Since Halloween isn’t too far off and I know I enjoy watching cheesy horror films, I thought I would share this list of the top 5 reasons that we all love them. No matter how bad they are, they will usually bring a smile to our faces. Here are just some of the reasons why they are so amazingly bad, and yet, entertaining.
Reason 1
“Maybe we should split up!?!?” The character’s have a complete lack of common sense. Maybe it’s just me, but why would you ever split up when you are walking through a forest in pitch black, surrounded by obvious signs that you are being followed or watched. We all know what the fate is of any person that leaves the group. You can see this cliche in films like The Hills have Eyes.
Reason 2
The Body Count. Have you ever noticed that everyone seems to die in the same place? And if they don’t die in the same place, their corpses end up together. I guess It is just too perfect an opportunity for film makers to fill the screen with gore.
Reason 3
“The door is stuck!” The escape door is always stuck. It worked just a few minutes earlier when the boyfriend left the bedroom, but when the female has to get away from the villain, it is stuck. This has to be one of the biggest cliches in the horror genre.
Reason 4
“Bad Time For A Breakdown.” Just like the door, the car never seems to work when it needs to. You turn the key but it just won’t go until the last second. This can be experienced in its full glory in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which is, otherwise, an excellent film.
Reason 5
“Aren’t You Supposed To Be Dead?” You just have to love the fact that the killer never dies. Poor Jason has been drowned, blown up, and chopped up. Nothing stops these guys… but then again, if they died we wouldn’t have the wonderfully bad sequels to keep us coming back for more.
Obviously these reasons don’t apply to all horror films and congratulations to the original ones that don’t have to rely on cliches. As usual, if you can think of any items that you think should be on the list, add them to the comments!
Contributed by: Popcorn Ninja
Technorati Tags: entertainment, movies
The killer will never run but somehow always catch up the the teenager he's chasing.
ha thats so true
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lol or get in a car and drive away then the killer will be on the road coming up
Another one is when the girl is being chased they always fall down and wait till the killer is almost on top of them before they get up.
Joe: that is one of the most annoying things in a horror movie!
Greetings from Portugal.First and foremost Congratulations for your website, I just L-O-V-E it, and I can honestly say my general knowledge increases with every visit to your site. Thank you so much for this oasis in the middle of an ever increasing desert of boring, uninteresting or otherwise not so original or copied sites (lol, I tend to speak/write a lot).
As for this list, it seems that the killer always prefers to knock unconscious the characters that are supposed to survive, before even trying to kill them, lingering the moment in which they’ll first attempt it. Then what usually happens is the same characters either manage to escape or be saved in the nick of time. But I think this one extends to other films too.
Best wishes
i love cheesy horror movies because they are fun to watch with your girl. really.
and i dont even know your girl.
suspension of disbelief
and the freedom of the child within- to stare oblivious into the fire.
along with (and I know this is questionable) the novalty of escape, regardless of practicality.
An Inner love for things absurd and a willingness to relinquish any guarded formalisms that may be bound by daily life.
Then there is the most questionable which is that everything movie is worth watching. I think Kubrick said that.
You forgot to mention that the victims always tried to “hide” in some stupid and oh-so-obvious place. The killer can be seen in the background, looking around, then leaving. The victim, thinking they are miraculously safe, jumps from their hiding place and runs smack dab into the arms of the killer. Wah wah wah…. ahh, too bad.
Great list!
One of my favorites and a rather common one is the not-so-smart victim forgets to look behind themself. If only they would understand that killers don’t move by running around in open space wearing glow-in-the-dark clothes…
There are some really excellent observations in these comments – thanks guys
Adding to the “aren’t you supposed to be dead” reason, they always slowly lean in to check that theyr’e dead. Even when they have a perfectly good axe or gun in hand. (Halloween H20). Whats the harm in chopping off their head or putting in extra bullet b/w their eyes?
That, and the villain always is slow moving. If he’s chasing you, just grab something deadly and heavy and quickly run in and crack him in the head.
I think just the ultimate lack of commons sense sums up the majority of horror movie cliche’s.
Wait, Not All Movie Killers Are Slow Moving, Leatherface From TCSM Wasnt Slow Moving
-If there are strange noises in the house at night, it will be the girl and not her boyfriend who checks it, and, if possible, she will do it with light clothes or *****y underwear.
-There are no light switches in horror-movie-kitchens.If you want some milk after a terrible real-looking nightmare, the only light you will need will be the one from the fridge.
-At least one hysterical girl must receive a calm-down-slap.
-At least one couple must be killed before or while making love.
-And finally, the mythical: “Don’t worry, I’ll be right back”
Tombs of the Blind Dead is nothing but calm-down-slaps to hysterical women.
Chris: I am totally behind you on that!
Morgaine: excellent additions – and so true of so many horror films!
I wacthed a sci-fi/horro movie about Jason. Plot is two frozen bodies found on a distant planet by a spaceship. It turns out they were frozen for 500 years. One of them is Jason other is his last victim. Last victim told the crew how her people tried everything to kill him so they decided to freeze as last resort. But now Jason is melted and killing the spaceship crew. In last scene, spacecraft blows up completly but Jason survives and wanders in space. But then they hit him toward a sun.
A bit out of topic but
If you want a great horror movie that breaks all the cliches, watch Feast. I loved it because it was unpredictable (to me it was anyway). Has anyone seen it?
Özhan – wow – that sounds so ridiculous!
Jackie: Thanks – I haven’t seen it but definitely will if it is unpredictable.
I am somewhat inspired to make a list of the Top 10 horror movie villains now. Perhaps that should be your next project?
I’ve seen feast, excellent movie. And I agree with you on it being unpredictable… specially the scene with her kid. My mouth dropped and I thought, damn… never seen that before. Also, the Carnosaur series are pretty good and not your typical horror movie. However, there’s dino’s killing and eating people with lots of gore, gotta love that.
Brian – excellent idea
Adam: I haven’t seen the carnosaur movies. I will check them out.
I know this was previously mentioned, but I don’t think it was covered in full. If the movie centers around teenagers (as horror movies often do), it is a sure shot that a teen will die if the do any of the following:
(a) Take recreational drugs,
(b) Have *****, *or*
(c) Drink liquor.
There’s also the possibility that, if they’re also female, the character will die if she shows her boobs. It makes me wonder if, somehow, these movies are trying to moralize. Hmmm….?
Nici: that is a very interesting (and true) observation. I think Hollywood does tend to try to moralize, but then in other cases they de-moralize. Take Pleasantville for example – as soon as the mother has an affair, she becomes colored – suggesting that marriage is a dull old thing to be avoided.
“Wait a sec, there’s someone at the door.”
I hate it when they throw away their weapons after they assume the killer is dead, then the killer gets back up…bah blah…
The killer always live again in the end of the movie, to create yet another sequel.
Lalpasha, chadster, irfan: all of those are so true and so annoying!
add more:
- the killer always slow move (walk), but no matter how far/fast the victims run, the killer will always one step ahead.
- annoying character have “longer life possibilities” than normal character, and *****y/good looking character will always first to be killed
Every cliche that has ever existed can be found in the Scary Movies series. Watch them and you can make a really long list. Also if the victim is running and looking back they always somehow manage to run into the killer even if the killer started out walking behind them or they trip over one of their dead friends and the killer catches up almost instantly and kills them
if the target is teenagers or kids, then the parents are either out and there is a babysitter, or the kids or teens are out some place
Responding to Nici’s comment about the “moralizing” of horror movies, and your comments, JF. I suspect the main reason the teens who have *****, drugs, and other naughty fun get gruesomely picked off is that if that bit of moral flaw weren’t there, we’d be watching the slaughter of totally innocent and undeserving victims for our entertainment, which kind of leaves a greasy feeling on your soul after a bit. (Not that there haven’t been horror flicks in which the utterly blameless were winnowed like bloody wheat all throughout.) I think it’s an extra payoff for the viewer when you can say, “Oh well, she had it coming anyway, gorgeous cheerleader slut that she was …” In fact, I think for a lot of us geeks out here, watching the gorgeous cheerleader and her football captain boytoy get a chainsaw through the gullet is vicarious vengeance for the hell that a lot of little *****s an awful lot like them put us through in high school. (Ew … hope that didn’t sound bitter.) By the way, for another great sendup of absolutely every cliche of splatter flicks, there’s a movie that just came out direct-to-DVD called “Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon,” about a personable and methodical slasher who allows a documentary crew to tag along wile he gears up for his first big night. It’s too cool — find it if you can.
I believe it was the great Mitch Hedberg who said something like he would make a terrible auto mechanic because if someone said their car wouldn’t start he’d say “Well maybe you’re being chased by a serial killer.”
bucslim: haha
haha funny list
OK; we love cheesy horrors because they’re strangely comforting. Little kids like to hear the same story over and over, and so do we adults. Comedies and horrors are both exercises in creating and releasing tension, but while a silly horror movie becomes a comedy, a lame comedy is simply boring and even painful. BTW, as for cliches, how about the villain knowing exactly which tree/cupboard/car to hide in to surprise the curious victim?
The biggest cliché of all is that even though the girl knows or is suspicious that the killer is inside the house, she goes (alone) down the dark stairs to the basement/attic to investigate…
In the movie “Black Christmas” (or is it Dark?) the
girl is told on the phone by the policemen outside that the killer who is making the creepy phone calls is IN THE HOUSE. Does she a)run out house or b)slowly walks down the dark basement???
What about when someone is walking around a deserted house or cave or…anywhere for that matter…and they yell “HELLO? IS ANYONE THERE?”
That one REALLY gets to me. And it never ever fails to show up in a cheesy horror movie.
or come on, jason is not a fast dude, you telling me a teenager cannot outrun jason? man, they deserve to die
I can't believe nobody pointed out running up the stairs – the biggest cliche (in my opinion) of trash horrors. Someone's chasing the poor teenage cheerleader through her house, but instead of getting out of the house, she decides to run up the stairs and hide in one of the rooms until the killer finds her. Seriously, who does she expect to get out alive after doing something stupid like that. Or perhaps she just likes to play hide-and-seek.
I see this in 90% of the teen horrors. The one that comes to mind is Scream 2. The stupid about-to-die teenage girl is played by Sarah Michelle Gellar.
I was just about to say running up the stairs. Always makes me wanna scream “now where are you gonna go now silly bint!” and hope that she (cause it’s always a girl) gets it next just for being so bloody stupid.
I dont really remember scream 2,but i dont remember sarah michelle gellar being in it either.the only cheesy horror flick i remember seeing her in was “i know what u did last summer”.and with all the very true points mentioned above,i just wish they would just stop making parts 1 thru 10 of movies like scream,final destination,i know what u did last summer…they’re all the same,only that the parts that follow are a lot less interesting than the first.otherwise,cool list as usual,jfrater
I’ve noticed the impending victims always seem to run from the killer up the stairs, down to the basement, or if she is smart enough to run outside, she heads straight for the rickety shed, junked out car/truck or the killer’s “den.”
I love it!!
I’m always saying “they must think we’re stupid!” but we continue to watch them, don’t we? We’re the reason they are so cheesy.
The fact that its always the “dumb blonde” that gets killed first. Then the mean person that nobody likes goes next, and then for some reason the main characters best mate has to die next. whats that all about?
Don’t you think it’s very rare that the main characters are female in most films. If they are, they have to be strong minded and have a personal history with the killer, like in Scream or Halloween?!
for all you horror film buffs here is a great site http://crimsonplague.freeforums.org/ it’s just started but is getting better an better.
I don’t watch Horror Movies, but I like this list. Some of these cliches are in other genres of movies as well.
Another good cliche that always makes me laugh is when the girl (in her bathrobe or nighty or whatever) hears a noise outside, goes out the front door to check, and doesn’t close it behind her! Then goes back in & locks the door. HELLO!!! Now you are locked inside WITH THE KILLER!
DK: hahah that is so true!
The hills have eyes is the worst POS i’ve ever seen. a blind paraplegic could have killed all of them. i was so *****ed when i was watching that movie. the kid has a f-ing gun and he’s running away from a guy, blindly firing behind him.
I think the best thing about the bad horror flick is the hot girl always gets killed… nothing like a little vindication.
-there are always jocks, they never survive.
-the killer hardly ever say anything.
-the killer also has a traumatized childhood, making us feel sorry for him. freddieVSjason has the worst scene ive ever seen in a horror movie. made me feel sick to my guts. the scene where jasons child version is laying on the floor, water pouring on him, him shivering and crying. freddie laughing.. yadayada.
-the cellphones always, ALWAYS run out of battery.
-if the car breaks down, there is always a castle where they ask for a phone.
-usually only 2 people survive, boy and girl.
-the killers always bear grudges for no apparent reason.
-all killers have their own trademark weapon, cant do ***** without it.
-if someone screams, all characters hear it, no matter how far away. (and of course, runs towards the scream)
-if you have a mask, you are invincible!!
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personally i prefer psychological horror movies and thrillers.
YashaMaru: I prefer psychological thrillers too.
seen mr. brooks? very good movie, disturbia also has some good stuff.
nightmare on elm street are simply classics, the thought of dying in your sleep has given many kids sleeples night.
1 2, freddys coming for you.
3 4, better lock your door.
5 6, bring your crusifix. (not that that ever helps..)
YashaMaru: I haven’t seen Mr Brooks – what is it about?
jfrater: a businessman with a hobby of offing people, couples making love. eventualy he is spotted and photographed in the house of one of his victims.
the guy who took the picture blackmails mr.brooks, not trying to get money or anything, but wanting to come with him on a murder. the plot plays out of that, if i say anymore it would ruin the movie for you or anyone else here planning to watch it:P
jfrater:
hey thanks for the hint..if it was a snake id be dead!
love the site…keep up the good work!
YashaMaru: That sounds really good – I will definitely watch it – thanks for the synopsis!
hows aboot the classic “camera strafe,” all horror films has it, it never was scary, it never will be..
whats so scary about a character strafing the camera whilst the lead woman (usually) is facing away.
and the oh-so overly used “person walks away from camera, camera goes a little backwards, revealing a hand holding a weapon.”
now, i know these are effects and not cliches, but they still appear upto several times in all horror movies.
Here’s are a few I don’t think were mentioned.
Have you ever noticed that towards the end of many slasher flicks the frightened woman starts flipping out, then runs amok in the house. While she’s doing that, every door she opens, a body pops out, usually hanging upside down, LoL! What is it with that? Is the killer psychic or something? He knows beforehand which doors the girl will open and hangs the corpses there? That is my #1 pet-peeve about horror flicks.
#2: Cell phones will never…and I do mean NEVER be picking up a signal when they’re needed the most.
#3: The police arrive three seconds after the killer has finally been dispatched.
I like the fact that the killer/monster can get ANYwhere, instantaneously. Really makes me feel scared to know that after I slam the door on the killer, run down the hall, down the stairs, and open the front door, BAM! There he is again.
I like how in some horror movies the chick is always just coming out of the shower when she hears something, and goes looking for it. When it turns out to be a killer he stabs her in the chest like, 40times, but instead of dropping dead after 5, she has to run over to the white curtins and try to get as much blood as possible everywhere on then, and after a minute of rolling around in that, she has to dramatically fall down very slowly.
oh come on now!!! jamie kennedy said it best in “scream”… gratuitous boob shot!!!!
y is it that the young couple are the only two ppl that survive….. in almost every one i seen its pretty much the same. the only good horror movies are 30 days of night, sick, and the cube 2.
LMAO at TARANIS post!!!
This is hilarious. I just finished watching One Missed Call and Zombie *****s… both which had cliches but obviously Zombie *****s wasn’t meant to be taken seriously. It was a good laugh. I really did like One Missed Call though.
Cliche- There is always a TON of (useless) people/characters in horror flicks. Thats usually a sign that it will suck. Hell,after thet 1st 5 people are offed, that should tell you, get the @#$%^& out of there.
One of the reasons I Love MISERY with Kathy Bates and James Caan is b/c there are really only 2 people and yet it is still creepy and will freak out just about anyone who watches. High Body Count does Not Equal Effective Scary.