At the time? Arguably, yes. Yes, they were. Savini was doing some knock-out practical FX. Romero was riding on the success of Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead (although, prior to Creepshow, he helmed Knightriders, which was considered a disappointment). And King was…king. A giant in the world of literary horror whose works were steadily being adapted for the big screen.
Through the nostalgia of exhuming this issue in my collection and revisiting it, the cover made me think: What if a magazine (or site, for that matter) was to recreate this image – a trio of prominent horror contemporaries – and ask, “Are these the scariest men in America?” Who, today, has their finger on the pulse of horror and scaring millions? Who would be included in this sinister line-up?
Well, there are three positions in the industry represented here: The director, the writer, the FX maestro. And this is where the decision-making gets a bit sticky, but here are my picks.
The director would be, without a doubt, James Wan. Saw was released nationally 10 years ago this year and since then Wan has shown tremendous growth as a filmmaker and has proven to be a force of nature at the box office. Insidious was a smash hit. The Conjuring was a record-breaking hit. And, Insidious Chapter 2, grossed over $150 million worldwide on a $5 million budget. Audiences respond to his horror tales, plain and simple. Undoubtedly, he is the top qualifier for the “scariest man in America” (which is funny because James is so damn nice).
Here’s where I mix things up. In the place of Stephen King’s position – the writer – I’m placing a producer. In this case: Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions. The reasons are so obvious: The Paranormal Activity series, the Insidious films, The Purge and just about everything else he has done in the genre. He’s a money maker and, again, people are responding to the projects he is getting behind. (A runner-up here might have to be Ryan Murphy for American Horror Story which has helped reinvigorate horror on the small screen. The Walking Dead certainly had a part in that, but American Horror Story certainly let other networks know it was okay to bring bloodshed and “the weird” back to television.)
Finally, who sits in Tom Savini’s seat? Problematic because the place of the contemporary “rock star” FX wizard has been taken over by a horde of dudes sitting at their computers in a digital effects house. Sure, the world of practical FX still exists and there are a ton of talented individuals living within it, but no one quite gets showcased like Savini, Baker, Bottin, Johnson and others during the ‘80s and ‘90s. So, I have to go with someone who has been in the world for quite some time but has positioned himself as an executive producer and director on one of the biggest shows today, The Walking Dead. That would be Greg Nicotero. Here is someone who not only worked under Savini, but got a company off of the ground (KNB EFX). A company that flourishes to this day. Nicotero’s contributions to The Walking Dead are notable and because of that, and his enormous background, he deserves Savini’s place.
Are these the scariest men in America? James Wan, Jason Blum and Greg Nicotero. You tell me. Do you think I screwed it up or do you agree? If you believe I screwed up, I’m all ears: Use our comment boards below to weigh in with your picks.
