Rob Zombie Movies Ranked
2. House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
One of Rob Zombie’s most iconic pieces of cinema, and certainly his most dominant horror film from the early 2000s, is House of 1000 Corpses, the film that started the infamous Firefly Trilogy.
Being known for his horror-based creations seen in the likes of his music videos for “Living Dead Girl” (1999) and “Superbeast” (1999), Zombie was invited to design a maze for Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights. The attraction sparked an idea for a movie based around a completely harrowing family akin to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise’s family tree, alongside a tortuous house that embodies the psychedelic, and mesmerising frights that appear in amusement park attractions.
Since its release, House of 1000 Corpses has achieved cult status through the sheer battiness of the characters, especially with the introduction of Sid Haig’s Captain Spaulding and the haunted house atmosphere that fully positions us into an epically unnerving hell.
1. The Devil’s Rejects (2005)
The Devil’s Rejects remains Rob Zombie’s most noteworthy and critically acclaimed film to date, pleasing the masses and grossing over twice its budget at the box office.
It’s common to see Zombie’s past influencing his craft, with his work referring back to his childhood favourites such as Badlands (1973) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977). The relationship between these classic films and The Devil’s Rejects is clear, with every second of screen time being dedicated to the dusty, dark landscapes seen within 1970s cinema.
Despite the beloved mania seen in House of 1000 Corpses, its sequel steered clear of making caricatures out of its characters, opting for a much more dreary tone that enhances the atrociousness of the violence.
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Which Rob Zombie film do you think is his best? Does Zombie’s style scratch a particular itch for you, or do you find his work challenging? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to follow @thefilmagazine on Facebook and Twitter for more insightful movie articles.
Updated to include The Munsters 24th March 2023, originally published 8th October 2022.
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