Horror films are tricky. Not everyone can pull them off. For every The Exorcist and Halloween, there is an Exorcist II: The Heretic or a Jason X. Many filmmakers who make one successful horror film stay in the genre for their entire careers, but some of the best horror films have been made by filmmakers outside of the genre.
That said, there have been many horror directors who have branched out with a film or two in genres other than horror. Always risky, the following filmmakers have proven themselves ample directors of something more than the horror films they are known for.
10 Wes Craven - Music Of The Heart (1999)
To tell the true story of a teacher who brought classical violin studies to an inner-city school, Miramax studios hired Meryl Streep for the lead and, of all choices, Wes Craven, the creator of A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream, as director.
The film was very well received and led to two Oscar nominations, one for Streep and one for Best Original Song. Craven and Streep got along well and the filmmaker was seen in a new light after delivering a film with a pure heart.
9 Lucky Mckee - Red (2008)
Lucky McKee became a popular horror filmmaker due to his masterful fright film May and his well-received episode from Showtime's Masters of Horror series, "Sick Girl." In 2008, McKee helmed the film version of Jack Ketchum's dramatic thriller, Red, about a man who demands justice for the killing of his dog by three youths.
Brian Cox plays the lead and was praised for his performance and the film itself is a deep character study of a man at the end of his rope. McKee was removed by the studio after completing over half of the film. It is not known why this happened, but the cast have commented that a great deal of what the director shot exists in the film.
8 Stuart Gordon - Edmond (2005)
Stuart Gordon was a respected horror filmmaker, thanks to his 80s classic Re-Animator and the genre classic From Beyond. Gordon's adaptation of the H.P. Lovecraft tale was respectful to the material, while putting it in a modern setting and adding some gruesome FX sequences. The film was crafty, witty, and creepy and proved Gordon to be a master of the genre.
Edmond was Gordon's adaptation of David Mamet's play about an unstable man who spends a dangerous night in the depths of New York City. Mamet wrote the screenplay and Gordon proved a perfect match (the two collaborated in the Chicago theater scene for years), as the film is essentially a character piece. William H. Macy starred and is in every scene, making Edmond a fascinating character to follow. Often mislabeled as horror, Edmond is a dark character piece about a man who falls prey to the deceptions of his city.
7 John Carpenter - Elvis (1979)
Fresh off of his massive success with Halloween, John Carpenter wanted to do a film about one of his childhood idols, Elvis Presley. Producers of the television film were impressed with Carpenter's knowledge of music, his self-penned scores, and his knowledge of Elvis, so the director got the gig.
This would be the first of the famous John Carpenter/Kurt Russell collaborations and it is one of their best. The film is respectful to the man and his musical legacy. Critics praised both the film and Russell's performance and Priscilla Presley gave the script her blessing and was pleased with the film. Kurt Russell's performance is said to be the most accurate portrayal of the music legend and the film is considered one of John Carpenter's best.
6 Sam Raimi - The Quick And The Dead (1995)
Sam Raimi branched out with his tribute to the Spaghetti Western with 1995's The Quick and the Dead, a revenge Western that starred Sharon Stone as a gunfighter who comes to a town where a to-the-death gunfight competition is being held. Gene Hackman is the villainous man who runs the contest and the town. Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe make up the main cast.
Raimi made the film move, never letting the audience get bored. Reviews were good and the filmmaker proved his worth with his first time out of the horror genre.
5 George A. Romero - Knightriders (1981)
Already an icon for his zombie films Night of the Living Dead and its sequel, Dawn of the Dead, George A. Romero took a different route with his 1981 oddity, Knightriders, his film about a troupe of medieval reenactors who live out the codes and lifestyles of the medieval times but ride motorcycles, using the machines instead of horses when jousting.
Ed Harris plays the king and Tom Savini gives a shining performance as "The Black Knight," who will eventually challenge his reign. The film received mixed reviews but has become a cult classic due to its originality, with many recognizing it as one of Romero's very best non-zombie films.
4 Sam Raimi - A Simple Plan (1998)
Raimi surprised critics with his terse and wire-tight thriller A Simple Plan. Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton are brothers who, along with their friend, played by Brent Briscoe, find a suitcase of money under a crashed plane. What follows is a Hitchcockian thriller infused with great character work and a deeper Cain and Abel drama.
The film made its way to many "best of the year" lists and, although it did poorly at the box office, is considered a classic from its decade.
3 John Carpenter - Starman (1984)
Carpenter goes Spielberg with this tale of an alien who comes to Earth seeking help to get to the rendevous point where his mothership will pick him up. If he doesn't make it in time, he will die.
Carpenter's film was a big hit with audiences and critics. Starman proved that the horror meister could handle a character piece. The filmmaker crafted an emotionally beautiful road film that highlighted the performances of Karen Allen and Jeff Bridges. Bridges was nominated for an Oscar for his performance.
2 David Cronenberg - A History Of Violence (2005)
Master of gruesome body horror, David Cronenberg adapted the graphic novel A History of Violence into a strong character study of the effect of violence on a small-town family.
Viggo Mortensen turned in one of his best roles/performances as a husband and father whose dark and violent past catches up to him. Heavy on character and performance, Cronenberg expertly balances the drama with jolting bursts of violence. Supporting actor William Hurt and screenwriter Josh Olson were nominated for Oscars.
1 John Carpenter - Escape From New York (1981)
A master of terror and father of the modern slasher film, John Carpenter went for futuristic action with 1981's Escape From New York. Kurt Russell stars as "Snake Plissken," a war hero tasked with going into Manhattan Island (which is now a walled-in prison) to save The President of the United States after he was captured when Airforce One went down.
Carpenter's vision was original and gave birth to countless imitations throughout the 80s. Kurt Russell's Plissken became an iconic character and the film became a classic of 80s cinema and is considered top tier John Carpenter, proving the filmmaker could handle an action film, along with his mastery of the horror genre.
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