Best Horror Director

Originally posted by Mr Zero
But if I'm hearing this right - any movie that has a SF element to the horror isn't a horror movie it's SF? And because only a few of Cronenbergs films fall within your definition he isn't "full-fledged" enough?

You're not following. Crony belongs in a best directors PERIOD poll. As do Hitchcock and Raimi. In essence, this being the Horror forum and all, I figured nods for the title would be reserved for those whos life works mainly reside in the genre? He's a great director, just not a typical director with which you'd hear in a Horror genre word association.

As for Romero. There's not much more than a 4 second blurp on the radio to "establish" the zombies origin in NOTLD. In any case, that's a subplot, not the main story. I'll say it, as a director, I feel Romero is overrated. He belongs in such a list, but wouldn't be in my poll, and for good reason.

John Carpenter..

..if we disallow his "non traditional and sci fi tinged" work you are saying is the greatest horror director on the strength of Halloween, The Fog and Christine.

Lest we forget "Vampires", "In the Mouth of Madness", and "Prince of Darkness"? That's quite a resume. Who did you vote for? Do tell.

See, there's no biased, there's you people trying to force square pegs in round holes, and then there is what actually fits.

Carpenter fits. Like butta.

Originally posted by Mr Zero
And while I'm kicking your ass.

😆

"Please don't kill me, Mr. Zero! I wanna be in the sequel!" Nigga, please.

Originally posted by Cinemaddiction
I loathe "genre benders" like that. Especially "The Sixth Sense". The way I see it, where ever Hollywood Video and Best Buy keep the movie, THAT'S the genre it is.

End of the day it doesn't really matter what genre a film is, whether its horror, sc-fi or a mixture of everything. A good film is a good film and David Cronenberg makes good films, M Night Shyamalan doesn't.

MildPossession> Technically, most fans wouldn't see him as Horror director. But after watching Audition he seens to be a promising horror director in the future. Also, Audition isn't his only horror film (actually is one of his best) but there is also Visitor Q and Ichi the Killer (which I'm sure not a lot ppl like it, but I did).

Most of Takashi films combine Crime and Horror into his movies. Yes, his movies sometimes involved Yakuza characters. He doesn't go for the supernatural stuff. He aims more at the evil within humans. Which I think is a great setting for a horror.

I look at "Audition" as more suspense than anything. "Ichi the Killer" can't be categorized, much like "Versus", where as "Battle Royale" is an action movie.

Bearing in mind we're taking these directors actual DIRECTING into account here, Fulci's work is basic. Excessive gore doesn't merit much.

D'amato was a bonafide pervert. I can't appreciate "art" in his direction.

Craven's a horror director, through and through. He never really delved into other genre's.

Carpenter has 2 easily recognizable sides. Horror and Sci Fi. In his prime, he was the best at both. However, really hasn't had much to offer the last 15 years.

Hitchcock was the master of suspense, not Horror. Buh-bye.

Raimi's is like Romero. An indie trilogy. The rest of his works are as far away from the genre as possible. Raimi however did leave his mark on cinematography.

Tobe Hooper is responsible for making probably the single most important Horror movie ever, then swiftly dropping off the face of the Earth, "Poltergeist" and "Toolbox Murders" not withstanding.

Cronenberg is a double dipper who has directed fantastic movies, but who is better recognized for said movies, and the fact that he CAN'T BE categorized. Another reason why he shouldn't be relegated to this particular poll.

Winddancer I know he combines, I was just being sarcastic in my other reply to you 🙂

I agree with Cine with Romero being overrated as a director.

Cine- Battle Royale is not a Miike film, or were you just adding that onto the list in that sentence.

Originally posted by Cinemaddiction
I look at "Audition" as more suspense than anything. "Ichi the Killer" can't be categorized, much like "Versus", where as "Battle Royale" is an action movie.

You prove my point. Not all Horror fans see his movies as pure Horror flicks.

Originally posted by Cinemaddiction
Bearing in mind we're taking these directors actual DIRECTING into account here, Fulci's work is basic. Excessive gore doesn't merit much.

The gore that Fulci brings into his movies is quite unique. There are times in which is hard to watch a scene, but that's what's great about his movies! Watching the gore happen brings that horrofic sense of death in the characters.

Originally posted by Cinemaddiction
D'amato was a bonafide pervert. I can't appreciate "art" in his direction.

It is understandble that not many fans will appreciate his style of Erotica and Beastily in his works. Yes, is not for younger audiences and that's what I like about him. His films were never targeted at a younger audience but more at the adults. Offensive? Only if you don't appreciate harcore.

Originally posted by Cinemaddiction
Cronenberg is a double dipper who has directed fantastic movies, but who is better recognized for said movies, and the fact that he CAN'T BE categorized. Another reason why he shouldn't be relegated to this particular poll.

The same can be said about Ridley Scott. He made Alien, brought two genres into one movie. The result was a great movie.

[edit note]IMO Romero isn't overrated. But prior to his movies were there really any good Zombie flicks?

Still blurring the line between directing and writing/producing, though.

In my personal opinion, George Romero has nothing to his directing credit that really makes him stand out. Writing? Yes, yes, yes. Stroke of genius, but his work is so candid and campy, that there isn't anything that would move people emotionally, as he was cleverly mocking human nature to begin with.

While there was a level of credibility and relatibility, the actual WAY in which most of his movies were directed was average. He deserves credit for single handedly (re)creating the zombie movie genre, but his directing is so vanilla. There's no credible threat posed by the zombies in his movies, which may be why we've seen mobile undead as of late.

Lucio Fulci is indeed the godfather of gore, but the only highlights of his actual directing seem to be memorable death scenes. In retrospect, perhaps Fulci does belong on this short list, given there are a few instances.

Thanks for being civil, guys. Hope I am getting my opinion/point across.

"In my personal opinion, George Romero has nothing to his directing credit that really makes him stand out. Writing? Yes, yes, yes. Stroke of genius, but his work is so candid and campy, that there isn't anything that would move people emotionally, as he was cleverly mocking human nature to begin with."

The ending of the original Night of the Living Dead is recognized as one of the most powerful and emotional endings of horror history. When we see Ben being thrown with hooks in to the pile of zombie bodies it is heart breaking to witness.

Romero does indeed have a directing style, it is being simplistic, which adds a sense of realism to his films. It's what made his zombie films so great, they were simple, basic and thus, realistic.

However, C-dic does have a point, Romero's greatness is definately more involved in his writing skill then his directing. I guess when I answered the question I wasn't really answering "best horror director" but "best horror film maker". Something that's easy to confuse with "director".

If we're basing the question purely on directing, I'll have to say the best horror director of all time is Dario Argento. His films had the most style and creativity behind them in a directorial sense. But if we're talking the best "horror film maker" then the nod definately goes to Romero, he has the total package.

imo, i think the scriptwriter has more to do with how good the film is than the director. however, a clear exception to this is evil dead. while im not sure who wrote it, it was raimis camera work and brilliant ideas that made the movie.

Romero, He made Dawn, Nuff Said!!