For those who don’t know, the Video Nasties are a group of films that were banned in the UK several decades ago as they feature content that was considered too extreme for the market. If you were a filmmaker looking to make a name for yourself with the most sexual or violent film during the ’70s and ’80s, this was a list you hoped to rule.
Some films made the VN list incidentally; they simply could not avoid the brand. But to be honest, some were destined to be labeled, and that’s part of the reason the films were made to begin with. No one can claim I Spit on Your Grave wasn’t shot with the design of rustling jimmies. Well, jimmies it did indeed rustle, and the “Video Nasty” moniker was quickly attached.
The same can be said for many others, and if you happen to be on the hunt for the perverse or controversial, the Video Nasties are must-see flicks. The majority are mediocre affairs, but some are surprisingly enjoyable films while a few more hold cultural relevance, deserving of a look if for no other reason than historical insight. There’s certainly history to be found in the group, and we’re out to ensure that you engage in at least a single viewing of these 13, which are amongst the very best of the bunch.
Tenebrae: Remember when Dario Argento was consistently pumping out top notch giallo films? You’ve got to head back to the late 1970s and early ’80s to experience that stretch of Argento’s career, but it’s a trek worth making. The man had an amazing knack for creating palpable tension (what the hell happened??) and gruesome murder sequences and stood as the king of giallo as a result. Tenebrae, while almost identical to a number of Argento’s other films (Deep Red in particular), is one of his career highlights, and though it found a home on the dreaded Video Nasties list, it’s a tame film by today’s standards. Do yourself a proper justice and track it down… and while you’re at it, include Suspira, the aforementioned Deep Red and Inferno as well. You won’t regret it.
The Last House on the Left: Wes Craven left moviegoers in stunned silence in 1972 when he rolled out the highly controversial The Last House on the Left. The film is a gruesome, sadistic picture that has a very guerrilla vibe to it. Some of the things the performers were asked to do for the shoot border on nauseating (including a scene in which one victim is forced to urinate in her pants), and the gritty cinematic style only enhances the vile moments. The look of the movie clearly sets it apart from the norm. Far apart. More than 40 years after release, The Last House on the Left will still spark disgust and sympathy in equal measure.
I Spit on Your Grave: Talk about unforgiving productions! Meir Zarchi’s barbarous revenge piece I Spit on Your Grave reformulates everything contemptible about extreme pictures. The movie is hard to watch, and when you really sit back and absorb the fact there’s a featured rape scene that lasts damn near a full 30 minutes, you’ll likely reach that same conclusion. Yet, for all its nastiness, I Spit on Your Grave is a compelling film because it really forces us to contemplate human decency and the limits to which a filmmaker will go to “entertain” (it can be more repulsive than entertaining) audiences. Don’t anticipate an amazing picture; rather, take this trip knowing that you’re going to experience controversy in blunt, ruthless fashion. Again (I can’t hammer this home enough), I Spit on Your Grave isn’t amazing, but it is relevant.
Flesh for Frankenstein: One of the strangest and most graphic spins on the Frankenstein tale, Flesh for Frankenstein, or Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein as it’s often labeled, is a mind blower. It’s certainly not a technical masterpiece, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t extremely entertaining in certain sequences. We’re subjected to some odd things in this one, the general idea behind the creation of the monsters being the crux of it all. The flick is essentially about hyper sexual monsters, which somehow, in some way, really tickles this particular funny bone. It isn’t for everyone, but anybody looking for a truly twisted take on an age old tale will find some entertainment here.
Faces of Death: Faces of Death is an obvious pick for most controversial film of all time (it has some competition, most of which is included in this article), but few sparked the social response birthed by this strange offering. The picture is a collection of what we’re supposed to believe to be actual executions and scenes of profound brutality. And, believe it or not, some of it actually is real, culled primarily from old newsreel footage. A sizable portion, however, is staged. There are a few segments that are clearly faked, but the overall impact of the picture is absolutely unmistakable. People have been talking about this flick since its release in 1978, and chances are people will continue to talk about it, as remasters and re-releases are still hitting the market. It falls in line with pics like I Spit on Your Grave and Cannibal Holocaust in the sense that it isn’t a good film so much as a magnetic one. But that’s enough. It’s the kind of pic that just needs to be seen at least once, for the sake of diverse viewing and loyalty to the genre, if nothing else.
Cannibal Holocaust: Three words: The turtle scene! Cannibal Holocaust sports a number of sequences that qualify as controversial and disturbing, but the one scene in this movie that has long haunted viewers (and director Ruggero Deodato, who openly admits to having gone too far) is that horrific turtle scene, in which an actual, living turtle is tortured on camera. It’s the kind of thing that can’t be shaken with ease… unless you’re a psychotic serial killer, in which case it’s probably pretty soft stuff.
The Burning: To be honest, I don’t think The Burning ever deserved to be bunched in with the other Video Nasties. It’s really not all that nasty. That said, there are a few grim shots, and director Tony Maylam certainly wasn’t afraid to leave our insides doing a barrel roll. It may not be the most grotesque film on this list, but it isn’t for the faint of heart either. What it is, overall, is a surprisingly kick-ass slasher film, released at the height of the slasher craze though generally under-appreciated. There’s a cool story at work (fueled by a long lasting legend), some awesome death scenes, a cast that’s going to surprise you, and an aesthetic that should feel quite reminiscent of the much-adored early Friday the 13th films.
Blood Feast: Over the top? Most certainly! Strangely infectious as a direct result? Oh hell yes! Herschell Gordon Lewis is the true king of gut-munching gore, and this is the picture that really earned him that position. He’s since gone on to gross us out with a number of other films, but ask any hardcore horror fan what H.G. Lewis is best known for, and chances are the answer is Blood Feast. It’s actually a pretty dreadful film, to be honest, but if you love to see insides on the outside and gore just works for you, then you have to see this film.
The Evil Dead: What?! Evil Dead made the Video Nasty list? Yeah… it’s a little puzzling. Sure, Sam Raimi’s cult classic gets a little messy, and there are a few scenes that are all but designed to ignite controversy (Cheryl’s tree rape scene has long inspired outrage, despite the strangely humorous tone), but at the end of the day, The Evil Dead is nowhere near as disturbing as most of the films included in this lot. Not that it matters. Ash Williams has gone on to become an iconic character. The franchise is thriving, and more projects are currently in the works. It doesn’t matter who did or didn’t ban this film; you can’t stop Ash or his propensity for unfortunate demonic entanglements.
The Funhouse: The Funhouse and The Evil Dead coexist on the same plane. They’re both awesome films with a few controversial moments that should have probably warranted warnings from critics but certainly didn’t warrant the dark reputations they initially adopted. Traveling carnivals are prime for exploitation as there’s plenty of creepy shit going on in those mobile establishments, and Tobe Hooper took full advantage of the idea in 1981. We get to see a deformed dude in a Frankenstein mask massacring naive youngsters while eerie props survey the chaos. How does that sound anything other than amazing?
Inferno: We’ve already touched down on Dario Argento, his style, and his heyday. There isn’t much more that need be said. At the end of the day Inferno is a lot like Tenebrae. It’s also every bit as enjoyable, if not more. Does it deserve the VN label? Probably not, but this isn’t any old PG film either.
The Beyond: Lucio Fulci gifted genre followers a number of gory films before his passing in 1996. In fact, the man was known worldwide for his graphic visuals, which still unsettle today in a way that computer-generated imagery may never manage. Among his finest films is the trippy Gates of Hell installment, The Beyond. It features all kinds of gruesome zombie action and unfortunate “accidents,” virtually all of which are extremely gory. Again, that was Fulci’s true trademark. He made it work in quite a few cult classics, and he eventually built a true legacy as a result of overtly nasty onscreen executions. This is a star in a pitch black sky.
The Toolbox Murders: That drill. That fucking drill! Dennis Donnelly’s straightforward slasher wasn’t a picture that thrived on quality characters or intricate plot points; it’s a picture that earned a place on the shelves of collectors as a direct result of its envelope-pushing violence. The fact is The Toolbox Murders can easily be considered exploitation first and foremost, but that’s part of the beauty here. It’s not overly comedic in any sense, but it often feels as though it could be. That’s a testament to the insanity of it all. If early slashers are your bag, this one is well worth looking into. It certainly trumps Tobe Hooper’s remake in terms of sheer entertainment value.