It's official. According to the Academy, best movie of 2009 is The Hurt Locker. According to the Razzies, worst movie of the year is Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. And now Australian writer Michael Adams, who has ventured bravely in the trenches, back alleys and grindhouses of movie history, gives us Showgirls, Teen Wolves and Astro Zombies: A Film Critic's Year Long Quest to Find the Worst Movie Ever Made. (Hat tip: Meredith Blake of The New Yorker).
Adams' book exemplifies that mystifying paradox: Some of the best writing about film is devoted to the worst movies. Even if you disagree with him (as I do), one must celebrate his aim to distinguish between the three types of bad films, "what's-so-bad-it's-good, what's-so-bad-it's-bad and what's-so-bad-it's-the-worst."
My pick for all-time worst film would be Cannibal Holocaust, which does not even make the bottom all-time 100 on the Internet Movie Database list of the worst flicks ever. (I've seen more than half the films on the IMDB list, but I've never before heard of The Tony Blair Witch Project.)
Following the Adams guidelines, your nomination for best so bad it's good film? (For me, Valley of the Dolls). For so bad it's bad? (Rawhead Rex.) So bad it's the worst? ( Cannibal Holocaust. ) Tell me why.
So bad it's good--RICH AND FAMOUS, the George Cukor remake of OLD ACQUAINTANCE starring Candace Bergen (at her hammiest) and Jacqueline Bisset (at her most serious). So bad it's bad--almost anything by Uwe Boll. POSTAL, BLOODRAYNE, HOUSE OF THE DEAD, take your pick. So bad it's the worst--well, I missed seeing all of BATTLEFIELD EARTH because the power went out at the screening I was at. Everyone cheered.— garyk
Comment removed.- TROLL 2. No contest.— abramorama
- There was a movie called WORST. MOVIE. EVER about TROLL 2. I want to see both.— garyk
- Batman and Robin, it is a disgrace to Batman and movies. Thank god for Christopher Nolan— Crosbysucks
- I love Rich & Famous...Candice Bergen is hilarious as the Judith Krantz type novelist whose frenemy is the Susan Sontag-like Jackie Bisset. Isn't it George Cukor's last movie?— carrierickey
- bog o cheese, whoever you are, get real. 30 seconds? With standards like that, no film would pass the test. Frankly, I'd be tempted to turn off "Citizen Kane" after 30 seconds. My point: Can't anyone give a straight answer about bad movies without being snarky?— Pash
- Bad movies that are so good you are addicted to watching them: I don't understand why people put down Showgirls I liked it.People will pack the house to see Final Destination 1-3 , Friday the 13th 1-9, Chucky and Halloween 1-22 (just kidding).Some of these so called must see indie film don't push my panic button either but I get a kick out of the people that attend a showing amuse me. The quote from a movie I love comes to mind,"An ounce of pretension is worth a pound of manure"— vrb1955
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- Yes, RICH AND FAMOUS is Cukor's last and I looooove it. Some of the best lines (both intentionally and unintentionally funny). And look fast for Don Bachardy (of CHRIS AND DON). It's funny, I logged back into this discussion to see if anyone mentioned THE ROOM, which is said to be one of the best bad films of all time. Has this ever screened in Philly? I know DC showed it at Landmark at Midnight, and there are ROOM parties in LA and elsewhere. I want to see this one! Carrie, let's make it happen!— garyk
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