MIDNIGHT MOVIE MAYHEM: 4 Movies to Watch Late At Night
Most of my earliest childhood memories involve sitting in front of my TV screen late at night, watching movies where giant rubber monsters destroy miniature cities, masked killers stalk hapless teenagers through dark woods, and aliens abduct unsuspecting victims for sadistic experiments. I loved how campy these nocturnal pictures were, and that love has followed me into adulthood as I still find myself on the couch way after the sun clocks out, getting lost in the fake blood and extra cheese that makes up the “midnight movie”.
This list is for when you find yourself unable to sleep at night, your imagination running wild from the stress of life and the dread of the next day’s responsibilities. Just grab something to snack on (I prefer chips or popcorn), snuggle up on the couch, pull up one of these films, and let your mind get lost in the splendor of Wilhelm screams and string-tethered beasts. Let’s see what’s first on the schedule, shall we?
1. Them!
(Directed by Gordon Douglas; Starring James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon; 1954)
“Nuclear tests in the desert result in the growth of gigantic mutant ants who menace cities in the American southwest as a team of investigators and the army search for a way to control their spread in this Cold War-era monster film.” – via IMDB.
Fun fact: Looney Tunes: Back in Action referenced this film.
Funnier Fact: legendary horror filmmaker Joe Dante directed Looney Tunes: Back in Action.
Funniest Fact: B-movie mogul Roger Corman acted in Looney Tunes: Back in Action…no point to all this, I just wanted to share.
The quintessential creature feature of the 1950’s, if not of all time (besides a certain atomic-breathing dinosaur). It’s a staple of the giant-monsters-running-amok-due-to-radiation flicks, right up there with It Came From Beneath the Sea and Attack of the 50-foot Woman (only the highest class of cinema for my articles). From the life-size animatronic ants, to the thrilling music score, to the film’s overall bleak tone makes it a perfect watch for a dark night with (what you hope is just) the wind whistling outside.
The premise? Giant ants are terrorizing the deserts of New Mexico, and it’s up to the US government to stop them before they infest the entire world! Simple, but treated with an upmost sincerity that makes it rise above other monster movies that don’t take themselves seriously. Every actor plays their role completely straight, almost as if they really believe ants are going to take over the world— and who’s to say they won’t?
The scene where the ants are first revealed always stuck with me. First, you hear the eerie ringing they make right before they appear. Slowly, over a hill, you see something begin to move into frame. The antennas, the eyes, the razor sharp pincers that can break someone in half. Then, it sees our heroes, and lets out the loudest noise heard yet as it charges at them. Guns seem to have no effect as they blast bullet after bullet into the insidious insect. It takes a full magazine from a Thompson submachinegun to take it down. They walk over to the corpse and start to examine what the hell they just fought, only to hear that ringing again, coming from deeper in the desert, all around them…absolutely chilling.
Check it out digitally here or pick it up physically here.
2. The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms
(Directed by Eugène Lourié; Starring Paul Hubschmid, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway; 1953)
“A ferocious dinosaur awakened by an Arctic atomic test terrorizes the North Atlantic and, ultimately, New York City.” – via IMDB.
Before Godzilla took his first steps into Tokyo, New York City was menaced by the vicious Rhedosaurus as onlookers ran in terror down the Big Apple’s streets! This was a mainstay on the TCM channel back in the day, and it left an impression on me as big as Gamera’s footprint.
The titular Beast was brought to life by the one and only Ray Harryhausen in his first big endeavor to the silver screen, and he does not disappoint. The Rhedosaures has so much character, so much life given to it from countless upon countless hours of Harryhausen’s stop motion process, allowing the beast to move fluidly across the screen with as much of a personality as our human characters. Speaking of which, the actors do fine in the movie…they move the plot along, explain the stakes, all that jazz. We’re not here for them, though! We’re here to watch a giant dinosaur smash apart a city!
The Rhedosaurus destroys buildings, crushes cars, wrecks a roller coaster, eats a person who was brave/dumb enough to take it on with a peashooter; it gets a lot done before the credits roll. This ferocious saurian made an impact on at least one other person, given that it had a cameo in another dinosaur flick named Planet of Dinosaurs… where it was substantially less cool, getting immediately eaten by a T-rex. Still, it was nice to see it again nonetheless. If you’re in the mood to witness a giant lizard (that isn’t a man in a costume) destroy a city, then watch out for the Beast! The Beast! The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms!
Check it out digitally here or pick it up physically here.
3. The Night Stalker
(Directed by John Llewellyn Moxey; Starring Darren McGavin, Carol Lynley, Simon Oakland; 1972)
“An abrasive Las Vegas newspaper reporter investigates a series of murders committed by a vampire.” – via IMDB.
Ah, Carl Kolchak. The man, the myth, the legend! If you want to talk about my personal favorite hero of horror, look no further! I’ve only recently watched his screen debut The Night Stalker, but I’m very familiar with the subsequent TV series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. That whole deal, however, is a discussion for another time. First, we have to talk about the movie that started it all (notwithstanding the original novel).
Kolchak is a snarky, loudmouth Las Vegas reporter who’s looking for the next big scoop so he can finally be taken seriously. The big scoop in question? A vampire in Sin City is draining people of all their blood, as vamps are wont to do. Kolchak’s the first to put the clues together, and has to convince the local authorities that mythic blood-sucking freaks exist so they can put an end to the evil haunting the city. Easier said than done, of course. The acting is good all around (shoutout to Simon Oakland), and the production is what you’d expect out of a ‘70s made-for-TV movie. But as I said, the star of the show elevates it to a whole other level!
Darren McGavin’s portrayal of Kolchak completely sells this film, turning it from a by-the-books monster-mystery flick to something truly special. He just has a charisma to him that immediately makes him likable. He’s a selfish cynic who just wants to make it to the big time, but also helps out whenever he can and doesn’t want to see innocent people become a grotesque monster’s lunch. I mean, if that’s not a hero, what is?
Pick it up physically here.
4. The Last Dinosaur
(Directed by Alexander Grasshoff; Starring Richard Boone, Joan Van Ark, Steven Keats; 1977)
“A wealthy big game hunter and his group become trapped in prehistoric times where they are stalked by a ferocious dinosaur.” – via IMDB.
Now, this is a prime example of a classic midnight movie. It used to frequently come on nighttime television… before my time. I had it on VHS, and ran that cassette ragged, so I’ll let you decide what that says about my tastes. Anyway, it was a co-production between Japan and America, so not only do you get an old actor passed their prime in the lead role, but also people in rubber dinosaur costumes! Rubber dinosaurs that sound like Godzilla… I’m not just saying that, they literally use Godzilla’s roar throughout the film. It’s great.
Funnily enough, for a movie called The Last Dinosaur, two dinosaurs share the screen around the halfway point. One is viciously murdered by the other soon afterward, however, so I guess the Tyrant King realized this as well, and didn’t want to make a liar out of the flick. While we’re on the topic, the Tyrannosaur itself is extremely goofy looking, but no more than your standard Ultraman monster, so I personally find it charming. Also, its reactions to the events around it are chuckle-inducing. You can tell exactly when the thought “oh f**k!” goes through its head before it gets dragged down a hill by a rock. Seriously, that alone is worth a watch!
Richard Boone plays the human protagonist, Maston Thrust Jr. (heh), and while I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want to be there/might be inebriated, he’s still the most fun to watch (aside from the dinosaur, of course). His obsession with killing the T-Rex accumulates with him constructing a freaking catapult to launch a huge rock into its goofy rubber head… it’s glorious. Also, there’s this one part where he calls someone he’s mad at a “DING DONG!”, and I still use that phrase to this day.
Despite how much I’m praising it, it is a bit slow and the low-budget charm might not be for everyone. Still, the mood it sets is perfect for a midnight movie marathon, and I highly recommend putting it on the schedule like those late-night TV stations did back in the day.
Pick it up physically here.
Well, the morning sun is starting to rise, the popcorn bowl is empty, and drained soda cans litter the floor. Sure, we have to get through the day with no sleep, but look at the bright side: we relived our childhood by watching old monster flicks all night. If you ask me, it was worth it. Until next time. Ciao friends!
