Recommends: ‘The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs’
Sometimes you reach the end of a long week, and just want to relax and watch a movie. Sometimes it can be hard figuring out what to watch. Maybe you’re in the mood for horror, but just can’t decide on what horror to watch. Maybe you want to watch something new, but have no idea where to start. Maybe you just want someone to make these decisions for you so you can get right to lounging on the couch or fire up your projector.
If you have felt any of this, the national treasure that is Joe Bob Briggs has you covered. What I consider to be a Shudder essential, The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs has been giving horror fans exactly that, and it has been a true gem. Unfortunately, it looks like the show is coming to an end this year, with 4 more episodes planned starting tonight. If you haven’t caught it before, I urge you to start, especially if you love horror.
Believe it or not, this show goes all the way back to 1986, originally called Joe Bob’s Drive-in Theater. The show aired for ten years on The Movie Channel, then in 1996 became a TNT series called MonsterVision. The premise stayed the same across both shows: Joe Bob hosting horror movie marathons. MonsterVision unfortunately didn’t last as long, with the show being cancelled in 2000.
On June 25, 2018, seventeen years after MonsterVision last aired, Joe Bob made a big announcement: the good people over at Shudder were bringing him back, and The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs was created. The first special consisted of a 24 hour live horror movie marathon hosted by the man himself, and after two more marathons that same year on the holidays, the specials turned into a regular show, consisting of double features (or sometimes more) on Friday nights.
The shows were pretty successful, and years later I finally got to see why. I unfortunately learned about The Last Drive-in pretty late, but still never really took the time to sit down and watch it until a good friend of mine told me I have to check it out (she’s the biggest horror buff I know, so I knew this was serious). I don’t think she’ll ever read this so I can say this without worrying about gloating: am I glad I listened to her. These shows are just so much fun! It’s not just a double feature. Joe Bob, and his co host, the amazing Darcy Prince, provide really fun commentary throughout. The shows almost always have a theme; tonight’s is witch themed in honor of Walpurgisnacht. Their intros are always great, with Joe Bob and Darcy going in depth not just about the movie, but sometimes the genre or the time in which the movie was released. There’s always a “Drive-in Total” that can range from a kill count to a dismemberment count to a dance sequence count and anything in between. Darcy will almost always has an on theme costume and it rules. Sometimes they’ll have special guests that any horror buff will instantly recognize, from Tom Atkins to Felissa Rose to Kane Hodder and more. They’ll break up the movies to not only talk and joke about the movie, but to provide really great behind the scenes stories or history, not just about the films, but the genre or the time the movie came out. It’s all fun, insightful, and funny, and you can really feel the love and passion these guys have for horror. You just want to grab a beer with these guys and talk horror with them. There was an episode that showed One Cut of the Dead, one of my favorite “horror” movies, and at one point Joe Bob gives a passionate and encouraging speech for those who want to become a filmmaker but are unsure of themselves. It’s inspiring stuff that had me grinning ear to ear.
Not only are Joe Bob and Darcy great, but the movies they pick are always interesting. Every genre has been tackled here, from classics to B-movies to hidden gems and more. While I do love horror, there have only been like two times I’ve seen a movie they’ve shown before. Ninety nine percent of the time, they’re showing me something new. It’s a great and fun way to add to your horror movie list.
As I said before, the show looks like it’s potentially and sadly coming to an end. On the last episode last month, Joe Bob announced that the series has ended. Four more specials will air, one tonight and the others planned for summer, Halloween, and Christmas. It is a massive bummer, and you could tell this struck a chord among many horror fans when the news was announced. I still think Shudder is the best bang for your buck streaming service, but a big reason why I kept my subscription was because of this show.
But while it does suck, we’re still lucky to get a couple more shows this year, and if you haven’t watched it by now, I urge you to check out The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs on its (supposedly) last run. It’s a fun way to expand your horror viewing, and these two are a fun hosting duo that I’ll definitely miss. We also just sadly don’t get stuff like this on TV anymore, which is a shame because it is a really special experience that feels communal.
So if you’re not doing anything tonight, but you’re in the mood for some horror while not wanting to pick something, then this is the show for you. Sit back, relax, invite horror loving friends over who want to do the same, crack open your favorite drink and snack, fire up your TV (or projector, which I might do tonight), and have fun with The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs while you still can. If you’re like me, or any one of its fans, you’ll definitely miss it when it’s gone.
