The Best Horror Movies You've Never Seen: #2

This is part of my "The Best Horror Movies You've Never Seen" blog where I discuss - what else? - but underrated horror films. I plan on doing about a movie a day, and this is my second installment in the series. With each installment I talk about one specific film which I think is deserving of attention. I hope this blog to bring recognition to some under-appreciated classics of the genre.

Link to my first installment: #1 Candyman

Link to my third installment: #3 Tremors

For this segment we have:

#2 Videodrome (1983) - Horror/Sci-fi

The premise:

This sci-fi/horror hybrid follows our protagonist, Max (played by James Woods), who is a regional TV broadcasting executive looking for a new sensationalized program for his special interest audience. Problems arise when Max picks up a strange broadcasting signal. On the channel appears to be extremely violent and pornographic acts. This channel is Videodrome. Max, looking for his own sensationalistic fix, is thrilled to enjoy the perversion and newness of such a show. But the more he partakes, the more obsessed he becomes, even going as far as to become detached from reality.

Why you should watch it:

(1) Videodrome was and still is a groundbreaking film.

It's thoughtful ponderings on the nature of sexual perversion, technology and obsession still resonate with our society today. In a world with nearly everything at our fingertips, what is there to keep us in check but ourselves?

(2) It's weird and surreal like nothing you've ever seen.

There's also lots of talk about "the new flesh" and the tv screen becoming the retina to the mind's eye. In a way the point the movie drives at makes sense in a way as we often feel we have experienced things plainly by watching them happen on the screen. Visual experience becomes raw experience. Here, have a look at this clip to further understand this point and overall tone of the movie:

(3) The practical effects, props and make-up are killer.

Another film on this list that deserves its recognition if even just for the make-up, props and practical effects alone. Moreso than Candyman, this film relies heavily on the skills of it's make-up and design teams and they do not disappoint. For fans of this kind of stuff, Videodrome is basically required viewing. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Here's some visuals to aid your enjoyment:

(4) Did I mention how weird it is?

Seriously this movie is screwed 6 ways to Sunday. It's most surely to rank amongst your most surreal horror flicks you've ever seen, so for that alone it's worth a shot right? I mean you saw Max's (somewhat genital looking) stomach wound, don't you want to know what the heck is going on there!? Watch it. You're not soon to forget this movie, let's just leave it at that.

Make sure to keep your dynamite handy for my next installment: #3 Tremors...

@infamous_wolf: @kgb725: @bierschneeman:

@extremis: It seems like I will be watching alot of horror movies this month thanks to you.

@infamous_wolf: hehe glad i can be of service! Be sure to let me know which ones you liked if you watch any of these

I've actually never seen Videodrome, it's on my list.

Also, another lesser known movie that's really, REALLY good, especially for Halloween is Trick r' Treat

@the_stegman: IIRC isn't that the movie that has different stories taking place at once.

@infamous_wolf: Yup, but they intertwine with each other.

@the_stegman: I saw previews for this, what is Trick R Treat about?

@indiecomicsftw: It's a bit of an anthology tale. There are several different people, with several different stories that all take place in the same town on Halloween. However, the stories all intertwine with one another in some way. It's very good.