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29. Sleepaway Camp (1983 / 314 points)
Directed / Written by: Robert Hiltzik
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/768c86bb.jpg
Why Its Significant - Sleepaway Camp's infamous ending is undeniably a watershed moment for the horror genre. This twist, whether you consider it problematic in its portrayal of gender identity or a transgressive game-changer, undoubtedly left audiences speechless either way. While this is the biggest part of the film's enduring legacy, the awkward dialogue, strange pacing, and often nonsensical scenes makes it stand-out just as much, capping off one of the most gonzo slashers of the 80s that ends up being far removed from the Jasons & Freddys of the decade. Sleepaway Camp received four sequels, a spoof movie, short-film spin-off, and potentially has one or several other sequels / spin-offs in development.

Jcgamer107- 10
Fortybelowsummer - 14
Karo - 19
Seginustemple - 21
Inviso - 22
Evilordexdeath - 27
Lightning - 27
Mythiot - 27
Bitto - 29
Plasmabeam - 29
Snake - 29
Johnbobb - 30
Rockus - 30

Jcgamer107 - 7/10

Fortybelowsummer - Stop me if youve heard this one: kids go to camp in the 80s and start getting picked off one by one by a deranged killer. Yes, its been accused of being too derivative, but its pretty obvious that Sleepaway Camp has far more going for it than just being a rip-off of Friday the 13th. It is its own entity and actually better in many ways. The practical effects are outstanding, from the guys skin blistering up, to the mouth snake, to the neck arrow. The characters are fleshed out and generally more than just fodder for the killers blade (or bees). Most importantly its a real commentary on bullying and forced gender identity. I dont see it as transphobic, but it has provoked conversation. Yes a lot of the production aspects are pretty poor quality, but I think it stands out from other shallow slashers. Finally, the ending is absolutely legendary and one of the most shocking and terrifying moments in all of horror. When I first saw this I didnt expect much, but its become a personal favorite, and I dont hesitate to recommend it to horror fans that may have missed it.

Karo - So there's a bunch of deaths at a summer camp which for some reason hasnt been shut down despite the owner being a psychopath, the cook being a child molester, and many egregious safety violations in almost every aspect of camp life.

I then endured an hour and a half of these brats just so I could find out that the person that was quite obviously the killer was in fact, indeed the killer. Oh, and the girl has a penis! (also expected)

I really hate how the reveal is framed and how the movie wants me to feel horrified or disgusted at the revelation like its attack of the killer crossdressers or something, and the tiresome anyone who is different is a monster that is to be feared tripe. I suppose you could make the argument that it decently portrays the harm done when a child is forced into a gender they don't identify with, though I guarantee that was absolutely not the fucking intent of the producers of this.

There is probably more to unpack on this issue, but this movie is neither good or remarkable enough to be worth any more of my time. It is certainly something, and I didn't like it.

Seginustemple - Wow, I've never seen a movie pull off a last-second hail mary like that. 99% of the runtime is so-bad-it's-good territory, then the last 1% is jaw-droppingly great. Totally creeped me out and had me re-evaluating a lot of what came earlier. I still think the one guy should have been able to escape the beehive kill, that was too funny. He had so much time to get away!

Inviso - First things first, I all but guarantee at least two write-ups on this list will be critical about how problematic the plot isand its FUCKING problematic. Not only does the movie disparage gay people (by showing a completely normal and loving gay relationship with the implication that its psychologically damaging), but it very much disparages trans people by randomly having Angela turn out to be Peter the whole time, just making her emotionally damaged and traumatized due to her lunatic of an aunt. And this revelation comes as Angela, who has been viewed as a girl the entire movie, has stripped down and is covered in the blood of a boy she tricked into loving her, with her dick out. This movie is fucking problematic.

That aside, as a genderfluid queer person myself, I understand that this is a product of its time, and that aspect of the movie doesnt completely tank it in my eyes. If anything, my biggest problem with the movie is how it does not feel like the producers or the writers had enough content to fill a feature-length movie. There are SO many scenes of mundane camp activities, and while a bunch of them are set-up for kills or reasons as to why kills happen, you still have a bunch of socials and parties and capture the flag games, and camping trips, and it eats up SO much time over the course of the movie. Plus, there are so many repetitive scenes of Judy being a bitch to Angela, Meg egging her on, and then someone breaks up the confrontation. Or Paul flirting awkwardly with Angela while shes socially awkward herself. Or just general repeated shots of Angela interacting with someoneby which I mean the camera gives a close-up of her dead-eyed stare.

That being said, the framework of the plot really works. Now granted, going into the movie, I knew the twist ending. But the movie does a good job of really painting all of Angelas victims as assholes (well, aside from the little kids, who are just little shits, more than anything else). Hell, her first victims introductory scene is him creeping on little girls while his co-workers laugh about it. So, this winds up being one of those movies where its fun to watch assholes get whats coming to them. Plus, there was a point after the third kill (fifth if you count the opening sequence) where I started to get annoyed that the camp was still holding activities after two deaths and one attempted murderbut thats the point where the movie really speeds up. Eight of Angelas eleven murders are in that last sequence, and I appreciate the ramping up in that regard, because it really helps with suspending disbelief.

Final shoutout though: so many characters in this movie are irredeemable, largely to justify them getting killed. But I just want to shoutout Ronnie and Susie as the only camp counselors who seem like genuinely good and helpful people throughout the entire film. Theyre the only people who seem to care about the kids well-beings enough to want to actively prevent Angela from getting bullied, and having those good characters are helps to at least ground the film and keep it from feeling TOO over-the-top in terms of having a camp completely populated by shitheads.

Definitely voting Resident Evil

Corrosion of Conformity

Outlier
Bitto - 22
Jcgamer107 - 10
Evilordexdeath - 8
Mythiot - 8
Plasmabeam - 7
Rockus - 6
Fortybelowsummer - 5
Snake - 4
Johnbobb - 1
Karo - 1
Lightning - 1
Seginustemple - 1
Inviso - 0

Bitto takes an early commanding lead leaving the rest still buried deep down in the basket.

Lightning - Whats in the basket?

This is a wild piece of cheesy yet grimy exploitation cinema with a premise over the top enough to make it often referenced and intensely memorable. The film also seems to have quite a lot on its mind with regards to the way we view and treat people with disabilities, physical differences and other variations despite this being undercut by its also using these for horror.

This film has some surprisingly effective aesthetic choices given its micro budget. IT really captures the sleazy New York atmosphere of the time, making it feel gritty and dangerous rather than glossy, which gives it that genuine 80s feeling. Some of the gore is great. The puppet of Belial is also really impressive, though unfortunately the animated version does not look nearly as good. I also liked quite a lot of the twists and turns in the story, especially the flashback towards the end.

Unfortunately the films core message is undercut by using its subject as a monster, despite also trying to make him sympathetic and not deserving of hate. The ending sequence is also weak, contrived, and exploitative. Overall this is a fun distraction but doesnt quite manage to become a genuine camp hit.

2/5

Seginustemple - One of the more blatlantly ridiculous concepts on the list, unfortunately the movie feels asstunted as the titular character. Amateur actors, a thin plot padded with generous filler, and not much flavor on that filler. Granted, on a true shoestring budget of only $35,000 (most of which can be seen in the protagonists' wad of cash) it is by far the cheapest movie we watched, and bound to feel outclassed in production quality - even the likes of Tetsuo and Henry have 6 figures behind them. For its scale it's practically a slam dunk. I think what manages to be entertaining about it is that the brother's deformity hardly renders him handicapped, if anything he seems to possess super strength and abilities for being just a head with forearms. How is he breathing, and where does the food go? Doesn't matter. I kept thinking 'biblically accurate pokemon', like Grimer with a Bib Fortuna skin. The tragedy/pathos of his origin just adds another layer of absurdity, the operation didn't appear to leave either one of them any worse off, so why vengeance? They're untethered and thriving! From now on I'll just assume any wicker basket with a padlock on it is bad news.

Inviso - It has been a while watching these lists since a movie has made me feel physically ill while watching it, but here we are. Every single thing about this movie is disgusting. The setting looks grimy and gross, the actors look hideous across the board, and the monster is barely even a monster, but rather a bulging, bulbous tumor with teeth. I knew I was gonna be grossed out just from the initial image of Belial appearing when I loaded up the moviebut godDAMN there is nothing good to say about this film. There are terrible fucking extras and minor characters living in the hotel who are meant to be comedic I think? Theyre all awful, and we get like four of five scenes of a monster attack, screaming, and suddenly the entire building has to run down to check out whats happening. Theyre all awful filler scenes, and they just bloat the runtime of an already mercifully short movie.

Hell, the sound is terrible too; there is CONSTANT fucking screaming, but theyre not pleasant movie screams that you hear and you GET that the actor is frightened. No, these are raw, visceral shrieks and wretched agonyESPECIALLY the monster, who can only communicate via vomitous screams. Oh yeah, and multiple instances of attempted rape/molestation by the tumor monster against female characters in this filmwhich of course leads to more screaming. Lovely. I fucking hate this movieits one of the most unpleasant watches Ive had in years of doing these lists.

30. Basket Case (1982 / 316 points)
Directed / Screenplay by: Frank Henenlotter
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/07b79b07.jpg

Why Its Significant - While not a mainstream horror film and made on a shoestring budget, Basket Case embodies the spirit of exploitation cinema and golden age body horror. Basket Case throws a wrench into traditional horror monsters - unlike other easily-digestible Hollywood horror villains, Belial's raw, exposed form pushes boundaries and forces the audience to confront the uncomfortable. The separation of conjoined twins is a brutal violation, and the film delves into the psychological and physical consequences, creating a sense of unease about bodily autonomy, and forcing viewers to confront the sanctity of the body, the ethics of medical intervention, and the right to bodily self-determination. Duane's unwavering loyalty to Belial, despite his monstrous form, speaks to the power of familial bonds and the struggle for acceptance in a world that deems them freaks. Future films like Society, which features grotesque body transformations as a metaphor for societal corruption, and Teeth, where the female protagonist's monstrous anatomy becomes a weapon against patriarchal oppression, or Malignant, where the hidden twin fuels a desire for revenge, owe a debt to the way Basket Case initially pushed boundaries in body taboos and societal norms. Basket Case had two sequels and was selected for preservation by the Museum of Modern Art in 2017.

The Rankings
Bitto - 8
Jcgamer107 - 20
Evilordexdeath - 22
Mythiot - 22
Plasmabeam - 23
Rockus - 24
Fortybelowsummer - 25
Snake - 26
Johnbobb - 29
Karo - 29
Lightning - 29
Seginustemple - 29
Inviso - 30

Bitto - I generally de-emphasize acting performances, which is great for this movie, because wow, this is easily the worst acting in the gauntlet. That's impressive! I will instead focus on the overall plot and the characters, both of which I really like. I'm glad the revenge plot ends about halfway through the movie and the rest is about Belial wanting more of which he cannot have and how it creates a rift between Belial and Duane. I like Duane's exasperation with Belial at the end and how it leads to both of their death at the end. I like the overall budget feeling of the movie. It makes it feel personal. The hotel in particular feels like a genuinely solid location by the end. The one time the acting does get in the way is selling the relationship between Duane and the receptionist. I just feel 0 chemistry there and the whole relationship moves really, really fast.

Jcgamer107 - 4/10

Evilordexdeath - So this was one of maybe four movies on the list I had seen before we started. I heard about a scene near the end where the protagonist runs around town naked and was curious to see that in its intended context. This is a very dumb reason to sit through a whole movie, and maybe the experience of watching the whole thing waiting for one honestly very mundane scene right at the end increased my feelings of antipathy toward it, but while I don't hate this film I just kind of don't care about any aspect of it. The story is insubstantial and kind of dumb, the characters are dull, the acting is stilted and awkward, the monster looks really stupid, and it's not even so bad it's funny. It's a good example of a movie so mid that seeing a blurry, distant image of a cock is the most memorable part.

Plasmabeam - Was about to write Basket Case off as trash until we got the backstory on the monster. That might be enough to save this one from my bottom 5.

Rockus - Ultimately won me over to be honest. The performances arent very good and the production is admittedly pretty shoddy, but it takes such a big swing and has a whole lot of personality that its difficult to really dislike it. I might even warm up to it on repeated viewings. It has a kind of charm to it, even with how grimy and seamy it is at times, and how nasty it makes living in New York City look. Pretty fun despite its complete lack of craft, or perhaps even because of it? I dont know. Its difficult to express just why I enjoyed this but its difficult to really hate it.

Fortybelowsummer - This movie is so stupid, but its quite hilarious and by the end actually kind ofmoving? The premise is wacky: guy carries around his deformed surgically removed twin and they take revenge on those who have wronged them, in exceedingly bloody fashion. The brothers name is Belial (dick move naming him that, dad, but youll get yours) and he is one pissed off fleshy basketball of a guy. Its an absolute treat watching him maim someone or trash a hotel room in fantastically shitty stop-motion. Turns out all Belial really wants is to grab some titty and maybe a little more (oh god that thrusting), and I guess thats what the movie is really about: the dark side of sexual repression. Whether or not its also a statement about abortion I dont know, but it was definitely an entertaining watch, despite probably the worst acting in any of our films.

Snake - Basket Case is one of those films thats more proof of concept than anything else. A close look reveals a film brimming with raw potential often hampered by its narrative limitations. Belial, to me, is a grotesquely fascinating creation, a testament to the creativity that can blossom under financial constraints. The practical effects ooze a grimy authenticity that melds perfectly with the grimy NYC setting on display here, along with its rogues gallery of weirdos all portrayed by uneven unprofessional actors, who, with very little in the way of alternative credits to their names, still add a layer of bizarre charm to the film. Yet, the narrative struggles to maintain momentum beyond the initial shock value. The revenge plot feels simplistic, and character development is minimal. In addition, the sexual assault against Sharon at the end of the film feels like a case of the director simply knowing no other way to end their film. Horrifying, sure, but the lack of deeper exploration of it leaves the act feeling cheap and exploitative.

Johnbobb - The only good thing I can think to say about this is that it inspired a much, much better movie almost 40 years later.

Karo - So a pair of conjoined twins are separated against their will, and they are out for revenge against all the doctors who performed the surgery. One of these twins is this normal looking person, while the other is a grotesque monster portrayed by a fake-ass puppet.

This is not how conjoined twins work, they are simply identical twins who did not separate fully. This means they should look basically the same, not have one of them be fucking Krang or whatever.

Anyway, he carries his dismembered brother around in a wicker basket like some sort of pet that he drops burgers in to feed and my god this is just so fucking stupid.

The duo somehow get away with multiple murders despite just walking in during broad daylight with many witnesses (one of whom he later dates) carrying a large and memorable basket.

The movie is an unremarkable adventure lacking in both medical ethics and medical accuracy, featuring lots of unconvincing creature effects, incompetent acting and an exploitative circus sideshow attitude towards a real condition that real people have.

An utter and irredeemable garbage basket.

The first film only had 1 top ten ranking, and the rest were all 20 and lower.

But I'll let the topic build up first too

So the first ranking is pretty much ready to post but I am actually waiting on @Mythiot write-ups yet

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Welcome rankers and non-rankers alike to "Board 8 Watches and Ranks 80s Horror". Over the past few months, the rankers here watched or rewatched 30 juggernauts of the 80s horror scene ranging from cult classics to mainstream smashes known and referenced the world over. It was the decade that brought us slashers, iconic monsters, and some of the most famous & chilling practical effects ever put to screen. And now, they will be definitively ranked - which films were the scream of the crop, or, when it came to the 80s, was dead better?

The rankers:
Bitto
Evilordexdeath
Fortybelowsummer
Inviso
Jcgamer107
Johnbobb
Karo
Lightning
Mythiot
Plasmabeam
Rockus
Seginustemple
Snake

The films
The Changeling (1980)
Friday the 13th (1980)
The Shining (1980)
Possession (1981)
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Creepshow (1982)
Basket Case (1982)
Poltergeist (1982)
The Thing (1982)
Videodrome (1983)
Sleepaway Camp (1983)
Christine (1983)
The Dead Zone (1983)
Gremlins (1984)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Phenomena (1985)
Re-Animator (1985)
Fright Night (1985)
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
The Fly (1986)
Evil Dead II (1987)
Predator (1987)
The Lost Boys (1987)
Hellraiser (1987)
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Childs Play (1988)
Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)
Beetlejuice (1988)
Pet Sematary (1989)
Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)

Points will be in the next post

My mom could beat Resident Evil in a matter of hours XD Easiest 1 mil ever

Final Fantasy VI
Super Mario World
Super Metroid
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Last 30

Up for the last hour and a half!

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Good day to be a Faceball 2000 voter:
https://twitter.com/stopskeletons/status/1777075990771925428

The Last

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwfJsKfCnaM

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Tomb Raider and RE1 both were hugely instrumental in having the PS1 succeed.

The reason I think RE1 > RE2, despite the latter being the better game and arguably more famous, is not only did it coin the name for an entire genre, but RE1 was HUGELY instrumental in carrying early sales of the PS1 and indeed even CD-based games as a whole.

Resident Evil
Tomb Raider
Crash Bandicoot
Metal Gear Solid

up

star Galactica

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Super Mario 64
GoldenEye 007
Banjo-Kazooie

Alan Wake (Alan Wake)
Ellie (The Last of Us)
Joel (The Last of Us)
Martin Walker (Spec Ops: The Line)
Max Caulfield (Life is Strange)

2B (Nier: Automata)
5-Volt (WarioWare)
Alan Wake (Alan Wake)
Aloy (Horizon: Zero Dawn)
Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2)
Athena Cykes (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies)
Atreus (God of War)
Bayonetta (Bayonetta)
Booker DeWitt (BioShock Infinite)
Brok (God of War)
Captain Viridian (VVVVVV)
Cave Johnson (Portal 2)
Chloe Price (Life is Strange)
Chrom (Fire Emblem Awakening)
Clementine (The Walking Dead)
Cole Phelps (L.A. Noire)
Corvo Attano (Dishonored)
Cuphead (Cuphead)
Edelgard von Hresvelg (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Ellie (The Last of Us)
Emet-Selch (Final Fantasy XIV)
Estelle Bright (The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky)
Flowey (Undertale)
Goose (Untitled Goose Game)
Groose (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)
Harry Du Bois (Disco Elysium)
Hat Kid (A Hat in Time)
Isabelle (Animal Crossing: New Leaf)
Jesse Faden (Control)
Joel (The Last of Us)
John Marston (Red Dead Redemption)
Joker (Persona 5)
Juliet Starling (Lollipop Chainsaw)
Kim Kitsuragi (Disco Elysium)
Lee Everett (The Walking Dead)
Lightning (Final Fantasy XIII)
Lucina (Fire Emblem: Awakening)
Madeline (Celeste)
Mae Borowski (Night in the Woods)
Martin Walker (Spec Ops: The Line)
Max Caulfield (Life is Strange)
Missile (Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective)
Monika (Doki Doki Literature Club)
Monokuma (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc)
Mordin Solus (Mass Effect 2)
Noctis Lucis Caelum (Final Fantasy XV)
Ori (Ori and the Blind Forest)
Papyrus (Undertale)
Penitent One (Blasphemous)
Rachel Amber (Life is Strange: Before the Storm)
Sam Drake (Uncharted 4: A Thief's End)
Sam Porter Bridges (Death Stranding)
Sans (Undertale)
Sazh Katzroy (Final Fantasy XIII)
Senua (Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice)
Shovel Knight (Shovel Knight)
Shulk (Xenoblade)
Sissel (Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective)
Solaire of Astora (Dark Souls)
Steven Armstrong (Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance)
The Knight (Hollow Knight)
Trevor Philips (Grand Theft Auto V)
Velvet Crowe (Tales of Berseria)
Wheatley (Portal 2)

Okay I'm just going to call it here. Lightning is in. Next phase for seeding will be up in a bit.

Well I'll give them a little more time since I can't quite put the next phase up right now anyway.

So unless said otherwise by 1 PM EDT today I will count the nomination as Lightning since she was put first.

HaRRicH posted...

Silent Hill 2 (this system has SH2 and RE4 but both have so few votes here -- not sure I understand what dynamic's happening here but the genre arguably peaked this generation)

I do agree survival horror peaked at the 6th gen, and I do think Silent Hill 2 can be argued as a decent pick for this Rushmore, it's a definitive PS2 title, but it's important to remember that though SH2 was a commercial & critical success to be sure, it wasn't a blockbuster system seller or juggernaut influence on the industry as a whole.

As for RE4, I think what holds it back from being on the PS2 Rushmore, is the disadvantage of being a port, despite it selling more than the OG GameCube version and containing Separate Ways. All the hype leading up to release was GameCube based, since it was meant to be exclusive of course. It's quite noticeably visually and audibly weaker than the OG version as well.

Evermore

Johnbobb posted...

Oh, remember that time in the last contest where Defying Gravity was nominated from Wicked, and even though it placed high off of the characterization and just being a great song, LITERALLY THE ENTIRE POINT OF WICKED IS ABOUT HOW ELPHABA ISN'T THE VILLAIN

Okay I gotta take cover from these strays like damn

But I really should watch Twisted some day

Hey junk your nominations of Lightning & Vanille actually goes over the limit of locks. Do you have a preference between the two?

Amicia de Rune (A Plague Tale: Innocence)
Jacket (Hotline Miami)
Juri Han (Super Street Fighter IV)

Final Fantasy X
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of LIberty
Grand Theft Auto III
God of War

I was still asleep and felt nothing damn

Gear Solid

Super Mario Bros.
Duck Hunt
The Legend of Zelda
Contra

Hey Bagley supporters really sorry I just double checked the release date of that game and it's from 2020, so it's ineligible.

TomNook7 posted...

Terranigma

Extremely good pick

Seanchan posted...

I'm assuming Mass Effect 1 was pre-2010?

It was, came out 2007

Smash Mouth

I'm not really sure but shouting out Doom, because how did they even manage it at all?!