One of the world's most erudite directors, del Toro has a vast knowledge of literature and film, which does not preclude his passion for a genre that serious academics often refer to as a lesser art form. On the contrary: the director has built his career on horror, and his list of favorite films demonstrates a taste for the macabre that is as sincere as it is expansive.
So here's a list of some great films in the genre that you may not have seen yet, compiled by the maestro himself.
The Man Who Laughs (1928)
IMDb: 7.70
Del Toro stated that Victor Hugo's The Man Who Laughs is one of his favorite novels of all time, calling it "poignant, profound and tragic." Not surprisingly, his love extends to the classic 1928 film adaptation of the book.
The film, starring the iconic Konrad Feydt, is one of the most phenomenal examples of silent expressionism to come out of the United States; it is as heartfelt in its gothic melodrama and striking in its visual splendor as any German silent horror classic of the period. And on a broader cultural level, it is one of the most influential pictures of its era, becoming a major inspiration for DC's Joker.
Vampire: The Dream of Allen Grey (1932)
IMDb: 7.50 Vampirism is a motif to which del Toro returns again and again throughout his career, from "Chronos" to "Blade II.
The origins of this obsession may go back to Carl Theodore Dreyer's masterpiece Vampire: The Dream of Alain Gray, which the Mexican director often calls not only his personal favorite film, but also one of the greatest pictures ever made.
IMDb: 7.90
1932 is a key year in both the chronology of horror filmmaking and in del Toro's gallery of influences, as it was the year not only that Vampire: The Dream of Alain Gray was released, but also another cult classic: Tod Browning's Freaks.
Like Orson Welles' The Ambersons' Splendor, the film we have today is the distorted result of serious studio intervention. It was cut from the original 90-minute version in an attempt to mitigate what they considered the "grotesque" nature of the film-a heartbreaking fact not only because of what it represents in the context of this deeply humanistic film that dared to present people with disabilities as full human beings, but also because of the enormous loss to filmmaking itself (one can only imagine what Browning's vision looked like in its purest form).
But it is a testament to the power of this vision that, like Welles' aforementioned masterpiece, even this studio version remains a great feat, affecting and horrifying in equal measure. Del Toro has said that "there never was or will be another film like this," and it's hard to disagree with him.
The Ghost of the House on the Hill (1963)
Freaks (1932) IMDb: 7.90
1932 is a key year in both the chronology of horror filmmaking and in del Toro's gallery of influences, as it was the year not only that Vampire: The Dream of Alain Gray was released, but also another cult classic: Tod Browning's The Freaks.
Like Orson Welles' The Ambersons' Splendor, the film we have today is the distorted result of serious studio intervention. It was cut from the original 90-minute version in an attempt to mitigate what they considered the "grotesque" nature of the film-a heartbreaking fact not only because of what it represents in the context of this deeply humanistic film that dared to present people with disabilities as full human beings, but also because of the enormous loss to filmmaking itself (one can only imagine what Browning's vision looked like in its purest form).
But it is a testament to the power of this vision that, like Welles' aforementioned masterpiece, even this studio version remains a great feat, affecting and horrifying in equal measure. Del Toro has said that "there never was or will be another film like this," and it's hard to disagree with him.
The Ghost of the House on the Hill (1963)
Shirley Jackson's story has recently regained popularity with a wide audience thanks to a (very good) Netflix series, but the best version of her iconic horror novel is still Robert Wise's absolutely incredible The Ghost of the House on the Hill.
Robert Wise's masterpiece, recognized by del Toro as one of the best ghost movies, is not only amazingly creepy (nearly 60 years later the film retains all its frightening power) but also masterfully executed. The film claims to be the most technically accomplished horror film in cinematic history -- few other pictures about haunted houses make such spectacular use of space to create atmosphere, and Wise's gorgeous deep-focus compositions turn every corner of the set into a potential threat.
It was a huge influence on del Toro's Crimson Peak, but as a whole it is the basis of his artistic philosophy, which is to approach with the utmost respect
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