There is no shortage of bad movies in the world. Some box office misfires, some the self-delusional dreams of indie filmmakers, all of them bad. But thanks to the culture of film fandom and shows like Rifftrax and Mystery Science Theater, some of the worst movies ever made have found new life and become cultural milestones.
Mac And Me, the infamous E.T. ripoff (that somehow started Jennifer Aniston's career) is a perfect example. Also, Ed Wood, one of the worst directors to have lived, got a biopic about him starring Johnny Depp that almost won an Oscar. They might have terrible writing, cinematography, and acting, but they have found new life and fandom that will last for years yet to come.
9 Birdemic: Shock and Terror
This film, if it can so be called, is a rip off of Alfred Hitchcock's classic The Birds. It was made by plucky director James Nyguen, who made his money in tech before using it to make his film. The movie follows Rod as he and his "Victoria's Secret cover model" girlfriend flee from a wave of killer birds. What causes the birds to attack? Global warming, apparently. Nyguen was so dedicated to this film he advertised it with a van and leaflets at film festivals when they, rightfully, rejected it. The film became popular after being lampooned by Rifftrax. Funny enough, the film's star Alan Bogh played multiple characters in The Book Of Boba Fett.
8 Dune
The 2021 version of Dune starring Timothee Chalamet was an astounding success. The 1984 film directed by David Lynch? Yeah, not so much. Despite a great cast, Sting, Patrick Stewart, and Kyle Maclachlan, the film's special effects fall flat, the writing did not do justice to the wildly popular book, and for some reason Lynch could not get the performance he needed from his actors. Still, despite all of this the film has seen renewed interest after the new version came out. Maybe it's not as bad as David Lynch feels it is.
7 Tiptoes
This movie is like a fever dream, and yet it maintains the fandom of those who appreciate it ironically. The film stars Matthew McConaughey as he deals with being the only tall person in a family full of little people. His brother is played by Gary Oldman, who deserves credit where credit is due for proving once again he is a Hollywood chameleon. The movie also features Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage, so it can't be all bad, right?
6 Anaconda
Despite waves of negative reviews, this creature feature made over $100 million at the box office. Perhaps its cast was the main attraction, it does feature Ice Cube, Jon Voight, J Lo, and Owen Wilson. It is one of the few movies on this list, besides Birdemic to get a few sequels.
5 Reefer Madness
This movie is beloved by stoners for its pure, unapologetic stupidity. The movie originally came out in the 1930s as anti-cannabis propaganda, and although the film's portrayal of cannabis users is idiotic it must have worked because the plant became illegal in 1937. The film shows a group of young adults turning into deranged, violent criminals, all because they tried a little pot. The film is so over the top it became a cult classic among the very people it was trying to demonize. And they say poetic justice does not exist in real life.
4 Manos: The Hands Of Fate
This choppy, poorly written film was the brainchild of a fertilizer salesman from Texas. He got a group of community theater players to follow the tragic decline of a lost traveling family who is sucked into a cult by "The Master" who prays with his many wives to some demonic god "Manos" which by the way is just Spanish for "hands." It is widely considered to be one of the worst films ever made, but it is also considered to be one of the best episodes Mystery Science Theater 3000 ever did.
3 Carnival Of Souls
This film managed to wiggle its way into the Criterion Collection, somehow. It follows the story of a young girl who moves to a new town after surviving a car wreck that killed all of her friends. The lone survivor is then haunted by an unnamed dead man who just appears out of nowhere, while horrendous organ music scores the entire film. The twist ending of the movie can be seen coming a mile away, spoiler alert, she was dead the whole time. Did M. Night Shamalan rip off Carnival of Souls when he made The Sixth Sense?
2 Plan 9 From Outer Space
Another "gem" that is considered to be one of, if not the, worst movie of all time. Mike Nelson from Rifftrax called it, "the Citizen Kane of bad movies." The film, tragically, was horror icon Bela Lugosi's final movie before his death. It also features Vampirella and Tor Johnson as zombies being controlled by space aliens. The story of the film's sordid production was a key plot point in the biopic Ed Wood.
1 The Room
The Room and Plan 9 are neck and neck for the coveted spot for "worst movie ever made" but both are equally terrible, and both got movies made about them. Tommy Wiseau stars in this film he wrote as a man who is tormented by his cheating girlfriend. The plot makes no sense, the dialogue is stilted, there is a scene in a flower shop that looks like it was dubbed like a Japanese Godzilla film, and it features a line that has been made iconic thanks to The Disaster Artist. "I did not hit her, I did NOT! Oh, hi Mark."
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