The (insert inanimate object of choice) is trying to eat my pants...
Posted on Oct 31st, 2006
A few weeks ago I was listening to Patton Oswalt cohosting on love-line (A highly reputable and intelligent show, "What's this thing on my johnson?"). While talking about his current stand up act, Oswalt revealed he had an affinity for a film recently released on DVD called, Death Bed: The Bed that Eats. As he described the movie I suddenly began thinking about the other films out there that have a running theme of inanimate objects turning on their masters. In retrospect I have come to the conclusion there is an entire niche devoted to this them, and this niche shall be known as Killer Clutter!!!
Here is a short list of the best of this mini-genre of horror film.
- The Mangler
While the title is for the steam press that likes to eat helpless women does fall in this category, I'm a much bigger fan of the killer fridge at the beginning of the movie. Robert Englund is also hilariously bad in this adaptation of a Stephen King short story.
- Death Bed
This movie is bad. Point blank, it's cheap and atrocious, which is just another reason to love it. The IMDB review of it says, it has "sinister black humor," and there is "rich yet understated symbolism used within its imagery." I say it's a movie about a bed that eats people. What more do you need?
- Christine
This may be the best of the killer clutter movies. John Carpenter is in fine form with this adaptation of another Stephen King story. (Trend?) The story of a young nerd and his love affair with his car (sort of... I mean think about it) is great, and is Christine is one of the best killer inanimate objects around. Stephen King also has Maximum Overdrive to his credit. The cheesy over top nature of the film is perfect when all inanimate objects fight back. And King himself gets spit on by an ATM.
Monster House
Just recently landing on DVD this killer clutter movie ups the ante by having the entire house be the bad guy. This movie was highly original, fun, and just looks great. This is the kind of movie you should show your kids, little brother/sister, or niece/nephew if you want to get them hooked on psychotronic type films early in life. It's also fairly quotable, "Look! That must be its uvula!" "Oh. So its a GIRL house."
I hope you guys and gals check out this cross section of what is sure to be all the rage for years to come in hollywood. Feel free to Comment on your favorite Killer Clutter movie.