Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy the Mail Girl returned for one of their four final specials for The Last Drive-In with a creature feature meets modern horror pairing, bringing together Rawhead Rex (1986) and Oddity (2024). It is a bizarre double feature on paper, and somehow even stranger in execution. One is a messy cult monster movie from the eighties, the other a tightly controlled modern slow burn. The contrast being pretty in line with The Last Drive-In.
This is the kind of episode that lives or dies on how much patience you have for tonal whiplash. Joe Bob and Darcy do their best to bridge the gap, but these are two completely different flavors of horror with almost no overlap beyond “things lurking in the dark.”
Rawhead Rex Is Loud, Messy, And Weirdly Fun
Rawhead Rex is exactly what its reputation suggests. It is clunky, uneven, and often unintentionally funny, but there is a certain charm to how hard it commits to its nonsense. Based on Clive Barker’s work, the film follows a resurrected ancient creature terrorizing the Irish countryside, blending folk horror ideas with straight-up creature feature chaos.
The biggest problem is the monster itself. Rawhead looks ridiculous more often than threatening, which undercuts the film’s attempts at dread. That said, the movie leans so far into its weird mythology and over-the-top violence that it circles back around to being entertaining.
Joe Bob’s commentary does a lot of heavy lifting here. The behind-the-scenes context, especially around Barker’s dissatisfaction with the adaptation, adds more value than the movie can provide on its own. In a hosted format, Rawhead Rex works. On its own, it is a much rougher sit.
Oddity Is Quiet, Controlled, And Actually Creepy
Oddity is the exact opposite experience. Where Rawhead Rex is loud and messy, this is precise and restrained. The film builds tension through atmosphere, framing, and slow reveals rather than spectacle. It trusts the audience to sit in discomfort, and for the most part, that approach works.
The performances carry the film, grounding the supernatural elements in something that feels real and uneasy. There is a confidence in how the story unfolds, even when it withholds information. When the horror does hit, it lands because the film has earned it.
That said, it is not a perfect fit for the Last Drive-In format. Like many modern slow-burning horror films, stretching it out with breaks can dilute the tension. It remains effective, but you can feel the pacing strain under the format.
Conclusion
This is a split personality episode. Rawhead Rex delivers messy cult horror energy that thrives on commentary and context, while Oddity brings a more refined and genuinely unsettling modern approach. Individually, both films work in their own ways. Together, they never quite click.
It is not a bad night, but it is an uneven one. You get one chaotic, so bad it is kind of good monster movie, and one slow, controlled horror film that demands patience. Whether that works for you depends entirely on your tolerance for tonal whiplash.
The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs has three more specials that will be streaming live on Shudder (whenever they air) at 6 PM PST and 9 PM EST with episodes available on Sunday.
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