Buzz
When it comes to making an "animal attack!" movie, there are two paths to take: you can attempt the "serious" approach and try to capture even a fraction of the suspense and skill of Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975), or you can go for a more cheeky, self-aware tone that blends silly with scary. Many would argue that the latter is far easier to pull off, and Syfy is a prime example of this. There, you'll find a parade of creatures like Crocosauruses, Giant Octopi, and of course, Sharknadoes—films that embrace their campy nature and invite audiences to laugh at their over-the-top absurdity.
With that in mind, let’s focus on some of the more outlandish animal B-movies that, while often delightfully absurd, aim to be genuine comedic thrillers—films that want to be laughed with, not at.
1. Squirm (1976)
Squirm, the first feature from director Jeff Lieberman—a cult horror figure known for works like Blue Sunshine (1978), Just Before Dawn (1981), and Satan's Little Helper (2004)—follows a small town in Georgia that becomes infested with electrified, flesh-eating earthworms. Yes, these worms crawl out of shower heads, flood basements, and contaminate the local food supply. It’s every bit as grotesque as it sounds.
Though it maintains a mostly serious tone, Squirm grows increasingly ridiculous and self-mocking as the worm-filled madness unfolds. Along the way, you'll get a glimpse of some early work from FX wizard Rick Baker, witness a few delightfully exaggerated performances, and encounter more worms than anyone should ever have to in real life.
2. Piranha (1978)
When it comes to filmmakers who truly have a passion for movies, few compare to the genre-mixing, fun-loving, eternally youthful Joe Dante. Before giving us beloved films like The Howling (1981), Innerspace (1987), and both Gremlins films (1984 & 1990), Dante was hired by the legendary Roger Corman to create something reminiscent of Jaws.
But fortunately, Dante’s creativity was too boundless to churn out a boring ripoff. With a sharp script from John Sayles, Piranha tells the story of ravenous fish invading a summer resort. While it clearly draws inspiration from Jaws (and its immense success), the film infuses its own satirical humor. It stands out as perhaps the best of the Jaws imitators, thanks to its playful jabs at the genre's tropes and clichés, plus some truly unnerving kill scenes.
3. Prophecy (1979)
Describing the late John Frankenheimer as an eclectic director would be an understatement. Known for classics like The Manchurian Candidate (1962), Seven Days in May (1964), and Grand Prix (1966), he had a bit of a rough time with the 'animal attack!' genre in 1979. While Prophecy was clearly meant to make a serious statement about pollution and Native American issues, its overly somber tone results in a somewhat goofy monster movie. In this earnest but odd tale, an impressive cast wanders through a forest as a mutated, freakish bear picks them off one by one.
The film's pacing can feel slow at times, and David Seltzer's screenplay (The Omen) often takes itself too seriously. Still, it's a curious experience to see a B-movie made by Paramount, Frankenheimer, and a cast that includes Robert Foxworth, Talia Shire, Richard Dysart, and Armand Assante. And of course, there’s a death scene with a sleeping bag that must be seen to be truly believed.
4. Alligator (1980)
While Lewis Teague would go on to direct a far more intense killer animal film with Cujo (1983), it’s the dark humor and sardonic tone of Alligator (1980) that sets it apart from most films of its kind. Like Piranha, Alligator is both a full-throttle nature-gone-wild horror movie and a sly parody of the genre, which makes sense since both films were written by the legendary John Sayles (who also wrote The Howling in 1981).
With its brilliant mix of brutal horror and sharp humor, Alligator also features solid special effects and an ensemble cast that includes Robert Forster, Robin Riker, Dean Jagger, and Henry Silva, who clearly enjoyed their roles, especially Silva as the 'Quint' figure. Don’t miss the iconic swimming pool scene—it's a moment that haunted the nightmares of countless pre-teens throughout the 1980s.
5. Roar (1981)
Though best remembered for her role in a movie about killer birds, Tippi Hedren deserves recognition for producing a film that saw her live alongside wild lions for nearly a decade. Now largely forgotten (though it’s about to get a re-release), Roar was infamous for being a massive box office disaster—but it remains one of the most insane films you’ll ever witness.
Produced by Hedren and her then-husband, the thoroughly incompetent writer-director Noel Marshall, and starring their children (including a young Melanie Griffith), Roar is a virtually plotless collection of loosely connected moments where the filmmakers frolic with a wild assortment of lions, tigers, and elephants. Despite its stunning cinematography, the film often feels like a horror movie mistakenly disguised as a family film. The mix of good intentions, poor filmmaking, and wildly misplaced determination makes Roar one of cinema's most jaw-droppingly bizarre experiences.
6. Slugs (1988)
Jean Piquer Simón is a true pioneer in Spanish cinema, as showcased by this wildly unpredictable story of garden slugs that become homicidal. Clearly, it would be absurd to take this kind of premise seriously, and Slugs goes all in with its over-the-top, utterly absurd execution.
Not only does the film present the obvious threat—"slugs that eat people"—but it also throws in some truly revolting moments involving slug salads, exploding heads, and all sorts of random chaos that doesn’t quite belong in this kind of movie, yet is undeniably entertaining to watch.
7. Man's Best Friend (1993)
Written and directed by John Lafia (Child's Play 2) and starring Ally Sheedy, Lance Henriksen, and a genetically-engineered Tibetan Mastiff, Man's Best Friend feels like a twisted version of 1986's Short Circuit (also starring Sheedy). Instead of a lovable robot with a crush, this movie centers on a hyper-intelligent, super-strong, and often vicious mega-dog who escapes a laboratory, befriends a kind woman, and starts devouring people left and right.
The film’s humor comes from its witty parody of dog-related clichés, paired with a slyly satirical tone that pops up amidst all the canine chaos. While Man's Best Friend might not be the best killer dog movie around, it’s certainly one of the most (intentionally) entertaining.
8. Willard (2003)
Film buffs love to argue that remakes are always inferior to the original. Until you bring up examples like The Fly (1986) or Glen Morgan's stylishly wicked reboot of the 1971 rat-filled Willard. Then they’ll admit that, OK, sometimes remakes don’t totally suck.
So what makes Willard stand out from the typical remake fare? Its wicked sense of humor, a fantastic Shirley Walker score, some cool rodent effects, a hilariously evil R. Lee Ermey, and, of course, a delightfully offbeat—and surprisingly heartfelt—performance by the one and only Crispin Glover. The '70s were full of 'misfit strikes back' horror films (the original Willard even predates Carrie, which influenced this type of tale), but this unexpectedly clever remake adds a much-needed dose of dark humor, making its bizarre premise just a little easier to swallow.
9. Black Sheep (2006)
Here’s a prime example of a film that balances horror and humor: you can't really make a 'serious' movie about killer sheep, but that doesn't mean it has to be ridiculously stupid or poorly executed. In fact, the New Zealand import Black Sheep was impressive enough to land a spot in the Toronto Film Festival's prestigious "Midnight Madness" lineup.
Writer-director Jonathan King strikes an excellent balance between character-driven humor, sheep-induced insanity, and just enough outrageous gore to satisfy horror fans. But what makes Black Sheep stand out is its self-aware tone and vibrant execution. It’s undeniably silly, but it's also well-crafted, proving that it’s possible to be ridiculous while still maintaining quality—and without treating the audience like fools.
10. Big Ass Spider! (2013)
Often mistakenly grouped with films like Mega Shark and Dinocroc as part of the junk drawer of B-movies, this low-budget, high-octane giant spider flick is actually a surprisingly spot-on homage to a sub-genre that gave us classics like The Giant Spider Invasion (1975), Kingdom of the Spiders (1977), and the still-awesome Arachnophobia (1990). (If you haven’t seen Arachnophobia yet, make sure to add it to your watchlist now.) Oh, and don’t forget to throw Eight Legged Freaks (2002) into the mix too.
Although it’s definitely broad and often ridiculous, Big Ass Spider! also stands out as a B-movie where a surprisingly clever cast fights to save Los Angeles from—you guessed it—a giant spider invasion. While it does have its budget limitations and the usual low-budget quirks, Big Ass Spider! scores major points for encouraging the audience to laugh with its absurdity, never at it. And that’s what separates a genuine "movie" from cheap pop culture "product." (Also, the spider effects? Pretty cool.)
