When it comes to campy movies, we know there have been a lot of attempts, but not many get it right. They have to strike the right chords. I never really considered campy movies to be doltish, they actually are pretty imaginative and brave films. Do you know what I see in a campy movie? I see a movie lover who isn’t afraid to be a nerd about it; isn’t afraid of being silly when he or she shows love toward movies.
1: “Killer Klowns from Outer Space” (1988)
A movie that is just a marvel to watch, it worked on every level. I heard that there’s a remake circling around but thankfully all the players behind the film are back in. The movie is pretty much described in the silly title. There are some clown-like creatures from outer space, and they’ve stopped on our planet for a mid-flight snack. If you do like this film in particular, I also would recommend “The Toxic Avenger” (1984) about a nerd who gets dropped into chemical waste and becomes a mutant hero.
2: “Little Shop of Horrors” (1986)
This movie rocks! Hilarious premise, groovy music not to mention one of the best cameos by Bill Murray. The story follows Seymour as he must come to terms with an alien carnivorous plant life-form and finally declare his love to the girl of his dreams.
3: “The Evil Dead” (1981)
Horror to some, comedy to others but insane none-the-less. What we got here is a few teenagers who want to get away from the city and end up in a cabin in the middle of a spooky forest. There’s inexplicable naked moments, possessed teen,s and a rapist tree. Will they make it out alive?
4: “Adventures in Babysitting” (1987)
A movie that shouldn’t have worked for me because its build on cliches but it was the cliches that made this story work perfectly. The story follows a suburban babysitter as she must deal with a series of unfortunate events that force her to take the kids she’s babysitting into the dangerous city.
5: “Troll” (1986)
I know most would say that the sequel is the best-worst movie ever made and I would agree with it being the worst. I couldn’t watch this movie without cringing. This, however, is the one that works for me. The story follows a boy and the discovery of something not-quite-human is threatening all the tenants, including his family, in his building.
6: “Slaves of New York” (1989)
A campy comedy against the artistic crowd and, I kid you not, there’s a few scenes in this movie that made me laugh even harder against Lady Gaga. The story follows a young girl and her life with artists types of people and parties. The film is more of a spoof on the kind of art we find artful. The story isn’t too much about the love between two people but rather the main character’s journey toward her own freedom.
7: “Night of the Comet” (1984)
For some reason the ’80s brought in the best campy movies. This one was pretty funny, especially seeing these girls face the end of the world by shopping. The film starts with a comet, a comet that wipes out the world but not completely. Some survived and some just survived, and those are the problem.
8: “Big Trouble in Little China” (1986)
This movie was hilarious, I couldn’t believe that Kurt Russel kept throwing his wavy hair every time he had to deliver a ‘bad-ass’ line. Loved it. The film follows our hero as he must battle mystical forces in Chinatown in order to save a girl and, yeah, the rest of humanity.
9: “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” (2010)
I couldn’t just list older campy movies without paying tribute to one of our new successes. Taking from “Seinfeld” or even “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” (2004) this movie didn’t hold back, it was pretty funny. Well, just give about 15 minutes, it picks up. We follow Scott Pilgrim as he must battle seven evil exes in order to be able to date the girl of his dreams Ramona. Is he up to the challenge?
10: “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975)
This was just plain silly but it was hilarious, when it worked that is. I had to pick from this movie and “Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny” (2006) but they are essentially the same movie, so I went with the originator. A group of Englishmen lead by King Arthur are assigned a holy task by God, and being good Christians they abide. Their journey is quite eventful.
