10 Great Horror Movies From First Time Directors Ranked According To IMDb

10 Great Horror Movies From First Time Directors, Ranked According To IMDb

Horror is a genre full of innovation. These 10 first-time directors nailed it on their first try, too.

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Horror is often the first genre many budding filmmakers attempt to tackle. Not only is it typically associated with lower budgets, but it generally tends to make its money back too – making it a relatively safe option for new directors. Whereas some directors tend to stick to the genre after their initial success, others branch out into other avenues to explore different types of projects.

More often than not, movies from a first-time director aren’t all that great. Every once in a while, however, a directorial debut can result in a truly classic horror movie – as the following 10 examples prove.

10 Cronos (1993): 7.1

The directorial debut of beloved director Guillermo Del Toro, Cronos tells the story of the not-so-subtly named antique dealer Jesus Gris, who comes across an ancient amulet that grants him youth and seemingly immortality.

The movie serves as an early showcase of Del Toro’s signature visual flair and whimsical horror, breathing new life into the previously worn-out vampire sub-genre. Marking Del Toro’s first team-up with actors and frequent collaborators Federico Luppi and Ron Perlman, the movie’s performances – as well as its visuals, script and sense of originality – were highly praised. As a result, Cronos is often considered one of the best foreign-language horror movies ever made.

9 Re-Animator (1985): 7.2

Based on the more straight-faced short story from the master of cosmic horror H.P. Lovecraft, 1985’s Re-Animator remains a fun and stylish horror-comedy that revels in the absurdity of its own premise.

Following brilliant scientist Herbert West, as he concocts a serum capable of bringing the dead back to life, the experiment soon spirals out of control as his subjects become violent, zombie-like creatures. Re-Animator displays director Stuart Gordon’s burgeoning penchant for body horror, with the result proving both grotesque and hilarious in equal measure – something his follow-up film From Beyond goes even further with.

8 Hereditary (2018): 7.3

Few movies have exemplified the phrase instant classic as aptly as Hereditary, with director Ari Aster earning himself a reputation as one to watch in the horror landscape. Putting us in the shoes of miniature artist Annie Graham as she grieves the loss of her late mother, the movie sees its central family haunted by intense grief and unspoken resentment – setting the stage for the movie’s tragic supernatural events.

Hereditary is a relentless pressure cooker of a movie, weaving together the paranormal and the painfully real perfectly, with the movie’s layered story and meticulous attention to detail making it the ultimate ‘re-watch’ movie.

7 Eraserhead (1977): 7.4

Taking place in an empty, surrealist landscape, director David Lynch’s first directorial effort Eraserhead follows Henry, a man who must look after a profoundly disfigured baby in this harsh industrial environment.

Becoming one of the most relevant experimental films of the 70s, Eraserhead took over five years to make due to lack of funds – with only Lynch’s determination to see his vision through keeping the project alive. While the movie is the only firmly categorized horror project he’s done, Eraserhead served as an indicator of the director’s aptitude for creating terrifying and unsettling sequences – something seen often in the likes of subsequent projects Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive.

6 The Wicker Man (1973): 7.5

Unfortunately, most people tend to think of the terrible 2006 Nicolas Cage remake when they hear The Wicker Man. Despite this, Robin Hardy’s 1973 classic is perhaps the best folk horror film ever made. The story sees Edward Woodward’s religious police sergeant Neil Howie visit Summerisle – a remote island whose inhabitants practice paganism – in search of a missing girl. Naturally, things don’t go too well for Howie.

Hardy’s portrayal of the island’s residents as incredibly accommodating yet notably peculiar instills a sense of sinister dread in even the movie’s most casual interactions – culminating in one of the most haunting yet beautifully shot finales in horror history.

5 The Evil Dead (1981): 7.5

The legendary debut of scrappy young filmmaker Sam Raimi and his close group of collaborators, The Evil Dead was a revelation when it released back in 1981, and his since become one of the most popular – and frequently imitated – horror movies of all time.

Taking the classic ‘cabin in the woods’ set up and injecting it with a blood-soaked, sadistic glee, The Evil Dead dipped its toes into horror-comedy – something which was expanded on in the movie’s remake/sequel Evil Dead II – while still remaining suitably frightening. The movie singled out Raimi as a masterful horror filmmaker, even using this skill to instill a sense of menace in the family-friendly Spider-Man movies.

4 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974): 7.5

There’s no doubt that Tobe Hooper’s 1974 slasher masterpiece The Texas Chainsaw Massacre would place near the top of most horror aficionados’ lists of the greatest horror movies of all time, and for good reason.

The movie’s premise sees a group of teenagers stumble upon a dilapidated house in the middle of nowhere, only to be picked off by the abode’s sadistic, cannibalistic residents. Made on an incredibly small budget of around $700 million, the movie has a reputation for being brutal and terrifying despite showing noticeably less gore than the title would suggest.

3 Get Out (2017): 7.7

Given the cultural impact of Get Out, as well as many of the Jordan Peele’s subsequent projects, it’s odd to think there was a time when the actor/director was solely associated with comedy. The movie follows Chris Washington, a black man who’s introduced to his white girlfriend’s affluent family. Though the family is eager to make Chris feel welcome, he can’t shake the feeling that there’s something more sinister afoot.

Boasting an incredible script teeming with detail and nuance, Get Out is the kind of assured directorial debut that only comes once a generation.

2 Night of the Living Dead (1968): 7.9

Arguably responsible for popularizing the overly saturated zombie genre, Night of the Living Dead still serves as perhaps the best example of the genre almost half a century later. Using its set up to explore relevant social themes and the horror of humanity – with its eponymous living dead serving as flavor rather than the main course – Night of the Living Dead favors script and atmosphere over budget and scale.

In fact, the movie stands as one of the most profitable movies ever made, bringing in a total of $30 million on a budget of just $114,000.

1 The Night of the Hunter (1955): 8.0

The first and only film directed by Charles Laughton, 1955’s The Night of the Hunter is loosely based on the true story of the psychotic Harry Powers – changed to Powell in the movie – who was infamous for luring women into relationships before murdering them for their money.

The movie follows this same structure, focusing on Powell’s attempts to ensnare the widowed Willa Harper and her children, in the hopes of stealing a doll containing $10,000. With The Night of the Hunter placing its innocent central characters at the mercy of a ruthless killer, the movie’s tense plot is enhanced by Laughton’s unique, shadowy direction and thick atmosphere.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/great-horror-movies-first-time-directors-ranked-imdb/

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