Eli Roth is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. He began shooting Super 8 films at the age of eight, after watching Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) and deciding he wanted to be a producer/director. With his brothers and friends, ketchup for blood, and his father’s power tools, he made over fifty short films before attending film school at N.Y.U., where he graduated in 1994.
His film Producer and Director credits include; The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018), Death Wish (2018), Eli Roth’s History of Horror (2018), Clown (2016), Knock Knock (2015), The Green Inferno (2015), The Sacrament (2014), Aftershock (2013), The Man with the Iron Fists (2012), The Last Exorcism (2010), Hostel: Part II (2007), Hostel (2006) and Cabin Fever (2002).
A few years ago, Scream Factory acquired the first season DVD & Blu-ray rights to Eli Roth’s Original Netflix Series Hemlock Grove and also the DVD & Blu-ray of IFC Midnight’s The Stranger (which he produced). His 2015 film, The Green Inferno, is being reissued on June 25th, 2019 from Scream Factory as an all-new Collector’s Edition that includes an exclusive interview and audio commentary with Roth, behind-the-scenes footage, trailers and cast interviews. He is a big fan of Scream Factory, as we are big fans of his movies. Thank you Eli for taking the time to share your “Top Ten” picks!
1. 10 to Midnight
Amazing Bronson movie with the weirdest title. Very, very, very quotable lines with his deadpan-zero-inflection – can’t quite place it – accent. Often overlooked because the title has absolutely nothing to do with the movie at all. Brilliant performance by Gene Davis, brother of Brad. Compare Davis’ performance with Bale’s Patrick Bateman and see which you prefer.
2. Cat People
We love Nastassja Kinski and interesting to see Paul Schrader where Schrader goes creatively after his back-from-Nam Rolling Thunder / Taxi Driver phase.
3. Child’s Play
Killer dolls, can’t go wrong.
4. Cobra
Stallone acts the entire movie with a toothpick in his mouth. I love this movie. Plus Axel Cobretti was his character in his original Beverly Hills Cop script so this is like a parallel universe movie with Stallone basically playing his original take on the same character. Yes, Beverly Hills Cop was originally an action vehicle for Stallone that he wrote.
5. Creepshow
One of my all-time favorite movies, an artistic masterpiece on all levels.
6. Halloween III Steelbook
One of my favorite misfires of all time. I love everything about this movie. Get on the Atkins Diet NOW.
7.Ghosthouse / Witchery
Ghosthouse was directed by Umberto Lenzi, even though he’s credited as Humphrey Humbert. This movie tries to be American, but it’s just so ’80s Italian in every way. And the signature “ghost” noise is spectacular, I used it as inspiration for the automaton sounds in The House with a Clock in Its Walls. Obsessed with this movie.
8. Ninja III the Domination Collector’s edition
Possession. Ninjas. Need I say more? A Cannon genre mashup masterpiece.
9. Sleepaway Camp
Best slasher movie ending ever. You didn’t think they could outdo Friday the 13th, and yet … they did.
10. X-Ray / Schizoid
X-Ray is directed by Boaz Davidson who did all the Lemon Popsicle movies and The Last American Virgin. Interesting to see what he does outside the teen sex comedy genre.
