Horror Directors

Looking for a great horror film? Just pick one of the many great films from one of these directors. All of them are critically acclaimed and have helped shape horror movie production into what it is today.

1) Stanley Kubrick:

Though he did not only focus on horror films, he still created some of the best of all time. Born in 1928 he is best known for his work directing "the Shining" the film based on the book of the same name by Stephen King. Critically acclaimed as one of the greatest films of all time, Kubrick does a great job in creating tension and genuine fear in the audience with virtually no jump-scares or over the top gore, he is a master at his craft. The setting and camera techniques he uses are genius, installing fear in the viewer even when there is nothing to be afraid of. He has also showed his great directing skills in other films such as the controversial 'A Clockwork Orange' based on a dystopian future Britain and also lets not forget the sci-fi epic '2001: A Space Odyssey', and this really shows his genius behind the camera for if you looked at the film today you would not think it was made in 1968. The camerawork is simple beautiful.


2) George.A. Romero:

The father of all modern zombie films, he is a pioneer in the industry and still going strong. Every technique, cliché and general plot in every zombie flick you see today was created or first done by Romero. Born in 1940 he is most famous for his small budget, independent film 'Night of the Living Dead' one of the first mainstream zombie movies. This film was made using only two cameras and all the special effects used are real, and though there is no over the top gore or blood it still installs fear in the audience because of the very quiet atmosphere throughout the whole film and also the black and white film. He went on to release a string of spin-offs and sequels which again all received critical acclaim and are seen as classics in the eyes of everyone.


3) Wes Craven:
Wes Craven, perhaps the king of 80's horror. He has created countless classic throughout the decades from 'The Hills Have Eyes' in the 70's, 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' in the 80's and 'Scream' in the 90's. All of these films which are decade defining horror films and all great pieces of film. But his best known work I'd say was on 'A Nightmare on Elm' street. Now I'm not a fan of horror films that over exploit blood, sex and gore and if one film does this it is 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'. But Wes is a genius and had one of the best minds in the industry and has an eye for creating iconic characters, in this case Freddy Krueger. And the plot of the film really makes it scary, but also a classic, there is nothing more terrifying than someone, (nevermind an undead man with a big claw on his hand) who can kill you in your dreams and the only way to stop him is to go into your dream and kill him yourself. And the great thing about this film is that as our main protagonists try to fight sleep you start to see their mental health deteriorate and you are never quite sure when they are asleep or when they are awake, creating a lot of confusion but at the same time making it a great and timeless watch.


4) Alfred Hitchcock:

And last but certainly not least, Alfred Hitchcock, born in 1899. A pioneer and visionary director who is widely seen as one of the greatest directors of all time. He is best known for his work on the infamous classic 'Psycho' (1960). Which tells the story of a man named Norman Bates who lives in a hotel with his estranged 'mother'. It is considered one of the all time great horror films and inspired many directors and other films. Everyone has seen the infamous shower scene were one of the protagonists is stabbed as she pulls back the shower curtain. This scene has been re-created and parodied many times, it is probably one of the most recognizable scenes of all time. Though he has received a lot of criticism from the masses for his objectification of women in his films, leading many to call him a misogynist. Despite this no-one can deny he was one of the greatest minds in film history, this is why his films still have such a huge influence today.