Killer Inbred Films

By Adam Thomas

Saturday October 15, 2005

You know them when you see them. Retardation, cannibalism, bad teeth, a fondness for animal skins and reckless dismemberment are a few key signifiers of the maniacal inbred killer. The best films tackling the subject spare no gory detail. There is almost no way of getting around the torturous chase through the woods, so your only chance of survival is your wits, some true grit, and if you’re lucky a loaded pistol. Deliverance gave us the classic line “squeal like a pig!” and taught us to fear backward, backwoods banjo players. In 1977 Wes Craven introduced us to a band of crazies seriously terrorizing a stranded family in the desert, in The Hills Have Eyes. And proving inbreeds aren’t a thing of the past 2003’s Wrong Turn had fun with inbred exploitation and showered viewers with blood, limbs and wood running in this terror of the Ozarks film. All three of these movies should guarantee that you’ll never sleep with anyone in your family. Again.