The movies so bad they’re good

To many people, there’s magic in watching an fascinating failure than a boring blockbuster.

Filmmakers set out to create a Hollywood masterpiece but there are times when they fall short in spectacular fashion.

It could be down to bonkers storylines, bad dialogue or bodged special effects, but this can make them more compelling to watch.

We have picked out some absurdly fun movies that are so bad, they are actually great – don’t miss these cult classics.

Reefer Madness (1936)

Reefer Madness was intended as a cautionary tale about the dangers of marijuana, but this over-the-top melodrama spirals into absurdity as it depicts a group of young people descending into madness, crime, and debauchery after a single puff. Wildly exaggerated performances and hysterical plot turns make it more comedy than warning. Today, it’s celebrated as an unintentional camp classic of moral panic cinema.

The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)

The Beast of Yucca Flats tells of a mute, radiation-scarred scientist-turned-monster who stalks the Nevada desert in this barely coherent horror film. With almost no synced dialogue and narration that sounds like random filler, it drifts from one aimless scene to another. Its bargain-basement production and baffling storytelling have earned it a place in “so bad it’s good” history.

Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966)

Manos: The Hands of Fate – Shot on a shoestring budget, this surreal horror oddity follows a family who stumbles upon a strange cult in the Texas desert. Stilted acting, endless awkward pauses, and bizarre characters like the twitchy caretaker Torgo make it uniquely hypnotic in its ineptitude. Widely hailed as one of the worst films ever made, it has an enduring cult following.

Eegah (1962)

Eegah is a film about a teenage girl who encounters a giant caveman in the California desert, and her father and boyfriend attempt to capture him, with disastrous results. Awkward musical interludes, nonsensical dialogue, and painfully slow pacing make it a masterclass in cinematic failure. Its sheer weirdness has kept it alive in bad movie lore.

Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

Attack of the Giant Leeches – Set in a swamp where mutated leeches prey on unsuspecting locals, this creature feature combines murky sets with laughably unconvincing monster costumes. The drama between the human characters is somehow even more tedious than the leech attacks. Despite – or because of – its flaws, it remains a beloved slice of low-budget 1950s sci-fi horror.

Bride of the Monster (1955)

Bela Lugosi stars as a mad scientist bent on creating an atomic superhuman in this chaotic sci-fi horror. Bride of the Monster features rubber octopus tentacles, hammy performances, and nonsensical science that veers from hilarious to tragic. It’s a defining example of Ed Wood’s talent for earnest but disastrous filmmaking.

The Killer Shrews (1959)

A group of people are trapped on a remote island as genetically enlarged shrews attack them. The “monsters” are clearly dogs in shabby costumes, lending the film an unintentional comic charm. Despite its serious tone, the laughable effects and overwrought dialogue make The Killer Shrews a cult favourite.

The Screaming Skull (1958)

When a newlywed bride moves into her husband’s home, she’s tormented by visions of a ghostly skull. The Screaming Skull plods along with wooden acting and obvious plot twists, but promises a free burial to anyone who dies of fright during the movie. Its laughably cheap scares make it more funny than frightening.

Teenagers from Outer Space (1959)

Alien youths land on Earth to use it as a breeding ground for giant lobsters, but one falls in love with a human girl. Featuring stiff line readings and cardboard sets, Teenagers From Outer Space is a delightfully awkward mix of romance and sci-fi. The hilariously clunky dialogue has made it a midnight movie staple.

The Giant Gila Monster (1959)

A small Texas town is terrorised by a “giant” lizard that’s clearly a regular reptile wandering over miniature sets. The Giant Gila Monster combines sock-hop music, hot-rod teens, and low-budget monster mayhem. Its unintentional humour comes from the jarring mix of teen drama and absurd creature effects.

Horrors of Spider Island (1960)

A troupe of dancers crash-land on a deserted island where a giant spider lurks. After a brief attack, the plot dissolves into long, awkward dance sequences and random romantic entanglements. Its meandering story and risible effects make Horrors of Spider Island hilariously bad Euro-trash horror.

Track of the Moon Beast (1976)

A man struck by a meteorite begins transforming into a deadly reptilian creature under the full moon. Track of the Moon Beast is painfully slow, with clunky dialogue and unconvincing monster makeup. Its earnestness and lack of tension make it a perfect late-night so-bad-it’s-good watch.

Glen or Glenda (1953)

Ed Wood’s infamous passion project blends documentary-style narration with melodrama in a bizarre tale about cross-dressing and gender identity. Awkward acting, nonsensical dream sequences, and Bela Lugosi muttering “Pull the strings!” make it gloriously incoherent. Its sincerity and sheer weirdness have turned Glen or Glenda into a cult classic of bad cinema.