The Ultra High Frequency independent local stations broadcasting b-movie marathons and Sunday afternoon Kung-fu theatre are long gone, but due to video podcasting, the concept. So dim the lights, grab your iPod, and sit back for some silly sketches and vintage B-movie masterpieces.
B-film, also called B-movie, or B-picture, cheaply produced, formulaic film initially intended to serve as the second feature on a double bill. Hollywood’s ‘Golden Age’ of B-movies most often paired with larger-budget A-movies, but matinee showings of two B-movies were not uncommon. They were characterised by small budgets and tight production deadlines as well as formulaic scripts, short running times and minimal production design.
Keep an eye out for B-Westerns.
B-movies were initially intended to fill the second half of a matinée double feature. Because of its nature, which includes shoestring budgets, generic stories, and shorter runtimes than feature films, the word B-movie has come to be synonymous with second-rate films. However, these old-school, fast-paced, action-packed, low-budget B-westerns are a guilty pleasure.
The Best B-Movies
he movie Doom is far less successful than its namesake, yet it’s still entertaining to watch. The film depicts a troop of highly trained Space Marines who are dispatched to a research facility on Mars after a security breach is discovered, where they come across genetically modified homicidal monsters. Doom’s storyline is reminiscent of Aliens and Resident Evil, with a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude.
The true appeal of Doom, on the other hand, is the shockingly large cast. You have Dwayne Johnson in the lead (back when he was known as “The Rock” and was still trying to figure out his acting career). Doom is the ideal B-movie to watch when you want to see sci-fi horror but don’t want to think too hard about it and would rather simply watch humans mindlessly murder mutants. Every one of us has been there.
Jonson X movies
Jason X moves the narrative forward to the year 2445, when Jason emerges from a cryogenic sleep aboard a spacecraft full of students and, you guessed it, continues up just where he left off and begins killing.
As absurd as Jason X is, it has a degree of inventiveness that most sequels lack, and the sheer silliness of the plot (and self-aware barbs at the franchise) makes it rather enjoyable. Jason X’s inventiveness extends to his murders, one of which includes freezing someone’s face with liquid nitrogen and is one of the series’ most renowned kills, prompting a Mythbusters segment on it. Jason X is a cheesy B-movie horror sequel.
Impact of B movies
Just as B movie budgets ranged widely, so did the look and feel of the Bs, which ranged from sophisticated to inept. Programmers, and even some Bs produced by big studios, may compete with A films in terms of quality, with the only noticeable difference being shorter running lengths. However, a B running time might have an impact on the final output. Watch movies at bmovies.so.