Did you ever watch a Horror film and after it ended you wanted to keep in touch and up to date with the Directors work? Well, unfortuantly many of these films where you hoped to see more of the Directors work, sadly never seen the light of day past their startling debut. We know the household Horror Directors by heart, Carpenter, Craven, Hooper, Argento, Fulci, Bava…The list goes on, but the Directors that left a more impressive impression on my Horror classics were sadly forgotten with only one Horror film.

Below is a list of who I believe had talent as a Director but never got their fair chance in the Horror spotlight to give the Horror audience more unique and bizzare films that could have been Horror classics in their own right and not just hidden Horror gems. More or less these Horror films have drifted away into the abyss with a small cult following that still remains.

The films that are listed may not be well known or well made, but they made me never forget such unknown Horror classics. I’m previlaged to share some of the most unique Horror One Hit Wonders.

 Madman - Oh the eighties was a grand era for Horror with the over abundance of Slasher flicks, but one that didn’t go by standard Slasher forumla would have to be Madman. Joe Giannone gave up this great Horror epic of “Madman Marz” the gentle man who killed his wife and kids for no good reason. A group of teenagers stationed at a summer camp for troubled youths are actually not the victims for this film, it’s the adult counselors. Are you shocked? Well, don’t be because this film acutally makes it work. At the opening of the film we learn the story of “Madman Marz” and some of the teenagers decide to yell out his name, which is a no-no to the legend. To the common audience it’s basicly the same as saying “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejucie.” Only it’s not fun and games, it’s death! One of the teens goes into “Madman Marz” house, seeing if the myth is real and he soon finds out in a cat and mouse motiff. The counselors are our main attraction to the film, from this point you can relate why this film didn’t recieve much credit. The Director wanted to relate it with just ordinary people working at a Youth Camp and not the other way around with our killer stalking teenagers. I thought this worked and made the film seem more unique and differnet on such a overworked and played idea we’ve seen before.Throughout the film the counselors are stalked and killed in some unnatural ways to our monster of the night “Madman Marz.” Now another thing that made this film work was in fact “Madman Marz,” because he’s not just some normal guy wearing a mask or is scared to be sighted. Madman wants to be sighted to scare you with his axed in face, burly size and brutal strength that can literally snap you like a twig. “Madman Marz” is basicly a modern day Sasquatch in human form. The death scenes are great and another reason why this film worked as being different, instead just stabbing someone with a knife, “Madman Marz” took time and precautions with his killing abilities; he wanted to make sure his victims are dead before he goes to kill another. A perfect example would be when Madman is killing T.P, T.P. is hanging from a tree until he is choked to death, Madman Marz is about to leave, but he then comes back and breaks T.P’s neck. That was the most standout scene for me that I ever watched in a Slasher film. Sadly Director Joe Giannone never directed anything after “Madman” and it’s a true shame, I would have loved to enjoy more of his unique work and crazy spins he could have added to another Slasher or another Horror Genre.
Curse Of The Blue Lights - This unique combination of Wizardy, Demons and Zombies has to be seen to fully understand the bizzare creation that was put forth on the viewing public only to be forgotten and only avaiable on VHS at this current time. Director John H. Johnson in a sense wanted to make a film that I think wanted to pay tribute to the films he enjoyed growing up, but those films were just Zombies and occult themed on their own and not combined. Even though the story to “Curse of The Blue Lights” has been done hundreds of times, the way this film plays out it was about the only way to believe or emerge yourself into this crazy world. The story revolves around this group of teenagers who decide to go to this area known as “Blue Lights” instead of just hanging out or going to a party. While at “Blue Lights” they run into the popular guy at High School with his new car and his buddies. Two of the teenagers fight and roll down a hill to find a statue of this unknown creature, that is also wearing this pendant. While this is happening we are introduced to our main villian Loath and his two henchmen Boar and Fawn. Loath is back after many centuries to take over the world with his new findings, Boar and Fawn are sent to find the “Muldoon Man” (The statue fount by the teenagers.) The teenagers take the pendant off of the Muldoon statue and leave to go find help, they soon are pulled over by the police and they bring him back to show him what they fount. Of course the statue isn’t there and the cop starts to believe they are crazy and have been drinking too much. Boar and Fawn bring back the statue of the Muldoon to Loath, without the pendant the statue is worthless and Loath will do anything to get it back. Throughout the rest of this bizzare film, Loath chases after all the teenagers with the thought of deception and his occult wizardy, wheather he turns people into snakes or even through possession, Loath will stop at nothing to get what he needs. Throw in a crazy Psychic, magical mirrors, bizzare transformations, Loath’s underground fortress, a finale with zombies rising from their graves, sword fighting and the arrival of the one and only MULDOON MAN!!! This film is really something to behold to any fan that is wanting a different Horror film to view or add to a collection.

Night Of The Demon - Forget about Trog and even The Legend of Boggy Creek, nothing can even compare to a film that is filled with outlandish Kills, Gore and oh yes, need I say Bigfoot Rape. The first time I viewed this film, I was in total shock as it was truly a bizzare film that was new to my eyes and has stuck with me over many years. The film opens in a Hospital room where we are introduced to Prof. Nugent, he tells of the story before his arrival in the Hospital with his face serverly burned. The Professor takes some of his research students to track down some sightings of Bigfoot in this small country town. After some leads seem to open up, they lead to this young girl that lives by herself deep in the woods.Once there the story unfolds as the girl tells the story of how one night after some misunderstandings of her protective Father, she went out into the woods and just so happened to get raped by Bigfoot. Follow this with scenes of Bigfoot brutally killing campers, a biker and Prof. Nugents class and this film’s tone is one that should go down in Horror history books. These Gore scenes makes the film seem like a rollercoaster, many may think they just throw random death scenes in to fill up time which is somewhat true, but for a film made in 1980 this was ahead of it’s time for the Horror community and sadly passed by due to the success of many Horror Classics that was released during that time. The ending to Night Of The Demon is a literal bloodbath of our Bigfoot kicking ass and taking names on Prof. Nugent and his students. Director James C. Wasson, left us this film as something to be remembered and I believe that this film will never be forgotten. I’m sure if you watched a movie with a Bigfoot Rape scene it would be scratched into your memory for the rest of your life.
Street Trash - Where to begin - where to begin. What was going through J. Michael Muro’s head during the end of the 80’s era? Well whatever it was it leaked out (Literally) into a ooey gooey mess of a rather unknown melting Horror Classic. As every other Director mentioned this was J. Michael’s only film before going on and making it in Hollywood as a Steadicam Operator and Cinematographer. His most recent work would be “Rush Hour 3″ “The Last Mimzy” and “Cirque du Freak: The Vampires Assistant,” but these don’t compare to the greatness that is “STREET TRASH.” I’ll do my best to describe the plot of the film, but to be honest; the film doesn’t stay in one place long enough to declare what exactly the film is about, you get a hint, but then BAM! A new character or plot point. The film opens up more or less in the local Liquor shop and the shop’s owner is rumageing through the backroom/cellar of the store and soon he finds a case of expired “Tenafly Viper” which he has no recollection of knowing it was there. The clerk carries it back to the front of the store and decides to sell this beverage for a dollar a bottle. A homeless man soon enters the shop and nothing is calling out to his as he has been drinking the same stuff forever and wanted something new; the clerk begins to make converstation about the new “Viper” product he just found and the homeless man buys a bottle; leaving the store soon after. We are now following the homeless man and his daily routine, until he finally begins to drink his bottle of “Viper.” From this point we witness one of the most bizzare and outlandish scenes ever shown on film, the homeless man begins to dissolve, as his skin is melting off into a rainbow of gory colors until our homeless man is now a puddle of goo. O.O??? Did I just see that right? That was amazing! This isn’t the only bizzare part of the film, that because the whole film is bizzare; watching this is almost like being on a rollercoaster because you don’t know what is coming around the next turn. We soon meet up with a cop who is trying to figure out these deaths that are occuring throughout the city and more homeless people. Most noteably Bronson, a Vetenam Vet, leader of all the homeless and the owner of the junkyard they live in. All of which he awarded to himself. In closing this is one messed up down and dirty Horror/Comedy classic that has to be seen to actually believe it’s contents. I mean would anybody take me seriously if I started to bring up the Infamous “Penis Football” scene without someone saying “Liar”?

That’s it for now, but I do have another list started for my next installment of some of the most bizzare and truly unique films from unknown Directors who made those great “Horror One Hit Wonders.”