We’ve got a shitload of lists on this website. Top 10 most brutal women in horror, top buggy movies, top animal attacks; we even recently had top supermarket horror films. But we may have reached another level with this one… Film’s Most Frightening Rabbits!
Bunnies are generally cute and cuddly so you’d think that “evil” ones would be a pretty rare find, right? Well, think again, my friend! Bunnies aren’t always as cute as Anna Farris and Angela Bettis in May. Sometimes those flop-eared bastards are downright nasty. Sinister rabbits have made their presence known in all types of movies.
We celebrate this list in conjunction with the release of Silent Hill: Revelation 3D, the long anticipated sequel to Silent Hill, which hits theaters on Friday, October 26.
However, if you want scary, General Woundwort from Watership Down is about as off-putting as a cartoon bunny can get and certainly deserves an honorable mention. And perhaps the scariest bunny, although already dead, was boiling in a pot on the stove thanks to Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. How many men’s zippers were stowed in the upright and locked position after seeing that little tantrum? Yikes!
Now, on to the bunnies!
Night of the Lepus (1972)
Based on a 1964 science-fiction novel entitled Night of the Angry Rabbits, Night of the Lepus was originally entitled Rabbits and tells the story of an Arizona town besieged by mutated, carnivorous rabbits. Now that’s exactly what we’re talking about. The film starred some heavyweight talent like Janet Leigh, Rory Calhoun and DeForest Kelly. The bunny effects were done by using domestic rabbits set against miniature backgrounds (how fun is that?!) as well as actors in bunny suits for some of the attack scenes. Beautiful. The film was released on October 4, 1972, and would go on to be crucified by critics. However, due to the sheer campiness of it, Night of the Lepus has gained cult status and remains alive in the hearts of horror fans today.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
The Cave of Caerbannog is the location of our next bad-ass bunny. Led there by Tim the Enchanter, King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table find themselves overjoyed with the prospect of facing just a little rabbit to gain entrance into the cave. But things aren’t always as they seem. That little white bastard laid the lumber to the Knights of the Round Table in quick fashion, killing a number of them and causing Sir Robin to soil his armor… again. This ferociously beastly bunny was responsible for one of the most hilarious and memorable scenes from the Monty Python lexicon. It’s a case of finding horror in humor, and if you want a bloodthirsty bunny, this one certainly fits the bill.
Sexy Beast (2001)
Okay, this is a strange one. (It seems odd that after we write about a rabbit killing members of the Knights of the Round table, the next entry on the list would be “a strange one,” but here it is). In Sexy Beast an evil mutant cowboy rabbit invades a character’s dreams after she watches a member of her party utterly fail at killing a jackrabbit in the dessert. In the dream an anthropomorphic rabbit menaces the woman… oh yeah, and he’s toting an Uzi. Family entertainment at its finest. However, in all seriousness, Ben Kingsley was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in this film. Maybe the humanoid rabbit’s foot brought him luck.
Donnie Darko (2001)
And, of course, when you think horrific rabbits, everyone’s mind immediately goes to Frank, the inter-dimensional living/dead, hero/villain of Donnie Darko. Frank is an incredibly complex character, and the fact that he’s dressed in that stupid bunny suit is a great juxtaposition to the depth of the role. Frank is so creepy that his face went on to be the calling card for Donnie Darko, the cult favorite that sucks you into an meandering maze of twists that culminates in the ultimate mind-screw. And Frank, well, he went on to be an iconic horror characters who asks Donnie, and by extension, all of us: “”Why do wear that stupid man suit?” He is the best of the bunnies.
NOW comes the newest addition to the fuzzy-headed creatures: everyone’s favorite blood-soaked Robbie from Silent Hill: Revelation 3D! Will you be able to stand the nightmares?
Open Road has acquired U.S. rights to video game-based sequel Silent Hill: Revelation 3D and plans to release the psychological horror flick wide on October 26th. Sean Bean, Deborah Kara Unger, and Radha Mitchell return from the original film.
Synopsis
For years, Heather Mason and her father have been on the run, always one step ahead of dangerous forces that she doesn’t fully understand. Now on the eve of her 18th birthday, plagued by terrifying nightmares and the disappearance of her father, Heather discovers she’s not who she thinks she is. The revelation leads her deeper into a demonic world that threatens to trap her in Silent Hill forever.