The Best Moments of one of the Worst Years in Horror: looking back 20 years to 1995

There are great horror films (e.g., Saw, The Conjuring), there are typically color-by-numbers trope-rich sequels (e.g., A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise) and there are zany, gory, low budget direct-to-video releases (e.g., Puppet Master and almost everything by Full Moon Entertainment).  Generally we see maybe one or two greats, several enjoyable trope-rich flicks, and countless DTV releases in any given year.  We recently did some articles on more recent “best moments” in horror: 15 Images for 15 Years of Horror: Part 1: some of the greatest, goriest, most shocking and most memorably defining moments in horror since 2000 and 15 Images for 15 Years of Horror: Part 2: The Good, the Bad and the Hilarious.

The year of 1995, however, was a year in which the horror well ran dry.  There were almost no sequels to please fans of proven franchises, few DTV releases worth mentioning, and the best movie referenced in this article (Species) has been borrowed from Sci-Fi and is included on the basis of the gore.  But, in honor of our “1995 Year in Review Week” we turn back the clock 20 years to reflect on the more memorable moments that 1995’s horror had to offer.  So here are 10 moments from 10 movies, in no particular order…

Species (1995) managed to present two things terrifying to men.  A woman’s coming of age is gruesomely depicted in the cocoon/chrysalis scene and, of course, Sil (Natasha Henstridge) pulls a praying mantis and kills men after sex…after transforming into a no-longer-sexy mix of a tentacle monster and H. R. Giger’s Alien!  Natasha Henstridge even got breast implants for this role and talked about it in interviews.  Truth be told, Species was basically a high budget sexploitation movie masquerading as a sci-fi special effects thrill ride.

The Prophecy (1995) made the ultimate badass fallen angel out of Christopher Walken.  “Shhhh.”  That’s all I have to say.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go see this movie.  The film was original and it hasn’t been ripped off (that I’ve noticed) in 20 years.

Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) made bees REALLY creepy.  Case 39 (2009) did a good job with the unnerving yellowjacket/hornet scene when Bradley Cooper bites it.  But Candyman was haunting…bees in mouths…bees on flesh-stripped ribcages.  Just gross!  LOL

Village of the Damned (1995) proved that between 1960 and 1995 very little had changed…we still found that blond kids that don’t smile are creepy as Hell!

Tales from the Crypt presents Demon Knight (1995) and a most charming Billy Zane.  He seemed so persuasive, didn’t he?  Now imagine how Titanic and Demon Knight would have turned out differently if these two movies swapped Billy Zane personalities.

Lord of Illusions (1995) and the sword trick.  When that trick started to go wrong, I started reeling!  A great scene from a little known horror that saw a theatrical release, but then got forgotten by most as if it was a Full Moon direct-to-video release.  This flick was, in fact, worth it!

Tales from the Hood (1995) takes Blaxploitation too far and gets a bit racist.  Just look at this doll!

Vampire in Brooklyn (1995) is basically Boomerang (1992) made into a horror comedy.  Just compare the movie posters…same face, woman in similar pose, hovering over the city.

Ice Cream Man (1995)…because Clint Howard!  That’s why!  He actually won an MTV Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.

The Granny (1995)…the most ridiculous horror release of 1995 next to Ice Cream Man.  I’m not saying you “should” see this…but it’s really….something. LOL