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The Devil’s Rejects
When it comes to names that are synonymous with Halloween, horror movie director Rob Zombie certainly deserves his gritty, blood-soaked legacy. As a platinum-selling rocker with White Zombie who started as a production assistant on Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, Zombie’s transformation to film director has yielded some of horror’s biggest cult hits. And with House of 1000 Corpses set to return to theaters this October nearly 20 years after its release, it’s easy to see how the killer creative has made his mark.
For those who love the grindhouse artist’s campy, filthy flavor, nothing seems to hit quite like the raunchy, violent stew served up by the mind that once told a nation to “…dig through the ditches and burn through the witches. And slam in the back of my Dragula.” We’d expect nothing less from the son of carnival workers and an ethical vegan.
With nine films to the macabre ringleader’s name — usually starring his wife Sheri Moon-Zombie and Bill Moseley — the pool of notable talent in the Zombie oeuvre includes the likes of Danny Trejo and Walton Goggins to schlock genre greats such as Karen Black, Clint Howard, Udo Kier, and Sid Haig. Whether it’s his haunted-house-come-to-life aesthetic or willingness to crank the gore factor up to 11, there’s no denying Rob Zombie is a master of kills and thrills.
So whether you’re in the mood for a messed-up animated feature or Sheri Moon Zombie in blonde dreads, we got you covered. Where can you watch all the films of Rob Zombie? On Shudder? On Amazon? Let’s take a gorey gander!
In his directorial debut, Zombie pretty much put a stamp on what he was all about: vivid colors, grimy set-pieces, and a love for the violent and monstrous. House of 1000 Corpses follows two ill-fated roadside attraction enthusiasts played by TV’s Rainn Willson and Chris Hardwick as they drag their girlfriends to, well, a roadside attraction, and get swept up in a household that ain’t quite what it seems. This one kicked off what fans know as the Firefly trilogy, and would introduce viewers to Zombie’s go-to players: wife Sheri Moon-Zombie and regular collaborators Bill Moseley and horror legend Sid Haig. In a tale as old as time, this one was dismissed by critics but went on to become a cult hit eventually resulting in a coveted Universal Halloween Horror Night maze.
After the cult success of Corpses, Zombie decided to further the story of the Firefly family, this time flipping the trio of Otis and Captain Spaulding into the role of protagonists on the run from the law, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. It’s a bloodier, more queasy affair with less over-the-top horror and more humans being all serial-killery. The Devil’s Rejects has been called Zombie’s own The Wild Bunch or Badlands, and this ragtag crew of gorehounds will have you locking your doors for sure.
Fans of the John Carpenter classic Halloween were rightly skeptical when this reboot was announced. Word has it that the horror master’s only advice to Zombie was to “make it his own,” and that he did. Though some audiences were put off by the decision to explain the somewhat grounded home life of Michael Myers, completionists will want to seek out the director’s cut which allegedly is bonkers enough to justify its existence.
This one is the rare outing in which critics and horror buffs may have aligned in terms of franchise enthusiasm, though to be fair the box office numbers say different. Halloween II tells the story of Laurie Strode’s (Taylor Scout-Compton) psychological demise following the events of the first film, while Dr. Loomis (Malcom McDowell) cashes in on his connection to the Myers legacy. There’s a mystical element at play in this one centered on a “white horse” and Strode having weird visions that rubbed some the wrong way, but you be the judge.
Definitely not for kids, the animated El Super Beasto follows the exploits of an ex-wrestler turned film director voiced by Tom Papa, as he and a “sexy sidekick” (Sheri Moon-Zombie) try to stop the mad man Dr. Satan (Paul Giamatti) from taking over the world. This one is worth checking out if only for Zombie’s own past with animation, the large $10 million budget, and the fact it was animated by legendary Carbunkle Cartoons who brought the world the first two seasons of Ren & Stimpy.
Likely Zombie’s smallest film budget, this one tells the tale of a woman reckoning with her witch ancestry, as it pertains to a band called the Lords of Salem who in their vengeful return to the historical east coast town leave a trail of bodies. That’s the most concise way to put things here. Expect a more subdued outing with this one, as at times the pacing can drag. Dedicated Z-heads, especially those who like to watch Sheri Moon-Zombie perform both menial and creepy tasks, will certainly get that itch scratched.
31 (2016)
At a certain point you have to respect the fact Rob Zombie is basically hanging out with his friends and loved ones, making things for his dedicated fanbase who dig the filmmaker’s funhouse blend of camp, horror, and grindhouse vibes. 31 follows a group of carnival workers who are kidnapped by some sadistic clowns and fed tea and crackers and given warm huggies… NOT! They are brutally hunted for sport in a series of violent carnival games, as it were. This film carries the honor of being partially crowdfunded (twice!) and also having been rated twice as NC-17 by the MPAA before finally receiving a hard R. Chances are, if you’re already a Rob Zombie fan, you’ll get just the kind of blood, sex, and exploitation for which you have showed up.
After fan speculation that 31 would be a continuation of House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects “Firefly Family” saga, Zombie returned to deliver just what the people wanted. 3 From Hell takes place 10 years after the events of The Devil’s Rejects (from which the family apparently survived) and follows Baby, Otis, and their half-brother Foxy Coltrane (Richard Brake) after a violent prison escape (what other kind would we expect!) As with previous installments, this one’s a combo of crime and brutal violence, so proceed with either caution or excitement, depending on your preference.
File this one under labor of love, with a capital L for sure. Given the fact the filmmaker had allegedly wanted to reboot this property for his entire career, and how any living fans of The Munsters probably aren’t aware of who in the hell Rob Zombie is, the result is simply a guy who loves something, making something he loves. Again, his wife and friends play all the roles. Even though this isn’t an Addams Family level affair, it’s hard to ignore the geekdom and affection the normally brutal Zombie has for this property.
