Grade Z films

briany

Having recently had a look at Tales from the Quadead Zone, I'm wondering what other no-budget titles are out there that are considered cult classics.

Obviously, you have your ones like Troll 2 and Plan 9 from Outer Space. Most film buffs would have heard of those.

I find that sometimes the mixture of bad/odd acting, bad/odd writing, bad/odd music and lack of budget for proper camera work and special effects can coalesce into something watchable, whether that be due to being "so bad it's good", or hypnotically strange, or hilarious.


Any favourites to share?

jh79

Italian horror from the 70 /80 's would be a good start;

Zombie Holocaust aka Dr. Butcher MD
Burial Ground aka The Zombie Dead
Rats
Pieces
Nightmare City

42nd Street Forever is a collection of old trailers , you'll find tons of good bad movies in that.

Arne_Saknussem

Top of the Food Chain, 50's sci-fi homage, is as B as it gets, . Weird but with heart, and great fun


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159797/

briany

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

Top of the Food Chain, 50's sci-fi homage, is as B as it gets, . Weird but with heart, and great fun


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159797/

That looks like an interesting film, but one that's made with a nudge and a wink. I was thinking more of films that ended up being outrageously bad even though that wasn't exactly the makers' intention.

Still will stick it down on the comedy to-watch list, though.

Arne_Saknussem

briany wrote: »

That looks like an interesting film, but one that's made with a nudge and a wink. I was thinking more of films that ended up being outrageously bad even though that wasn't exactly the makers' intention.

Still will stick it down on the comedy to-watch list, though.

Ah, ok. In that case try The Final Sanction.

"After war breaks out between the U.S. and Russia, the two countries decide to settle the conflict by putting its two best warriors into an arena in a fight to the death."

darkdubh

They don't even have to be low budget. Highlander II:The Quickening and John Boormans Exorcist II:The Heretic are big studio films that are as bad as any B movies.

briany

darkdubh wrote: »

They don't even have to be low budget. Highlander II:The Quickening and John Boormans Exorcist II:The Heretic are big studio films that are as bad as any B movies.

They do have to be low budget because having a low (or no) budget forces the film maker to improvise in ways that give an eccentric charm.

I'm not talking B movies, anyway. I'm talking Z movies. The kind of bizarre schlock that nerdy DVD & VHS collectors would be after.

To me a Z-grade movie would have features such as:

* Bad/stilted acting

* Bad/Odd writing

* Bad/weird plots, and/or subplots that don't go anywhere.

* Poor camera work or poor picture quality

* Clumsy editing

* Strange/out of place music

* Lack of a budget

* Non-union actors

And these aspects would come together in a most unexpectedly satisfying/entertaining/hilarious/hypnotising kind of way.

Ralf and Florian

The Demon, early 80's Halloween/Friday The 13th ripoff filmed in South Africa with both South African and American actors (including Cameron Mitchell) with no explanation of where its set and the odd mixture of accents. Story makes no sense, a subplot about a psychic that ends abruptly and killings that take place in near darkness so you can't tell whats going on. Deffo meets the Z movie criteria.

MfMan

Titanic

Ralf and Florian

Don't forget our own Fatal Deviation. The review on Cracked.com is nearly as much fun as the masterpiece itself.


http://www.cracked.com/article_18632_irelands-only-kung-fu-movie-is-worst-film-ever-made.html

Hande hoche!

Ralf and Florian wrote: »

The Demon, early 80's Halloween/Friday The 13th ripoff filmed in South Africa with both South African and American actors (including Cameron Mitchell) with no explanation of where its set and the odd mixture of accents. Story makes no sense, a subplot about a psychic that ends abruptly and killings that take place in near darkness so you can't tell whats going on. Deffo meets the Z movie criteria.

South Africa has helped contribute to some absolutely astonishing Z grade content. Dracula 3000 is well worth watching if you enjoy atrocious sci fi horror films with bizarre plots. If you prefer action then you could go for operation delta force series. Although would strongly recommend Never say Die, which is one of the most 80s style films produced in the 1990s.

Lorelli!

Its years since ive seen it but i quite enjoyed Cool World with Brad Pitt, Gabriel Byrne and Kim Bassinger.

I think it was made off the back of Rodger Rabbit but it was darker and also flopped. Bad reviews but I kind of thought the idea was good. Gabriel Byrne plays a cartoonist who is seduced into his own animated fantasy world.

Cry Baby with Johnny Depp is another one that comes to mind but I'd have to watch it again. Bizarrely Iggy Pop has a role in it

I think they fit the "so bad, it's good" idea anyway

Ralf and Florian

Lorelli! wrote: »

Its years since ive seen it but i quite enjoyed Cool World with Brad Pitt, Gabriel Byrne and Kim Bassinger.

I think it was made off the back of Rodger Rabbit but it was darker and also flopped. Bad reviews but I kind of thought the idea was good. Gabriel Byrne plays a cartoonist who is seduced into his own animated fantasy world.

Cry Baby with Johnny Depp is another one that comes to mind but I'd have to watch it again. Bizarrely Iggy Pop has a role in it

I think they fit the "so bad, it's good" idea anyway

If you think Cry Baby is weird check out Pink Flamingos,an early film from the same director John Waters.

Lorelli!

Ralf and Florian wrote: »

If you think Cry Baby is weird check out Pink Flamingos,an early film from the same director John Waters.

I had a quick look at a clip of it on YouTube there and I don't know if I want to

Harry Palmr

I've not seen many genuine grade Z films, it's usually badly made big budget films that I like! When Time Ran Out that sort of thing, it's always more amusing when you see millions of dollars and proper reputations going up in smoke.

Ralf and Florian

Violent **** and it's sequels. Really low budget German crap from the 80's that was filmed on a camcorder though I'd say the makers were well aware that they were making rubbish and couldn't care less about artistic integrity.

Ralf and Florian

Ralf and Florian wrote:

Don't forget our own Fatal Deviation. The review on Cracked.com is nearly as much fun as the masterpiece itself.

He's doing quite well for himself these days in Hollywood, have seen him popping up in a couple of films recently and saw a set photo from a new Van Dammed and Lundgren film and who but Fatal Deviant Jimmy was on the middle of the two of them.

Tony EH

'Street Trash'

Made for tuppence ha'penny in the 80's. Ridicuous plot, bad acting and full of quotable lines.

'Manos, The Hands of Fate'

Made for a bet in the 60's. Filmmaking so inept, it's truly amazing.

'Teenagers from Outer Space'

50's rubbish that's awful and appears to have no actual teenagers in it. Still entertaining somehow.

'Robot Monster'

More 50's junk. Gorilla suited "aliens" try to destroy humanity. Absolute nonsense, but incredibly watchable. It also made a (relative to it's budget) mint when it was first released.

'Invasion of the Saucer Men'

Again from the 50's, this started out as a straight film, but the makers realised just how terrible it was and decided to do a "comedy" half way through. The Saucer Men of the title use alcohol to attack their victims and almost the entire film was done on a single sound stage. Frank Gorshin - The Riddler in TV's 'Batman' - was somehow convinced to be in this.

Arne_Saknussem

Tony EH wrote: »

'Street Trash'

Made for tuppence ha'penny in the 80's. Ridicuous plot, bad acting and full of quotable lines.

'Manos, The Hands of Fate'

Made for a bet in the 60's. Filmmaking so inept, it's truly amazing.

'Teenagers from Outer Space'

50's rubbish that's awful and appears to have no actual teenagers in it. Still entertaining somehow.

'Robot Monster'

More 50's junk. Gorilla suited "aliens" try to destroy humanity. Absolute nonsense, but incredibly watchable. It also made a (relative to it's budget) mint when it was first released.

'Invasion of the Saucer Men'

Again from the 50's, this started out as a straight film, but the makers realised just how terrible it was and decided to do a "comedy" half way through. The Saucer Men of the title use alcohol to attack their victims and almost the entire film was done on a single sound stage. Frank Gorshin - The Riddler in TV's 'Batman' - was somehow convinced to be in this.

Yep, Street Trash is one of a kind

Lorelli!

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

Yep, Street Trash is one of a kind

Never saw it but it sounds a bit like The Stuff which I loved.

jh79

Lorelli! wrote: »

Never saw it but it sounds a bit like The Stuff which I loved.

Larry Cohens other films are decent too. "God told me to" is well worth a watch.

Arne_Saknussem

Lorelli! wrote: »

Never saw it but it sounds a bit like The Stuff which I loved.

Love The Stuff! Loads of fun, particularly Choclate-chip Charlie scene & Paul Sorvino completely hamming it up.

Street Trash is kinda like it's crackhead older brother, fun for the most part but with a couple of unnecessary ****ed-up scenes that should have been cut from it.

cml387

Surely the OP had seen Mystery Science Theater 3000.
A repository of the worst, with a superb snarky commentary. Indeed Manos Hand Of Fate was the first instalment.

briany

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I've not seen many genuine grade Z films, it's usually badly made big budget films that I like! When Time Ran Out that sort of thing, it's always more amusing when you see millions of dollars and proper reputations going up in smoke.

I understand what you mean, and I think that's worth a thread in itself to talk about the Hollywood movies so catastrophically bad that an actor's, or actors', reputation never quite recovered.

However, what I like about Z-films is that because they're often made on a shoestring budget, and the production is disjointed and amateurish, it can give rise to a truly odd atmosphere. Most are largely unwatchable no matter what way you slice it, but you get the odd one where the elements line up in a perfectly imperfect way to make for some gold.

Here's a clip from Tales from the Quadead Zone to illustrate my point,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7EoVEBMl-Q

And one from Woodchipper Massacre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at3Ij8RPMPo

Lorelli!

jh79 wrote: »

Larry Cohens other films are decent too. "God told me to" is well worth a watch.

I'll give it a go. Looked it up there and sounds like something I'd like.

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

Love The Stuff!

I hope you don't love it too much. Enough is never enough

I love the way those films are fun and over the top but also convey a more meaningful message like blind consumerism.

Arne_Saknussem

Lorelli! wrote: »

I'll give it a go. Looked it up there and sounds like something I'd like.

Mentioned it earlier in the thread but Top of the Food Chain is worth a look too.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159797/

Harry Palmr

No way should Larry Cohen be on this thread, like Frank Henenlotter his only crime is to make offbeat left field genre flicks on the cheap. They are technically fine at that level.

As for Woodchip Massacre granny - she's right!

Ralf and Florian

jh79 wrote: »

Larry Cohens other films are decent too. "God told me to" is well worth a watch.

Haven't seen the Stuff but GTMT is a great film that punches above its low budget. Worth seeing for Andy Kaufmans cameo as a psycho cop alone.

Lorelli!

I never saw the horror Leprechaun with Jennifer Aniston. I'm sure it's no Darby O'Gill And The Little People but i think it had a cult following and they made a series of them!

spacecoyote

I can highly recommend "The Story of Riki" aka "Riki-Oh"

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky
http://imdb.com/rg/an_share/title/title/tt0102293/

Terrible special effects, cheesy story line, absolute brilliance.

The Story line is basically that of a bad computer game. Ricky, goes to prison for a crime he didn't commit & has to battle the 4 bosses of each wing of the prison.

Full movie actually up on youtube. For something this cheesy, the badly dubbed English probably adds to the effect:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuSCN1GPeZU

sonofenoch

Ed Wood the movie not the director

a classic homage to Z movies......he also made some classics


I dunno if Russ Meyers flicks could be classed z movies ...........some crackers in there

Ralf and Florian

Turkish rip offs of big Hollywood movies from the 70's and 80's are all super cheap grade Z rubbish. The best known one is Turkish Starwars but there seems to have been loads of them each one worst than the next. Check out Turkish Rambo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWzUK4Qjsws

Lorelli!

^^ Posted this before in another thread but it's so funny

From the Turkish film Kareteci Kiz or Karate Girl..

Skerries

from the creator of Hellraiser and filmed in Ireland I give you Rawhead Rex!

jh79

This documetary was on tg4 a while back. Story behind Corman's time producing films in Connemara


It Came from Connemara
https://imdb.com/rg/an_share/title/title/tt5672568/