Below you’ll find the latest addition of my annual “Look Back in Horror” overview. As always, it covers the previous year’s most noteworthy happenings in the world of horror film and literature, along with a listing of important genre figures who left us (for whatever reason the cast and/or crews of PINK FLOYD THE WALL and JAWS: THE REVENGE were thinned appreciably in ‘14).
One important news item you won’t find mentioned below: the widely publicized accusations directed at director/producer Bryan Singer, an important figure in the horror-sphere who may or may not be a sex offender. I don’t know Singer or his accusers, and so really can’t comment about the charges on way or the other. I can, however, discuss other things, such as…
My Thoughts on THE INTERVIEW
THE INTERVIEW may not be horror, but it was the most widely discussed movie of 2014. I’m sure you know the particulars of how it was slated for wide release on Christmas day only to be yanked by its distributor Sony, and then, after President Obama called Sony out, re-distributed in extremely limited form.
The media reacted as if this was unprecedented, yet just such a scenario occurred in the recent past. Think back to 2008, when the hotly anticipated Lionsgate horror item THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN was scheduled for a wide release in the US, yet, following a regime change at Lionsgate, ended up playing on a middling 102 screens. The reasons for its suppression obviously weren’t the same as those of THE INTERVIEW; THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN, so far as I know, didn’t upset the North Koreans, although Lionsgate’s overseers evidently weren’t too keen on it. My conclusion? That Hollywood studio politics are and always will be unfathomable, and that Sony, contrary to what many pundits are predicting, will weather the disastrous bow of THE INTERVIEW as well as Lionsgate did that of THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN–which is to say just fine.
The Return of Clive
Speaking of THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN, let’s turn our attention to its creator, the irrepressible Clive Barker. The man has been relatively silent in recent years, but he resurfaced in 2014 with the comic series NEXT TESTAMENT, the novella CHILIAD: A MEDITATION and the long-awaited director’s cut of NIGHTBREED, which actually turned out to be worth the wait. All this is but a preamble, of course, to the bow of another much-anticipated Barker project: the epic novel THE SCARLET GOSPELS, which is set to appear in spring of this year.
The Jod-issance
One of the more pleasant surprises of 2014 was the flurry of media by and about the incomparable Alejandro Jodorowsky. For decades Jodorowsky’s work has been ubiquitous in Europe but pretty scant in the English-speaking world, a situation that changed mightily in 2014.
Over the course of the year we got director Frank Pavich’s excellent documentary JODOROWSKY’S DUNE, about AJ’s failed 1970s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic, as well as the wonderfully phantasmagoric DANCE OF REALITY, Jodorowsky’s first self-directed feature in over 20 years. That’s in addition to the English translations of Jodorowsky’s autobiographical book of the same name, his nonfiction tome METAGENEALOGY and his epic novel WHERE THE BIRD SINGS BEST.
As if all that weren’t enough, there were newly translated editions of the Jodorowsky-scripted Euro-comics ROYAL BLOOD and METABARONS GENESIS: CASTAKA, as well as reprints of the classic Jodo comix THE INCAL, SON OF THE GUN, MEGALEX, THE WHITE LAMA and THE BORGIAS. Whatever else 2014 might have been, it was a good time to be an Alejandro Jodorowsky fan.
All Hail the King
Another prominent figure who made his presence known in ‘14 was a certain Stephen King. He put out his standard two books a year (MR. MERCEDES and REVIVAL), and also got plenty of play on the small screen (with the Lifetime movie BIG DRIVER), but far more noteworthy in my view was the outsized attention paid him by the horror community.
Cemetery Dance and PS Publishing were especially King-obsessed in 2014, putting out ultra-expensive editions of CARRIE (which turned 40 in ‘14), FAITHFUL and THINNER, as well as a new website called Stephen King Revisited. Here CEMETERY DANCE’S Richard Chizmar rereads and, together with contributors like Robert McCammon and Ray Garton, writes about King’s early novels only in the most glowing terms. Funny: I’ve been rereading King’s early work myself (see here and here), but my reactions, I’ll confess, have been far less jubilant…
Movies
Here I’m referring to the mainstream, in which there were some encouraging developments. This is to say that the remakes and sequels were scaled back in 2014, while the torture porn and found footage cycles appear to have finally run their respective courses.
Unfortunately, derivative subject matter was a constant, as well as “From the Creators of INSIDIOUS/THE CONJURING/PARNORMAL ACTIVITY” fare, which it seems are the only types of horror movies the big studios put out these days. Audiences certainly don’t seem to mind, judging by the high grosses of many of those releases, including the downright-rotten ANNABELLE, a film I found to be little more than a(nother) twelfth-rate ROSEMARY’S BABY wannabe.
Of course, I doubt too many of the people who flocked to ANNABELLE have seen, or even heard of, ROSEMARY’S BABY, a situation analogous to that of diners who’ve only ever eaten at McDonald’s, and so have no conception of the delights of gourmet cuisine. A sad state of affairs, but one necessary to the fortunes of movies like ANABELLE.
Independent Publishing
It’s been said that the overall health of the publishing industry can be gauged by how the independent publishers are doing. Well, in 2014 several prominent indie publishers of note went silent (including the UK’S Atlas Press and Savoy Books), while others focused primarily on the collector market. I’ve already mentioned the many Stephen King reprints from Cemetery Dance, which also put out ultra-expensive new editions of Max Brooks’ WORLD WAR Z, Bentley Little’s THE REVELATION, Scott Smith’s THE RUINS, Del James’ THE LANGUAGE OF FEAR and quite a few others. Process Media also got into the act by devoting much of 2014 to a pricey slipcased edition of the German relic HASHISH. I understand the harsh economic realities of today’s fiction market, but catering to collectors is never a sound idea; doing so, let’s not forget, nearly brought down the comic book industry in the 1990s (look it up).
But on the other hand, in 2014 the small presses gave us new editions of heretofore impossible-to-obtain rarities like Robert Aickman’s LATE BREAKFASTERS, Thomas Ligotti’s AGONIZING RESURRECTION OF VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN, Maurice Richardson’s EXPLOITS OF ENGELBRECHT and John Blackburn’s OUR LADY OF PAIN. So while I may be disenchanted with the current state of indie publishing, you won’t hear me complaining too loudly!
Favorite Discoveries, Literary and Cinematic, of 2014:
AM1200
From the producer of the legendary FIGHT CLUB DVD, one of the decade’s most impressive short films.
BLACK ANGEL
A most welcome rediscovery: a 1979 short film by director Roger Christensen, who creates a visually rapturous fantasy landscape.
BLACK HOLE By CHARLES BURNS
I was a bit late getting to this 2006 graphic novel, but I’m glad I finally did, as its mix of adolescent nostalgia and Cronenbergian horror is positively mind-roasting.
THE BLIND GOD IS WATCHING By NANCY SPRINGER
Given the newfound public interest in freaks (with AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW), this startling 1994 rarity about a community of human oddities in the deep south is ripe for rediscovery.
CRIMSON ORGY By AUSTIN WILLIAMS
The early days of no-budget splatter moviemaking are superbly dramatized in this stunningly nasty yet staunchly reality-based novel.
LA DUCHESSE D’AVILA
A French miniseries based on Count Jan Potocki’s MANUSCRIPT FOUND IN SARAGOSSA, and as impressive in its own way as the better-known Polish film adaptation of same.
IN THE KINGDOM OF MESCAL By GEORG SCHAFER, NAN CUZ
Perhaps the most warped children’s book ever, a lavishly illustrated account of an especially fanciful mescaline trip!
Remembering Those Who’ve Passed On
- Poni Adams (1918-2014) Actress: HOUSE OF DRACULA, BATMAN AND ROBIN (1949)
- Alejandro Angulo (1953-2014) Actor: ACCION MUTANTE, THE DAY OF THE BEAST, PAN’S LABYRINTH, THE BACKWOODS
- George Ardisson (1931-2014) Actor: HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD, THE LONG HAIR OF DEATH, EYES BEHIND THE STARS
- Renee Asherson (1915-2014) Actress: THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE, RASPUTIN THE MAD MONK, THEATRE OF BLOOD, THE OTHERS
- Richard Attenborough (1923-2014) Actor/Director: BRIGHTON ROCK, SÉANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON, MAGIC, JURASSIC PARK
- Lauren Bacall (1924-2014) Actress: THE FAN, MISERY, BIRTH
- Neal Barrett Jr. (1929-2014) Novelist: INTERSTATE DREAMS, THROUGH DARKEST AMERICA, DAWN’S UNCERTAIN LIGHT
- Skye McCole Bartusiak (1992-2014) Actress: STORM OF THE CENTURY, FIRESTARTER: REKINDLED, BOOGEYMAN
- Polly Bergen (1930-2014) Actress: CAPE FEAR (1962), THE HAUNTING OF SARAH HARDY, DR. JEKYLL AND MS. HYDE
- Thomas Berger (1924-2014) Novelist: KILLING TIME, MEETING EVIL
- Jacques Bergerac (1927-2014) Actor: ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS (TV), THE HYPNOTIC EYE, BATMAN (TV)
- Harvey Bernhard (1924-2014) Producer/Screenwriter: THE OMEN, DAMIEN: OMEN II, OMEN III: THE FINAL CONFLICT, THE BEAST WITHIN, THE LOST BOYS, OMEN IV: THE AWAKENING
- Francoise Bertin (1925-2014) Actress: CALMOS, TELL NO ONE
- Noel Black (1937-2014) Director: PRETTY POISON, DEADLY INTENTIONS, THE TWILIGHT ZONE (1986)
- Karlheinz Bohm [Carl Boehm] (1928-2014) Actor: ALRAUNE (1952), PEEPING TOM
- Daniel Boulanger (1922-2014) Screenwriter: SPIRITS OF THE DEAD, LE MENACE
- Dora Bryan (1923-2014) Actress: MOTHER RILEY MEETS THE VAMPIRE, HANDS OF THE RIPPER, SCREAMTIME, APARTMENT ZERO
- Mark Burchett (1960-2014) Director/Writer/Producer: VAMPS, EVIL AMBITIONS, BLOOD SISTERS: VAMPS 2, HELL-O-WEEN
- Alan Burns (1929-2014) Novelist: EUROPE AFTER THE RAIN, IMAGINATION ON TRIAL
- Marilyn Burns (1949-2014) Actress: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, HELTER SKELTER (1976), EATEN ALIVE, KISS DADDY GOODBYE, FUTURE-KILL, THE RETURN OF THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D
- Leslie Carlson (1933-2014) Actor: DERANGED, BLACK CHRISTMAS, SHOOT, VIDEODROME, THE DEAD ZONE, THE FLY (1986)
- L.M. Kit Carson (1941-2014) Screenwriter: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2
- Ann Carter (1936-2014) Actress: THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE, VAL LEWTON: THE MAN IN THE SHADOWS
- Stepan Chapman (1951-2014) Novelist: THE TROIKA
- Vera Chytilova (1929-2014) Director: WOLF’S CABIN
- Scott Ciencin (1962-2014) Novelist: THE VAMPIRE ODYSSEY, GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS
- Ralph Cosham (1936-2014) Book Narrator: HEART OF DARKNESS, FRANKENSTEIN
- Ruby Dee (1922-2014) Actress: CAT PEOPLE (1982), THE STAND
- Marie Dubois (1937-2014) Actress: GOLDEN NIGHT, LA MENACE, GRAND GUIGNOL
- Isabelle Collin Dufresne (1935-2014) Actress: SIMON KING OF THE WITCHES, SAVAGES, CURSE OF THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN
- John Fasano (1961-2014) Screenwriter/Director/Novelist: ROCK N’ ROLL NIGHTMARE, BLACK ROSES, MEGGIDO: THE OMEGA CODE 2, DARKNESS FALLS, EVIE AND THE GOLEM
- Al Feldstein (1925-2014) Writer/Editor/Artist: WEIRD SCIENCE, WEIRD FANTASY, TALES FROM THE CRYPT, THE HAUNT OF FEAR, THE VAULT OF HORROR
- Gerry Fisher (1926-2014) Cinematographer: THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU (1977), THE NINTH CONFIGURATION, WOLFEN, THE EXORCIST III
- Theodore J. Flicker (1930-2014) Director/Actor: NIGHT GALLERY (TV), BEWARE THE BLOB!
- J.E. Freeman (1946-2014) Actor: WILD AT HEART, MOTHER’S BOYS, COPYCAT, ALIEN RESURRECTION, SUSPENDED ANIMATION, TREMORS 4
- Joachim Fuchs Berger (1927-2014) Actor: THE FACE OF FU MANCHU, TRANCE
- Hans Funck (1953-3014) Editor: DAS EXPERIMENT, THE INVASION
- James Garner (1928-2014) Actor: THE FAN, FIRE IN THE SKY
- Tony Genaro (1941-2014) Actor: TREMORS, FINAL ANALYSIS, TREMORS 3
- Kurt Gentry (1931-2014) Novelist/True Crime Writer: THE LAST DAYS OF THE LATE GREAT STATE OF CALIFORNIA, HELTER SKELTER
- Stefan Gierasch (1926-2014) Actor: CARRIE (1976), BLUE SUNSHINE, THE INCREDIBLE HULK (TV), THE TWILIGHT ZONE (TV; 1986), WEREWOLF (TV), TALES FROM THE CRYPT (TV), DARK SHADOWS (TV; 1991)
- H.R. Giger (1940-2014) Painter/Conceptual Artist/Set Designer: ALIEN, POLTERGEIST II: THE OTHER SIDE, KILLER CONDOM, SPECIES, TOKYO: THE LAST MEGALOPOLIS
- Bernard Glasser (1924-2014) Producer: RETURN OF THE FLY, THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS
- Justin Gocke (1978-2014) Actor: THE WITCHING OF BEN WAGNER, MY GRANDPA IS A VAMPIRE
- Assheton Gorton (1930-2014) Production Designer: THE BED-SITTING ROOM, LEGEND, SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE
- Menahem Golan (1929-2014) Producer/Director: THE MAGICIAN OF LUBIN, LIFEFORCE, INVADERS FROM MARS (1986), SHY PEOPLE, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
- Anthony Goldschmidt (1942-2014) Poster Designer: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, THE LOST BOYS, THE CROW, TWISTER, PSYCHO (1998), BATMAN BEGINS, THE DARK KNIGHT
- Sam Hall (1921-2014) Screenwriter: DARK SHADOWS (TV)
- Phil Hardy (1945-2014) Writer/Editor: THE OVERLOOK HORROR FILM ENCYCLOPEDIA
- Bob Hastings (1925-2014) Actor: THE TWILIGHT ZONE (TV), THE MUNSTERS, BATMAN (TV), TRAPPED, KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER (TV), THE INCREDIBLE HULK (TV), THE MUNSTER’S REVENGE, BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM, BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES
- C.J. Henderson (1951-2014) Novelist: KOLCHAK: THE LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR, KOLCHAK: THE LOVECRAFTIAN DAMNATION, KOLCHAK: THE LOVECRAFTIAN GAMBIT
- Edward Herrmann (1943-2014) Actor: THE DAY OF THE DOLPHIN, THE LOST BOYS, MY BOYFRIEND’S BACK
- Gordon Hessler (1925-2014) Director: THE OBLONG BOX, SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN, MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE (1971), KISS MEETS THE PHANTOM OF THE PARK, THE GIRL IN A SWING
- Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014) Actor: TWISTER, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, RED DRAGON
- Geoffrey Holder (1930-2014) Actor: THE NOAH, CHARLIE AND CHOCOLATE FACTORY
- Jan Hooks (1957-2014) Actress/Comedian: FUNLAND, BATMAN RETURNS
- Bob Hoskins (1942-2014) Actor/Director: PINK FLOYD THE WALL, FELICIA’S JOURNEY, STAY, DOOMSDAY, SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN
- Brian G. Hutton (1935-2014) Actor/Director: NIGHT WATCH, THE FIRST DEADLY SIN
- Martha Hyer (1924-2014) Actress: THE NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY, PICTURE MOMMY DEAD, THE HOUSE OF 1000 DOLLS
- James Jacks (1947-2014) Producer: VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1995), THE MUMMY (1999), THE MUMMY RETURNS, THE SCORPION KING
- Gottfried John (1942-2014) Actor: DESPAIR, INSTITUTE BENJAMENTA, THE PIANO TUNER OF EARTHQUAKES
- Graham Joyce (1954-2014) Novelist: DREAMSIDE, DARK SISTER, THE HOUSE OF LOST DREAMS, THE TOOTH FAIRY, DO THE CREEPY THING, HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH DEMONS, THE SILENT LAND
- Loichi Kawakita (1942-2014) Special Effects Director: GODZILLA VS. KING GHIDORAH, GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA, REBIRTH OF MOTHRA
- Bernard Kay (1928-2014) Actor: THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE, THE SHUTTERED ROOM, TORTURE GARDEN, WITCHFINDER GENERAL, TROG
- Don Keefer (1916-2014) Actor: THE TWILIGHT ZONE (TV), ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS (TV), THE MUNSTERS
- Daniel Keyes (1927-2014) Novelist: THE MINDS OF BILLY MILLIGAN
- Richard Kiel (1939-2014) Actor: THE TWILIGHT ZONE (TV), EEGAH, KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER (TV), HOUSE OF THE DAMNED, LAND OF THE LOST (TV), THE HUMANOID
- Carla Laemmle (1909-2014) Actress: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925), DRACULA (1931)
- Craig Lahiff (1947-2014) Director: CODA, THE DREAMING
- Alan Landsburg (1933-2014) Producer: THE SAVAGE BEES, ANTS, TARANTULAS: THE DEADLY CARGO, JAWS 3-D, THE LOTTERY (1996)
- Glen A. Larson (1937-2014) Producer: NIGHTSIDE, MANIMAL, NIGHT MAN
- Varonica Lazar (1938-2014) Actress: INFERNO, THE BEYOND, THE STENDHAL SYNDROME
- Stephen Lee (1955-2014) Actor: CRIMES OF PASSION, DOLLS, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM
- Dave Lenego (1963-2014) Actor: BATMAN BEGINS, CENTURION, SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, THE RAVEN (2012)
- Dennis C. Lewiston (1934-2014) Cinematographer/Camera Operator: PHASE IV, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
- Dennis Lipscomb (1942-2014) Actor: EYES OF FIRE, THE DAY AFTER, SISTER SISTER, THE FIRST POWER
- Virna Lisi (1936-2014) Actress: BLUEBEARD, QUEEN MARGOT
- John J. Lloyd (1922-2014) Art Director/Production Designer: MUNSTER GO HOME!, THE THING, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, JAWS: THE REVENGE
- Ray Lonnen (1940-2014) Actor: HAMMER HOUSE OF HORROR (TV), TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED (TV), WICKED CITY (1987), DARK MYTH
- Eric Lynch [“Eric the Actor”] (1975-2014) Actor: FRINGE (TV)
- Wu Ma (1942-2014) Actor/Director/Producer/Screenwriter: ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND, MR. VAMPIRE, A CHINESE GHOST STORY
- Peter Marquardt (1964-2014) Actor: THE SHADOW PEOPLE
- Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1927-2014) Novelist: ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE, OF LOVE AND OTHER DEMONS
- Sarah Marshall (1933-2014) Actress: ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS (TV), THE TWILIGHT ZONE (TV)
- Arlene Martel (1936-2014) Actress: THE TWILIGHT ZONE (TV), THE OUTER LMIMTS (TV), CONSPIRACY OF TERROR, DRACULA’S DOG
- Margery Mason (1913-2014) Actress: QUATERMASS AND THE PIT (TV), TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED (TV), PINK FLOYD THE WALL
- Walter Massey (1928-2014) Actor: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE, THE TWILIGHT ZONE (TV; 1989)
- Francis Matthews (1927-2014) Actor: THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE HELLFIRE CLUB, DRACULA: PRINCE OF DARKNESS, RASPUTIN THE MAD MONNK
- Rik Mayall (1958-2014) Actor: AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, SHOCK TREATMENT, EAT THE RICH, DROP DEAD FRED
- Gary McCarty (1940-2014) Stuntman/Stunt Coordinator: TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE, THE TERMINATOR, JURASSIC PARK
- Billy McColl (1951-2014) Actor: OKTOBER
- Mary Ann Mobley (1937-2014) Actress: NIGHT GALLERY (TV), DEAD LIKE ME (TV), SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH (TV)
- Oswald Morris (1915-2014) Cinematographer: DRACULA (1973), THE DARK CRYSTAL
- Barry Moss (1940-2014) Casting Director: FRIDAY THE 13th (1980), BLOOD SIMPLE, LITTLE NICKY
- Jimmy Murakami (1933-2014) Director/Animator: HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP, WHEN THE WIND BLOWS
- J.J. Murphy (1928-2014) Actor: DRACULA UNTOLD
- James Nelson (1932-2014) Sound Editor: EXPERIMENT IN TERROR, THE COMEDY OF TERRORS, THE EXORCIST
- Mike Nichols (1931-2014) Director: THE DAY OF THE DOLPHIN, WOLF
- Joseph Olita (1944-2014) Actor: THE RISE AND FALL OF IDI AMIN
- Richard Pasco (1926-2014) Actor: THE GORGON, RASPUTIN THE MAD MONK
- Elizabeth Pena (1959-2014) Actress: BLUE STEEL, JACOB’S LADDER, THE OUTER LIMITS (TV; 1995), STRANGELAND, GHOST WHISPERER (TV)
- Tom Pevsner (1926-2014) Producer/Assistant Director: DRACULA (1979)
- Giulio Questi (1924-2014) Screenwriter/Director: DJANGO KILL!, DEATH LAID AN EGG, ARCANA, VAMPIRISMUS
- Harold Ramis (1944-2014) Actor/Screenwriter/Director: GHOSTBUSTERS, GHOSTBUSTERS II
- James Rebhorn (1948-2014) Actor: CAT’S EYE, HEART OF MIDNIGHT, BASIC INSTINCT, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, THE BOX
- Alain Resnais (1922-2014) Director: NIGHT AND FOG, PROVIDENCE
- Terry Richards (1932-2014) Actor/Stuntman: HAUNTED SUMMER, NIGHTBREED, TOTAL RECALL
- Joan Rivers (1933-2014) Actress/Comedian: THE SWIMMER, SERIAL MOM
- Frank M. Robinson (1926-2014) Novelist: THE POWER, WAITING
- Everett De Roche (1946-2014) Screenwriter: PATRICK, LONG WEEKEND, ROAD GAMES, RAZORBACK, FORTRESS, LINK
- Alan Rodgers (1959-2014) Novelist/Editor: NIGHT CRY (magazine), BLOOD OF THE CHILDREN, FIRE, NIGHT
- Tom Rolf (1931-2014) Editor: TAXI DRIVER, JACOB’S LADDER, DOMINION
- Mickey Rooney (1920-2014) Actor: THE TWILIGHT ZONE (TV), THE MANIPULATOR, NIGHT GALLERY (TV), SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT 5
- David Ryall (1935-2014) Actor: JACK THE RIPPER (1988), THE WOMAN IN BLACK (1989)
- Zohra Sehgal (1912-2014) Actress: THE VENGEANCE OF SHE, TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS
- Lorenzo Semple Jr. (1923-2014) Screenwriter: BATMAN (1966), PRETTY POISON, KING KONG (1976)
- Joseph Sergeant (1925-2014) Director: COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT, NIGHTMARES, JAWS: THE REVENGE
- Run Run Shaw (1907-2014) Producer: THE LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES, THE OILY MANIAC, HEX VS. WITCHCRAFT, BLOOD BEACH, CURSE OF EVIL
- Michael Shea (1946-2014) Novelist: THE COLOR OUT OF TIME, THE AUTOPSY AND OTHER TALES
- Lucius Shepard (1943-2014) Novelist: THE GOLDEN, A HANDBOOK OF AMERICAN PRAYER, THE SKULL
- Richard Shepherd (1927-2014) Producer: THE HUNGER
- James Shigeta (1929-2014) Actor: THE OUTER LIMITS (TV), THE HITCHHIKER (TV)
- George Sluizer (1932-2014) Director: THE VANISHING (1988), THE VANISHING (1993), CRIMETIME, DARK BLOOD
- Dick Smith (1922-2014) Make-up Artist: DARK SHADOWS (TV), THE EXORCIST, THE STEPFORD WIVES (1975), DEATH BECOMES HER, HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1999)
- Chusei Sone (1937-2014) Director: ANGEL GUTS: RED CLASSROOM, ANGEL GUTS: HIGH SCHOOL COED, TATTOO (1984)
- Marcia Strassman (1948-2014) Actress: TREMORS (TV), REEKER
- Elaine Stritch (1925-2014) Actress: WHO KILLED TEDDY BEAR?, THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE, PROVIDENCE
- Carol Ann Susi (1952-2014) Actress: KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER (TV), DEATH BECOMES HER, SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH (TV)
- Hal Sutherland (1929-2014) Animator/Director: PINOCCHIO AND THE EMPEROR OF THE NIGHT
- Ken Thorne (1924-2014) Composer: THE BED-SITTING ROOM, THE HOUSE WHERE EVIL DWELLS, WOLF LAKE
- Ken Utsui (1931-2014) Actor: EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE
- Joe Viskocil (1952-2014) Special Effects Artist: GHOSTBUSTERS, HOUSE, VAMP, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE, THE BLOB, BARTON FINK, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY
- Ralph Waite (1928-2014) Actor: DESPERATE HOURS (1990), THE OUTER LIMITS (TV; 1999)
- Eli Wallach (1915-2014) Actor: BATMAN (TV), A COLD NIGHT’S DEATH, THE SENTINEL, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED (TV)
- Ken Weatherwax (1955-2014) Actor: THE ADDAMS FAMILY (TV), HALLOWEEN WITH THE ADDAMS FAMILY
- Bryon Weiss (1963-2014) Stuntman: SIN CITY, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
- Billie Whitelaw (1932-2014) Actress: THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, FRENZY, NIGHT WATCH, THE OMEN
- Robin Williams (1951-2014) Actor: INSOMNIA, ONE HOUR PHOTO
- Jerome Willis (1928-2014) Actor: LIFEFORCE, TALES OF MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION (TV), PERFUME
- Carmen Zapata (1927-2014) Actress: BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES
- Darrell Zwerling (1928-2014) Actor: HIGH ANXIETY, WILD AT HEART