The Best Worst Horror Films to Watch This Spooktober
By Xander Townsend | Misfit Media Editor
(Spoiler Free & Contains Graphic Content)
Now obviously listing the worst horror films ever made is a matter of opinion, and I certainly have expressed my love for films that border more on the hilarious rather than the horrific. For this list I am going to stay away from Horror Comedies as well as films who are attempting to be so bad that they are good, just because I am more focusing on unintentional hilarity. If this is something you enjoy, especially around Halloween, then make sure to give some of these films a watch.
Hellraiser: Inferno (5)
Hellraiser: Inferno, directed by Scott Derrickson and released in 2000, is an interesting case. There are several films in which the final product is built on footage that was acquired, having nothing to do with the pinhead narrative. I found myself searching for the clipped pre-recorded footage vs the footage that would have been shot after the fact (which is kind of fun). The 5th, 6th, and 7th Hellraiser films all utilized this tactic and to say they suffer from it is an understatement. The 5th Hellraiser is easily my favourite as it is hilariously awful but composited in all seriousness.
Slender Man
Probably the most modern film on this list, Slender Man was terrible for a multitude of reasons. With only 8% on Rotten Tomatoes and making the list of worst rated horror films on the site, the 2018 film makes a fool of the genuinely iconic Slender Man IP. As someone who grew up on the internet and the Slender Man Creepypasta stories, I was curious to know how they would tackle the massively popular story. Unfortunately with the very real court case in 2014 where two 12 year old girls were trailed as adults for murder after they lured and stabbed their friend to death, the Slender Man film found itself stepping on toes. Now I understand the decision to make sure the victim's family were comfortable with how they covered the fictional character, but unfortunately this lead to many inconsistencies and poorly executed scares. It is a shame as this film had the potential to be something iconic in the horror genre.
Jason X
I imagine this would be a popular best worst film on most people's lists so it's only fitting that it has a place here. Jason X, also known as "Jason goes to space" is a sci-Fi alien like horror released in 2002 about Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th franchise and it's as ridiculous as it sounds. The best kind of ridiculous. With sexy cyborgs and an updated Jason look, It’s a fantastic unintentional giggle fest that I highly recommended.
Jaws: Revenge
Now don’t get me wrong, Jaws is one of the most iconic horror films in existence. With such a high bar being set, the later instalments was always going to be a difficult release, let along the 4th. After the iconic Jaws: 3-D instalment, Jaws: The Revenge, released in 1987, is the pinnacle of a terrible yet unintentionally hilarious film.
BloodRayne
With every 'Worst Movie' list, there always has to be an appearance from Owe Boll. BloodRayne, released in 2005, is one of the best worst films I have ever seen, and I wouldn't expect any different from the director Mr Boll. The fantasy action horror set in 18th-century Romania gives you a look at vampires from the more generic perspective and not much more. If you enjoy watching the hilarity of bad film, I would highly recommend looking at Owe Bolls filmography, starting with BloodRayne.
Knock Knock
This 2015 films main unintentionally hilarious blunder is its acting. Unfortunately not even Keanu Reeves being Keanu Reeves can save this film from its hilariously convoluted acting and plot holes. Now, don’t get me wrong, the concept is intriguing and hypothetically very interesting, but I unfortunately kept on getting pulled out of the brooding and serious mood of the film with the unfortunately amateur performance.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch
The only instalment in the Halloween franchise not to feature the main protagonist, Michael Myers, is one to definitely investigate. Back when the directors were planning on making every Halloween film independent from the Michael Myers IP, Halloween 3: Season of the Witch, released in 1983, was an unfortunate blunder. Rightfully so, fans of the franchise were outraged by the lack of Myers and the directors made the clever decision to being him back. This is definitely a unique, yet terribly underwhelming take on a unfortunately iconic Halloween film.