4 Must-See Horror Movies That Inspired Zach Cregger's 'Weapons'
From one of the most mysterious horror films in history to a forgotten Stephen King adaptation.
Everyone is talking about Weapons – the loudest horror hit of the year, which has a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
If you've already seen Weapons and are looking for similar works, the film's director, Zach Cregger, just shared the movies that influenced his horror gem.
1. 'Picnic at Hanging Rock', 1975
IMDb Score: 7.4/10
This dreamlike, mystical movie offers no easy answers about what happened to a group of Australian schoolgirls from a boarding school who went missing on Valentine's Day.
Picnic at Hanging Rock is one of the first films that comes to mind when it comes to the mysterious disappearance of children. According to Cregger, it is a "haunting" work:
“Picnic at Hanging Rock is so eerie and haunting. It's about the bizarre behavior of children and a disappearance, and you're left to grapple with why, and it's an upsetting movie.”
2. 'The Orphanage', 2007
IMDb Score: 7.4/10
The Orphanage, directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, is both a horror film and a heartbreaking drama about child abuse.
Laura, who was raised in an orphanage, returns to it with her husband and son, Simón. She wants to restore and reopen the institution for children with special needs.
When Simón begins to communicate with an imaginary friend, Laura doesn't initially pay any attention to it. But one day, Simón goes missing.
Zach Cregger admits that he was struck by the sinister depiction of children in The Orphanage:
“It's just that one sequence where the kids are coming closer and closer. It really weaponizes those kids. It turns them into this really terrifying thing. [...] There are a couple of moments in this movie where I'm trying to tap into that same thing.”
3. 'The Shining', 1980
IMDb Score: 8.4/10
The Shining is an absolute classic from Stanley Kubrick that needs no introduction. Zach Cregger admits that he was amazed by the use of the Steadicam, and he "stole" this technique to create a similar hyper-subjective perception of what is happening on screen.
Also, Cregger said he was astonished by the scene with the twins:
“That scene with the twins in the hallway – it just annihilated me. And I have been hunting that feeling ever since. [...] I don't even pretend to be on that level, but it was definitely an inspiration.”
4. 'Needful Things', 1993
IMDb Score: 6.3/10
The film adaptation of Stephen King's novel, Needful Things, is best known for Max von Sydow's portrayal of the junk dealer Leland Gaunt.
A strange store called Needful Things opens in Castle Rock where anything can be bought at half price. In exchange for the other half, the owner demands that the buyer do something nasty to someone else. As a result, the town turns into hell.
Zach Cregger admits that it was not the movie itself that influenced him the most, but rather, its trailer:
“I remember when I saw the commercial for Needful Things, I was like, ‘I gotta see this movie.’ [...] Then I didn't have the experience I was hoping to have when I watched the movie. [...] But the promise of the movie that I got from that trailer stuck with me.”
