Neil Marshall 101: Inside The Violent, Action-Packed Filmography Of The Director Of ‘Hellboy’
By Danielle Ryan/April 24, 2019 11:00 am EST
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. The Hellboy reboot, helmed by British director Neil Marshall, isn’t doing so hot. That’s a real shame, because Marshall’s track record with hyper-violent action-horror has been fantastic so far. While rumors of production woes definitely explain the film’s lack of cohesion, there are kernels of good stuff in the new Hellboy. Horror fans have delighted in the movie’s gory brutality, and some of the sequences work as fun standalone scenes; while Hellboy might not work, it’s easy to see some of Marshall’s skills on display.So, if you’re looking to understand more about the man who helmed Hellboy, or if you’re just looking for an alternative film to watch with the same kinetic, savage energy, check out our guide.
The Basics
Bio: Neil Marshall was born on May 25, 1970 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Marshall became known as a member of the “Splat Pack”, directors credited with brining ultra-violent R-rated horror back into the mainstream. (Other members include Alexandre Aja, Darren Lynn Bousman, Eli Roth, Leigh Whannell, James Wan, Robert Rodriguez, Greg McLean, and Rob Zombie.) Marshall won the British Independent Film Award for “Best Director of a British Independent Film” and a Saturn Award for Best Horror Film for his second feature, The Descent.Trademarks:
Hyper-violent horror Intense action sequences Big, outlandish group action scenes Celtic imagery and designs Often features tough female heroes and villains Frequent Collaborators: Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham
Television Episodes
It should be noted that in addition to directing five feature-length films and a TV movie, Marshall has also directed some of the most highly acclaimed episodes of several major series. He directed both “The Watchers on the Wall” and “Blackwater” episodes of Game of Thrones for HBO – both episodes feature extended, intense action sequences. Marshall was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his direction on “The Watchers on the Wall”.Marshall also directed two episodes of Constantine, the Timeless pilot, “The Stray” episode of Westworld, two episodes of Lost in Space, and “The Great Red Dragon” episode of Hannibal.
The Descent (2005)
The Plot: A year after a car accident takes the lives of her husband and daughter, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) and her five friends take their annual camping trip. They decide to explore a deep cave in the mountains but become trapped about a mile beneath the earth during a cave-in. Running out of supplies is the least of their problems, however, as they realize they’re not alone underground.Best Action Sequence: Cornered by the creatures, Juno (Natalie Mendoza) jumps into a pool of water some ways below. The creature is waiting, and Juno must battle it underwater with only a knife.Best Horror Gag: Sarah wakes up to discover that she’s in the creatures’ feeding pit, surrounded by the fetid corpses of animals. She realizes with horror that the creatures are devouring her friend, and they slurp and click gleefully as they dine.Most Ferocious Female: While all the women of The Descent are forced to be ferocious to survive, the female creatures in the film are equally terrifying. This film is chock-full of scary women.Watch it: Available to stream on HBO or to rent on Google Play.
Neil Marshall 101: Inside The Violent, Action-Packed Filmography Of The Director Of ‘Hellboy’
By Danielle Ryan/April 24, 2019 11:00 am EST
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. The Hellboy reboot, helmed by British director Neil Marshall, isn’t doing so hot. That’s a real shame, because Marshall’s track record with hyper-violent action-horror has been fantastic so far. While rumors of production woes definitely explain the film’s lack of cohesion, there are kernels of good stuff in the new Hellboy. Horror fans have delighted in the movie’s gory brutality, and some of the sequences work as fun standalone scenes; while Hellboy might not work, it’s easy to see some of Marshall’s skills on display.So, if you’re looking to understand more about the man who helmed Hellboy, or if you’re just looking for an alternative film to watch with the same kinetic, savage energy, check out our guide.
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
The Basics
Bio: Neil Marshall was born on May 25, 1970 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Marshall became known as a member of the “Splat Pack”, directors credited with brining ultra-violent R-rated horror back into the mainstream. (Other members include Alexandre Aja, Darren Lynn Bousman, Eli Roth, Leigh Whannell, James Wan, Robert Rodriguez, Greg McLean, and Rob Zombie.) Marshall won the British Independent Film Award for “Best Director of a British Independent Film” and a Saturn Award for Best Horror Film for his second feature, The Descent.Trademarks:
Hyper-violent horror Intense action sequences Big, outlandish group action scenes Celtic imagery and designs Often features tough female heroes and villains Frequent Collaborators: Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham
Frequent Collaborators: Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham
Television Episodes
It should be noted that in addition to directing five feature-length films and a TV movie, Marshall has also directed some of the most highly acclaimed episodes of several major series. He directed both “The Watchers on the Wall” and “Blackwater” episodes of Game of Thrones for HBO – both episodes feature extended, intense action sequences. Marshall was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his direction on “The Watchers on the Wall”.Marshall also directed two episodes of Constantine, the Timeless pilot, “The Stray” episode of Westworld, two episodes of Lost in Space, and “The Great Red Dragon” episode of Hannibal.
Dog Soldiers (2002)
The Descent (2005)
The Plot: A year after a car accident takes the lives of her husband and daughter, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) and her five friends take their annual camping trip. They decide to explore a deep cave in the mountains but become trapped about a mile beneath the earth during a cave-in. Running out of supplies is the least of their problems, however, as they realize they’re not alone underground.Best Action Sequence: Cornered by the creatures, Juno (Natalie Mendoza) jumps into a pool of water some ways below. The creature is waiting, and Juno must battle it underwater with only a knife.Best Horror Gag: Sarah wakes up to discover that she’s in the creatures’ feeding pit, surrounded by the fetid corpses of animals. She realizes with horror that the creatures are devouring her friend, and they slurp and click gleefully as they dine.Most Ferocious Female: While all the women of The Descent are forced to be ferocious to survive, the female creatures in the film are equally terrifying. This film is chock-full of scary women.Watch it: Available to stream on HBO or to rent on Google Play.
