11 Awful Directors With One Great Movie

3. Sean S. Cunningham - Friday The 13th

Crystal Lake Memories Sean S Cunningham
RLJ Entertainment

The Awful Director: Sean S. Cunningham began his career in the 1970s directing sexploitation films and low-budget comedies insignificant enough that they're not even reviewed online.

After his big break in 1980, though, he doubled down on the trash, directing critically-panned horrors and comedies such as Spring Break and DeepStar Six, not to mention a 2002 Bruce Campbell-starring movie made for The Sci-Fi Channel, which really says it all.

The One Great Movie: Cunningham has one classic movie to his name, and that's the original Friday the 13th.

While the film is certainly rough around the edges, its influence on the horror genre is undeniable, and without it, slasher films just wouldn't be the same.

Though Cunningham's direction is totally slapdash even in this movie, at least he pulled off one unassailable classic that managed to kickstart an iconic franchise that still endures today.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.