Horror is easily one of my favourite genres of cinema, it is a genre that can either take itself completely seriously or not at all yet can still work in either case. Perhaps one of the oldest genres of cinema with origins in gothic literature and early cinema from the likes of Georges Méliés, horror cinema has a rich history that spans an entire century. Over the years there have been a variety of directors who were acclaimed for their works in the world of horror cinema, even today directors such as James Wan and Eli Roth keep the genre alive with films that bring in some originality while paying homage to older films. It is true to say that there have been some legends of horror cinema, directors who kept the genre fresh and helped it to develop and grow, introducing new ways to keep audiences scared shitless. The following list is my own pick for the top ten greatest horror film directors of all time, people who have scared us for years and helped to make horror what it is today.
10. James Whale
James Whale is one of the earliest directors to establish himself as an icon of horror cinema and although he only has four horror films under his belt, they have influenced the genre immensely and are still relevant today. Whale is most well known for his work on Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein for Universal studios which both starred Boris Karloff as the monster. The style of his Frankenstein movies were gothic and dark and influenced countless adaptations and parodies later on in the genre including the likes of Young Frankenstein and Van Helsing. When many people think of the Frankenstein story they think of Whale's exaggerated and gothic sets along with Karloff's iconic creature making Whale one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of horror cinema.
9. Tobe Hooper
This Texan filmmaker made his mark in the horror hall of fame with his 1974 low-budget slasher film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and has since gone on to direct films such as Poltergeist, The Funhouse and a television adaptation of Stephen King's novel Salem's Lot. When Hooper initially released The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, the film was met with criticism for its shocking sequences and for being (at the time) too extreme, this reaction alone highlights Hooper's talent as a horror film director. The man is responsible for several other memorable scenes in horror such as the clown doll attack in Poltergeist and the revelation of the sinister Kurt Barlow in Salem's Lot. Along with being a master of horror, his directorial skills are also admirable which is evident in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre which is aesthetically pleasing along with being shockingly memorable.
8. Terence Fisher
Terence Fisher is most well known for his countless films made for Hammer Studios including the likes of Horror of Dracula and The Curse of Frankenstein. He also managed to establish both Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing as the icons of horror that they are today due to their frequent collaborations together. However, the biggest impact that Fisher has on the genre is the fact that he is the first director to bring gothic horror films to full colour which allowed for more visible onscreen blood. His style is notable for its gothic elements along with colourful sets and costumes while his films contain more violence and sexual undertones than previous films of the genre. His films were less camp and took themselves a bit more seriously than earlier horror films making Fisher one of the most prominent directors in horror cinema in the mid-20th century.
7. Lucio Fulci
The Italian Lord of Gore, Lucio Fulci is notorious for his penchant for excessive violence in his films such as Zombi 2 and The Beyond. Although many of his films suffer from poor acting and plot holes, Fulci manages to create an immense sense of dread throughout his works using his directorial skills, creating numerous memorable moments such as the tarantula scene in The Beyond which still makes me shiver. His films have been criticised for their graphic depictions of violence and some of them even made it on to the video nasty list in Britain. However Fulci's films have since gained a cult following from the likes of Quentin Tarantino to myself being among the fans. His graphic depictions of violence have gone on to influence countless films, especially those in the torture porn subgenre while some of his films remain creepy even by today's standards (House by the Cemetery and The Beyond still give me chills).
6. Alfred Hitchcock
Although the iconic director is better known for his mystery and thriller films, Hitchcock is without a doubt the master of suspense which is one of the key elements to making a horror film. The director is responsible for one of the most influential horror films of all time, Psycho based on Robert Bloch's novel and considered to be one of the earliest slasher films. The film was way ahead of its time and even today it remains to be one of the most shocking horror films ever made thanks to its gothic style and Hitchcock's talent for creating suspense. The British director may also be responsible for ornithophobia thanks to his 1963 horror The Birds where a small town in San Francisco is terrorised by the flying beasts. For a man with such talent for suspense it is surprising that he does not have more horror films under his belt, however Hitchcock to this day remains one of cinema's most influential directors.
5. George A. Romero
George A. Romero is often cited as one of the defining directors of horror cinema and this is very true as he issued in a new age of zombie films with his classic Night of the Living Dead. Before Romero, the typical representation of a zombie was a dead person brought back by means of voodoo or witchcraft as an undead slave of sorts, however Romero redefined the zombie genre making them into the bloodthirsty walking corpses we all know and love today. Again, Night of the Living Dead was met with controversy upon its release due to audiences finding it both shocking and upsetting, since then however it has become one of the defining horror films of the 20th century. Romero followed it up with two more zombie films Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead along with a follow up trilogy which began in 2005. Along with his iconic zombie films Romero has directed other films such as Creepshow and The Crazies building up a colourful filmography for the iconic director.
4. Wes Craven
Last year we unfortunately lost one of horror cinema's most beloved filmmakers Mr. Wes Craven which was truly upsetting as he has given us some of the most memorable horror films of the 20th century. Like many of the directors on this list, Craven was met with controversy with the release of his debut film Last House on the Left due to its depiction of rape and violence. However, the film has since become one of the most iconic horrors of the 70's and highlighted Craven's skills as a director. He went on to direct films such as The Hills Have Eyes and later on the Scream series but his most well known work is A Nightmare on Elm Street. Craven gave us the character of Freddy Krueger who has since become one of the most recognisable villains in horror cinema, this is undoubtedly the highlight of his career and what really left his mark in the horror hall of fame. Despite a lack of successful horror films late in his career, Craven will always be remembered for his massive contribution to the genre as he rightfully should be.
3. Dario Argento
Often cited as the Italian Hitchcock, Dario Argento is renowned for his films and his contribution to the horror genre. From his early giallo films such as Profondo Rosso and Four Flies on Grey Velvet to his iconic supernatural horror Suspiria, Argento has been praised for his talents in building suspense and for his skills as a director which are particularly noticeable in Suspiria, his greatest film. His films are recognisable for their depictions of graphic violence, high levels of suspense and memorable cinematography, along with frequent collaborations with Italian prog-rock band Goblin and Ennio Morricone on his scores. Suspiria is the best example of Argento's talents as he combines colourful cinematography and production design with an eerie score from Goblin making it a beautifully haunting piece of cinema. Although in recent years his films have declined in quality, his unique style and early works continue to influence modern horror cinema today.
2. Mario Bava
Before Dario Argento revolutionised the giallo genre, Mario Bava created it with films such as Blood and Black Lace and The Girl Who Knew Too Much. Bava is regarded as the father of Italian horror as his films such as I Vampiri predate those of any other Italian filmmaker, he also influenced fellow Italian filmmakers such as the previously mentioned Fulci and Argento along with his own son Lamberto Bava. However, his influence spans beyond Italian cinema as Bava is often regarded as the man who kick started the slasher genre. Although it came after Psycho, his film A Bay of Blood is what made the slasher genre what it is today and its influence can be seen explicitly in films such as Friday the 13th Part 2 and is often regarded as one of the defining films of Bava's career. His influence has echoed through the works of numerous modern horror filmmakers and without Bava it is fair to say that slasher films may not have been the same.
1. John Carpenter
Writer, director, musician, it is fair to say that John Carpenter is a man of many talents but among all of those talents, Carpenter is the horror master. Over the years, Carpenter has given us some of the most suspenseful films of the horror genre such as The Thing and Halloween, the latter being another one of the most influential early slasher flicks. To do what Carpenter did with Halloween on such a low budget is a great achievement as not only is it a stylistic and suspenseful masterpiece but it also set off the long chain of slasher films that came out in the 80's. His films continued to keep the consistency that was set by Halloween with many more successes throughout the 80's while his later films gained a cult classic status with the likes of They Live. In recent years we don't hear much from Carpenter, he (along with Dario Argento) gave us some of the more memorable episodes of the anthology show Masters of Horror yet his most recent film The Ward met poor reviews. Recently he has released an album Lost Themes which highlighted his musical abilities that made his films scores so memorable. A true auteur of the horror genre who utilised past influences while also influencing more contemporary filmmakers, John Carpenter is a true master of horror who's films are set in stone as some of the highlights of horror cinema.
So that was my pick for the top 10 best horror film directors. I'd like to give a few honourable mentions to David Cronenberg, Tod Browning, Takashi Miike and David Lynch (to be fair some of his films are more terrifying than a lot of modern horrors) who did not quite make the list but are still among some of my favourite directors of the genre. If you have any favourites who I might have left out then let me know in the comments, I'm not sure when my next post will be but I should have one up within the next week, thanks for reading.
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