Notable Directors Who Have Explored Casinos in Horror Films!
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Outstanding Filmmakers Who Featured Casinos in Horror Films
Horror is one of the most popular genres in film. Some classics like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and Saw were so successful that they spawned multiple sequels. Meanwhile, movies like The Shining, The Thing, and The Exorcist continue to generate tons of views from horror die-hards.
Horror films often take place in unsettling settings such as haunted houses, outer space, asylums, and lonely stretches of highway. However, they rarely take place in venues like casinos. In fact, very few horror movies feature gambling at all, even though most characters take their chances with every decision and move they make. That said, there have been a few notable directors who have incorporated casinos and gambling into their twisted tales. Here are three of them.
Lars von Trier – The House That Jack Built
Lars von Trier isn’t exactly a household name, but he has brought around 20 films to the big screen, including Dogville, Antichrist, and Nymphomaniac. Several big names like Willem Dafoe, John Hurt, and Stellan Skarsgard have worked with him. One of his most recent films, The House That Jack Built, was released in 2018 and stars two big names, Matt Dillon and Uma Thurman.
The story revolves around a serial killer who tells his story through a series of flashbacks. While the movie doesn’t focus on gambling, it does include a horrific scene in a casino. Now, casinos are usually fun places, but this casino is the exact opposite as some pretty terrifying and brutal events unfold. Viewers will seriously consider playing their next roulette game online rather than at a land-based establishment.
Charles Band – The Haunted Casino
Charles Band has built an impressive resume over the past 50 years with films like Blood Dolls, Trophy Heads, and the Evil Bong series. He is one of the few directors to set a horror film in a casino. He did this with 2007’s Haunted Casino, also known as Dead Man’s Hand. Among its cast are Sid Haig and the eerie-looking Michael Berryman.
The premise isn’t all that original, and some of the writing is from the bush league, but it’s an entertaining flick nevertheless. In The Haunted Casino, the main character inherits an old dilapidated casino from his uncle. Little does he know that the casino is home to the sadistic spirits of an ex-mobster and his enforcer. You might be tempted to turn it off, but waiting for the bloodbath of an ending is worth it.
Zack Snyder – Army of the Dead
While the world was in lockdown back in 2021, director Zack Snyder was busy adding to his already long list of films, including hits such as Dawn of the Dead, Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman. Snyder has worked with many big names like:
- Gerard Butler
- Helen Mirren
- Vanessa Hudgens
- Will Smith
- Jered Leto
- Margot Robbie
- Jason Momoa
- Nicole Kidman
That list shows that Snyder has the uncanny ability to attract some of Hollywood’s most recognizable names.
His horror film Army of the Dead was just one of four films he released in 2021. Most recently, Snyder has introduced audiences to the first two installments of the Rebel Moon franchise.
Army of Dead is one of those apocalyptic zombie films that have become so popular. However, it mostly takes in Las Vegas which means viewers get to see all sorts of famous Vegas sights including casinos. Despite the premise and the B and C-list cast, Army of the Dead is surprisingly entertaining and well-written. Audiences even get to enjoy a couple of fun plot twists to go with a generous serving of gore. It certainly isn’t one of his best movies, but this Zack Snyder film is quite underrated.
There are loads of movies that offer a blend of horror and gambling, but very few of them have been able to captivate and scare audiences like the classics mentioned above. This is rather strange, seeing how horror and gambling have both been so popular for decades. You’d think that some innovative director would have come up with an original and interesting scenario that involves blood, screams, and casino games. Fans are eagerly waiting.