10 Quirky Horror Flicks for Halloween
Looking for some scary good fun for Halloween? Perhaps a movie or two? When it comes to movies that scare, you can probably come up with a list of the most iconic of them ever filmed. These are not them. Here is a list of ten “horror” films that don’t quite live up to the iconic status of the likes of “Halloween” or “The Exorcist”, but they are forever etched into my mind as “closet classics” that if given a chance, just might surprise you. They are in no particular order. Enjoy!
Without Warning (1980) - Rated R
Without Warning, also known as It Came Without Warning, is a 1980 American horror science fiction film directed by Greydon Clark starring Jack Palance, Martin Landau, Tarah Nutter, and Kevin Peter Hall. This one is pretty simple. A tall alien with a big head hunts people by stalking them and then flinging disk shaped, super-sucker aliens at them. Jack Palance is particularly fun to watch and he delivers some great lines. There’s also a great cameo by Larry Storch as a scout troop leader. (World Amusement Corp.)
Check out the trailer HERE.
Starship Invasions (1977) - Rated PG
Starship Invasions is a 1977 Canadian science fiction film directed, produced, and written by Ed Hunt and filmed in Toronto, Ontario. It was originally titled “War of the Aliens” and then “Alien Encounter”. This movie, with particularly bad special effects, stars Robert Vaughn, Christopher Lee, the super-sexy Helen Shaver, and a host of others. Vaughn is a UFO investigator, and Lee is an alien in the middle of a war with another alien race. UFO visitations cause the people of Earth to take their own lives. Do you really need to know anything else? (Warner Bros.)
Check out the trailer HERE.
The Beast Within (1982) - Rated R
The Beast Within is a 1982 American horror film directed by Philippe Mora and starring Ronny Cox, Bibi Besch, and Paul Clemens. It’s a loose adaptation of Edward Levy's 1981 novel of the same name. Michael has a problem. There is something growing inside him, waiting to be released. The movie has one of the most memorable transformations scenes in cinematic history. I must have watch that scene over and over as a kid. If you feel like you need to skip to it, the transformation is in the last 30 minutes. (United Artists)
Check out the trailer HERE.
Psychomania (1973) - Not Rated
Psychomania (a.k.a. The Death Wheelers) is a 1973 British horror-cult film starring Nicky Henson, Beryl Reid, George Sanders (in his final film) and Robert Hardy. An amiable psychopath and leader of a violent teen gang enjoys riding his motorcycle and loves his mother. He commits suicide and succeeds in returning as the "undead", continuing to terrorize the locals and convincing his gang to join him. The fun is watching the unique ways in which the gang do themselves in. Quirky 70’s style psycho-sexual music included. Coincidentally, George Sanders committed suicide after making the film. This is definitely one of my favorites on this list. (Del Tenny Productions)
Check out the trailer HERE.
Legend of Hell House (1973) - Rated PG
The Legend of Hell House is a 1973 British supernatural horror film directed by John Hough and based on the 1971 novel Hell House by Richard Matheson. A team consisting of a physicist, his wife, a young female psychic and the only survivor of the previous visit are sent to the notorious Hell House to prove/disprove survival after death. The film stars Pamela Franklin, Roddy McDowall, Clive Revill, and Gayle Hunnicutt. This one scared the heck out of me when I was a kid. (Academy Pictures Corporation)
Check out the trailer HERE.
Sssssss (1973) - Rated PG
Sssssss (released as Ssssnake in the United Kingdom and Japan) is a 1973 American horror film starring Strother Martin, Dirk Benedict and Heather Menzies. Hopefully without giving too much away, Dirk Benedict is slowly transformed into a snake. Just the thought of it send shivers up my spine. The movie is fun and the effects are decent for 1973. It’s worth a watch. (Universal Pictures)
Check out the trailer HERE.
Motel Hell (1980) - Rated R
Motel Hell is a 1980 American comedy horror film directed by Kevin Connor and starring Rory Calhoun, Nancy Parsons, and Nina Axelrod. It’s quite simple really. People check in, but they don’t check out when they literally find themselves “neck deep” in trouble. That’s because butcher, motel manager, and meat entrepreneur Vincent Smith, traps his guests and harvests them for his human sausages which everyone loves. But they don’t know his little secret. (United Artists)
Check out the trailer HERE.
The Children (1980) - Rated R
The Children is a 1980 horror film directed by Max Kalmanowicz starring Martin Shakar, Gil Rogers, and Gale Garnett. A nuclear-plant leak turns a bus-load of children into murderous atomic zombies with black fingernails. Is there anything scarier than children in the movies? Well, these kiddies aren’t as frightening as modern-day movie kids, but they are out to kill their parents, so. I saw this at the drive-in when I was kid. It’s a life-long favorite. (Troma Entertainment)
Check out the trailer HERE.
It’s Alive (1974) - Rated PG
It's Alive is a 1974 American horror film written, produced, and directed by Larry Cohen. It stars John P. Ryan and Sharon Farrell as a couple whose infant child turns out to be a vicious mutant. Who doesn’t love a killer baby? Yes, it’s a mutant baby, but all it really wants is love. It’s kind of bad, and kind of good at the same time. (Warner Bros.)
Check out the trailer HERE. (It’s kind of a lame trailer)
See the Teaser Trailer HERE. (Much better)
Prince of Darkness (1987) - Rated R
Prince of Darkness is a 1987 horror film directed by the great John Carpenter starring Donald Pleasence, Lisa Blount, Jameson Parker, and Victor Wong. It may have been directed by the same genius that brought us ‘Halloween’ but this one slipped through the cracks for many people. It’s not really quirky. I just love it. If you don’t watch anything else on this list, watch this one. It has everything you could ask for in horror film. It’s all that and a bag of chips, if Alice Cooper was the bag of chips. Do NOT watch the television edit. It's totally butchered. This is a top-notch scare! (Universal Pictures)
Check out the trailer HERE.
That's it. Some of these are hard to find, but they are out there. Now... go make some popcorn and enjoy!
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