Any film genre is defined by a few standout directors who have made their names creating films within that style. Names such as Wes Craven, John Carpenter, and Sam Raimi are all names that make people think of horror films.A Nightmare on Elm Street,Halloween, andEvil Deadare all long-running franchises that have made indelible marks on the horror genre.
However, it isn’t always established horror names that create an impact. Some of the genre’s most memorable films have been made bydirectors who aren’t knownfor horror, and who maybe never make another film in the horror genre. The following films are fantastic examples.
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The Host – Bong Joon-Ho
Oscar-winning South Korean director Bong Joon-ho has been gradually building up his reputation for years, quietly making excellent films before becoming a household name with his filmParasitein 2019. While Bong Joon-ho had been making genre-smashing films for a while,The Hostwas his first foray into horror witha monster movieworthy of the hall of fame.
In this tale, the American military dumps formaldehyde into the Han River, which leads to the mutation of a strange and scary amphibious monster. Several years later, the creature makes a very public appearance on the river bank. Park Gang-du runs a snack stall down by the river, and the monster grabs his daughter Hyun-Seo and disappears with her. The rest of the film sees Park search for his daughter as she tries to survive in the sewers. It is a scary, devastating family drama as well as a monster movie.
Jacobs Ladder – Adrian Lyne
Director Adrian Lynetook a hard right turn with his 1990 filmJacob’s Ladder. Before developing this harrowing look at PTSD brought on by the Vietnam War, Lyne was known for9 1/2 Weeks,Fatal Attraction, andFlashdance.In a completely different vein,Jacob’s Ladderstars Tim Robbins as Vietnam War veteran Jacob Singer. Jacob is plagued by disturbing visions and struggles to differentiate reality from madness.
With horrific medical scenes, creepy vibrating figures, and an uneasy feeling that this could not be PTSD but something more,Jacob’s Ladderhas become regarded as one of the scariest films of all time. The terrifying visuals and blanket of dread and confusion that coat the film make it an all-time masterpiece.
Nosferatu The Vampyre – Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog is known for his slow, often grim documentary works alongside his works of drama and fiction. He is also known for getting shot in the abdomen by an airsoft rifle during an interview and simply continuing on with the interview. Despite all of this, one of Herzog’s most famous films is the remake/re-imagining of the 1922version ofNosferatu. Herzog’sNosferatu the Vampyrestarred Klaus Kinski as the titular bloodsucker and Isabelle Adjani as Lucy Harker.
The film was praised for its aesthetic and for making the headlining vampire sympathetic and somewhat forlorn. With beautiful composition and a haunting melancholy throughout,Nosferatu the Vampyreis still acknowledged today as one of the great vampire films telling the story of Dracula.
An American Werewolf in London – John Landis
Frequently touted as thequintessential werewolf film,An American Werewolf in Londonhas left an indelible mark on horror cinema. Considering John Landis isn’t known for making horror films, it’s quite an achievement. The film sees American tourists David Kessler (David Naughton) and Jack Goodman (Griffin Dunne) trekking across the Yorkshire moors in England when they are attacked by an unseen creature. Jack is killed and David is injured, but little does David know he has received much more than an injury from the attack.
After waking up in London, it becomes clear that David is now a werewolf. Over the course of several days, David transforms at night and rampages through London, indiscriminately tearing people to shreds. The film is famous for its makeup effects and the grisly transformation sequence that turns David into a murderous beast.
Near Dark – Kathryn Bigelow
Near Darkwas a surprising and now cult take on the vampire genre by director Kathryn Bigelow in her debut as a solo director. In this neo-westerntake on horror and nomadic vampires, small-town boy Caleb (Adrian Pasdar) crosses paths with a traveling group of vampires headed by Jesse Hooker (Lance Henriksen). After being bitten by Mae (Jenny Wright), Caleb becomes a vampire and is swept up by the RV-driving night lovers.
Caleb is drawn into a life he doesn’t want and struggles against his new condition and the savagery of the group he has ended up in. Bill Paxton plays Severen, an unhinged member of the vampire clan, in what is often dubbed one of his most memorable performances.Near Darkdid poorly on release but has gained ahuge cult followingover the years. Surprisingly, despite Bigelow beginning her career with this horror film, she went on to directPoint Break, Zero Dark Thirty, andThe Hurt Locker.She hasn’t yet returned to the horror genre.
