TEN-IN-ONE: HORROR MOVIE MUSICALS
Enjoyed THE LURE? Hungry for more? Here’s a RADIANT CIRCUS guide to our top ten horror movie musicals that are worthy of a sing-a-long.
FEATURED: THE LURE (aka Córki Dancingu)
Poland, 2015, 1hr 32min, d. Agnieszka Smoczynska
Released in the UK by the Criterion Collection.
Screened at the Prince Charles (26 NOV 2017).
Our top ten horror movie musicals [A-Z]
THE 5,000 FINGERS OF DR. T (1953): A film of pure childhood nightmare for anyone who hated their piano lessons. Long before Freddy grabbed you in your sleep, there was Dr Terwilliker… Don’t forget to wear your Official Terwilliker Beanie as you flex those #HappyFingers.
THE APPLE aka Star Rock (1980): A rock-tastic 1980s musical from director/producer Menahem Golan, co-founder of renowned Cannon Group (home of RADIANT CIRCUS guilty pleasures OVER THE TOP and LIFEFORCE). Hard to see on legitimate home cinema in the UK, but YouTube has clips.
ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES! (1978): Here for one fact only, the awe-inspiring opening lyric: “I know I’m going to miss her / A tomato ate my sister.” The rest of the salad is harder to digest…
BILLY THE KID AND THE GREEN BAIZE VAMPIRE (1987): A (proper) British musical with songs and production numbers from the era that gave us ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS. This one emerges from the coffin without the budget (or the Bowie) and is more of a Faustian nightmare than a vampire flick.
CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL (1993): For lovers of SOUTH PARK and THE BOOK OF MORMON, here’s where Trey Parker cut his teeth writing songs to freak us out.
THE HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS (2001): From enfant terrible Takashi Miike – director of the much-heralded BLADE OF THE IMMORTALS – comes this potpourri of live action, animation, zombies and songs.
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS: DIRECTOR’S CUT (1986): Banish anxieties about vanity edits, the changes here are all for the better. The original (downbeat) ending returns along with a plant-powered apocalypse featuring absolutely stunning practical FX. Just remember: Don’t feed the plants!
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (1974): Ignore Joel Schumacher’s PHANTOM (we have…), and embrace Brian De Palma’s glam-glorious rock opera. Best played loud.
SHOCK TREATMENT (1981): The so-called (not-so-horrific) sequel, enjoys a return to thematic relevance with its behind the scenes expose of creepy television stars and studio execs. It’s no ROCKY HORROR – despite several returning cast members – but it is always worth a watch.
ZERO PATIENCE (1993): Not often filed as such, we love John Greyson’s movie as pure HIV body horror (the adopted love child of Derek Jarman & David Cronenberg?). Make it your go-to film for singing buttholes and viruses doing Esther Williams waterborne dance routines.
And that’s the meat of it…
What would be in your alternative list? Tell us in the comments below.
Join the hunt for adventurous moving pictures.
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Featured imageS: THE LURE (2015).
