This list would make more sense if it were simply called "Most Entertaining B Movies." The current title puts too much focus on the website name, which implies that everything on this list is bad.
Yeah, on second look this list is all over the place... There's the good low budget movies, the old classics, the 'so ridiculous it's entertaining' movies and the plain shit.
I dislike this list not as a film snob, but on the fact that there are a fair number of not bad films on here, ones that I don't think anyone has called bad. Nosferatu, seriously? The birth of the zombie film, huh? Delicatessan, the hell? El Topo? These and many other are widely regarded as good to great films. I am not against a bad film list, but one so poorly done seems silly.
... oh and with all disrespect, the guys website (source) looks like it is straight out of geocity.
The problem, at least to me, is the rather abstract and subjectiveness of the concept of "b-movie." Similar non-canon lists such as the Horror 500 or the Deuce Top 20 seem acceptable because they generally have some sort of basic minimum requirements. Others such as the Cult 500 and Kurosawa's list have some sort of authority behind them despite what is individual subjectiveness. Others such as the Reddit list were grandfathered in and the concessions made to early helpers of the site makes sense. This list has none of those reasons. It appears subjective, based on unknown or ill conceived guidelines and has no authority behind it from which we should give the benefit of the doubt. I am a big supporter of new lists and diverse list, but I think they should have some sort of basis behind their inclusion; "we need a b-movie list, grab the first one you can find" seems to be a bad basis for inclusion.
I cannot catch the idea behind this list. There are movies which were made to be bad and are bad (most of horrors), but there are also movies that supposed to be Blockbusters, but they failed (like Hitchhiker or Diuna), and more, there are movies, that were made with little budget, but are simply good, or even brilliant, like Nosferatu, and Rocky Horror.
Yeah, the 'no guidelines' thing is why I suggested the Drive-In Delirium list - which seems like it's kind of a 'bad movie' version of the Criterion list.
I don't really have much problem with this list; yes, there are no guidelines and yes, it's just some dude's favourite B-movies based on his own qualification of B-movies, but there aren't really a hell of a lot good lists for these kinds of films and the guy who did the website is kind of specialized in them. So, I like the list because these are mostly the kinds of films I'd expect on a list like this and because the list author seems to have enough knowledge on the subject for me to trust the list.
But, I still would prefer a list with some kind of order to it. I think the Drive-In Delirium list would be the closest to that, but since this list is already official, I guess it'll stay that way. Won't hurt anyone at least and will give those interested in this area of film something to keep them happy.
Btw: Shouldn't we also include the higly rated movies from "Capsule reviews" section? http://www.badmovies.org/capsules/
There're reviewed and rated by the same guy and some of those reviews aren't that much shorter than the regular ones.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 24
EssexMutant
This list would make more sense if it were simply called "Most Entertaining B Movies." The current title puts too much focus on the website name, which implies that everything on this list is bad.Ralf
I can't tell if it's the worst or the best list on iCM...Marazmatique
Yeah, on second look this list is all over the place... There's the good low budget movies, the old classics, the 'so ridiculous it's entertaining' movies and the plain shit.mrjeels
I dislike this list not as a film snob, but on the fact that there are a fair number of not bad films on here, ones that I don't think anyone has called bad. Nosferatu, seriously? The birth of the zombie film, huh? Delicatessan, the hell? El Topo? These and many other are widely regarded as good to great films. I am not against a bad film list, but one so poorly done seems silly.... oh and with all disrespect, the guys website (source) looks like it is straight out of geocity.
mrjeels
The problem, at least to me, is the rather abstract and subjectiveness of the concept of "b-movie." Similar non-canon lists such as the Horror 500 or the Deuce Top 20 seem acceptable because they generally have some sort of basic minimum requirements. Others such as the Cult 500 and Kurosawa's list have some sort of authority behind them despite what is individual subjectiveness. Others such as the Reddit list were grandfathered in and the concessions made to early helpers of the site makes sense. This list has none of those reasons. It appears subjective, based on unknown or ill conceived guidelines and has no authority behind it from which we should give the benefit of the doubt. I am a big supporter of new lists and diverse list, but I think they should have some sort of basis behind their inclusion; "we need a b-movie list, grab the first one you can find" seems to be a bad basis for inclusion.Timec
chemosh - Ahh, there's nothing like the snobbish condescension of anti-film-snob snobs.(With that said, I'm fairly excited to start going through this list - though the musical and documentary lists are the priorities right now.)
Aquilla
I cannot catch the idea behind this list. There are movies which were made to be bad and are bad (most of horrors), but there are also movies that supposed to be Blockbusters, but they failed (like Hitchhiker or Diuna), and more, there are movies, that were made with little budget, but are simply good, or even brilliant, like Nosferatu, and Rocky Horror.Marazmatique
Ahh, "so bad it's good". My favorite movie genre. :DVChile
There are quite a few High School health and Drivers' Ed films included here. Why?MrMushroom
I like this list very much! It's too many lists that contains serious and spiritual films, so I think this list smoothes the site out a little.mightysparks
Yeah, the 'no guidelines' thing is why I suggested the Drive-In Delirium list - which seems like it's kind of a 'bad movie' version of the Criterion list.I don't really have much problem with this list; yes, there are no guidelines and yes, it's just some dude's favourite B-movies based on his own qualification of B-movies, but there aren't really a hell of a lot good lists for these kinds of films and the guy who did the website is kind of specialized in them. So, I like the list because these are mostly the kinds of films I'd expect on a list like this and because the list author seems to have enough knowledge on the subject for me to trust the list.
But, I still would prefer a list with some kind of order to it. I think the Drive-In Delirium list would be the closest to that, but since this list is already official, I guess it'll stay that way. Won't hurt anyone at least and will give those interested in this area of film something to keep them happy.
thetramp
A lot of these, like the kaiju and martial arts movies, aren't B movies.mathiasa
@mrjeels: well, it's neither lang's nor herzog's nosferatu.snag
The List is 'borked' as is 'The Title' , but that's the thing with "Lists". Just be better if you were more accurate is all ...... :palk0
Btw: Shouldn't we also include the higly rated movies from "Capsule reviews" section?http://www.badmovies.org/capsules/
There're reviewed and rated by the same guy and some of those reviews aren't that much shorter than the regular ones.
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