Friday's Five Favorites: Clive Barker

Even though Clive Barker has only directed three movies, it seems like a dumb thing to put together a "Five Favorites" with only three movies, but Barker has had his hand in so many movies that I felt that he deserved to get a "Five Favorites" list.



5. Midnight Meat Train (2008) This movie got shit on by Lionsgate, who had to contractually release the movie in theaters, releasing the movie into, mostly, bargin theaters. The movie, about a photographer who discovers a serial killer on the subway, is the closest thing that we have had to a "real" Clive Barker movie in a long time. The movie is bloody, smart, scary, and entertaining. Clive Barker wrote the short story the movie is based on and served as a producer on the movie as well.

4. Hellraiser III (1992) I remember the first time I saw this movie. My father took me to see it and he could believe what he was watching. I believe that this is the closest we are going to get to a big budget Hellraiser movie- one that is actually good- and that saddens me. This is not the best Hellraiser movie, but it is my favorite. With all the torture porn out there, Hellraiser could show them who is the real king.

3. Gods and Monsters (1998) While this is not a horror movie, it is about a horror movie director. James Whale, who made his name directing Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, is the subject of this drama. It goes into detail about Whale's life in his later years. Barker, who himself is gay, like Whale, is a huge fan of Whale and the movie would not be the movie it is without Barker's involvement.

2. Candyman (1992) I love Candyman. I think that it is one of the scariest movies of all time. I grew up in a suburb of Chicago and have driven by Cabrini Green many times- before they knocked it down- so to see something that I am familular with in a horror movies is pretty freaky.

1. Nightbreed (1990) It was with this movie that my love of horror movies began. I had seen plenty of horror movies before this, but there is some about this movie that makes me happy. I know horror movies aren't supposed to make you happy, but this one does.

So there you have it. Come back next week for another installment of "Five Favorites".