8. The Driller Killer
A memorable title, The Driller Killer was one of the first Nasties to be yanked from circulation during the attempted purge of exploitation films in British cinema. It remained banned and illegal to own or distribute for almost 15 years in the UK, and didn't get a full uncensored original release until as late as 2002. Driller Killer never stood a chance in the panic-stricken environment. Its VHS cover of a man crying in agony as an unseen assailant proceeds to tear through his forehead with a drill was enough to see it ripped off the video store shelves alone. But banning Abel Ferrara's film didn't make The Driller Killer go away. If anything, it created a sense of intrigue around the picture. And whilst many remain quick to condemn it, others have called it a fascinating trip into the mind of a man who is liberated by murder. What you take from the film depends on your mindset, but The Driller Killer does what it says on the tin and never even attempts to hide its graphic content, which consists of a New Yorker roaming around the streets with a power drill and planting it through citizens' skulls. Video Nasty indeed.