Instead of doing a bad Horror Film with a killer Turkey or something to do with Evil Indigenous People, let me try something different.
Here's a random sampling of Films from various times and places that I'm thankful for.
I have my reasons.
Here's why...
#10: The Thing (1982).
Why: It introduced me to Body Horror.
While it certainly didn't invent the idea, John Carpenter's all-time Classic is one of the go-tos for this kind of thing. Alongside The Fly (which I didn't see until later), the Film makes you see people...and then see them turned into something freaky.
The Film has aged like fine wine and its freaky on-screen horrors can still traumatize people today.
#9: UHF
Why: It showed me how crazy and creative you can be.
'Weird' Al's Cult Classic is a strange Film to sell- no question. A listless, but creative man inherits a TV Station and inspires a Town. Wheel of Fish! The Movie has many great Film Parodies mixed in as Dream Sequences like that make the Film great. I got to see it again in a Theater (for the first time) before all this insanity and I love it all the more.
#8. Batman (1966).
Why: It showed me what a 'Camp Film' was.
As a kid, I saw the original Batman Film with Adam West and Burt Ward. I enjoyed the insanity of it all, from the bright outfits to the silly Acting to the whole kitschy presentation. Watching again when I was older, I got to see it more for what it was. Was it silly? Yes. Was it dated? Yes. Do I love it in spite of AND because of this? Yes.
#7. Batman (1989)
Why: It showed me what a dark, nuanced Superhero Film could be.
So different and yet so much in common! It is a study in contrast. As a kid, I saw the Michael Keaton Batman Film and was amazed. I obviously get more out of it watching it *now* than back then.
Even so, I can remember seeing that Film for the first time and being blown away. It made seeing the above Film feel all the more special, oddly enough.
#6. Deep Red/Profondo Rosso (1975)
Why: Introducing me properly to Italian Thrillers/Horror.
I don't show nearly enough love to Dario Argento on this site, I think. Before I was blogging even here, I discovered his work. Deep Red was the first and it is just so damn good. It introduced me to Giallo, which is essentially Italian Pulp Thrillers (hence the name, which means 'yellow', that represents the cheap, yellowing paper of the Books). The Maestro has many more Films, but this one started it all for me.
As a bonus, he frames a shot to match the famous 'Nighthawks' Painting. Who does that?!?
#5. Cannibal Holocaust (1982).
Why: It's so daring and ahead of its time.
For the record, I've only seen it 3x. Yes, that is 3x more than alot of people. CH is not a Film that I would just sit down and watch. It's intense. It looks real. It is graphic. It is shocking. The Film straight-up invented the Tropes that others would profit from following The Blair Witch Project. The Film was seen as so real that actual Murder Charges were brought against its Director. On top of that, it is a violent, anti-violence Film (e.c. Straw Dogs) that has a relevant feel over 20+ years later.
Just don't watch it while you're eating or around children, sicko.
#4. Sinbad of the Seven Seas (1989)
Why: It introduced me to the work of Luigi Cozzi.
I used to be able to hang out with my friends on the weekend back in the day and go rent Movies from places like Blockbuster or Hollywood Video. We saw alot of crap like that. Eventually, good (or at least crazy) Films snuck in. This was one of them.
The Film features Lou Ferrigno as a muscle-bound hero and John Steiner as the evil Jafar. During his adventures, Lou charms snakes into letting him tie them into a rope to escape. He fights a swamp-based monster that shoots lasers. He fights skeletons. Throughout the whole thing, he always loses his sword, since he evidently couldn't sword-fight as well as he could flex.
This Film is fun (and I still own it) and it led me to other ones by Cozzi like Contamination, Hercules and, of course, Starcrash. I own all of them too.
#3. Battlefield Baseball (2003).
Why: It led me to seek out lots of Japanese craziness.
In that same period of time, we started to see some Foreign Films get mixed in with stuff like Shakedown or The Breed. BB was one and I loved it. The premise- a Baseball Team competes on the High School level and straight up kills their opponents to win. They can do this since they bring a Ref to call it all legal- of course!
Based on a Manga, the Film isn't unique in this level of insanity. Without seeing this, who knows if I would have seen so much like it in the ensuing years, be it Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl, Stacy or Nezulla: The Rat Monster. Thanks!
#2. Captain America: The First Avenger.
Why: It finally gave us a good Captain America Film.
As a kid, the only Captain America options I had to see on Film/TV weren't great. The original Reb Brown ones are really embarrassing and stiff. The 1990 Film with J.D. Salinger's Grandson as the Lead was cheap and kind of awful. I was big into Comics during this time and it really disappointed me to see it not realized.
Thankfully, the MCU finally delivered on a (relative) lifetime of disappointing Films about my favorite Hero.
#1: The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1972).
Why: It defined the absurd and surreal for me.
It's no secret that I love this Movie. It is pure insanity. A Triple-Doctorate thought dead uses his knowledge to ritually kill 9 Doctors- and a Nurse- to get revenge. He speaks through a wire plugged into his neck. He has a clockwork band. He's gleefully nuts.
All Films that try to be so crazy that you must love them are compared to this one- period!
What Films are you thankful for?
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