10 Excellent Horror Films That Steer Clear of the Director's Second Film Pitfall

      Casey Chong examines ten directors known for their impressive second horror films…

      Every filmmaker aspires to achieve success with their initial project, and many do manage to captivate both critics and audiences with their first directorial efforts. The next hurdle, however, is maintaining that momentum without succumbing to the dreaded sophomore slump. In this piece, we highlight ten directors recognized for their contributions to the horror genre, including Wes Craven, Jordan Peele, and Robert Eggers, focusing on their second films.

      **Wes Craven – The Hills Have Eyes (1977)**

      Similar to the tough-to-watch Last House on the Left because of its graphic portrayal of violence and sexual depravity, Wes Craven’s second film is not for the faint of heart. The Hills Have Eyes delivers an uncomfortably tense and provocative horror experience, boldly addressing its grim depiction of cannibalism through a mutant, hillbilly family that terrorizes a vacationing American family. The film draws parallels to Sam Peckinpah’s controversial 1971 classic Straw Dogs, particularly regarding the lengths an ordinary family might go to for survival.

      Craven conveys a message through The Hills Have Eyes, highlighting the class divide between the privileged middle-class family and the marginalized cannibal clan, who are in fact victims of government nuclear testing in the desert. This film led to a lesser sequel in 1985, followed by Alexandre Aja's surprisingly effective 2006 remake that improved on the original in several significant ways.

      **Stuart Gordon – From Beyond (1986)**

      Just a year after making his memorable directorial debut with the dark horror-comedy Re-Animator, Stuart Gordon teamed up again with Jeffrey Combs for From Beyond. Co-written by Dennis Paoli, who also helped with Re-Animator, the film presents a straightforward yet wildly entertaining premise: a machine called the Resonator enables those nearby to perceive or even experience realms beyond ordinary reality. Combs shines as one of the scientists, delivering a gradually unhinged performance as he falls victim to the Resonator’s body horror effects, culminating in a scene where he devours human brains in a hospital and bizarrely experiences a phallic stalk emerging from his forehead.

      From Beyond also dives deep into themes of sexual perversion, notably with Dr. Pretorius reappearing as a massive, mutated blob pursuing carnal pleasure. Gordon does not shy away from excessive gore and violence, while the special effects team goes all out in creating outlandish creatures, from floating eel-like beings to the brain-feasting Pretorius. It’s quintessential B-movie horror, embodying the twisted vision of Stuart Gordon.

      **Clive Barker – Nightbreed (1990)**

      Clive Barker introduced audiences to the iconic Pinhead in the grisly 1987 film Hellraiser but faced challenges with his sophomore feature, Nightbreed. The film suffered significantly due to studio interference, leading to a poorly constructed theatrical version. Nearly 25 years later, Barker finally had the opportunity to release his original vision. The director's cut extends the film by 20 minutes and includes approximately 45 minutes of new footage, resulting in a more coherent narrative that provides better insight into the characters' motivations.

      Drawing from his 1988 novella Cabal, Barker effectively merges dark fantasy, creature features, and violent horror with elements of serial-killer tropes, evident in the sinister Dr. Philip K. Decker, portrayed chillingly by David Cronenberg. His unsettling presence, alongside the concealed underworld of Midian filled with bizarre creatures, serves as a highlight of Nightbreed. The film also showcases extensive makeup effects and ample gore, all while Barker weaves in subtle social commentary on xenophobia and prejudice against outsiders, represented by the idyllic yet misunderstood Nightbreed community.

      **Mick Garris – Sleepwalkers (1992)**

      Renowned author Stephen King wrote his first original screenplay for Sleepwalkers, and Mick Garris, who previously directed the cult classic Critters 2: The Main Course, took the helm. The collaboration seemed intriguing, but critics widely panned the film, which only managed to recoup its $15 million budget with a modest $30.5 million at the box office.

      Sleepwalkers elicits mixed reactions, blending vampirism, creature features, and dark humor that straddles the line between absurdity and depravity. The story follows two shapeshifting humans, known as "sleepwalkers," portrayed by Brian Krause and Alice Krige, who kill mercilessly and sustain themselves by preying on virgin girls. Notably, they share an incestuous bond and have an irrational fear of cats, which can harm a shapeshifter with just a scratch.

      Garris embraces its quirky tone without veering into self-parody, effectively mixing grim horror, B-movie elements (like the campy special effects for the shapeshifters), and a touch of humor (“