Tabonga | 2,324 Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 (edited) Let's talk about Z grade movies and what treasures they can be. While I am sure we all have a boatload of them let's only post one at a time so we can focus our "appreciation". (Although feel free to post more than once with different movies.) My first entry is this gem: In this movie we learn that when Amazons get on their horsies and put on their battle masks they also don wigs which for some reason replace their natural hair. They also gain the physical structure of stunt men so they can do feats of strength. Their battle tactics while horse born don't work very well since they don't do the teamwork thing so they can get individually overwhelmed. They also like to get near trees where their enemies can leap out and knock them off their horses. ---------------- All in all the best that cheesy sword and sandal movies can offer.. Edited August 14, 2023 by Tabonga 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefaultGen | 5,414 Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 Idk that movie looks awesome. What is a Z movie? Is Who Killed Captain Alex a Z movie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabonga | 2,324 Posted August 14, 2023 Author Share Posted August 14, 2023 10 minutes ago, DefaultGen said: Idk that movie looks awesome. What is a Z movie? Is Who Killed Captain Alex a Z movie No official definition - just something so bad that it is funny whether intended or not - usually they are pretty low budgeted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,551 Editorials Team · Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 Legends Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverspoonGaming | 332 Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 Ive never heard of a Z movie. Ill have to check some out and get back to ya! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link | 2,715 Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 4 hours ago, DefaultGen said: Is Who Killed Captain Alex a Z movie Amazing. Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link | 2,715 Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 Super Mario Bros. (1993) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link | 2,715 Posted August 14, 2023 Share Posted August 14, 2023 The second one I saw was Desperate Living. John Waters is great. I found this movie in the video store, browsing on some high school afternoon with one of my best friends. I think I was the one to pick this up. Looking at the box, it looked weird and fun. Trashy subjects on old film stock, technicolor weirdos and underground punks and freaks available to ride with in the suburban strip mall? I told my other best friend about it and he watched it too, and then he recorded the entire thing to audio tape for playing in the car. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nesmaster14 | 436 Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 (edited) Not sure the qualifier for "Z" grade, but I'm assuming very low budget. Kung Fu Werewolf From Outer Space (2001) by Cinemassacre I enjoyed this one in high school, I haven't watched it much since but I imagine it's still fun. All shot on VHS and edited using multiple VCR's. Also I think the title screen was made using Mario Paint haha. Edited August 15, 2023 by nesmaster14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PII | 1,887 Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 Seems like maybe the idea here is more in the "so bad it's good" camp, but regardless here's my contribution: HIDE AND CREEP 2004 This is probably the best low budget or no budget movies I've seen. There's a little something in the way of good cheap effects and almost nothing as far as zombie makeup other than a little black around the eyes. It's funny at times. The acting is all over the place as its one of those cast your friends, family, neighbors ventures and there're at least a couple of spots that for reasons of timing and delivery, to say the least, go clunk to the point of cringe. Also there is full frontal nudity and probably not the kind you'd enjoy (not sure if that's included in this youtube post or not.) At the end of the day however this film manages to tell a meaningful story provided the viewer has payed sufficient attention to read between the lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabonga | 2,324 Posted August 15, 2023 Author Share Posted August 15, 2023 1 hour ago, nesmaster14 said: Not sure the qualifier for "Z" grade, but I'm assuming very low budget. it is really vague - I am more interested in seeing whatever low budget stuff people liked rather than getting hung up on definitions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox | 1,668 Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabonga | 2,324 Posted August 15, 2023 Author Share Posted August 15, 2023 4 minutes ago, fox said: That one was supposedly the bane of movie theaters everywhere since they usually didn't have enough letter variety for their marquee boxes.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamegearguy | 225 Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 Manos: The Hands of Fate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickman | 3,996 Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 I don't know what Z grade is. We just call them B grade or C grade (for the really really bad) over here. One of my favourites is Pieces. Despite the trailer it isn't a Texas Chainsaw Massacre clone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bighab | 58 Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 Defcon 4 was one i watched as a teen. Loved the box art 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabonga | 2,324 Posted August 15, 2023 Author Share Posted August 15, 2023 2 hours ago, Bighab said: Defcon 4 was one i watched as a teen. Loved the box art I have that gem on laserdisc. A true wedge of cheese. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabonga | 2,324 Posted August 15, 2023 Author Share Posted August 15, 2023 3 hours ago, Brickman said: I don't know what Z grade is. We just call them B grade or C grade (for the really really bad) over here. One of my favourites is Pieces. Despite the trailer it isn't a Texas Chainsaw Massacre clone. He said knowingly "sew what?" ^_____^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RH | 4,924 Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 21 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said: Legends I saw that movie on Rifftrax a couple of weeks ago. Yes, it is "bad" compared to other films but it's not as bad as it seems if you realize two things. First, it's a student film and other than being released at a school theater, it wasn't even intended to be a major motion picture or even a straight-to-VHS tape money grab. I can give student work very low expectations because they are both learning and they also often have super-low budgets. Second, if you understand that this was made by an Asian student and you tell yourself "this is a live-action anime movie", then all of the quirky choices make sense. The goofy song? Well, that's something you'd see in anime. Ninjas in Miami Orlando by day and a Rock Band at night (cough, like Buckaroo Bonzai), well that type of thing makes sense for an anime but not so much a live action American film. Once you realize these two points, this isn't actually a bad film for what it is. No, it's not "great" but considering the influences and the fact that it was made by college students, it falls more into the "interesting" category than outright "bad". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,551 Editorials Team · Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 @RH Y.K. Kim was 42 when it was shot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RH | 4,924 Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 1 hour ago, Reed Rothchild said: @RH Y.K. Kim was 42 when it was shot... I didn't look up any details to any great extent but I do know that the brief references I found mentioned it as a student film. If I'm wrong, then., well... oops. But, yeah, I thought it was a school film. Even still, 40-somethings go to college too so maybe it is? If I'm wrong then by all means, I'd just it by a different standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,551 Editorials Team · Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 5 minutes ago, RH said: I didn't look up any details to any great extent but I do know that the brief references I found mentioned it as a student film. If I'm wrong, then., well... oops. But, yeah, I thought it was a school film. Even still, 40-somethings go to college too so maybe it is? If I'm wrong then by all means, I'd just it by a different standard. From what I know, none of that is accurate. But I don't know the full story. I have the Drafthouse blu ray and I'm sure it has a lot of details, so I'll look into it when I get a chance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 2,969 Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 So a Z movie is essentially just another word for a B movie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabonga | 2,324 Posted August 16, 2023 Author Share Posted August 16, 2023 21 minutes ago, Sumez said: So a Z movie is essentially just another word for a B movie? Z movies are much lower on the scale - think Plan Nine from Outer Space or Robot Monster. Here is another one courtesy of Roger Corman: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 2,969 Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 If Plan 9 and Roger Corman's movies are Z movies, I'm curious to hear your definition of a B movie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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