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The Lost Boys (1987) - After all these years, they came out with a sequel. What many didn't know, though, is that from the beginning a sequel had been planned, except it was to be called "The Lost Girls". Well, they never quite got around to that particular story, but they did get around to rounding up a few of the original cast members and calling it "Lost Boys: The Tribe". So before watching the latest installment, I had to rewatch the original - and I have to admit, I had forgotten how much fun and quoteable this movie was. Honestly, how can you not laugh when you hear the lines; "My own brother, a goddamn shit-sucking vampire! Just wait 'til mom finds out, buddy!" or "One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach – all the damn vampires." Now get out that old 1980s VHS tape (or DVD if you've upgraded your 80s library), pop that collar up, and relive the pre-24 Kiefer Sutherland days along with the pre-drug addicted Coreys while you relax to the tunes of INXS and the blood-sucking hunger of the Lost Boys. |
Keifer Sutherland, Corey Feldman, Corey Haim, Jason Patric, and Jami Gertz |
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Explorers (1985) - This cheesy movie epitomizes the pre-teen 80s movie, especially for the science fiction geeks of that(my) generation. Three boys - one awkward nerd in love with the class beauty, one genius kid with the eccentric parents, and one kid from the wrong side of the tracks - band together to build a spaceship based on a dream beamed into the nerd's nightly dreams. This is the perfect rainy-afternoon movie. | Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, Jason Presson, and Amanda Peterson |
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Creepers (a.k.a Phenomena) (1985) - Pre-Labyrinth Jennifer Connelly received top billing in this cheesy Italian horror flick, in which she is the daughter of a diplomat sent off to a Swedish boarding school, where she discovers that her power with insects are vital to solving a recent string of murders. Before long, our then-14-year-old future Oscar winner is fighting for her life. Of course, this flick employs the early-80s classic Italian gross-out tactic of leeches by the gallon, and in a bold move, uses modern (for the time) heavy metal music by bands, like Iron Maiden, Motorhead, and Goblin, for the soundtrack. Unfortunately, the music never quite matched the mood of the scene and actually becomes more of a distraction than an enhancement. All in all, though, a perfect popcorn-feast of a movie. |
Jennifer Connelly, Donald Pleasence Directed by and Dario Argento |
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The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) - This black & white classic is the penultimate of science fiction films that managed to capture all the fears of American culture and society into one 92-minute package. I've always felt this was an after-midnight summer movie. |
Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, and Hugh Marlowe |
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From Dusk Till Dawn (1997) - Just the phrase "scantly-clad Salma Hayek as snake-charming dancer/vampire" would be enough for most of us, but then throw in Robert Rodriguez as director and producer, along with acting performances by Quentin Tarantino, George Clooney, and Harvey Keitel, with a setting just south of the American-Mexican border where the only real law comes from the barrel of a gun, and you've got one hell of a fun vampire flick. Okay, yes, they kind of play a little loose with a few of the "rules", but as with any great movie you'll quickly dismiss these intentional faux pas. Multiple appearance by Cheech Marin are funny as well. Another creditial worth mentioning is that Bruce Campbell starred in the direct-to-video sequel "From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money". And did I mention scantly-clad Salma Hayek as snake-charming dancer/vampire? |
Quentin Tarantino, George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, and scantly-clad Salma Hayek |
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Ghost in the Shell (1995) - The movie that spawned a new generation... The classic without which The Matrix Trilogy would have never existed. | Writer: Kazunori Ito, and Masamune Shirow Director: Mamoru Oshii Based on manga by: Masamune Shirow |
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The Matrix (1999) - I sometimes forget how enjoyable this trilogy can be, but I still think these movies would have been better if KR hadn't been cast in the lead. | Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Hugo Weaving |
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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season One (1997) - Yes, I agree, this is not a movie, but it has the feel of those B-movie classics we all love. Season One of Buffy had such a low budget, it's still a marvel how Joss Whedon pulled it off. Poor lighting at times, even worse film quality at others, props that couldn't have been more campy, and one giant prophecy that couldn't have been more anti-climatic than if they'd tried, these twelve episodes somehow managed to capture the attention and the loyalty of horror fans and of those outside of genre-fandom more than any other television series since The Twilight Zone. This season, more than the others, helps remind us why we always have and always will continue to love horror. |
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendon, David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Anthony Stewart Head |
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Hellraiser (1987) - Before initially watching this movie many many moons ago, I had heard of Clive Barker. In fact, I had even heard of the Books of Blood series, going so far as to seriously consider buying them. But then, like now, I read such a wide variety of books and genre, I held off reading him until I caught up some more. One thing I was very good at in 1987, though, was watching movies, and the moment I watched this, I became an instant Clive Barker fan. What impressed me the most was not the level of gore, but the depth of his imagination, and to this day, it is that very same imagination that keeps me a fan. Up to that point (and remember, this was 1987), I had never seen something this unique, this mind-bending, and this disturbing on so many levels, that to this day I still vividly remember the awe I felt as I watched layer after layer of this movie unfold. By the time the credits rolled, I thought Clive Barker was a god and a genius, a title he has continued to keep through his writing, art, and movies. |
Doug Bradley, Grace Kirby, Ashley Laurence, Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins |
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This Island Earth (1955) - This cheesy classic is the classic of cheesy. It's so cheesily classic that it is the movie lampooned in the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Movie. In it's time, it was considered the height of special effects and Hollywood science fiction script writing. A bit of trivia includes: - This movie marked an early career appearance of Russell Johnson, of future Gilligan's Island fame as "The Professor". - Faith Domergue's space outfit was so tight, she couldn't wear underwear and needed assistance getting in it. - The mutant alien costume used in this film was one rejected by the producers of It Came From Outer Space. |
Rex Reason, Faith Domergue, Russell Johnson, Jeff Morrow |
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An American Werewolf in London (1981) - The classic werewolf movie that didn't launch the Hollywood career of David Naughton (as it had been expected to do), but did give us partial nudity of the cute British actress Jenny Agutter. And who can forget Griffin Dunne as the loveable rotting corpse/ghost of David's best friend. Directed by John Landis, this movie's spectacular special effects for that time served as the inspiration for the "Thriller" music video. | David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne |
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Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) - The movie that brought UFOs back into the mainstream. I own the Widescreen Collector's Edition, but there is also the Widescreen Director's Cut, the 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition, the 30th Anniversary Collector's Set... Hell, I've lost track. Anyway, this one is a classic everyone should own. Where else can you see Richard Dreyfuss absently wave a UFO to drive around him, only to earn a half-sunburned face from the experience. |
Richard Dreyfuss, Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon |
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The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1974) - The copy I own is "Count Dracula and his Vampire Bride", but by either title, this was the last time Christopher Lee appeared as Count Dracula in a Hammer film. This film also marks the next to last time Peter Cushing would appear as Van Helsing. English actress Joanna Lumley, best known in the United States as a Bond girl in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", as Purdy in "The New Avengers", and as Patsy in the 1990's Brit-com "Absolutely Fabulous", appears as Jessica Van Helsing, the granddaughter of Lorrimer Van Helsing. The head priestess of the Satanic Order, Barbara Yu Ling, also appeared in a pre-Lumley episode of "The Avengers". | Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Joanna Lumley, Barbara Yu Ling |
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Big Trouble in Little China (1986) - Much to John Carpenter's dismay, this movie bombed in the theaters. But then it slowly built steam as a cult classic, and for me, is one of those films that gets funnier each time I watch it. Afterall, who can top such lines as: "Like I told my last wife, I said, 'Honey, I never drive faster than I can see, and besides... it's all in the reflexes.'" Or how about: "Sooner or later, honey, I rub everyone the wrong way." And then there's always the classic: "When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your head up against the barroom wall, looks you crooked in the eye and asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that - 'Have ya paid your dues, Jack?' 'Yessir, the check is in the mail.' |
Kurt Russel, Kim Catrell, Victor Wong, Dennis Dunn Score by: John Carpenter |
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Serenity (2005) - This movie proved it was possible for a film to become a cult classic before it was even released. When the television series "Firefly" originally aired, the network (FOX) decided to show the episodes out of order. The fans remained faithful, and despite its cancellation due to the chronological challenges, creative genius Joss Whedon convinced Universal Pictures to financially back this movie and wrap up many of the loose ends. Some consider this movie one of the top 10 science fiction movies ever made simply because of the excellent writing and strength of characters. It's certainly one of my all-time favorites. |
Nathan Fillion, Summer Glau, Adam Baldwin, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Ron Glass |
