The golden age of trashy horror

Even a connoisseur of fine cuisine can have occasional cravings for junk food. Roger Corman’s Humanoids From the Deep (USA, 1980, New World Pictures), although far from sophisticated, is a creature-feature/sexploitation masterpiece. Produced during the golden age of trashy horror, it brings you everything you’d want or expect from a film in this genre: bloodthirsty creatures terrorizing a sleepy seaside town that’s only hope is a beer-soaked antihero. Available on Putlocker and Blu-ray.

Eddie and the Cruisers (USA, 1983, MGM) tells the story of an ill-fated rocker who dies (or vanishes) under mysterious circumstances while on the verge of stardom. Michael Pare gives a haunting performance as the titular role. While the movie is slow at times and lacks any real explosive moments, its charm and soul have made it a cult classic over the years. It’s also interesting to note some of the parallels between this film and some real-life rock tragedies that have occurred since the release of this film. Available on Putlocker and on DVD and Blu-ray.

• Ryan Shores
• Standup comedian, author, podcaster