It is a sad day for cinema fans as news broke that screenwriter, producer, and director Larry Cohen has passed away. He was just 77 years old.
Cohen got his start in the film industry in the 1950s, when he began penning episodes for various popular television shows. He wrote his first film in 1966, Return of the Magnificent Seven, starring Yul Brynner. It was in 1972 that he would make his directorial debut with Bone, which he also wrote, starring Yaphet Kotto, Andrew Duggan, and Joyce Van Patten. It would be two years later in 1974 when Cohen would write and direct his first horror film, It’s Alive. The film starred John P. Ryan and Sharon Farrell and, despite having a few release hiccups, was a financial success. From there, he would become known for making B-films in the horror, science fiction, and crime/action genres. One of the highlights of Cohen’s directorial career from the 1980s is The Stuff (1985), which was a box office bomb but now a beloved cult classic.
After directing Original Gangstas in 1996, Larry Cohen took a 10 year hiatus from directing, making a comeback in 2006 for the TV anthology series Masters of Horror, which was his final directing role. Of course, there are many other standout films from his career overall, including Q (1982), Full Moon High (1981), A Return to Salem’s Lot (1987) the sequels to It’s Alive, and the Maniac Cop series just to name a few.
Larry Cohen has been one of the most underrated, yet hardworking directors, writers, and producers in the industry and is a pioneer in independent filmmaking. His work and legacy will no doubt live on, and continue entertaining and inspiring others.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues, and fellow fans. R.I.P. Larry Cohen.
Related Article: ‘King Cohen’ Reminds Us Why Larry Cohen is Cinematic Royalty
