Meet the Evil Dead Show
By Bowen Patterson
A&F Writer

When it's late, you're sick of partying and you've got nothing better to do than watch a movie, the huge selection looming over your head can sometimes be intimidating. But it's always a good idea to steer away from the New Release section and head toward the ever popular, ever entertaining cult classics section.

The following is my list of the top three cult classic movies that every college student should see.


"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975)
Directed by: Jim Sharman
Written by: Richard O'Brien, Jim Sharman

Sometimes referred to as the mother of all cult films, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has surely left its mark on the cult classic genre.

If you haven't seen it by this point, don't be surprised if others recoil in shock as you reveal this fact. But don't worry, it's not too late-here's a crash course in what Rocky Horror really means…

The story was originally produced for the stage as a horror-movie parody by Richard O'Brien in 1973. The American rights were bought by producer Lou Adler, who along with Co-producer Michael White and Director Jim Sharman, brought the legend of Rocky to the American big screen.

In one of the most famous pop culture images of the 20th century, the movie opens with an enormous pair of luscious, scarlet lips belting out in song.

Soon after this aesthetically swollen opening, we meet the two protagonists, the squeaky clean Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and his young fiancé, Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon). Within the first two scenes, the couple is caught in the age-old car-trouble horror-movie shtick.

Conveniently enough, they stumble upon a dilapidated, ominous-looking old mansion and approach, looking to use a phone. What they find inside, however, is the sensuous world of Dr. Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry), a transsexual scientist from the galaxy Transylvania.

But don't let that overwhelm you. For the next 90 minutes, we join Brad and Janet in one enlightening adventure after another. The film is a blur of spectacular song and dance numbers, hilarious antics between Frank and his sexual creation, the handsome young Rocky Horror, and the sexual awakening of Brad and Janet.

Perhaps one of the most attractive qualities of this film is the history of audience participation, including lip-syncs, costumed audience members and floor shows.


The Evil Dead Trilogy
"The Evil Dead" (1982)
"Evil Dead II" (1987)
"Army of Darkness"
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Written by: Sam Raimi

Including a trilogy in a top three list was not just my way to push the limits and squeeze in two extra films. No doubt about it, these movies are pure genius.

While many will disagree on which of the three in this horror-comedy collection is the best, you can easily pick one based on its major characteristics. The trilogy was written and directed by Sam Raimi, who is now more known the recent blockbuster "Spiderman."

"The Evil Dead," the first in the series, introduced the audience to Ashley "Ash" Williams (cult-icon Bruce Campbell), the handsome, animated protagonist who has ventured into the woods with his beautiful young girlfriend and four other friends to spend a peaceful night at a secluded cabin.

However, upon arrival, they find the Necronomicron (The Book of the Dead) and a taped translation left behind by the previous residents. As the tape is played, the evil is released and in a series of frighteningly hilarious battles, the teens become zombies one by one. Only Ash is left to battle the evil and attempt to survive the night.

The film is chock full of the low-budget special effects common in horror parody movies, and the script includes scene after scene of ridiculous antics, including a rape by a tree.

"Evil Dead II," while a sequel to the first film, is also sometimes considered a remake.

We see the same protagonist Ash at the same cabin, but the story is started over again and The Book of the Dead is re-explained and rediscovered.

The special effects in this version are just as funny, and the plot just as ridiculous, including an ingenious solution to a lost hand and a surprisingly abrupt ending.

"Army of Darkness" is surely a the culmination of the productive efforts of the cast and crew. It's obvious that they put in more time and more effort, and this film is much more widely known. These improvements, however, may have a dampening effect on its cult status.

This time, Ash finds himself sucked through a time warp, smack-dab in the middle of a medieval battle against the evil contained in The Book of the Dead. Ash is left to find a new life, a new woman, and a new way to battle the evil without the modern luxuries he previously knew.

There is a huge, wide world of horror-comedy-parody films out there. But this trilogy is the first thing you should go for if you want to know anything about the genre."


"Meet the Feebles" (1989)
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Written by: Peter Jackson

The tag-line for this movie says it all: "Hell hath no fury like a hippo with a machine gun."

Best described as "muppets on crack," "Meet the Feebles" is a must-see for all. But just a warning: this movie has an extreme potential to ruin any muppet-related situation, so if you have an fuzzy-wuzzy childhood attachment to Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock or any other puppet-like show, you may want to avert your eyes or have a comfort item handy.

The plot follows Robert, a young hedgehog with dreams of life on stage in the "Meet the Feebles Variety Hour" choral line. Upon arrival at the studios for his audition, Robert encounters a myriad of characters, including Heidi the Hippo, the star of the show, and Bletch, her cheating husband and business director of the studio.

From the moment Robert walks through the door, the movie deals with the hard-hitting topics prevalent in muppet life today-intravenous drug use, eating disorders, robbery, pornographic violence, murder, fetishes, and even AIDS.

But don't let any of that serious stuff scare you away. "Meet the Feebles" is generally good fun for all, especially after the layer of filth it leaves on your mind wears away.

If you haven't seen the movie or heard anything redeeming about it from other people, you have been scared away by what you've heard so far. But don't let anything detract you from experiencing the wonder that is "Meet the Feebles." You've never seen anything like it before, believe me, and you'll never see anything like it ever again.

One surprising (and perhaps redeeming) fact about the movie is that it was written, produced and directed by Australian Peter Jackson, who recently garnered acclaim for his film adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy.