MovieChat Forums > Sleepwalkers (1992) Discussion > Best bad film ever?

Best bad film ever?

posted 3 years ago by Drooch (5333)
14 replies | jump to latest

Tonally inconsistent, dreadful dialogue, schlocky, terrible gags, and yet… I love it.

Mädchen Amick holds it all together with her angelic charm and beauty, and her considerable acting skills that can make even the ropiest dialogue work.

There’s never a dull moment, the pacing is perfect, you never know what the next scene is going to be - from kid’s TV humour involving ‘Clovis the Attack Cat’ to icky mother-son incest, impressive morph effects, lashings of gore, jokes so bad they become meta-hilarious, unbelievable cameos (WTF are Ferris Bueller’s parents doing playing parents again? Why is Mark Hamill here?)

One thing Mick Garris has always been good at is capturing the strangeness of King’s stories. There’s something almost Lynchian about the complete embrace of this weird concept, and the small, lonely town at night has a creepy atmosphere aided by a great soundtrack.

Somehow it all works and I find it to be one of the most rewatchable films in my collection. Any love for Sleepwalkers out there..?

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[–] diezman (2241) 3 years ago

I just watched Sleepwalkers for the first time.

I must say that it has to be one of the worst movies I've seen in a while.

For some reason I feel that I will want to watch it again.

I think I enjoyed the cameos the most.

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[–] Valerian (-274) 3 years ago

This is a wonderfully weird experience. The 2D morphing effects are boss.

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[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

Some are ropey but some really work - the shots of the cars morphing while the camera slowly moves around them was cutting edge at the time.

(Notice how the powers of the sleepwalkers are ill-defined. They can morph but they can also make cars vanish and morph..? Then we find out they can perform telekinesis when ‘mother’ plays a vynil with her mind. If they have these extraordinary powers, why not use them to ensnare their victim?)

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[–] kuatorises (7467) 3 years ago

I thought it was terrible when I was a teen, but now that I am an adult who can appreciate bad acting, it is quite entertaining

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[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

It is terrible, but it’s awesome.

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[–] kuatorises (7467) 3 years ago

It's been running on Pluto lately. I haven't caught it all the way through in a while. I should watch it because it's hilarious.

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[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

Why not treat yourself to the new blu-ray with tons of extras..? 🙂

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[–] jekporkins (1985) 3 years ago

When I saw this I couldn't keep my eyes off Mädchen Amick. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever ever EVER seen.

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[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

She is so hot she’s inhuman. She’s even hot today, there’s a great recent interview with her and Brian Krause on the Shout Blu-ray and she’s a total (m/g)ilf.

If you want more Mädchen then check out Twin Peaks. The first two seasons has smokeshow young Mädchen and then the new season has her in older babe mode, plus the show is unironically brilliant unlike Sleepwalkers.

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[–] jekporkins (1985) 3 years ago

Drooch, I watched Twin Peaks just because she was in it. Between her and a peak Sherilyn Fenn I was in heaven.

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[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

Oh yeah Fenn was off the chain, and Flynn Boyle was tasty too.

Mädchen always had that special beauty though, like she’s not from earth, and sure enough she has aged much better than Fenn, Sheryl Lee, and of course Boyle who is now a living breathing warning against plastic surgery.

Lynch might be the greatest living filmmaker, a true artist, but his greatest talent was casting smoking hot babes! 🍻

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

I always feel bad calling a fun and enjoyable film bad. It doesn't feel right. A film that is fun and rewatchable is by definition a good film. Surely?

A 'guilty pleasure' feels like an element of shame on behalf of the viewer. Like they shouldn't like the film because they're afraid of other people questioning their taste. One thing I've found is some low budget 'bad' films get rescued, the narrative turns to 'cult/low budget masterpiece' and it's then championed and lobbied as one of the best horror films of all time with no hint of irony.

If The Evil Dead (1981) can be placed in a list of top 10 horror films of all time, then so can Sleepwalkers (1992).

Everyone talks about "so bad it's good" but you never hear about films that are "so good it's bad". I believe it exists, I've seen some stellar productions that have a good story, big budget production values with strong acting which just leave me bored and flat. The sort of film you'll never rewatch again in your life. Films that take themselves too seriously.

As someone who loves films and has a physical disc collection. Rewatchability is HUGE! Arguably the most important aspect.

Sorry for the tangent, not an attack on you OP. I understand this film is bizarre and a tad goofy at times so I do get the 'so bad it's good' label. I've quickly learned I have a taste for these sort of films. I also enjoy Exorcist II: The Heretic, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, Piranha 2: The Spawning, Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf.

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[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

I grade films by two metrics - how much I like them and how good they are. There are terrible films I like and objectively good films I loathe. Of course there also great films I love and plenty of trash I hate. I find it helpful to separate my personal experience from an objective appraisal of the craftsmanship on display.

Sleepwalkers is an objectively bad film for the reasons I’ve given in earlier posts, but I love it. It does have some genuine merits through, which I’ve also detailed. I think I’ve been fair to the film, as well as giving it a glowing recommendation.

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[–] Melton (5593) a year ago

I just picked up the Eureka blu-ray which has a second commentary track, it’s great.

5.3 is criminally low for this film. I actually consider it one of the best Stephen King movies. Sure, films like The Shining, Shawshank, Misery are serious masterpieces, but for sheer entertainment - relentless thrills and laughs - Sleepwalkers is the king of King’s.

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