5 80s Horror Films So Bad They're Brilliant

This movie is something that needs to be seen to be believed. It’s one of those appalling horror “comedies” with intentional jokes that are painfully unfunny (a policeman confusing the words “cannibal” and “cantaloupe”, for example), yet strikes comedy gold with its blatant incompetence.

The film’s acting is truly something to behold. The actor who plays the coroner, in particular, makes the guy who plays Torgo in Manos: Hands of Fate look like Jack Nicholson in comparison. One actress treats us to an acting masterclass in an especially memorable scene: having walked in on her mother devouring her baby brother, the teen storms out and then mopes around as if she’s been told to clean her room. When recounting what she'd witnessed, she bursts into (unconvincing) laughter, before suddenly snapping out of it with a stern, monotone “Jeff, I’m serious”. Honestly, we are privileged.

The dialogue is even more shocking. It beats The Room by 15 years with the exact same “How’s your sex life?” line; give this film its credit! There’s a brilliant dinner scene in which a mother force-feeds her son milk (to make him tastier?). She takes a bite out of the kid’s head and he pushes her away, stroppily declaring “That’s it! I’m running away!” You can’t make this s**t up. But the funniest failure of Flesh-Eating Mothers has to be its choice of music. The inappropriate, cartoonish music blaring over a scene of a father mourning his dead kid (who his wife has just eaten) is utterly glorious.

It’s far longer than it needs to be, and feels like it’s reached its final act by the third-way mark. Having said that, it’s a terrific addition to any so-bad-it’s-good horror movie marathon with your mates.