With Spike Lee's first-ever horror(-ish) film “Da Sweet Blood of Jesus” set to hit theaters and VOD this weekend, I started to wonder: which other great directors came to the genre late in their careers? While many auteurs get their start in horror before moving on to more “prestigious” fare, it's far rarer for a respected filmmaker to dabble in the genre after drawing widespread acclaim. That said, I needn't have feared a scarcity of examples: there are a surprising number to choose from.
Hitchcock? You may have heard of him. Yes, the Master of Suspense was well known for directing thrillers prior to “Psycho,” but it's that film which represented his first headlong leap into the genre. And he's just one! In addition to Hitch, below I've highlighted 11 other cinematic masters who came to the horror game later in their careers.
Are you ready? You sure? Peek through your fingers with me now as we journey back to the darkest corners of 12 esteemed filmographies.