# What is your favourite “B-movie”?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** movies
**Created:** [June 11, 2025, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489 "2025-06-11T19:38:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 5
### Author:  [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/81 "2025-06-12T18:36:17Z")
Limiting myself to 11 for no reason. From the list in post #60, I would choose:
_Beast from 20,000 Fathoms_ (1953)
_The Haunted Palace_ (1963)
_Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!_ (1965)
_The Valley of Gwangi_ (1969)
_Master of the Flying Guillotine_ (1976)
I would randomly add:
_The President Vanishes_ (1934) - As trouble brews overseas, rapacious business leaders in the U.S want to get the country into another war to boost profits…but then POTUS thwarts their plans by disappearing! Fast-paced and utterly ridiculous, this Depression-era presidential fantasy is rarely shown nowadays.
_Detour_ (1945) – Sometimes called “the greatest B-film ever made,” this film represents the darkest corner of film noir.
_The Black Book_ (1949) – Rare period film noir set during the French Revolution. Guess what everyone’s after.
_The Man from Planet X_ (1951) – Hollywood’s earliest foray into extraterrestrial encounters lacks both the budget and pretentiousness of _The Day the Earth Stood Still._
_Three Outlaw Samurai_ (1964) - Well-paced, action-packed sword opera has title characters siding with peasants in a dispute with their scumbag landlord.
_Horrors of Malformed Men_ (1969) – Bizarre story of one man’s quest to make a refuge for the malformed people he creates. Not a cheesy Japanese horror film, but a dream-like/David Lynchian drama about an extremely dysfunctional family.
Honorable mention must go to _Mysterious Island_ (1961) because it is certainly one of the greatest giant bee-movies ever made.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/82 "2025-06-12T18:41:05Z")
The “IMDB” (really one guy’s opinion there) picks “Hard Ticket to Hawaii” as a favourite. Andy Sedaris movies, all essentially the same, are very entertaining without requiring a scintilla of thought or concentration.
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### Author:  [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/83 "2025-06-12T18:45:05Z")
In the late 50s “giant-sized small creature” category, I really like [The Black Scorpion](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050197/), especially the close ups of the titular character’s drooling mug.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/84 "2025-06-12T18:47:50Z")
I love the Doug McClure movies. _Journey_ to here or there.
For whatever reason.
Those are always fun.
I love any campy Vincent Price movies
The Miss Marple movies with Margaret Rutherford.
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### Author:  [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/85 "2025-06-12T18:47:54Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> The NYT article I cited didn’t say anything about the need to fill out the lower half of a double bill; just the fact that the B-films were lower-budget.
It was kind of circular – smaller budget equals lower-tier actors and fewer locations, which made them good fodder for filling out the program in a theater where one feature (no matter how A it was) would usually not be enough to satisfy the patrons\*; there was also usually a contrast in styles and content between the A and B pictures, which made a more entertaining program. The lower budget also made it okay that the film made less money – it may have only been expected to play for a week or two in the movie chain houses. These days all that has been set aside, so if you’re talking about B movies it can be anything that isn’t a prestige movie.
\*I believe in those days the only A movies that ran by themselves, and only on first release, were huge blockbuster types like GWTW or DeMille epics, which were distributed as “road show” engagements. I think that lasted into the 50s.
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### Author:  [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/86 "2025-06-12T18:48:14Z")
Your post reminded me of another B-movie. The actor you didn’t like is Michael Beck. He also played the leader Swan in _ **The Warriors** _.
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### Author:  [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/87 "2025-06-12T18:48:56Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#):
>
> The “IMDB” (really one guy’s opinion there) picks “Hard Ticket to Hawaii” as a favourite. Andy Sedaris movies, all essentially the same, are very entertaining without requiring a scintilla of thought or concentration.
I love Andy Sidaris movies! They’re sort of like those old Disney movies with Fred MacMurray or Dean Jones, but with car chases, gunfights, and lots of gratuitous nudity.
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### Author:  [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/88 "2025-06-12T20:13:30Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#):
>
> The Miss Marple movies with Margaret Rutherford.
Those are not B-movies. They’re not big budget productions either, but well-crafted British movies of their time with good actors. Yes, I admit they’re a bit cheesy, and not very true to the sources, but they are a staple of my childhood and never looked cheaply made to me. And the score is great!
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### Author:  [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/89 "2025-06-12T21:36:57Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#):
>
> The Miss Marple movies with Margaret Rutherford.
I watched some of these with my daughter when she was a 'tween. We both thought they were great. Leeza loved it whenever Rutherford told the cops “You may pro-_ceed_ with your inves-ti-_ga_-tion.”
And yeah, the harpsichord score was unforgettable. I first heard it when I was in high school, and I was still humming it forty years later. It was written by Ron Goodwin, whose catalog of movie and TV themes is extensive.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/90 "2025-06-12T21:40:01Z")
When I saw them they were definitely the bottom of the pile on the the Early afternoon mystery show.
But, yeah I guess they spent a dime or two making them.
“Murder, Ahoy!” Is especially “B” level with that fake ship.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/91 "2025-06-12T21:59:12Z")
Tank Girl had a great score. So did Local Hero, scored by Knopfler from Dire Straits.
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### Author:  [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/92 "2025-06-12T22:00:05Z")
There was a small neighborhood cinema in Minneapolis back in the '70s that showed _ **Harold and Maude** _ every night for two years, on a double bill with the hilarious classic short _ **De Düva** _. Fans complained whenever the owners floated the idea of _maybe_ bringing in different features instead.
No disrespect to the lovely and talented Sybil Danning, but I’ll take Sylva Košćina in a Hercules flick any day.
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/93 "2025-06-12T22:02:45Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#):
>
> Tank Girl had a great score.
I dig the Joan Jet / Paul Westerberg cover of “Let’s Do it”. But no way was _Tank Girl_ a B movie. It was a $25 million bomb.
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### Author:  [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/94 "2025-06-12T22:07:43Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#):
>
> Tank Girl had a great score. So did Local Hero, scored by Knopfler from Dire Straits.
I never understood anyway how “Local Hero” got into this discussion. Maybe it wasn’t very expensive to make, and it is an independent, alternative movie, but it’s wonderfully cast, up to the most minor roles, tells a unique and original story, has fucking Burt Lancaster in the lead role and a wonderful score by Mark Knopfler, when the Dire Straits were one of the leading bands in music. Why should that be a B-movie? It’s a gem of a movie.
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### Author:  [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/95 "2025-06-12T22:09:32Z")
> [@blondebear](#):
>
> Just one? Oh, okay, I’ll pick [Dinosaurus!](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053768/) A young boy befriends a caveman and they ride a brontosaurus. And a T-Rex battles a steam shovel. What more could anyone want?
Hey, I had the comic book based on that movie when I was a kid! Thanks for reminding me about the caveman----I had forgotten all about him! 👍
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/96 "2025-06-12T22:11:29Z")
I love **Frankenhooker** , mainly because Patty Mullen (the title character) seems to be enjoying herself immensely throughout the entire stupid project.
Honorable mention to **Joe’s Apartment**. Despite the primitive special effects, the 50,000 cockroaches carry the movie.
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### Author:  [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/97 "2025-06-12T22:14:21Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#):
>
> Honorable mention to **Joe’s Apartment**. Despite the primitive special effects, the 50,000 cockroaches carry the movie.
I’ve never heard about that movie, but I hope they had the disclaimer “No cockroaches were hurt doing this movie”. But I’m pessimistic about that…
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### Author:  [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2025, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/98 "2025-06-12T22:26:48Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#):
>
> I love **Frankenhooker** , mainly because Patty Mullen (the title character) seems to be enjoying herself immensely throughout the entire stupid project.
You just reminded me of the _ **Candy** _ trilogy starring Carol Connor. My favorite part went something like this:
**CANDY:** (_Surprised_) Oh, my goodness! You’re _different_ from all the _other_ boys!
**JOHNNY WADD:** (_In “Nobody loves me!” mode_) Oh, boo-hoo! You’re just like all the rest!
**CANDY:** (_Apologetically_) I didn’t mean “different.” I meant … well … _special!_
Which is all I can write here. 🤭
This far down and nobody’s mentioned _ **Flesh Gordon** _ yet? 😮
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2025, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/99 "2025-06-13T00:31:26Z")
How about _ **Bone Tomahawk** _? Despite a cameo by Kurt Russell, it checks all the boxes for B movie status.
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### Author:  [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2025, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489/100 "2025-06-13T02:59:47Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#):
>
> Honorable mention to **Joe’s Apartment**. Despite the primitive special effects, the 50,000 cockroaches carry the movie.
-points to it’s place of honor on the DVD rack-
For that matter, I used to use “Funky Towel” as a handle on some boards and email addresses.
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