By now many of us have had the chance to check out M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening, and most are in agreement that it is a far cry from earlier horror gems like The Sixth Sense. So far, in fact, that it is painful to witness the dramatic decline in quality over the course of the once-promising director’s career. This got me thinking: What other acclaimed horror movie auteurs have experienced similar creative freefalls? It turns out, quite a few. So indulge me now as I incite another comments uproar with this collection of notorious director misfires. Hey, at least M. Night has nothing to be ashamed about. He’s not the only one to go from great to god-awful.
10. Joe Dante – Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)
I ranked this one low, because it wasn’t a horror movie at all, but still felt the need to acknowledge the sad fate of the great Joe Dante. How is it that the guy who gave us Piranha, The Howling and Gremlins came to this? I’m a fanatical admirer of the Looney Tunes, but this flick represents their ultimate ass-end nadir. As for Dante, we should’ve seen the writing on the wall with Small Soldiers.
9. Sean Cunningham – DeepStar Six (1989)
Not saying that Cunningham is any kind of Orson Welles, but Friday the 13th is such a beloved film amongst horror fans that it’s a shame to see the director put his name to this, the worst of the barrage of underwater monster flicks that hit cinemas in the late 1980s. Still, probably the best thing Nia Peeples was ever a part of. Except for “The Party Machine with Nia Peeples.”
8. Stuart Gordon – Robot Jox (1990)
First he gave us Re-Animator. Then, From Beyond. Then, Dolls. And next came this tale of combat between people in giant robot suits in a post World War III wasteland. If this was meant as a comedy, it would probably be a lot better. But alas, it wasn’t. When it comes to giant robots, leave it to the Japanese. They have the market cornered on this particular strain of awfulness.
7. John Landis – Innocent Blood (1992)
Admittedly, not the worst vampire movie in the world. But coming from the director of An American Werewolf in London (and considering this film was originally going to be titled A French Vampire in America), I expect a whole lot better. And I know I’ve included this flick in two lists in a row now, but what do want from me?
6. Clive Barker – Lord of Illusions (1995)
After the top-notch Hellraiser and the underrated Nightbreed, the acclaimed horror author-turned-director gave us this movie, which helped explain exactly why Scott Bakula never made it out of the TV ghetto. Barker hasn’t directed another movie since.
5. John Carpenter – Village of the Damned (1995)
Carpenter fails miserably at recreating the remake magic that worked so well for him with The Thing. How sad is it that this forgettable schlock was one of Christopher Reeve’s last movies before the accident? And one of Kirstie Alley’s last movies before she ate half the cast of Cheers?
4. George Romero – Bruiser (2000)
After seven years away from the director’s chair, Romero notoriously let down legions of fans with this bizarre revenge thriller. The zombie-meister’s rep has yet to fully recover, although even the harshest critics of his recent living dead installments have to admit they’re improvements over this.
3. Wes Craven – Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)
Right before rising from the ashes with his Scream franchise, Craven delivered this stillborn clunker. Hard to believe the guy responsible for Last House on the Left, The Hills Have Eyes, A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Serpent and the Rainbow gave us this lame vampire flick, which sunk a wooden stake into the heart of Eddie Murphy’s movie career.
2. William Friedkin – The Guardian (1990)
This wretched tale of druidic terror was marketed as being “From the director of The Exorcist”—trust me, I still remember seeing it in the theater (along with four other movies on this list, I’m afraid). Must’ve seemed like a good idea to sell it that way, given Friedkin’s solid reputation. However, the film’s evil tree-worshipping nanny is no Regan MacNeil.
and finally, the number-one horror director collapse…
1. Tobe Hooper – The Mangler (1995)
If this film about a possessed laundry folding machine wasn’t based on a short story by Stephen King, there’s absolutely no way it would ever have been made. Nothing, not Hooper, not a starring turn by Robert Englund, not a supporting appearance by Ted “Buffalo Bill” Levine, can save this unmitigated celluloid abscess. It boggles the mind that this came from the once-visionary creator of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as well as Salem’s Lot, The Funhouse, Poltergeist and Lifeforce. Proof that some great artists can simply run out of things to say.
For more news and opinions on the world of horror, including a review of The Happening, a look at evil kids in horror movies, and the final chapter of the history of the modern zombie movie, check out Brian’s daily blog, The Vault of Horror, at The Vault of Horror.net
I actually liked Bruiser and DeepStarSix (I have a soft spot for all the Abyss-rip-offs)...but I fully acknowledge they're crappy films. For my two cents...M. Night Shyamalan was a hack from day one! I always hated that guy.
"What about Robert Rodriguez going from From Dusk Till Dawn to the Spy Kids trilogy? "
Well those movies MADE money and lots of money so I wouldnt call that a bad turn considering that was what he wanted to do.
I think EVERY one of these guys has great movies left in them. Now if only the studios with the budgets would agree, then maybe we could get a new franchise, or acclaimed film.
Wes Craven has had way to many good movies to nock him for one which he rose back from. John Carpenter is the same...one bad movie does not take away from his half a dozen or so awesome ones. I also think George Ramero has a few good movies left in him, as well as the other two...especially Wes because he is not on the verge of death like the other two.
The Lord of Illusions and Innocent Blood are great movies! How about everything that Argento has done after his last masterpiece Opera? Then there is Hideo Nakata who did Ringu, Ringu 2 and Honogurai mizu no soko kara (Dark Water - 2002) who then turned around and made The Ring Two - 2005. There is also Brian De Palma who wnet from making Sisters, Carrie & The Fury to turds like Raising Cain, Snake Eyes & The Black Dahlia?
What about Rodriguez doing the faculty? That was a pile of shit if I ever seen it. I also think Argento should have been thrown on here for that pile of dung known as The Card Player. Other then that most of these are pretty accurate.
This list is reaching. Most of the movies here are good, if not great. If you really want to dig at Craven, how about The Hills Have Eyes, Part II? Dog flashback man, dog flashback.
John Carpenter gave us greats such as Halloween, The Thing, In the Mouth of Madness, and Big Trouble in Little China, but also crap like They Live, and Prince of Darkness (which i think is his worst movie)
Other than M Night, who wasnt even on the list, none of these guys have really collapsed.. they still have good stuff in them. Hell, half the ones on this list made some of their best films right after (Craven with Scream, Romero with Land, Dante with Homecoming...). Night, on the other hand, just gets steadily worse.
joe dante- yeah that is the worst he's done.
Cunningham- come on dude! He's barely done anything!
Gordon- I'm sorry, have you seen 'daughter of darkness'?! Even anthony perkins couldn't help that!
Landis- er beverley hills cop 3?! OSCAR!! They were bad horror flicks!
Oh come on! leave barker alone!
J.C and Romero- what can you do? Times were hard.
And craven- hello, did you see SCREAM3?!
Friedkin- well i hated 'the exorcist'. Legion baby!
And tobe hooper? Oh come on! Spontanious combustion anyone?! You'd have a hard time making a good pic after spielberg taking the credit for 'poltergeist' too!
These top ten lists seem like they're written by someone who tries to be a horror fan just to impress the metal chick in his homeroom class. And she doesn't give a fuck.
And for the record, everytime you mention Uwe Boll's name, Chuck Norris kicks a newborn baby in the face.
This list is a bit misleading. Only directors who started strong and have only gotten weaker in the genre should included. (Some are inconsistent, like Craven who did MUCH better with Red Eye and doesn't deserve to be on this list.) However, if you measure how far they have fallen, M. Night should be at #1. The one-time high of the Sixth Sense led to the straight downward spiral that is Lady in the Water and The Happening (how these got produced I'll never understand). These are simply terrible, terrible films and no one should ever pay to see another M. Night film again. Ever.
guarino 2002 is Director collapses Uwe Boll's never have a high, and john carpenter name don't deserve put in the list.
also Robert Rodriguez Spy Kids are movies for childrens and make money children like them and me to movies need to see and review in the genere they are made Stuard Gordon make much crap and i like Lord of Ilusions of Clive Barker, all the others I agree and Cuninningham is more a producer
whatabout House, that to is a kick ass Steve Minor film.
And I don't really see what's wrong with Lord of Illusions (which is a really nasty movie) and Village of the damned (maybe not carpenters best, but still a step above most horror movies). personally I think it's a bit to easy to bitch about a movie then to appreciate it
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