Apparently, the town air is plagued by a toxin that causes people to take their own life for no apparent reason. Elliot Moore, a high school science teacher, takes note of the unusual behavior in his area and discovers the true cause of this airborne phenomena, and tries to solve the botanical mystery.
Delightful and Bizarre
Leave it to Shyamalan to make one astronomical popular movie and another uproarious misfire in his decades-spanning career and still remain relevant in the industry. The Happening has all the qualities of being a so-bad-it's-good horror movie – from unintentionally funny scenes to clueless characters to zero common sense. While this one would have worked as a contained pandemic thriller, it becomes a Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel comedy at best.
1 Sharknado (2013)
- Release Date
- July 11, 2013
Defying all logic and reason, but in the best way possible, is this made-for-television disaster horror movie by director Anthony C. Ferrante. Sharknado begins with a hurricane hitting Los Angeles and several deadly tornadoes engulfing the city. Soon, the city is overrun by predatory, man-eating sharks, leaving Fin, a bar owner, to team up with a small group of survivors and find a way to survive.
Ridiculous Yet Enjoyable
Sharknado is just as absurd as its premise makes it sound. There are flying sharks, clumsy use of helicopters, and cringe-worthy special effects, which somehow makes it more entertaining than it should be. Despite the chaos surrounding them, the characters are deadpan and serious as they navigate the nonsensical plot twists. The movie is brainless and proud about it, and that's exactly what finds it a spot in the so-bad-it's-good horror genre. Sharknado ended up gathering enough buzz to spawn several equally delightful sequels.
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