Alphabetical Horror Films - K & L Quiz

Answer: Killer Klowns From Outer Space

The Chiodo Brothers, who made the sci-fi/horror comedy "Killer Klowns From Outer Space" in 1988, were perhaps better known for their animatronics and practical effects work throughout the 1980s and 1990s, having worked on "Critters", "UHF", and "Ernest Scared Stupid" amongst other films. "Killer Klowns", however, became a cult classic (or a 'kult klassic'?) due in part to its campy nature. Featuring a small town's-worth of actors, the movie involved aliens that landed in a sleepy region in their big-top-style UFO with the intent to consume humans.

They were, of course, clown-like.

Answer: Krampus

Created by Michael Dougherty, who emerged onto the horror scene with the renowned film "Trick 'r Treat", "Krampus" brought horror back to the holidays with the terrifying creature of European folklore, Krampus, whose aim was to punish naughty people during Christmas. Though the film wasn't a box office hit, it was a foray into the genre for both Adam Scott and Toni Collette, the former of whom would appear in the Netflix movie "Little Evil" and the latter of whom would help bring Ari Aster's "Hereditary" to life a few years later. "Krampus" also sparked a couple of knock-offs, as is wont to happen in these situations; "Krampus: The Reckoning" came out in the same year and "Krampus Unleashed" showed up the year after.

Answer: Lake Mungo

Filmed as though an episode of a paranormal or crime documentary, "Lake Mungo" focused on the events leading up to and following the drowning of a young girl in Australia whose body was found on a family trip to Lake Mungo. What followed was a hunt for unforeseen evidence as to the unearthly nature of her fate. "Lake Mungo" was critically acclaimed despite not really finding a theatrical audience; it went on the film festival circuit in 2008 before being picked up for the third round of After Dark's Horrorfest lineup.

Answer: The Last Exorcism

Produced by "Hostel" director Eli Roth, "The Last Exorcism" prolonged the found footage trend maintained by "Paranormal Activity" for as long as it did, claiming to capture the exorcism of a Southern farmgirl by the name of Nell. The movie was quite popular, earning more than $60,000,000 in the box office (on an under $2,000,000 budget) and as a result a sequel was released in 2013.

While Patrick Fabian starred as Cotton Marcus in the first film, the sequel followed Nell, played by Ashley Bell. Interestingly, the sequel opted not to use the handicam filming method.

Answer: The Last House on the Left

If the 1970s were getting away with a specific type of horror, it was the down-and-dirty exploitation flick hitting the big screens before even the common slasher took root in the genre. "The Last House on the Left" was an early one, showing up in 1972 to become Wes Craven's directorial debut.

He would, of course, go on to make "A Nightmare on Elm Street", "The Hills Have Eyes", and "Scream", becoming one of the horror greats. The original "The Last House on the Left" was a revenge story about a girl killed by a group of fugitives.

When the same fugitives attempt to hide out at he family's home, they got more than they bargained for. The film was remade in 2009, directed by Greek filmmaker Dennis Iliadis (though overseen by Craven).

Answer: Lights Out

Based on a short film made in 2013, "Lights Out" based its haunting on a ghost that could only appear in the darkness. What followed was to be expected-- the people in the movie got themselves into enough jump-scare situations to give you a headache, often in settings where lighting had the remotest chance of flickering. Creator and director David F. Sandberg, who helmed the film from the get-go, would subsequently go on to direct "Annabelle: Creation" in the "Conjuring" Universe and, in 2019, the superhero film "Shazam!". "Lights Out" was a massive success, earning nearly $150,000,000 USD on a $5,000,000 budget.

Answer: The Lighthouse

A follow-up to the critically acclaimed period horror film "The Witch", "The Lighthouse" was unique for a number of reasons, notably the decision to film the movie in a square aspect ratio to mimic early cinema. This black-and-white feature saw two lighthouse wickies on an island off the U.S.' east coast fighting to stay alive when a storm wiped out their rations and removed their chance of rescue. The isolation was only part of the problem, however, as curses, supernatural phenomena, and cabin fever set in.

"The Lighthouse" was released by A24 in 2019 and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography.

Answer: Leatherface

Considered a prequel to the very first "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" film (released 43 years earlier in 1974), "Leatherface" followed the origin story of Jedidiah Sawyer, later known as Leatherface, seen in the days between his escape from a mental facility and the day he picked up the chainsaw. French filmmakers Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, creators of the French body horror movie "Ā l'intérieur", were brought in to direct their first English-language movie. Sadly, Tobe Hooper, who created the original film and spearheaded a series of popular box office hits for the genre, passed away a month before the film premiered.

Answer: Let the Right One In

"Let the Right One In" (or "Låt den rätte komma in") was a bit of a cultural moment, hitting the horror scene and the international stage at a time when dramatic, unique takes on the subgenre were being overtaken by the likes of "Twilight" (in the same year!).

Instead of sparkly vampire cinema, "Let the Right One In" offered a chilling, dark tale of a boy who became infatuated with a vampire in the form of a young girl, but actually an immortal being. The movie, renowned by critics and filmgoers alike, won a significant number of awards and was adapted in the U.S. as "Let Me In", directed by Matt Reeves (who also directed "Cloverfield" and, eventually, several "Planet of the Apes" films).

Answer: Leprechaun

Aniston may have kicked off the series, but as "Leprechaun" continued with sequel after sequel, coming into its own as a campy, villain-driven horror franchise focused more on gags than plot, it didn't focus all too much on improving its quality. The series shifted from North Dakota...to Vegas...to outer space...to 'the hood' in its effort to reinvent and place Warwick Davis' Leprechaun in unique locales.

After "Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood", the sixth in the series, the franchise was rebooted altogether.

The original featured a family moving into a home and accidentally unearthing a pot of gold. Irish hi-jinx ensue.