Robert Smith’s ‘messed up’ movie watchlist has thrilled fans as The Cure frontman has great ‘taste’

A “messed up” watchlist of movies from The Cure frontman Robert Smith has been praised by fans of the band.

Many members of the r/TheCure subreddit believe the list highlights the influences of Smith’s writing, but also that he has great taste in film. While on the Wish tour, Smith requested a series of films be delivered to him, with it marked as an “urgent” message to Howard Thompson. The fax sent to Thompson requested a series of horror films and some all-time classics, which were “unavailable in the UK” at the time of the letter. Smith also asked for some recommendations from Thompson for films in the “splatter-cannibal she-devil vein!” The full fax can be found below, with many in The Cure’s subreddit impressed by the variety on display.

Smith wrote: “Dear Howard, I hope this fax finds you well! I have a favour to ask of you… I was hoping to have had a day off in New York City to do a bit of shopping, but the addition of Dayton, Ohio, and Meet the Winners at MTV has put paid to that; so I was wondering; would you be able to get the following VHS videos for me? (All unavailable in the UK).”

The list of films included A Clockwork Orange, Driller Killer, I Spit On Your Grave, Last House on the Left, Blood-Sucking Freaks, Filthy Rich, and Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill. Added to the end of the list was a note, reading: “…and maybe a couple of others you could recommend in the splatter-cannibal she-devil vein!”

“I’ve got a multi-standard player so NTSC isn’t a problem… I’m asking you because you’re the only person I think will know where to get them’ but if you can’t, that’s fine. Either way, I hope to see you at the Nassau Coliseum show… thanks for your time.”

Fans were thrilled by the list, with one person writing: “Love that he’s a horror fan.” Another added: “God I love this. So polite and yet such a funny list when think about how the fax starts. I love that he says if you can’t find them that’s ok. He seems like a really cool person.”

A third wrote: “Taste, as per usual.” Others were horrified by the list as they pointed out the “messed up movies” which featured on the list. One person wrote: “Those are some messed up movies.” Another added: “Noticed this too. Very specific genre.”

A third shared: “I’ve honestly quit the horror genre because of the underlying themes.” Some were even stunned by the list of films Smith had picked, despite the gothic themes found in his music.

A fan wrote: “Those are not the films I would have expected to see on Robert Smith’s watch list.” Another disagreed, replying: “That’s funny cause those were exactly the films I would’ve expected to see on his watch list.”