When you pursue a career in the creative world, whether that’s music, filmmaking, acting, or anything in between and beyond, the one thing you can absolutely guarantee is that not everyone is going to like your art; indeed without even considering how different works get re-evaluated over different periods of time, there’s always going to be fans, and there’s always going to be detractors.
But these two sides of the fence rarely get any louder than when it comes to Rob Zombie, the heavy metal singer-songwriter turned film scribe and director, the latter occupation of which has drawn very firm battle lines over the years; some folks adore Zombie’s camp-heavy exploitation shenanigans, while others become instantly exhausted from just seeing his name on a film poster.
It takes all manner of creatives to make a genre flourish, but some are wondering if Zombie’s reputation is poisonous to horror as a whole. With r/horror serving as the perennial battleground for all things spooky, fans have gone back and forth on whether Zombie’s place in the genre is respectable or not.
One user suggested that Zombie’s appeal begins to decay past adolescence, noting how his insistence to have his wife, Sheri Moon Zombie, in every film is a decision with rapidly diminishing returns.
Another responder said he should just stick to making music, considering Zombie’s scriptwriting to be his most debilitating weakness in an already unimpressive filmmaking skillset.
In the middle of the pack, another user pointed out that Zombie has certainly carved out an untouchable niche, with the caveat being that it’s far too much of a niche.
As for Zombie’s proponents, the respect seems to stem from the director knowing what he wants out of his movies, with House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects, and Lords of Salem frequently named as the best films to his name.
For those of you looking to bolster your own opinion on Rob Zombie, you can start by checking out his latest film, The Munsters, which is currently streaming on Netflix.