Derrickson cites horror film inspiration for Black Phone 2

Scott Derrickson, director of Black Phone 2, has discussed the horror films that have most impacted him. He highlighted Robert Eggers’ The Witch and Stephen Cognetti’s Hell House LLC as particularly unsettling experiences.

Influential Horror Films

Scott Derrickson, known for films like The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister, and The Black Phone, shared his thoughts on what genuinely frightens him in an interview with Dread Central. He noted that Hell House LLC and its sequel, Hell House LLC II, deeply affected him, emphasizing the power of grounded narratives where the unknown intrudes aggressively.

Derrickson stated that The Witch, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, unnerved him for days, leaving him with a feeling of contamination. He described it as one of the most effective horror films he’s seen in recent years.

The Current State of Horror

Derrickson, who recently reunited with Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, and Madelaine McGraw for Black Phone 2, believes the horror genre is currently thriving. He compared the current landscape of horror filmmaking in Hollywood to the Italian horror films of the 1970s, citing directors like Dario Argento and films such as The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Suspiria.

He pointed to films like Hereditary, It Follows, The Witch, and Weapons as examples of significant cinematic works that also excel as horror films. Derrickson believes horror is now a deliberate destination for serious filmmakers, a shift from the past when impactful horror films often came from directors outside the genre.