Steven Spielberg names his favourite horror movie of all time
When we think of the greatest horror filmmakers of all time, it’s natural that our minds turn to the likes of the zombie aficionado George Romero, the slasher master Wes Craven, and the king of suspense Alfred Hitchcock. Yet, despite being the world’s most famous filmmaker, few appreciate the horror contributions of Steven Spielberg, gifting cinema with some of the scariest visions of the creative craft.
Sure, the director may have only made two proper horror films, in the form of 1975’s blockbuster Jaws and the big-screen adaptation of The Twilight Zone in 1983, but Spielberg has an evident passion for the craft of genre that pervades his entire filmography. Such can be seen in his producer credits, helping Tobe Hooper’s 1982 film Poltergeist and Joe Dante’s iconic 1984 flick Gremlins come to life.
Yet, look closer, and you’ll see an appreciation for the dark art of suspense throughout even the films he helmed, with the final act of 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark inspiring nightmares in viewers and 1993’s Jurassic Park terrifying audiences throughout, thanks to a hellish atmosphere. Even in his more recent flicks, such as 2005’s War of the Worlds, where the cosmic villains destroy all humans with rudimentary skill, horror and suspense are always at the forefront of his mind.
It should come as little surprise then that Spielberg deeply admired the great Alfred Hitchcock, calling his 1960 film Psycho his favourite horror movie of all time when listing his all-time personal picks.
Thought as being one of the very first slasher movies, Hitchcock’s Psycho remains one of the horror genre’s most iconic releases even over 60 years after its release. Starring Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh and Vera Miles, the movie tells the story of a young woman who books a night at the Bates Motel, only to fall victim to a local mysterious killer whose days in the shadows are numbered.
Despite being enamoured by the director, Spielberg was denied the chance to meet Hitchcock when the opportunity arose, with the Psycho director annoyed by his persistence.
In the audiobook Tales of Hollywood by Stephen Schochet, the writer outlines how Hitchcock was once “upset by an uninvited young man hovering around the movie set” of his 1976 film Family Plot. Despite several further attempts, Spielberg never got the chance to meet him, with Hitchcock reportedly unenthused about meeting the man behind Jaws after he himself had lent his voice to the Universal Pictures ride in Orlando.
Take a look at the trailer for Hitchcock’s classic horror below.
