For the month of October I will put out a list of Top 10’s
on a number of subjects each day, this should be fun as I would enjoy feedback
and discussion on my list and will welcome feedback on how to improve the list
as I plan on featuring them on my website.
Best Copycat Films of Famous Horror Movies
Abby 1974 (The Exorcist)
There were a couple of movies released after the success of The Exorcist; the most interesting one was this Blaxploitation version called Abby. To be fair, the lady is possessed by an African sex spirit, but that was not enough to hide it from Warner Brothers Attorneys who had the movie pulled from distribution and prints of the film destroyed. The movie does feature Blacula actor William Marshall, so it does have some genuine street cred.
Piranha 1978 (Jaws)
This Jaws rip-off was one of the most successful of the many copycat films that followed the hungry shark blockbuster. It was produced by Roger Corman and featured some of his usual players. The creature effects are simple but work well for the small budget; the special effects artist worked on the Star Wars, so he knew his craft. The movie makes no apologies for being a copycat and is more of a parody of Jaws so much that even Steven Spielberg prevented a lawsuit from being filed as well as making it known this was his favorite of the Jaws clones. The film is still entertaining after almost 40 years and worth checking out if you enjoy B movies and killer creatures.
Paranormal Entity 2009 (Paranormal Activity)
This mockbuster was made as a direct copycat to the successful found footage film Paranormal Activity. Due to the simple premise of Paranormal Activity, the movie by The Asylum is so similar it could be confused with the more famous film. The video footage taken shows the events that lead up to the death of a young woman at the hands of an extra rapey incubus. Her brother who set up the cameras is found guilty of her death as well as the psychic who was helping them investigate the haunting. One of the better films by a studio known for churning out copycats of more successful films.
Galaxy of Terror 1981 (Alien)
One of many Alien ripoffs, Galaxy of Terror, stood out for a cast that would include early roles for Robert Englund, Zalman King, Sid Haig and Grace Zabriskie. Producer Roger Corman's influence is very much evident with the simple but uniquely crafted sets and models. This was due to Production Designer James Cameron's creative input and his ability to create innovative visual effects while working on a strict budget. The movie has garnered quite a cult following since its release for some genuinely creative death scenes as well as the performance of Taafe O'Connell who appeared in the films most memorable scene. Strangely this movie shares some plot elements of Event Horizon as the Sci-Fi classic Solaris inspired both films. One of my favorite cult films despite the low budget B movie look.
Homicidal 1961 (Psycho)
This film by famed gimmick director William Castle was a direct copy of Psycho. Like many of his movies, Director Castle featured a promotional gimmick to get folks into the theater. Before the film's climax, a 45-second timer was shown giving people a chance to leave and get a refund if they were too scared to watch. This “Fright Break” was utilized by a few patrons who were taken to a “Cowards Corner” that had a fake nurse take your vitals as recorded message berated you like a chicken.
Dolly Dearest 1991 (Child’s Play)
A rip-off of the successful killer doll movie Child’s Play, Dolly Dearest features a Mayan demon that escapes after its tomb is opened. A nearby doll factory gives the demon an object to possess, and it is then given to a little girl who is unaware of the evil dolls intentions. There is not much more that can be said as this movie is pretty silly and not worth much mention.
Last House on Dead End Street 1977 (Last House on the Left)
This exploitation movie plays off the title of the infamous Wes Craven film yet when it was filmed in the early seventies it had some other names. The movie is known for its extreme violence and was rumored to be a snuff film. The plot is inspired by the Manson Family crimes and had a bit of mystery attached to the director and actors involved used pseudonyms that added to the films poor reputation and rumors of its being a snuff film.
The Spell 1977 (Carrie)
A mom discovers that her teenage daughter has telekinetic powers as she uses these powers to get revenge on this who were cruel to her. This copycat of Carrie would be overlooked yet features not one but two Academy Award Winning Actresses with Lee Grant and Helen Hunt playing the mother and sister of the main character.
Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies 2012 (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter)
Another film from The Asylum that capitalized on the success of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. This film like many other Mockbusters from The Asylum is a poor rip-off of a more prominent film with a lower budget, inferior acting, and abysmal production. Actor Bill Oberst who plays Lincoln is praised for his portrayal in an otherwise forgettable copycat by a studio that fills up those Redbox kiosks.
Zombie (Dawn of the Dead)
Easily the most famous and most well-known of Fulci's Zombie films the movie was an instant hit and drew in many fans when it was released as cash in on Romero's Dawn of the Dead. Not for everyone, the film boasts some rather disgusting and bloody gore effects including numerous zombie gut-munching scenes, mounds of maggots and an eye being impaled by a wood splinter. Also known as Zombie and Zombie 2, Lucio Fulci's grand master film would arrive as an unauthorized sequel to Dawn of the Dead but would stand on its own as an essential horror film in its right.
Blood Lake 2014 (The Bay)
This Asylum film premiered on Animal Planet in 2014, the plot of the movie borrows heavily from The Bay and Jaws as a town is besieged by mutated lampreys that can walk and move up water pipes. Unlike most other films by The Asylum, Blood Lake was featured on a cable channel instead of infecting a Redbox.
Grim Reaper 2007 (Final Destination)
It is no surprise that a film as successful as Final Destination would spawn a rip-off, I am just amazed it took as long as it did. A stripper survives being hit by a cab only to find she can see Death chasing her. Finding herself in an insane asylum, she finds other patients who have had similar encounters.
Birdemic Shock and Terror 2010 (The Birds)
This film has quite a reputation for being a bad movie, it was made for less than $10,000 and is a blatant copycat of The Birds. The movie is noted for having horrible acting, atrocious special effects and fails in just about every way. Called the Best of the Worst by Bloody Disgusting and featured by many publications has only increased the appeal of this cult film that otherwise would be ignored. A sequel was made a few years later, and rumors of a third movie are in the works.
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