A Bloody Good Time 2.07.08: Horror Returns That Should Happen
Posted by Joseph Lee on 02.07.2008
Five people who have left the horror genre, but need to return now!
Welcome to…
So, I'm going to make a confession. I had to re-tool my idea a little bit. I thought it would be easy to find actors and directors who started out in the horror genre, abandoned it and never returned. As it turns out, many of them do come back. Instead, I'm going to go a different direction. This is my list of the people who need to come back and make a new horror movie.
I'm not going to go the obvious route and say "Bruce Campbell needs to make more horror" because the man still makes horror. Also, it wouldn't be fair to demand Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright to do a new horror-comedy as their careers are just starting in the theatrical sense. So no one that still does horror regularly. I'm sure you won't agree, and may even have ideas of your own, and that's fine. But here are mine.
George Clooney
Past Horror: Return to Horror High(1987), Return of the Killer Tomatoes(1988), From Dusk ‘til Dawn(1996)
Latest Work: Nominated for Best Actor for the superb Michael Clayton.
George Clooney is a guy who's very likable, as clearly seen in his films. He's been in some really bad stuff before making it big, what with the killer tomatoes and all. The main reason he's on this list is because he was in From Dusk ‘til Dawn. In that movie he played a charismatic criminal who runs afoul of a bar full of vampires in Mexico. Clooney owns the screen in that movie, outshining everyone he's paired up with.
That was his first major theatrical role, but he was popular already thanks to the television series ER. Since then he's become a very high-profile, critically acclaimed actor. His films Syriana(2005) and Good Night, and Good Luck(2005) received a lot of award nominations. Michael Clayton was the sleeper hit of the fall, doing much better than anyone expected a legal thriller to do, and that was thanks in part to Clooney's performance, combined with everything else.
What could Clooney do, exactly? Play the bad guy. I'd love to see a horror film in which George is a charismatic serial killer of some sort, dispatching helpless victims. He's always the likeable guy in most of his movies, and I want to see him in a role that makes people dislike, and perhaps be scared of him. I think he could pull it off. If he's not up for that, a supernatural horror film in which he protects his family from ghosts of some kind could always work. He can't say he's above it, he once was in a movie with killer tomatoes.
Peter Jackson
Past Horror: Bad Taste(1987), Braindead(1992), The Frighteners(1996)
Latest Work: Doing the remake of King Kong, which wasn't meant to scare but be an epic adventure.
Peter Jackson is known for his directing on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. What many don't realize is that he made several low-budget campy horror films back in the day. Really gory ones too. I think the most famous of these would be The Frighteners, as that had Michael J Fox and was released in the States. It's a cult favorite.
After that movie, Jackson spent a good period of his life making those "hobbit movies". These were epic adventures with great special effects and they were all critically acclaimed. Jackson finally won a Best Director at the Academy Awards for Return of the King(2003). After that he made King Kong(2005), which was just as epic. However, it removed any horror aspect the original might have had (in 1933, people) and made the ape sympathetic. The only thing horrifying about that movie was Adrien Brody's nose.
Jackson should return to horror, and this time in a way no one would expect. Before his fame, his horror was extremely gory and just as campy. Let's see what Jackson can do with a serious film meant to frighten us. I think he could pull it off. Jackson's directing style is a good one and if anyone could provide us with some real scary horror, it's him.
David Cronenberg
Past Horror: Scanners(1981), The Dead Zone(1983), The Fly(1986)
Latest Work:: Directing Naomi Watts and Viggo Mortensen in the great Eastern Promises.
Cronenberg used to be known as the guy who made some real mind-blowing horror. His movies weren't for everybody. Personally I didn't enjoy Videodrome(1983) yet thought The Fly was amazing. His style of film can be out there if he lets it and he's responsible for many a memorable picture. Remember that movie where the guy's head explodes? That's Scanners. That's not even the weirdest thing he's ever made.
Cronenberg has really reigned himself in lately, making some serious drama with A History of Violence(2005) and last year's Eastern Promises. Some would say he's been snubbed with no Best Director nomination yet but it's probably only a matter of time. As far as future projects, Cronenberg already can make horror that is very disturbing. I just want to see more of it.
Elijah Wood
Past Horror: The Good Son(1993), The Faculty(1998)
Latest Work: Day Zero, a movie given limited release a couple of weeks ago. It's about three men who are affected when the draft is reinstated.
Elijah Wood hasn't participated in much horror (and it's hard to say The Good Son counts), but he has been. The reason I've included him on this list is his performance as Kevin in Sin City(2005). It could be because of the direction, but I'd like to think that it's a testament to Wood's abilities that he does nothing and provides a creepy supporting role. Kevin was an unnerving character, and when Marv finally tangles with him you want him to get taken out.
It's pretty clear what I'd like to see Elijah do. Play a similar role to Kevin, but use his full acting range to do so. The worst thing about Elijah is that he still has a boyish quality to his look. I think that, combined with his own talents could make for a scary killer of some kind. Who knows if he would take this kind of role but I would like to see it.
And finally…
Bill Paxton
Past Horror: Aliens(1986), Near Dark(1987), Frailty(2001)
Latest Work: Bill's been on the acclaimed HBO drama Big Love.
Please God, bring Bill Paxton back to the world of horror. I know that he was just in a horror film in 2001, but seven years is too long. Bill had a smaller role in Aliens where he was the victim of the title monsters, but he's provided some manic, great performances in both Near Dark and Frailty.
Sure there are other possible candidates to be in a horror movie, including some that haven't been in any, ever. But Bill is the one I want to come back. He can be a religious nut again like Frailty or maybe just a really crazy guy like in Near Dark. I don't care, because he's great at both.
Next week, I'm going to present horror films that are stuck in development hell, and are likely to never see the light of day.
