50 BEST LITTLE KNOWN LOW-BUDGET AND/OR B-MOVIES EVER MADE (including comment/short review)
by gogoschka-1 | created - 31 Dec 2013 | updated - 21 Apr 2023 | Public(Off topic): For nature/animal buffs like me, here's my latest ANIMAL VIDEO (warning: it's a bit shocking): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2-Xszz7FI/ and you can find my 80 BEST NATURE PHOTOS here: https://www.lacerta-bilineata.com/western-green-lizard-lacerta-bilineata-wildlife-of-ticino-in-switzerland/ (the website exists in ESPAÑOL, FRANÇAIS, ITALIANO, ENGLISH, DEUTSCH. With that shameless bit of self-promotion out of the way, let's get to more cinematic matters ;-)
I have a soft spot for slightly obscure but in my mind above average B-movies/low-budget flicks, especially genre pictures. Some of my favorites are listed below, and while they may not be the best of their kind (yes, the title above is hyperbole), they're certainly very worthwhile for fans of well-made shlock and/or original low-budget gems. This list is in no particular order, and I will keep updating it.
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1. The Day of the Beast (1995)
R | 99 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Bent on committing as many sins as possible to avert the birth of the beast, a Catholic priest teams up with a Black Metal aficionado and an Italian connoisseur of the occult. Now, he must become an unrelenting sinner. Is there still hope?
Director: Álex de la Iglesia | Stars: Álex Angulo, Armando De Razza, Santiago Segura, Terele Pávez
Votes: 23,771 | Gross: $0.02M
Crazy fun! Made by a very talented director (Alex De La Iglesia, who made 'Perdita Durango' after this), this hilarious black comedy deals with a cult who wants to bring the Antichrist back to the surface of the earth. 7 out of 10.
2. A Boy and His Dog (1975)
R | 91 min | Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi
A young man and his telepathic dog wander a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Director: L.Q. Jones | Stars: Don Johnson, Jason Robards, Susanne Benton, Tim McIntire
Votes: 19,191 | Gross: $6.90M
Great post-apocalyptic low budget sci-fi. The humor in this film is pitch black and a very young Don Johnson gives a cool performance. A must see for genre fans. 7 stars out of 10.
3. Deathgasm (2015)
Not Rated | 86 min | Action, Comedy, Horror
Two teenage boys unwittingly summon an ancient evil entity known as The Blind One by delving into black magic while trying to escape their mundane lives.
Director: Jason Howden | Stars: Milo Cawthorne, James Joshua Blake, Kimberley Crossman, Sam Berkley
Votes: 19,222
This hilariously disgusting, twisted, insane little gem from New Zealand is a must for fans of 'Evil Dead 2', 'Braindead' and similarly gory low-budget horror comedies. If you're into those kinds of films AND you're into Metal, don't miss out on this one: it's a blast. And it was obviously made by very talented people; especially the camera work is fantastic. The gore effects are good, most of the jokes are funny (depending on your sense of humor), and the actors may not win any Oscars any time soon but they seem perfectly well suited for their parts. My verdict: This is a splat-fest of the first order for gore-hounds with a twisted sense of humor, a love for Metal and a very high tolerance for real nastiness. It's a very well made film - especially for a first-time director - and I absolutely adored every minute of it. 7 stars out of 10.
4. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
Unrated | 83 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Arriving in Chicago, Henry moves in with ex-con acquaintance Otis and starts schooling him in the ways of the serial killer.
Director: John McNaughton | Stars: Michael Rooker, Tracy Arnold, Tom Towles, Mary Demas
Votes: 40,416 | Gross: $0.61M
Made for a little over a 100'000 dollars, this disturbing tale offers great acting and is very well done. Shocking - but also very intelligent - story of a cold blooded sociopath. 7.5 out of 10.
5. Grabbers (2012)
Not Rated | 94 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
When an island off the coast of Ireland is invaded by bloodsucking aliens, the heroes discover that getting drunk is the only way to survive.
Director: Jon Wright | Stars: Killian Coyle, Stuart Graham, Michael Hough, Richard Coyle
Votes: 19,515
Very entertaining, ironic monster flick with pretty amazing effects - given the budget on this. Great original concept and fun by the pint load. 6.75 out of 10.
6. Game of Werewolves (2011)
TV-MA | 102 min | Comedy, Horror
After 15 years, Tomas, a not very successful writer, comes back to the village in Galicia where his family comes from, Arga, apparently to get an award. But he doesn't know the real reason ... See full summary »
Director: Juan Martínez Moreno | Stars: Gorka Otxoa, Carlos Areces, Secun de la Rosa, Mabel Rivera
Votes: 2,474
Funny and original werewolf comedy from Spain with well done make-up. I'm a sucker for werewolf films (sadly, there aren't that many good ones out there). This one was a positive surprise. 6.5 out of 10.
7. Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)
Not Rated | 86 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A homeless vigilante blows away crooked cops, pedophile Santas, and other scumbags with his trusty pump-action shotgun.
Director: Jason Eisener | Stars: Rutger Hauer, Pasha Ebrahimi, Robb Wells, Brian Downey
Votes: 48,625 | Gross: $0.70M
Trashy, gory, over the the top low budget fun. This is the film 'Machete' wants to be. 6 out of 10.
8. Dead Set (2008)
TV-MA | 28 min | Comedy, Drama, Horror
During a fictional series of Big Brother, a zombie outbreak occurs, but the house-mates are unaware of the impending doom outside of the Big Brother House.
Stars: Paul 'Bubble' Ferguson, Jaime Winstone, Andy Nyman, Riz Ahmed
Votes: 20,907
Very well done (and very funny) albeit not very well known zombie outbreak mini-series. Great, gory - and quite intelligent - low budget fun and a mean stab at reality TV-shows. This one deserves an 8 out of 10.
9. Killers (1996)
TV-MA | 96 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Odessa and Kyle James were just your average American boys until the night they went upstairs and killed their parents in cold blood... and smiled.
Director: Mike Mendez | Stars: Dave Larsen, David Gunn, Damian Hoffer, Nanette Bianchi
Votes: 1,329
Totally demented serial killer/hostage farce. Over the top trash - and therefore a lot of fun for the sick and twisted mind. 6 out of 10.
10. Quarantine 2: Terminal (2011)
R | 86 min | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A plane is taken over by a mysterious virus. When the plane lands it is placed under quarantine. Now a group of survivors must band together to survive the quarantine.
Director: John Pogue | Stars: Mercedes Mason, Josh Cooke, Mattie Liptak, Ignacio Serricchio
Votes: 20,846
I didn't expect anything from this one - and was pleasantly surprised. The crazy low rating doesn't do this film justice at all: this is a very tight and well made (dead serious) zombie flick. Especially the part in the plane is really gripping. Don't expect 'REC 2' (with which it has absolutely nothing in common) and you'll be able to enjoy this quite a lot. 6.5 out of 10 for sure.
11. The Kingdom (1994–2022)
TV-MA | 60 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Doctors at an ultramodern hospital in Denmark become convinced, by way of weird, inexplicable happenings, that the place is haunted.
Stars: Ernst-Hugo Järegård, Kirsten Rolffes, Ghita Nørby, Søren Pilmark
Votes: 20,341 | Gross: $0.09M
Lars von Trier's weird, crazy (haunted) hospital series with an amazing atmosphere and a great cast. Shows that you don't need a budget as long as you've got great actors, good writing and the perfect location. Shot entirely on an ordinary video camera, this is 'no budget' Arthouse cinema. There's a second part for this series from 1997 which is just as good (I wish there would have been a third part, but some of the actors died). 9 out of 10.
12. Black Death (2010)
R | 102 min | Action, Drama, History
Set during the time of the first outbreak of bubonic plague in England, a young monk is given the task of learning the truth about reports of people being brought back to life in a small village.
Director: Christopher Smith | Stars: Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean, Carice van Houten, Kimberley Nixon
Votes: 51,223 | Gross: $0.02M
Very dark film that is perhaps a bit too smart for its own good. What makes this film special is that it takes a modern, secular perspective when you least expect it - which makes us suddenly wonder just who the 'bad' guys really are in this bleak tale about Christianity/paganism. 7 out of 10.
13. Triangle (2009)
R | 99 min | Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Five friends set sail and their yacht is overturned by a strange and sudden storm. A mysterious ship arrives to rescue them, and what happens next cannot be explained.
Director: Christopher Smith | Stars: Melissa George, Joshua McIvor, Jack Taylor, Michael Dorman
Votes: 129,712
With a budget of roughly 12 million dollars, I'm not exactly sure whether this still qualifies as either a low budget or a B-movie (it probably doesn't). But since it wasn't exactly a big production either (and it certainly isn't very well known), I chose to include it anyway. If you can accept a film which will leave you with more questions than answers, then I would highly recommend this twisted mindfu** of a movie. 7.5 out of 10.
14. The Prophecy (1995)
R | 98 min | Action, Crime, Drama
At the scene of a bizarre murder, L.A. homicide detective Thomas Dagget discovers a lethal heavenly prophecy now being fulfilled on earth. In his fight to stop the forces of evil, he finds an unlikely ally in an elementary school teacher.
Director: Gregory Widen | Stars: Christopher Walken, Elias Koteas, Virginia Madsen, Eric Stoltz
Votes: 33,345 | Gross: $16.12M
Great original concept about a war in heaven with a stellar cast list which reads like the "who-is-who" of indie films and B-movies for the nineties. And Christopher Walken as the angel Gabriel is simply priceless (by the way, Aragorn is Satan). Beautifully shot and directed. 7 out of 10.
15. Thursday (1998)
R | 87 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A former L.A. drug dealer has moved to Houston to make a new life for himself as a married architect. Everything falls apart when he is suddenly visited by one of his former cohorts who comes carrying heroin.
Director: Skip Woods | Stars: Thomas Jane, Aaron Eckhart, Paulina Porizkova, James Le Gros
Votes: 20,045 | Gross: $0.00M
Cool, brutal indie flick that was made on a tiny budget with two soon-to-be stars. Clever script with lots of twists; perhaps it is a bit of a Tarantino wanna-be, but hey: that's not necessarily a bad thing. This was well done and very entertaining (except for the rather unoriginal ending). Great and very funny black comedy. 7 out of 10.
16. Fragile (2005)
PG-13 | 101 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
At her new job in a rundown children's hospital, a nurse desperately tries to keep her patients safe from a plague of random, mysterious attacks.
Director: Jaume Balagueró | Stars: Calista Flockhart, Richard Roxburgh, Elena Anaya, Gemma Jones
Votes: 17,508
For those among us who like creepy ghost movies - this one delivers the chills and the shivers (and a bit of terror) quite nicely. Jaume Balaguero (Rec I+II) is definitely a very talented genre director. 6.5 out of 10.
17. Wind Chill (2007)
R | 91 min | Adventure, Drama, Horror
Two college students share a ride home for the holidays, but when they break down on a deserted stretch of road, they are preyed upon by the ghosts of people who have died there.
Director: Gregory Jacobs | Stars: Emily Blunt, Ashton Holmes, Martin Donovan, Ned Bellamy
Votes: 24,971 | Gross: $0.02M
Another one of those creepy ghost movies that deserves a much higher rating on IMDb. Great cast, nice scares, great production values a lot of atmosphere. This one may be low budget, but it was executive produced by none other than Steven Soderbergh; make of that what you will, but I thought it was a quality genre film. 6.75 out of 10.
18. Wolfen (1981)
R | 115 min | Horror, Thriller
A New York cop investigates a series of brutal deaths that resemble animal attacks.
Director: Michael Wadleigh | Stars: Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos, Gregory Hines
Votes: 11,464 | Gross: $10.63M
An almost forgotten gem. I really liked the atmosphere in this one; great actors, great music - but I wouldn't really call it a horror film. It's not really a werewolf flick either - this unique film has many characteristics of a genre movie but is very much its own beast. The director has an interesting background; he was the dude who made history in 1969 by making Woodstock happen. He took Strieber's werewolf novel and brought something personal to it. Call it a mythical/ecological psycho thriller if you will. Anyway, this gets a 7 out of 10.
19. Open Grave (2013)
Unrated | 102 min | Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A man wakes up with no memory in a pit full of dead bodies in the wilderness and must determine if the murderer is one of the strangers who rescued him, or if he himself is the killer.
Director: Gonzalo López-Gallego | Stars: Sharlto Copley, Thomas Kretschmann, Josie Ho, Joseph Morgan
Votes: 31,332
I stumbled upon this film knowing absolutely nothing about it, and I think that's exactly the right way - perhaps the only way - to approach this bleak suspenseful tale. So I won't spoil anything for you and concentrate instead on my impressions from the film. Firstly: great production values; set and sound design can compete with anything you normally see in big Hollywood productions. Secondly: fantastic actors, and if you're into dark, disturbing films, great story. The current rather low IMDb rating bugs me and I think it will go up as soon as more people have seen the film. I'd highly recommend this film to anyone who likes a well told gritty story - I rate it a solid 7 out of 10.
20. Of Unknown Origin (1983)
R | 88 min | Horror, Thriller
A man becomes destructively obsessed with killing a dangerous rat, which has taken residence in his recently renovated house.
Director: George P. Cosmatos | Stars: Peter Weller, Jennifer Dale, Lawrence Dane, Kenneth Welsh
Votes: 3,784 | Gross: $1.08M
The ultimate antidote to Ratatouille. After this film, a harmless little rat will never look the same to you again. Fun, suspenseful thrill ride. Imagine 'Mouse Hunt' as a low budget horror film with Robocop himself as the exterminator. 7 out of 10.
21. Dark Star (1974)
G | 83 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
In the far reaches of space, a small crew, 20 years into their solitary mission, find things beginning to go hilariously wrong.
Director: John Carpenter | Stars: Dan O'Bannon, Dre Pahich, Brian Narelle, Cal Kuniholm
Votes: 27,227
Allegedly made for only 60'000 dollars, this was John Carpenter's first film. Half of what makes this film fun is the cheap effects work, but there are also some clever elements of satire. Dan O'Bannon, who later wrote the script for 'Alien', was the co-writer on this and he also stars in it. Great stuff! 7 out of 10.
22. The Company of Wolves (1984)
R | 95 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A teenage girl in a country manor falls asleep while reading a magazine, and has a disturbing dream involving wolves prowling the woods below her bedroom window.
Director: Neil Jordan | Stars: Sarah Patterson, Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Graham Crowden
Votes: 18,398 | Gross: $4.39M
What a weird fairy tale: director Neil Jordan (Interview with the Vampire) seems to have had the intention of taking a Freudian approach to the story of 'Little Red Riding Hood'. The result is an almost surreal collection of stories about rather testosterone driven werewolves who all have a little more on their minds than "just" to kill. If you like old school practical effects and transformations, this film has 'em by the truck load (although they do seem a little dated by now). Not everything works in this strange tale; the mix of sexual symbolism, poetic beauty and gory horror moments seems a bit forced at times - but when it does work it's utterly fascinating. For fans of the weird and lovers of the pre-CGI era, this is a rare treat. 7 out of 10.
23. Freeway (1996)
R | 102 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A twisted take on "Little Red Riding Hood", with a teenage juvenile delinquent on the run from a social worker travelling to her grandmother's house and being hounded by a charming, but sadistic, serial killer and pedophile.
Director: Matthew Bright | Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Kiefer Sutherland, Bokeem Woodbine, Paul Perri
Votes: 31,735 | Gross: $0.30M
Seeing that this one's got nearly 20'000 votes on IMDb by now, it appears to have garnered a bit of a cult following. Still, most people don't know this crazy take on 'Little Red Riding Hood' and although some would argue that it is a very intelligent satire and an Arthouse film (it certainly does have some satirical qualities), I still think it qualifies more as a B-picture (and it definitely is a low budget film) - albeit a very good one. This violent, mad black comedy has a great cast - amazing performances from both Kiefer Sutherland and Reese Whiterspoon - and is just one hell of a ride. 7 out of 10.
24. Tales of Terror (1962)
Not Rated | 89 min | Comedy, Horror, Mystery
Three tales of terror involve a grieving widower and the daughter he abandoned; a drunkard and his wife's black cat; and a hypnotist who prolongs the moment of a man's death.
Director: Roger Corman | Stars: Vincent Price, Maggie Pierce, Leona Gage, Peter Lorre
Votes: 8,376
This list wouldn't be complete without at least one film by the king of low budget and B-movies: the great Roger Corman. This is my favorite of his E.A.Poe themed films from the sixties, mainly because of the terrific cast: Peter Lorre and Vincent Price. Great fun (and actually quite good). 7 out of 10.
25. Perdita Durango (1997)
R | 129 min | Action, Crime, Horror
A psychotic criminal couple kidnaps a random teenage couple. The woman rapes the male captive, and lets him watch his lover being raped by the man. They then plan to sacrifice the couple.
Director: Álex de la Iglesia | Stars: Rosie Perez, Javier Bardem, Harley Cross, Aimee Graham
Votes: 9,839
Another one from the Spanish maestro Alex de la Iglesia; this one's actually rather disturbing and certainly not for the faint of heart or guardians of decency and political correctness. A violent, crazy, twisted road movie with two amazing leads: Javier Bardem and Rosie Perez. 7 out of 10.
26. The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
R | 98 min | Fantasy, Horror
An anthropologist goes to Haiti after hearing rumors about a drug used by black magic practitioners to turn people into zombies.
Director: Wes Craven | Stars: Bill Pullman, Cathy Tyson, Zakes Mokae, Paul Winfield
Votes: 27,641 | Gross: $19.60M
Eery tale of voodoo and zombies in Haiti with a young Bill Pullman. Apart from his early "video nastys" and the first two 'Scream' movies, I'd say that this is Wes Craven's finest film. Great atmosphere and a cut above your usual horror film. 6.75 out of 10.
27. Man Bites Dog (1992)
NC-17 | 95 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A film crew follows a ruthless thief and heartless killer as he goes about his daily routine. But complications set in when the film crew lose their objectivity and begin lending a hand.
Directors: Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, Benoît Poelvoorde | Stars: Benoît Poelvoorde, Jacqueline Poelvoorde-Pappaert, Nelly Pappaert, Hector Pappaert
Votes: 43,713 | Gross: $0.21M
A cult film, perhaps more of an Arthouse than a B-movie, certainly low budget and definitely an outstanding masterpiece. Works as much as a razor sharp satire on media as it does as one the blackest comedies of all time: this one really has teeth. And timeless quality. The direction and the performances are amazing; when a friend of mine watched it with me for the first time, he was visibly shaken: he really thought he had watched a documentary. 10 out of 10.
28. Inbred (2011)
R | 98 min | Comedy, Horror
Four young offenders and their care workers visit the remote Yorkshire village of Mortlake, which prides on keeping itself to itself. A minor incident with locals rapidly escalates into a blood-soaked, deliriously warped nightmare.
Director: Alex Chandon | Stars: Jo Hartley, James Doherty, Seamus O'Neill, James Burrows
Votes: 5,660
Very funny, demented comedy of the blackest kind and with great splatter effects - this is the kind of film you do watch solely for its gratuitous violence (and this subversive gem does sport some rather creative deaths). 6.75 out of 10.
29. Black Sheep (2006)
Not Rated | 87 min | Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
An experiment in genetic engineering turns harmless sheep into bloodthirsty killers that terrorize a sprawling New Zealand farm.
Director: Jonathan King | Stars: Oliver Driver, Nathan Meister, Tammy Davis, Matthew Chamberlain
Votes: 42,095 | Gross: $0.08M
Trashy fun about mutant sheep ("were-sheep" - as they are best known by experts on the subject) from New Zealand. Since the Kiwis actually are outnumbered 10:1 by their woolly pets one might wonder why they didn't turn up sooner as the subjects of a horror film (I mean: they must have figured in Kiwi nightmares for decades). 6 out 10.
30. Right at Your Door (2006)
R | 96 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A dirty bomb goes off in Los Angeles, jamming freeways and spreading a toxic cloud.
Director: Chris Gorak | Stars: Mary McCormack, Rory Cochrane, Tony Perez, Scotty Noyd Jr.
Votes: 14,383 | Gross: $0.06M
Tense little thriller about the aftermath of a terrorist attack with dirty bombs. Nearly a one-location-film, this shows once again how much you can do on a limited budget with a good script and talented people. Dark, gritty and highly recommended to all those who like apocalyptic movies. It's not without its flaws, but overall I thought it was quite a ride. 7 out of 10.
31. Welcome to Woop Woop (1997)
R | 106 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
A con artist escapes a deal gone wrong in New York and winds up in the Aussie outback in a strange town whose inhabitants are an oddball collection of misfits.
Director: Stephan Elliott | Stars: Johnathon Schaech, Rod Taylor, Susie Porter, Dee Smart
Votes: 2,086 | Gross: $0.04M
Crazy, demented Aussie trash. Over the top, bizarre and a hell of a lot of fun for lovers of weird tales. Director Stephan Elliott did 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' before this twisted fantasy about a fugitive on the run, who ends up in 'The Village: Aussie Style'. I actually do believe M. Night Shyamalan stole his idea for 'The Village' from this film. Great stuff - 7 out of 10.
32. Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead (2014)
R | 100 min | Action, Comedy, Fantasy
Still on the run from a group of Nazi zombies, a man seeks the aid of a group of American zombie enthusiasts, and discovers new techniques for fighting the zombies.
Director: Tommy Wirkola | Stars: Geir Vegar Hoel, Ørjan Gamst, Martin Starr, Jocelyn DeBoer
Votes: 26,717
The first one was a gory blast - but the second one tops it in every conceivable way: This is a no-holds-barred Splat-Fest from the beginning to the end which would make - the early - Peter Jackson proud! And it really seems to want to make a statement against political correctness: the elderly, the disabled, kids, mothers with strollers, gays, heck: even babies(!!!) all get blown up or hacked to pieces in such creative ways that even an old gore-hound like me was a bit shocked (I must shamefully admit). Then again, when you're dealing with Nazi-Zombies, that was to be expected. And the film is also very well done; the camera, the music, the sound-effects, and - most importantly - the make-up effects were absolutely fantastic. Nazi-Zombies have never looked better!
33. Theater of Blood (1973)
R | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Horror
A Shakespearean actor takes poetic revenge on the critics who denied him recognition.
Director: Douglas Hickox | Stars: Vincent Price, Diana Rigg, Ian Hendry, Harry Andrews
Votes: 12,273
Vincent Price, the star of countless B-Movies from the fifties to the seventies, in his perhaps best role ever. This movie is wicked fun; a failed Shakespeare-actor brutally settles the score with all his critics - but they all meet their demise by playing a part in the plays of the Great Bard. Very creative death scenes, gory and funny - and absolutely beautifully acted by Price and an ensemble of many other greats of British cinema and theater. Funny enough, there are many parallels between Price's own career and his character's (maybe that's exactly why the director chose him for this part), for Price also failed to get the recognition he deserved until very late in his life and felt unfairly treated by critics. Although many of his films are now regarded as classics, for the most part of his life his films and his (indeed rather Shakespearean) approach to his roles was often ridiculed. After this film though, critics started to take Price seriously (probably out of fear, LOL). But this film is also interesting for another reason: despite the obvious black comedy it looks almost like a blueprint for many horror films to come, and films like 'Seven' and 'Saw' owe perhaps a little debt to 'Theater of Blood'. Highly recommended. 8 stars out of 10.
34. Willow Creek (2013)
Not Rated | 80 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A man and his girlfriend camp in the woods to capture firsthand evidence of Bigfoot.
Director: Bobcat Goldthwait | Stars: Alexie Gilmore, Bryce Johnson, Laura Montagna, Bucky Sinister
Votes: 12,837
Great acting and true suspense in this above average found-footage horror film. I takes quite a while to get to the scares, but I enjoyed the natural performances of the two actors on the way to get there. There's no gore and you might have a hard time understanding the ending, but if you do and you get the "joke", you'll probably like the movie. It's worth a 6 in any case.
35. Bad Lieutenant (1992)
NC-17 | 96 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
While investigating a young nun's rape, a corrupt New York City police detective, with a serious drug and gambling addiction, tries to change his ways and find forgiveness and redemption.
Director: Abel Ferrara | Stars: Harvey Keitel, Brian McElroy, Frank Acciarito, Peggy Gormley
Votes: 47,849 | Gross: $2.00M
Harvey Keitel's most *beep*-ed up role in one of the most *beep*-ed up films ever. Fascinating, shocking portrayal of a man in a downwards spiral. Violent, very tough sh*t from cult trash/B-Movie-/Arthouse director Abel Ferrara. 7.5 stars out of 10.
36. King of New York (1990)
R | 103 min | Crime, Thriller
A drug kingpin is released from prison and seeks to take total control of the criminal underworld in order to give back to the community.
Director: Abel Ferrara | Stars: Christopher Walken, David Caruso, Laurence Fishburne, Victor Argo
Votes: 42,074 | Gross: $2.55M
Another violent, mad drama by Abel Ferrara with one of the best roles for Chris Walken and a great cast overall. It's like the low budget nineties version of 'Scarface'. Dark and with cult potential. 7.5 stars out of 10.
37. Below (2002)
R | 105 min | Action, Horror, Mystery
Strange happenings occur on a WW II submarine.
Director: David Twohy | Stars: Bruce Greenwood, David Crow, Matthew Davis, Holt McCallany
Votes: 24,120 | Gross: $0.61M
Chilling ghost story with an impressive production design and great atmosphere. This has some astounding set pieces, and everything from the script (in which Darren Aronofsky had a hand) to the sound design and the cast is well above average. For fans of ghost stories, this is really a must-see. 7 stars out of 10.
38. Severance (2006)
R | 96 min | Comedy, Horror
During a team-building retreat in the mountains a group of sales representatives are hunted down one by one.
Director: Christopher Smith | Stars: Danny Dyer, Laura Harris, Tim McInnerny, Toby Stephens
Votes: 40,679 | Gross: $0.14M
Gory black comedy that deserves a bigger audience. A 7 out of 10 for sure.
39. Dead End (I) (2003)
R | 85 min | Adventure, Horror, Mystery
Christmas Eve. On his way to his in-laws with his family, Frank Harrington decides to try a shortcut, for the first time in 20 years. It turns out to be the biggest mistake of his life.
Directors: Jean-Baptiste Andrea, Fabrice Canepa | Stars: Ray Wise, Lin Shaye, Mick Cain, Alexandra Holden
Votes: 32,267
Not what you'd expect upon hearing the title. It's best not to know anything about the plot. A 7 for originality.
40. Rare Exports (2010)
R | 84 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Horror
In the depths of the Korvatunturi mountains, 486 meters deep, lies the closest ever guarded secret of Christmas. The time has come to dig it up. This Christmas everyone will believe in Santa Claus.
Director: Jalmari Helander | Stars: Jorma Tommila, Onni Tommila, Peeter Jakobi, Tommi Korpela
Votes: 32,141 | Gross: $0.26M
Explores the dark, secret origins of Santa Claus. Very well made and with a lot of understated humor. Great Images - not very gory, but a lot of fun and a very original idea. 7 stars out of 10.
41. Housebound (2014)
Not Rated | 107 min | Comedy, Horror, Mystery
A young woman is forced to return to her childhood home after being placed under house arrest, where she suspects that something evil may be lurking.
Director: Gerard Johnstone | Stars: Morgana O'Reilly, Rima Te Wiata, Glen-Paul Waru, Ross Harper
Votes: 37,560
Fantastic, thrilling and completely unpredictable Kiwi gem; comedy horror of the best possible kind and tons of fun. Very well done - production values, script, actors, sound effects and camera: everything is much better than what you'd expect from this kind of film. A must for genre fans. 8 stars out of 10.
42. The Final Girls (2015)
PG-13 | 91 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
A young woman grieving the loss of her mother, a famous scream queen from the 1980s, finds herself pulled into the world of her mom's most famous movie. Reunited, the women must fight off the film's maniacal killer.
Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson | Stars: Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Adam Devine, Thomas Middleditch
Votes: 51,708
Surprisingly well done - and surprisingly affecting - love letter to cheap slasher movies from the eighties. The acting and the script are really solid, most of the (in-) jokes hit home and Taissa Farmiga and Malit Akerman really shine. Don't watch this for the gore (there isn't any) but it's a funny and cute little low-budget movie which deserves the attention of genre fans. 7 stars out of 10.
43. Bone Tomahawk (2015)
Not Rated | 132 min | Drama, Horror, Western
In the dying days of the old west, an elderly sheriff and his posse set out to rescue their town's doctor from cannibalistic cave dwellers.
Director: S. Craig Zahler | Stars: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins
Votes: 117,878
This gem is an almost classic western with a fantastic cast, great dialog and gruesome horror elements. In spite of its tiny budget, this is a quality film that really should have had a wide theatrical release; everything from the A-list cast to the excellent cinematography, sound and production design practically scream for the big screen. A word to the wise, though; after some initial mayhem, the film moves along at a very considerate pace (and at over two hours it's a rather long film), so for those who seek action-heavy entertainment with non-stop shoot-outs, gory thrills and scares, look elsewhere: this is not the film for you (and perhaps also not the film that was promised in the trailers). But if you like old-school westerns with great characters (played by great character actors), great atmosphere and dialog, and you ALSO don't mind (very!) gory thrills, scares and some bloody shoot-outs along the way, you will enjoy this film very much. I know I did: 7.5 stars out of 10.
44. The Blob (1988)
R | 95 min | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A deadly entity from space crash-lands near a small town and begins consuming everyone in its path. Panic ensues as shady government scientists try to contain the horrific creature.
Director: Chuck Russell | Stars: Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon, Donovan Leitch Jr., Jeffrey DeMunn
Votes: 43,475 | Gross: $8.25M
IMDb says this cost 19 million dollars (which would - sort of - make it a low-budget film by today's standards), but considering it was made in 88, this was not really a cheap film. And it shows: while this is undoubtedly a B-movie, it has some of the greatest practical effects of that era. The film has a great lead in Kevin Dillon and is as gory and cheesy and ironic (the script was by Frank Darabont) as one could wish: a sure 7 out of 10.
45. Creep (I) (2004)
R | 85 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Trapped in a London subway station, a woman who's being pursued by a potential attacker heads into the unknown labyrinth of tunnels beneath the city's streets.
Director: Christopher Smith | Stars: Franka Potente, Sean Harris, Vas Blackwood, Ken Campbell
Votes: 31,729
Another nice little genre film from Christopher Smith (Triangle, Severance, Black Death). I have no idea why this film has such a low rating; there's a great lead (Run Lola Run's Franka Potente), great, tense atmosphere and a very nice production design. 7 out of 10 for sure.
46. Backcountry (I) (2014)
R | 92 min | Adventure, Drama, Horror
An urban couple goes camping in the woods and find themselves lost in the territory of a predatory black bear.
Director: Adam MacDonald | Stars: Jeff Roop, Missy Peregrym, Nicholas Campbell, Eric Balfour
Votes: 24,180
I enjoyed this survivalist, (wo-)man against nature flick for what it was. The actors do a good job; they are very believable and their fear and tension are tangible. There isn't much gore in this film (but what little there is, is insanely graphic); this is the kind of film you shouldn't watch if you're planning on camping somewhere in the wilderness soon. A 6.5 out of 10 from me.
47. Razorback (1984)
R | 95 min | Horror, Thriller
As a vicious wild boar terrorizes the Australian outback, the husband of one of the victims is joined by a hunter and a farmer in a search for the beast.
Director: Russell Mulcahy | Stars: Gregory Harrison, Arkie Whiteley, Bill Kerr, Chris Haywood
Votes: 7,867 | Gross: $0.15M
Very nice camera work and great atmosphere in this not very well known Aussie flick. A giant killer boar terrorizes the Australian outback - and must be killed! Director Russell Mulcahy went on to make better, bigger films (at least for a short while) such as 'Highlander', but one can already see in this fun creature feature that he had a knack for stylish cinematography. For genre fans and B-movie aficionados highly recommended. 7 out of 10 from me.
48. The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)
R | 111 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A scientist and a teacher living in a dystopian future embark on a journey of survival with a special young girl named Melanie.
Director: Colm McCarthy | Stars: Sennia Nanua, Fisayo Akinade, Dominique Tipper, Paddy Considine
Votes: 64,391
This low budget gem is a very original and inventive contribution to the Zombie genre. M.R. Carey adapted the screenplay from his own novel, and TV veteran director Colm McCarthy (Peaky Blinders, Sherlock) does a great job giving the film as much scope as he possibly could with the tiny budget of 5 million. The gripping story keeps going into directions you won't expect and the cast is terrific throughout (Glenn Close, Gemma Arterton), especially newcomer child actress Sennia Nanua. I highly recommend this post-apocalyptic zombie sci-fi thriller to anyone who loves the genre. 8 stars out of 10.
49. Better Watch Out (II) (2016)
R | 89 min | Comedy, Horror, Thriller
On a quiet suburban street, a babysitter must defend a twelve-year-old boy from intruders, only to discover it's far from a normal home invasion.
Director: Chris Peckover | Stars: Olivia DeJonge, Levi Miller, Ed Oxenbould, Aleks Mikic
Votes: 46,237 | Gross: $0.02M
Man, what a ride! I love it when I know absolutely nothing about a low budget film and don't expect much - and then get completely surprised at how good it actually is. This little gem is an unpredictable, often times either darkly funny or deeply disturbing thrill ride that should not be me missed by genre (or generally film) fans. It's beautifully shot, acted and written, and I'm sure we'll hear more from filmmaker Chris Peckover in the future. This is clever, inventive low-budget filmmaking at its best, and it goes to show that a lack of money is not an obstacle that can't be overcome by sheer talent. Good stuff: 8 stars out of 10.
50. Mayhem (2017)
Unrated | 86 min | Action, Comedy, Horror
A virus spreads through an office complex causing white-collar workers to act out their worst impulses.
Director: Joe Lynch | Stars: Steven Yeun, Samara Weaving, Steven Brand, Caroline Chikezie
Votes: 25,447
This is just an incredibly fun satire for genre fans, and I'm a bit surprised it didn't generate larger waves. It uses the old (but not yet tired) tropes of an outbreak and people trapped in a building to put a hilariously violent spin on the kind of themes Mike Judge already explored to great comedic effect in 'Office Space' (1999): what happens when a repressed, disillusioned office clerk suddenly has the liberating epiphany that he doesn't give a fû*k anymore and decides he'll stick it to his boss no matter the consequences. Only that in this version, everyone around said clerk - from the lowest employee to the highest executive - throws their (few remaining) moral restraints over board at the same time as he does. Not through their own will, mind, but because everyone in the building is infected with a virus that makes people act out their most aggressive impulses. As you can imagine, the result of that is not peace, love and happiness - but rather... what's the word... Oh yes: bloody MAYHEM. Needless to say, I had a blast. 7 Stars out of 10.
51. Züri Zoo (2011)
60 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Fed up with their lives among the shady creatures of Zurich's seedy underworld, a brother and a sister risk everything to win it all.
Director: Gregory D. Widmer | Stars: Sandra Zellweger, Lara Wolf, Christian Martin Schäfer, Patricia Sluka
Votes: 87
This delightfully trashy piece of pulp Cinema was an unexpected pleasure! I was lucky enough to attend the premiere, and it was obvious the filmmakers put a lot of heart - and skill - into the film. The plot doesn't make a lick of sense, but it isn't really meant to; the film is mostly an homage to seventies pulp Cinema and doesn't take itself seriously for a second. The acting ranges from great to hilariously bad, but the racy soundtrack is fantastic throughout, and at only an hour long 'Züri Zoo' offers perfectly paced entertainment from Switzerland for fans of weird little genre flicks. Seek it out if you can, this little gem is worth it! 9 Stars out of 10
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