10 Entertaining (Mainly) Horror DVDs to Kill 90 Minutes With If You"ve Got Nothing Else to Do!
The best thing about DVDs is they're a great way to kill a couple of hours with if you've got nothing else to do, provided their entertaining! Entertaining does not always mean good though sometimes a film is both entertaining and good.
A few of the movies I have listed are actually good enough that you probably would have been seeking to rent or buy them on DVD on their own if you knew anything about them.
Anyway, here's my list for you in alphabetical order.
The main criteria being that they provide entertainment.
Actually, the total is 12 if you count an original and modern remake as 2 DVDs and I couldn't drop another DVD off the list! Two Thousand Maniacs (1964) and/or 2001 Maniacs (2005)- 2001 Maniacs is actually the colorized remake starring Robert Englund of the classic 1964 horror movie involving Civil War Revenge in the present!2001 Maniacs is more manic and over the top and of course sick and disgusting and to me even more entertaining than the original as it amps up the action.
The original is quite good as well and you can actually watch both movies and not be bored.
The Butterfly Effect (2004) - An actually very good science fiction movie that for some reason seemed to suffer a backlash when it came out probably because it starred Ashton Kutcher who was in fact pretty good.
This movie is like a nasty evil "Ground Hog Day" and it seems to have been inspired by the novel "Replay" by Ken Grimwood.
Cabin Fever (2002) - This is the movie that launched Eli Roth's career before he made Hostel.
Roth is one of my favorite directors and this movie is awesome, sick and disgusting and not anyones idea of a "chick flick" unless flesh-eating virus in an isolated cabin setting shared by friends on vacation is your idea of romance Dead Silence (2007) - I have to confess I love "Ventriloquist" horror movies.
I found this movie quite entertaining though on the surface there is absolutely no redeeming social value.
A great movie for people who like to be scared by Dummies! Decoy (1946) - One of the most underrated and (relatively) unknown Film Noir classics featuring what has to be the nastiest, most unrepentant, ruthless, cold, female villain's ever.
This movie was 60 years ahead of its time.
It involves as an added bonus bringing an executed murderer back to life, greed, betrayal and more.
The Devil Rides Out (1968) -This Hammer Horror film starring the great Christopher Lee, is one of the best movies on Satan and wealthy Devil Worshippers ever and is a perfect example of the Serious but Campy acting style in the 60's that can't be captured in 2008.
There simply is no way a modern actor could seriously spout the dialogue of this movie with a straight face like the wonderful English actors did here in 1968.
Some great huge British homes in the countryside and of course Satan.
House of 1000 Corpses (2003) - This movie is one of my top ten movies of all time.
Featuring the directing debut of Rob Zombie, this to me is one of the greatest most entertaining hilarious, sick horror movies ever.
The casting, acting, script, is perfect.
If this movie doesn't entertain you, nothing will, Sid Haig as Captain Spaulding should have gotten an Oscar! This movie even has Rainn Wilson, pre Office! Kidnapped (2006 Complete TV Series) - This is actually the complete excellent 13 episode 2006 TV seriesstarring Jeremy Sisto about the kidnapping of a wealthy honcho's (Timothy Hutton) son that is a suspenseful thriller with a huge amount of twists and turns that deserved a huge TV audience.
"Kidnapped" was canceled before it could reach the level of success of say a "24", though the first arc of the show is complete here.
This would be worth renting out even if you didn't just want to kill time and be entertained.
Shutter (2008) - This is a thoroughly entertaining American knockoff of your basic Japanese Modern Horror Movie, starring the great Joshua Jackson.
It is strictly a Grade "B" or "C" movie but Joshua Jackson says some of the greatest most contemptible lines of cluelessness in the history of talking movies towards the end of the movie.
This is worth renting just for Joshua Jackson's dialogue alone in the last 10 minutes which is beyond amazing.
The writer is a genius.
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) - This is a sci-fi fantasy type film starring Jude Law and I thought the photography and style were utterly amazing and I felt like I was in a 1940's Space Opera.
I can't understand why this movie wasn't huge in the Box Office.
Wonderfalls (2004) - A truly fantastic TV Show that deserved a better fate but it was on Fox, what do you expect? Only 4 Episodes of this show were broadcast before it was canceled but this box set has the complete 13 episodes that were originally filmed.
This was the best whimsical fantasy type TV show I've ever seen with excellent acting led by the amazing Caroline Dhavernas who this show should have made a star, great writing and directing.
A few of the movies I have listed are actually good enough that you probably would have been seeking to rent or buy them on DVD on their own if you knew anything about them.
Anyway, here's my list for you in alphabetical order.
The main criteria being that they provide entertainment.
Actually, the total is 12 if you count an original and modern remake as 2 DVDs and I couldn't drop another DVD off the list! Two Thousand Maniacs (1964) and/or 2001 Maniacs (2005)- 2001 Maniacs is actually the colorized remake starring Robert Englund of the classic 1964 horror movie involving Civil War Revenge in the present!2001 Maniacs is more manic and over the top and of course sick and disgusting and to me even more entertaining than the original as it amps up the action.
The original is quite good as well and you can actually watch both movies and not be bored.
The Butterfly Effect (2004) - An actually very good science fiction movie that for some reason seemed to suffer a backlash when it came out probably because it starred Ashton Kutcher who was in fact pretty good.
This movie is like a nasty evil "Ground Hog Day" and it seems to have been inspired by the novel "Replay" by Ken Grimwood.
Cabin Fever (2002) - This is the movie that launched Eli Roth's career before he made Hostel.
Roth is one of my favorite directors and this movie is awesome, sick and disgusting and not anyones idea of a "chick flick" unless flesh-eating virus in an isolated cabin setting shared by friends on vacation is your idea of romance Dead Silence (2007) - I have to confess I love "Ventriloquist" horror movies.
I found this movie quite entertaining though on the surface there is absolutely no redeeming social value.
A great movie for people who like to be scared by Dummies! Decoy (1946) - One of the most underrated and (relatively) unknown Film Noir classics featuring what has to be the nastiest, most unrepentant, ruthless, cold, female villain's ever.
This movie was 60 years ahead of its time.
It involves as an added bonus bringing an executed murderer back to life, greed, betrayal and more.
The Devil Rides Out (1968) -This Hammer Horror film starring the great Christopher Lee, is one of the best movies on Satan and wealthy Devil Worshippers ever and is a perfect example of the Serious but Campy acting style in the 60's that can't be captured in 2008.
There simply is no way a modern actor could seriously spout the dialogue of this movie with a straight face like the wonderful English actors did here in 1968.
Some great huge British homes in the countryside and of course Satan.
House of 1000 Corpses (2003) - This movie is one of my top ten movies of all time.
Featuring the directing debut of Rob Zombie, this to me is one of the greatest most entertaining hilarious, sick horror movies ever.
The casting, acting, script, is perfect.
If this movie doesn't entertain you, nothing will, Sid Haig as Captain Spaulding should have gotten an Oscar! This movie even has Rainn Wilson, pre Office! Kidnapped (2006 Complete TV Series) - This is actually the complete excellent 13 episode 2006 TV seriesstarring Jeremy Sisto about the kidnapping of a wealthy honcho's (Timothy Hutton) son that is a suspenseful thriller with a huge amount of twists and turns that deserved a huge TV audience.
"Kidnapped" was canceled before it could reach the level of success of say a "24", though the first arc of the show is complete here.
This would be worth renting out even if you didn't just want to kill time and be entertained.
Shutter (2008) - This is a thoroughly entertaining American knockoff of your basic Japanese Modern Horror Movie, starring the great Joshua Jackson.
It is strictly a Grade "B" or "C" movie but Joshua Jackson says some of the greatest most contemptible lines of cluelessness in the history of talking movies towards the end of the movie.
This is worth renting just for Joshua Jackson's dialogue alone in the last 10 minutes which is beyond amazing.
The writer is a genius.
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) - This is a sci-fi fantasy type film starring Jude Law and I thought the photography and style were utterly amazing and I felt like I was in a 1940's Space Opera.
I can't understand why this movie wasn't huge in the Box Office.
Wonderfalls (2004) - A truly fantastic TV Show that deserved a better fate but it was on Fox, what do you expect? Only 4 Episodes of this show were broadcast before it was canceled but this box set has the complete 13 episodes that were originally filmed.
This was the best whimsical fantasy type TV show I've ever seen with excellent acting led by the amazing Caroline Dhavernas who this show should have made a star, great writing and directing.