A lot of people are drawn to horror films because they like to be scared. And the world of horror films has changed a lot since the 1970s, when the first hugely popular films debuted on the silver screen across the United States. In other countries, there has been a high art associated with films designed to scare, dating all the way back to the vampire classic “Nosfaratu.” But in the United States, the purpose has been more to keep people jumping and shrieking, though some of these films have been epic and well-made, receiving numerous accolades.
However, whether it was HDTV becoming so prevalent or something else, the horror movies of today have gotten pretty gory and realistic in ways that people never expected. There’s very little to determine the difference between something like “Turistas” or “Hostel” and an actual snuff film, and while directors might be making claims that there is actually something else going on, the truth is that regular filmgoers who aren’t into a scarily realistic depiction of violence will probably be put off by the more recent crops of horror films.
Thankfully, satellite tv makes it possible to sit at home and check out horror movies from years gone by. And one of the biggest reasons that people watch scary movies is not to scream, but rather, to laugh. This is because while horror movies are trying to scare people so often, they are sometimes inadvertently making them laugh at the same time. Whether this is because the special effects are terrible, or because the acting is even worse, is not the point.
For those who would rather laugh than scream, here are the five best hilarious horror movies you are likely to find on satellite tv at some point in the day.
The Blob – Classic, black and white film is focused on what happens when a gigantic blob starts slowly eating a small town. Hilarious and campy, though the re-make isn’t nearly as hilarious. Consider that the special effects were once at the top of their game, and wonder what today’s horror films will look like in a half-century.
The Creature From the Black Lagoon – This is one of those great creature films, but unlike a classic such as “King Kong,” where you can’t quite tell that it’s a costume, this amphibious creature looks all costume department. Filmed at a whimsical children’s park in Florida, Silver Springs, where you can still ride glass-bottom boats to this day.
Cutting Class – While Brad Pitt might now be a happy father and more likely to show up on satellite tv championing charitable contributions, he was once an aspiring actor who made a very bad choice: to do “Cutting Class.” A film that is so incredible terrible that it is absolutely hilarious, it focuses on what happens when someone’s dad goes out of town–murders! Trouble! Definitely a must-see film, though it is in no way one of Pitt’s best.
Tremors – A 1980s classic, you’re likely to find this on satellite tv late at night on weekends. Creepy creatures emerge from the earth, and chaos is unleashed. Just so you know how bad it is, there are multiple sequels, and Kevin Bacon acts in one of them.
Basket Case – The classic B-movie could be using its a title as a metaphor, but it’s not. It literally is about a man who is carrying around his brother, who is a monster, in a small wicker basket.