11 Iconic Horror Director Cameos You May Have Missed
Although filmmaking is a team effort, a director bears the bulk of the responsibility for a picture’s success. The person at the helm sets the tone for the feature while working with a cinematographer, editor, sound designer, onscreen talent, and various other collaborators to bring their vision to life. A skilled director has the foresight to see how the pieces will congeal when cut into a single, cohesive entity.
While most directors make themselves scarce in front of the camera, a handful of celebrated creators have seen fit to make cameo appearances in their own films. Others still have been known to pop up in the cinematic output of their peers.
While we may be less prone to notice a cameo appearance by an unknown director, there is something quite exhilarating about witnessing a cinematic legend appear onscreen, especially when it’s unexpected. With that in mind, I am looking back on 11 iconic director cameos in the genre film space.
Wes Craven in Scream
Wes Craven was a beacon of light in the genre film space. He was well-spoken, affable, and knew how to package a scare. His turn as Fred the janitor in Scream is a gift to horror fans. Craven’s cameo appearance shows how good-natured the director was. Moreover, it immortalizes the beloved director in a picture that fans will surely continue to revisit for years to come.
Sam Raimi in Evil Dead II
Sam Raimi wore a ton of hats in his early cinematic offerings. The beloved filmmaker was making movies on a budget and knew when he had to cut corners. Though he had a larger monetary investment for Evil Dead II, Raimi still managed to do more than just direct. The celebrated director pops up as a medieval soldier at the end of the film, making for a fun Easter egg many first-time viewers are likely to miss.
Quentin Tarantino in Reservoir Dogs
Director Quentin Tarantino wrote a small role for himself in his debut feature Reservoir Dogs. It’s slightly more than a cameo but I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a starring role. The auteur creator pops up as Mr. Brown. If you haven’t seen the film in a while, Brown gives a spirited interpretation of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and eventually dies from a gunshot wound to the head.
Tim Burton in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
Director Tim Burton makes a cameo appearance in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure as a street tough in a dark alley. Pee-Wee is walking in the rain when a quartet of ruffians show up and harass the titular character about trespassing on their turf. Pee-Wee makes an ominous hissing noise and the hooligans scatter. If you aren’t looking for him, Burton is easy to miss.
Barry Sonnenfeld in The Addams Family
In a darkly comedic sequence, director Barry Sonnenfeld briefly appears as a train passenger. He’s no ordinary train passenger, however. Sonnenfeld is aboard one of Gomez Addams’ toy trains. The unnamed passenger is presumably killed when two cars collide head-on. The entire exchange feels very on-brand for an Addams Family film.
George Romero in Dawn of the Dead
Celebrated filmmaker George Romero makes a cameo appearance as a TV director in the first act of Dawn of the Dead. Romero briefly pops up during the film’s opening credits with his then-wife Christine Forrest appearing alongside him as his assistant. How apropos that the director is playing a director.
Takashi Miike in Hostel
Takashi Miike is well known to horror fans as an upstanding purveyor of shock cinema. But his cameo in Hostel is so brief that you may have missed it. Miike comes on the scene as the lead character Paxton (Jay Hernandez) is gearing up to enter the Elite Hunting Club facility. When Paxton asks what it’s like inside, Miike warns him that a person could easily spend all their money in an establishment like that. If only Paxton had listened to the admonishment and stayed away, he may have had all ten of his fingers when the end credits rolled.
John Carpenter in Halloween
Carpenter’s Halloween cameo is one of my favorites on this list. When he was filming, the director probably didn’t think much of playing Annie’s boyfriend (as a disembodied voice on the other end of the phone). He likely stepped into the role to save money. Fewer actors on the call sheet means fewer checks to cut. But in the years since the film’s release, Halloween has become an iconic pop culture fixture and Carpenter has come to be recognized as an undisputed master of horror. Accordingly, Easter eggs like this come to mean far more than anyone might have imagined.
Roger Corman in Silence of the Lambs
The late Roger Corman gave many actors, directors, and writers their start in the film industry. In fact, Jonathan Demme made his directorial debut under Corman with the exploitation film Caged Heat. When the opportunity arose, Demme paid it forward and cast Corman as FBI director Hayden Burke in the Oscar-winning picture Silence of the Lambs. It’s heartwarming to know that Corman believed in giving aspiring filmmakers a shot and equally heartwarming to know that many of those creators went on to pay it forward.
John Landis in An American Werewolf in London
John Landis has proven himself a cinematic icon. But he didn’t start at the top. Like several of his contemporaries, Landis began his career by working in the mailroom at 20th Century Fox. From there, the filmmaker worked in several different positions, including a stint as a production assistant, and serving as a stuntman. Landis’ tenure as a stunt performer likely paved the way for his cameo in An American Werewolf in London. He briefly appears in the celebrated werewolf film as a man being hurled through a window.
Alfred Hitchcock in Dial M for Murder
I am a massive fan of Hitchcock. The man knew how to mine seemingly innocuous settings and scenarios to create sheer terror. Dial M for Murder is one of my personal favorites of the director’s oeuvre. I particularly appreciate how well-hidden his cameo is. Hitch pops up in a photograph from a class reunion (far left). That makes for a clever setup and ensures viewers pay attention to every frame or risk overlooking the brief appearance.
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