Campy Movies

From Joseph L. Mankiewicz, starring Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste Holm
Rated Passed

All About Eve is a 1950 drama film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and based on the Mary Orr short story "The Wisdom of Eve". It stars Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Thelma Ritter, and Marilyn Monroe in her first prominent film role. The film follows the career of aspiring actress Eve Harrington, who ingratiates herself with theater star Margo Channing. Margo and her friends, including playwright Lloyd Richards and director Bill Sampson, find themselves drawn to Eve and they help her rise to becoming a Broadway star. However, as Eve's success grows, she begins to manipulate and exploit those around her, leading to a shocking climax. The film is widely acclaimed for its witty dialogue, performances, and direction, and is considered to be one of the best films ever made. In addition to critical praise, All About Eve earned 14 Academy Award nominations and won six, including Best Picture.

From Robert Aldrich, starring Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono, Wesley Addy
Rated Passed

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a 1962 American psychological horror-thriller film directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, about an aging former actress and her younger sister, who was once a child star, locked in a bitter rivalry. The film follows the two sisters as sibling rivalry escalates to a dangerous level as Jane's mental health deteriorates. Jane, the once-famous child star, is now a spiteful, selfish and delusional woman, while Blanche is confined to a wheelchair, the result of an accident Jane caused years before. The film follows Jane as she descends further into madness and cruelty, while Blanche must find a way to escape with her life.

From Rob Reiner, starring James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth, Frances Sternhagen
Rated R

Misery is a psychological thriller directed by Rob Reiner, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. The film stars James Caan as Paul Sheldon, a novelist who is rescued from a car crash by his "number one fan", Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates). However, what starts as a seemingly innocent act of kindness quickly turns into a nightmare when Annie discovers that Paul has killed off her favorite character from his novels. She then holds him captive and forces him to write a novel according to her specifications, and as her sanity unravels, she threatens increasingly violent punishments if he does not comply. Paul must find a way to escape and save himself before it's too late.

From Tod Browning, starring Wallace Ford, Leila Hyams, Olga Baclanova, Roscoe Ates
Rated Not Rated

Freaks is a 1932 horror film directed by Tod Browning and starring Wallace Ford, Leila Hyams, Olga Baclanova, and a cast of real-life carnival "freaks". The film follows the travails of a beautiful trapeze artist, Cleopatra, who is involved in a romance with Hans, a dwarf performer. When Cleopatra and Hans plan to marry, her former lover and ringmaster, Hercules, schemes to kill Hans and seize his inheritance. The other "freaks" discover the plan and punish the two villains for their treachery. The film was heavily criticized upon its release for its taboo subject matter and portrayal of physical deformities. However, the film has since been praised for its pioneering representation of marginalised characters and outsider perspective. It has become a cult classic and is cited as an influence on numerous filmmakers, from Tim Burton to David Lynch.

From Directors: Ellen Hovde, Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Muffie Meyer, starring Edith Bouvier Beale, Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale, Brooks Hyers
Rated PG

Grey Gardens is a 1975 documentary film directed by the Maysles brothers, Ellen Hovde, and Muffie Meyer. It follows the lives of two reclusive, related women living in a dilapidated mansion in East Hampton, New York. The women are Edith Bouvier Beale, a former opera singer and the aunt of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and her daughter "Little Edie" Beale, a cabaret singer and aspiring actress. The film portrays the two women as they cope with the neglect of their mansion and struggle to maintain a way of life that is slowly slipping away. The film is a portrait of their eccentricities and resilience as well as their struggles in the face of poverty, isolation, and their own familial dynamics. It is also a commentary on the effects of wealth and privilege on family relationships.

From Walter Hill, starring Michael Beck, James Remar, Dorsey Wright, Brian Tyler
Rated R

The Warriors is a 1979 cult classic film by Walter Hill. It tells the story of a New York City gang, The Warriors, who are framed for a murder they didn’t commit. On the run from the police and other gangs, the Warriors must make their way across the city to get back to their home turf in Coney Island. Along the way, they must battle rival gangs, avoid the cops, and survive in the urban jungle of the city. Ultimately, the Warriors must prove their innocence and make it home safely.

From Directors: Robert Rodriguez, Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino, Edgar Wright, Rob Zombie, starring Kurt Russell, Rose McGowan, Danny Trejo, Zoë Bell
Rated R

Grindhouse is an American double feature horror film consisting of two full-length feature films directed by Robert Rodriguez, Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino, Edgar Wright and Rob Zombie. The plot follows two separate stories, with each director taking a turn to direct a segment. The first, directed by Rodriguez, follows an undercover agent who is hired to take down a Mexican drug cartel. The second, directed by Roth, follows a group of college kids who take a road trip to a backwoods cabin, where they find themselves in the middle of an ancient ritual. Both stories are full of horror, suspense, and action. The film also contains fake movie trailers, directed by the same five directors, that are meant to parody the exploitation films of the 1970s.

From Jim Sharman, starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O'Brien
Rated R

From Brian De Palma, starring Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, John Travolta
Rated R

From Todd Solondz, starring Heather Matarazzo, Christina Brucato, Victoria Davis, Christina Vidal
Rated R

From Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker
Rated NC-17

From Jacques Tourneur, starring Simone Simon, Tom Conway, Kent Smith, Jane Randolph
Rated Not Rated

From John Carpenter, starring Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence
Rated R

From Carl Reiner, starring Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, Catlin Adams, Mabel King
Rated R

From John Waters, starring Divine, Tab Hunter, Edith Massey, David Samson
Rated R

From François Ozon, starring Fanny Ardant, Emmanuelle Béart, Danielle Darrieux, Catherine Deneuve
Rated R

From Richard Fleischer, starring Charlton Heston, Edward G. Robinson, Leigh Taylor-Young, Chuck Connors
Rated PG

From Robert Townsend, starring Robert Townsend, Craigus R. Johnson, Helen Martin, Starletta DuPois
Rated R

From Desmond Davis, starring Laurence Olivier, Harry Hamlin, Claire Bloom, Maggie Smith
Rated PG

From Jonathan Demme, starring Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith, Ray Liotta, George 'Red' Schwartz
Rated R

From John Waters, starring Kathleen Turner, Sam Waterston, Ricki Lake, Matthew Lillard
Rated R

From Jack Hill, starring Pam Grier, Booker Bradshaw, Robert DoQui, William Elliott
Rated R

From Michael Schultz, starring Taimak, Vanity, Christopher Murney, Julius Carry
Rated PG-13

From Mark L. Lester, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong, Dan Hedaya, Vernon Wells
Rated R

From Frank Perry, starring Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid, Steve Forrest, Howard Da Silva
Rated R