# Recommend a terrible yet thoroughly watchable movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 15, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816 "2005-09-15T17:24:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/21 "2005-09-15T18:37:52Z")
I came in to post Starship Troopers, but someone beat me to it. > [@SisterCoyote](#): > > **To Live and Die in L.A.** > > A film about which I’m still not quite sure what I think. And yet I couldn’t stop watching, and found myself informing the air in my apartment that the “alternate ending” just wouldn’t have worked. Worst alternate ending ever! I love the movie though - the car chase is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/22 "2005-09-15T18:57:30Z")
For me- “House of the Dead” Is such a wonderful trainwreck. It’s TERRILE TERRIBLE… But I cannot stop forcing my friends to watch it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/23 "2005-09-15T19:00:29Z")
Other Doog movies: \*\*House on Haunted Hill Robot Monster Little Shop of Horrors\*\* (the original) \*\*The Green Slime The Story of Mankind Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins Logan’s Run King Solomon’s Mines\*\* (the Golan/Globus Richard Chamberlin/Sharon Stone version) **Firewalker** ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/24 "2005-09-15T19:04:50Z")
Oh, I just noticed – I mean the classic William Castle/Vincent Price version of **House on Haunted Hill**. I haven’t seen the newer version, which, for all I know, might be perfectly Doog. But I grew up on the old one, and it’s supremely Bad but Watchable. Watch out for the Acid Pit. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/25 "2005-09-15T19:09:29Z")
OK, doog movies it is. I agree with pretty much everthing mentioned so far except maybe **Armageddon** and **Battlefield Earth**. A few I’ll go to bat for: **Lucky Lady** (1975) – lavishly-mounted spectacle about a trio of rumrunners bizarrely cast with Gene Hackman, Liza Minelli and Burt Reynolds in the leads. Apparently everyone hates this in part because Liza plays so over the top she’s down the other side, but I found her kind of hot. Also, lots of great vintage boats and planes. Just about anything directed by Roland Emmerich, really, but in particular **Universal Soldier** (1992) with J-C van Damme, perhaps the king of doog-movie leads, and **Stargate** (1994), which for some reason I find I must watch again and again, every single frickin’ time it shows up on TV. I’ve never gotten it on DVD because if I did, I’d probably end up sitting in a darkened room like Howard Hughes, watching it play over and over and over… **Born American** (1986) Renny Harlin’s first English-language film. This thing starts off with three frat-boy types on vacation (in Finland, in winter!?) who sneak over the Russian border on a lark, at which point they get thrown into a Gulag prison and the film veers wildly into a ripoff of **Midnight Express** with various surrealist touches, including, IIRC, a chess match with human pieces and a prison commander apparently chosen for his resmblence to Joseph Stalin and ability to cackle with laughter while torturing his charges. Utterly demented. **Red Dawn** (1984) – Wolverines! And of course… **Showgirls** (1995) – Hey, the OP said **my** favorites, not necessarily anyone else’s. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/26 "2005-09-15T19:14:20Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > **Big Trouble in Little China** – because the hero (played by Kurt Russell) is a jerk, and doesn’t realize it. The hero is a sidekick and doesn’t know it. **Swing Kids** is actually a much better movie than it deserves to be. **Comfort and Joy** ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/27 "2005-09-15T19:17:18Z")
I’d like to nominate, also, every Steven Seagal movie every made. I find him so bad, in fact, so much worse than any action star ever, that I’m strangely drawn to his formidable oeuvre. (I used that word only so I could have the distinction of using it & Steven Seagal in the same sentence. I’m pretty sure history was just made). The part of me that loves Under Siege 2 also wants me buy [this surely brilliant piece of musicianship](http://www.stevenseagal.com/music.html), but I just can conscience giving this man $13. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/28 "2005-09-15T19:17:47Z")
Is House on Haunted Hill a remake of, or does it have anything to do with – or … or – perhaps I have the title wrong **The Legend of Hell House**? If I recall correctly, it’s about this horrible haunted house with lots of cheesy special effects and many :rolleyes: :rolleyes: moments, not the least of which is the ending, when it is reaveal that the reason the spirit which haunts the house is so pissed off is that he was short ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/29 "2005-09-15T19:18:01Z")
SInce we’ve mentioned _Big Trouble in Little China_ and _Remo Williams_, I remembered another one: _ **Jake Speed** _. And one can’t forget _ **The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension** _. ---
**Author:** ![AndyPolley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@AndyPolley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyPolley)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/30 "2005-09-15T19:18:36Z")
To this day, when my friends & I are faced with a particularly challenging physical move, be it while playing a sport or rough housing, we cannot suppress the urge to shout “Gymkata!” as if it’s a magic word aiding us. God, I loved that terrible movie. Let me nominate 2 from the Howie Long collection… **3000 Miles to Graceland**. So violent, so awful, I must watch. **Firestorm**. Action goes Long! You must respect bad guys who will start forest fires to further their nefarious ends. Or something. If you enjoy watching the Fox NFL pre-game show, this action flick is a must. ---
**Author:** ![Kitchen\_Wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kitchen\_Wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitchen_Wench)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/31 "2005-09-15T19:20:18Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > **Big Trouble in Little China** – because the hero (played by Kurt Russell) is a jerk, and doesn’t realize it. I opened this thread just to nominate Big Trouble in Little China. It’s crappy but I get sucked in every time I see it on TV. Why is it bad in my opinion? Not so much that the hero is a jerk (which he is) but Kurt Russell is just so… cheesy. He has been crowned **King Cheese Jr.** here at Seeker’s Palace. Bill Shatner is King Cheese (of course). ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/32 "2005-09-15T19:20:46Z")
**10.5** I guess it’s technically a miniseries, not a movie, but it’s definitely doog. Cheesy stereotypical characters and science mistakes that even a non-geologist can pick out, both of which are a lot of fun to laugh at. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/33 "2005-09-15T19:21:24Z")
Oooh! I just remembered [Kangaroo Jack](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0257568/). Actually, this might just be straight up bad. But, honestly, the hip CGI kangaroo had so much doog promise. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/34 "2005-09-15T19:29:02Z")
Strange Brew needs an honorable mention. It is definately an aquired taste. ---
**Author:** ![leandroc76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@leandroc76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leandroc76)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/35 "2005-09-15T19:29:52Z")
I second the statement that says “Any J C Van Dammit” movies are ALL doog. ## Ghostbusters, would be up there for too. I still watch it, but find myself continually flaming every single scene. I like the word doog. n. doog, doogs, dooging v. tr. 1. A poorly acted, written and directed film that seems to captivate an audience. 2. To create a badly written script or to act enchantingly horrible. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/36 "2005-09-15T19:32:43Z")
**The Sum of all Fears** another film with pathetically bad science… hmm, lets see, where to start… when the nuke detonates, the EMP does _not_ shut down the helicopter’s electronics, nor does the blast wave seem to hurt it much (aside from knocking off the tail rotor) when the helo loses it’s tail rotor, it continues to fly straight-and-true towards ground zero, instead of _spinning out of control_ as it _should_ after the chopper lands, afflek is wandering around in an area _loaded_ with ionizing radiation with no signs of illness, he never even turns green and starts smashing things, ferchrissakes! 😉 at the end of the movie, afflek’s character shows _no signs_ of radiation sickness, despite wandering around in ground zero _minutes_ after the detonation… ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/37 "2005-09-15T19:33:02Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > Strange Brew needs an honorable mention. It is definately an aquired taste. Along with the two other on-HBO-every-damn-minute-when-I-was-a-kid movies that it’s always associated with in my mind: _ **Midnight Madness** _ and _ **Hysterical** _. (And yes, I own all three.) ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/38 "2005-09-15T19:33:35Z")
I can’t wait until **JSexton** comes back and find he’s coined a word! ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/39 "2005-09-15T19:36:15Z")
> [@leandroc76](#): > > Ghostbusters, would be up there for too. I still watch it, but find myself continually flaming every single scene. But Ghostbusters 2 is so much more doog. Vigo is the world villian I’ve ever seen. I think Bill Murray gets sore from carrying the entire movie about 20 minutes in. It was on Comedy Central last week and I was literally unable to get off the couch. That guy from Alie McBeal’s in it too, and he’s friggin’ priceless the entire time. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-terrible-yet-thoroughly-watchable-movie/321816/40 "2005-09-15T19:37:36Z")
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