I thought about writing today on religion, politics or social media echo chambers. Then I thought "what's more fun than that?" Well, a toothache, or getting my fingernails pulled out at the root by a pair of pliers might not be as much fun as today's religion or political debates. But, other than that most anything is "more fun" than politics, echo chambers and religion. After all I've seen people saying they are "preachers of the gospel." Spending more time berating people for having different political opinions than showing any kind of love or understanding of people who have different political views. I literally saw a person saying "Come let us love on you like Jesus" right before a post that turned ugly towards Democrats via comments. Somehow, after that I don't think "love on you like Jesus" means what they think it means. I've seen atheist try to make eternal oblivion more attractive than having faith. Although, God knows the so called Christian church makes it easy too do to some extent.
But, this isn't why I'm not an atheist (I'm not) or an Evangelical bible thumping Christian (I'm Not.) or a Conservative (I'm Not.) or a far left social justice warrior (I'm Not.)
Then I came across a Stephen King post and an Evil Dead movie post and I knew what I wanted to write about and think about today. Fun stuff. Important stuff. Not echo chambers. So, here is my list of underrated horror movies. I have loved horror movies since I was a child. Actually, it was probably my conservative mother that has a lot to do with that. She loved the old Dialing for Dollars science fiction and horror movies on the old black and white TV back in the day.
I remember watching The Colossal Man getting bigger and bigger. The shrinking man getting tinier and tinier. Space ships blowing up earth. Statues moving in a ghostly house. Christopher Lee melted as Dracula in the sun. The old ending credits to black and white scifi as the "End?" would come up on the screen. The question mark assuring you it was not the end. Insert ghostly laugh here. So, years before I read horror novels or knew Stephen King from Rudyard Kipling I already loved horror.
So, these may or may not be my favorite horror movies. But, they are the most underrated horror movies in my opinion. They are fun and deserve a bag of popcorn and a large coke in front of a widescreen TV snuggling with your honey or simply chilling on the couch by yourself. So, get your popcorn ready. You won't find my favorite which is the "The Haunting" based on Shirley Jackson's book because I don't think it's underrated. Likewise Poltergeist or Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm street. Those are well known and not eligible for being underrated. . The ones I do include are not unknown but in my opinion underappreciated.
1. Evil Dead: Maybe the most underrated horror movie of all. This had a cheesy looking VHS Skeleton on the front when I first encountered it. I expected it to be cheesy and silly. What I got was a scary movie worthy of The Exorcist. I remember thinking how taken in I was partway through the movie and thinking "wow, this is a good and fun and scary movie. Now, does it still hold up? I honestly don't know. I haven't gone back and watched it again in years. I just remember that first cabin in the Tennessee woods and the fun of this movie.
2. The Faculty: Otherworldly parasites possessing teachers and spreading to students. One of the movies I discovered with Cindy by accident. I don't remember why we went to see this movie. But, I do remember it as being fun.
3. The Blob: The original Blob. Although the remake wasn't bad either. A gelatinous blob ingesting everything in its wake. The teenagers saving the old folks. Fun stuff. : .
These are just three of the movies that I think are underrated. Although Evil Dead is a cult favorite so I might be pushing it to call it underrated. Anyway, I do like horror. I don't really like slasher horror. I can't quite suspend belief and enjoy the movie when people and animals are getting sliced and diced. That's a little too much like the nightly news.
While talking of horror I also want to give a Count Dracula shoutout to Vampire movies and a razzy and kiss my butt to zombie movies.
Vampires: What teenage boy hasn't dreamed of the debonair vampire with the ability to be immortal and unavoidably attractive to beautiful women? What girl hasn't dreamed of the powerful male who carries her away and makes her eternally young? I know. But, really vampires are both powerful and scary and have a certain personality.
Zombies: They just eat and rot. You never will be able to sell a movie or book called "Interview with a Zombie." Why? Because they are the assholes of the supernatural/Science fiction world that's why. Who wants to interact with a rotting corpse whose jaw will fall off in your cereal if you get too close?
So, as we approach Halloween. Ah of course I see you thinking "what is this goof talking about? It's April" But six months will pass quickly and it's never too early to plan for the most wonderful time of the year.
Anyway, as I said at the start. I was going to talk about echo chambers and politics and religion so this makes much more sense than trying to make sense of far right and far left idiot...uh, people.
Peace!
