The best Wes Craven’s documentary movies
If you love cinema, you will share this ranking of the best Wes Craven’s movies, although you may have ordered them differently. In any case, we hope you love it and with a little luck discovering a movie that you still don’t know about Wes Craven.
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
8.6/10
For decades, Freddy Krueger has slashed his way through the dreams of countless youngsters, scaring up over half a billion dollars at the box office across eight terrifying, spectacular films.
Trespassing Bergman
7.2/10
In the sixties, Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007) built a house on the remote island of Fårö, located in the Baltic Sea, eighty nautical miles off the east coast of Sweden. He left Stockholm and went to live there. When he died, the house was preserved. A group of very special cinephiles, came from all over the world, have traveled to Fårö in search of the genius and his legacy. (An edited version of the Swedish mini-series “Bergmans video,” 2012.)
Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th
8.5/10
Taking inspiration from Peter M. Bracke's definitive book of the same name, this seven-hour documentary dives into the making of all twelve Friday the 13th films, with all-new interviews from the cast and the crew.
The American Nightmare
7.2/10
An examination into the nature of 1960's-70's horror films, the involved artists, and how they reflected contemporary society.
The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing
7.7/10
Documentary about the art of film editing. Clips are shown from many groundbreaking films with innovative editing styles.
Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective
7.3/10
A year in the making, Still Screaming is the definitive documentary on the making of the iconic Scream movies. Dive into the fascinating success story of the classic trilogy with on-set footage and photos, and dozens of brand new interviews with cast and crew from all the films including Wes Craven, Neve Campbell, Liev Schreiber, Henry Winkler, Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy, Laurie Metcalf, Parker Posey, Scott Foley and many others. Written and Directed by Ryan Turek and Produced by Anthony Masi.
Scream: The Inside Story
7.5/10
In 1996, the horror master Wes Craven unleashed Scream, a slasher movie aimed at a whole new generation of teenage movie-goers.
Fear Himself: The Life and Crimes of Freddy Krueger
7/10
Retrospective on The Nightmare On Elm Street Series.
Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film
7.2/10
This historical and critical look at slasher films, which includes dozens of clips, begins with Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Prom Night. The films' directors, writers, producers, and special effects creators comment on the films' making and success. During the Reagan years, the films get gorier, budgets get smaller, and their appeal wanes. Then, Nightmare on Elm Street revives the genre. Jump to the late 90s, when Scream brings humor and TV stars into the mix.
This Is Horror
This horror documentary is not the same as the 1986 TV special Stephen King's World of Horror nor the 1988 VHS release of the same name, which runs 45 minutes, was distributed by Front Row Entertainment and is about King himself. Instead, This Is Horror (copyright 1989) was a TV special which ran in four 60 minute increments. This new special used some framing footage from the original 'World of Horror' but is primarily newer interviews and behind-the-scenes footage about what was hot in horror in the late 80s. Here in the U.S., a condensed 90-minute version made its way onto video courtesy of Goodtimes in 1990. Elsewhere, the entire special was released as 2 different tapes running 90 minutes apiece. In the UK these were titled This is Horror: A Video Encyclopedia of Horror (Volumes 1 and 2) and in Germany they were called Best of Stephen King's World of Horror (Parts 1 & 2).
Masters of Horror
7.4/10
Documentary showcasing the work of prominent film directors in the horror genre. Featuring interviews with the directors, behind the scenes footage and clips from popular horror films, and hosted by Bruce Campbell, star of The Evil Dead (1981).
Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Make-Up EFX
7.4/10
This documentary delves into the art of make-up effects with industry legends Dick Smith, Rob Bottin, Tom Savini, John Landis, Frank Darabont, Joe Dante and many others with a strong focus on Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger of KNB Make-Up EFX. Written by Kevin VanHook
AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #2: LATER IN L.A.
Unleashed from the video vaults of the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #2: LATER IN L.A. is a brand new compilation of the most electrifying found footage mayhem that you’ll see this week. For our second tape, we’ve returned to the hallowed halls of “behind the scenes” horror for another hour-long joyride of F-U-N. Thank you for your incredible support during these difficult times. And remember: “Do what your spirit tells you.”
Ban the Sadist Videos!
7.1/10
An in-depth analysis of the "Video Nasty" scandal of the early 1980s in Britain.
AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #3: SEQUELITIS
Unleashed from the video vaults of the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #3: SEQUELITIS is a brand new compilation of the most electrifying found footage mayhem that you’ll see this week. For our third tape, we’re diving into the most controversial, hotly debated topic of all time: HORROR SEQUELS! Thank you for your generous support during these difficult times. And remember: “This makes Guns N’ Roses look like THE BRADY BUNCH.”
Fear in the Dark
6.4/10
A short documentary on the history of the horror film narrated by Christopher Lee.
Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors
6.5/10
Actors, directors and special effects technicians are interviewed at a horror-film convention.
House of Wax: Unlike Anything You've Seen Before!
7.7/10
Documentary on the making and impact of "House of Wax".
Looking Back at 'The Hills Have Eyes'
6.8/10
This laid-back interview-laden documentary about the film Hills Have Eyes, The (1977) details the entire production of the movie. All of the financing and weather problems are explained, as well as many other difficulties on set. The interviewees also talk about their starts in the film industry, which took place in and around when the film was made.
AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #1
Unleashed from the video vaults of the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #1 is a brand new compilation of the most electrifying found footage mayhem that you’ll see this week. For our kick-off tape, we’ve curated an hour-long joyride through the hallowed halls of “behind the scenes” horror. Our team has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support during these difficult times. So this is our way of saying thanks! The price is set at 99 cents, which is the lowest possible option that Vimeo offers. We want everyone to be able to enjoy this. But if you’re able to donate more to our non-profit mission, there’s also an option to pay what you want. Thank you for your continued support, and remember: “DIDN’T YOU USED TO BE SATAN?”
