15 Greatest Horror Directors Of All Time
7. Tod Browning
Notable films: Freaks, Dracula, The Unholy Three, The Devil Doll
Speaking of Universal's early horror output and it is inevitable that Tod Browning deserves a solid place in the horror hall of fame. While perhaps not as widely known as James Whale, his contribution to the genre has been immense.
Whereas Whale crafted the iconic appearance of Frankenstein's monster, we can thank Browning for bringing to the screen Dracula in the guise which has largely stuck with audiences to this day. A prolific director across many genres, his circus experiences led to the creation of one of the greatest cult horror movies of all time, Freaks. Browing cast real freakshow performers in the central roles and it was deemed so scary that the British censors refused to pass it for decades.
Browning's influence on future horror filmmakers was extensive, and reached well beyond genre directors to impact on the likes of John Waters and David Lynch.