ABOUT ERIC STANZE
“Without a doubt, independent filmmaker Eric Stanze is one of the more seasoned and exciting storytellers working today.”
– DreadCentral.com
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“Eric Stanze has been one of the indie horror scene’s most prominent and influential filmmakers for at least 20 years.”
– HorrorYearBook.com
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“Eric Stanze is a filmmaker who has created an astonishing output of jolting, original flicks which provide an intellectual and artistic shock. His films stand out for their audacity and imagination.”
– Film Threat Magazine
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“Director Eric Stanze is to be congratulated on raising the bar for horror avant-garde filmmaking.”
– New York Daily News
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“One of the most interesting filmmakers in modern independent horror. Stanze’s evolution from super low-budget shock artist to genuine horror auteur has been exciting to follow.”
– Daily Grindhouse
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“In Stanze’s hands, the impossible comes magically to life, radiating off the screen in waves of sheer talent. He has the chops to walk right into Hollywood today and command any level of production, from a large scale work of epic scope to a small, two person character study. He inherently understands the nature of the cinematic artform and accents it with amazing accomplishment.”
– PopMatters.com
FILMMAKER BIO
Eric Stanze is a director, writer, editor, and producer whose films have garnered critical acclaim and forged a substantial fan base that spans the globe. Stanze also has 2nd Unit director, acting, voice-over, director of photography, and camera/electric/grip credits to his name. Stanze’s work spans independent feature films, music videos, documentaries, short films, and more.
Stanze’s first-ever job on a professional shoot came at the age of 16 – he was an unpaid cue-card boy on a PSA about the dangers of drunk driving. He continued interning on local commercials and music videos from age 16 through 18. Stanze began working professionally in television, video production, and feature films in 1990 when he was only 18 years old. Since then, he has continuously earned his living exclusively in the film / video / television industry.
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FEATURE FILMS
TENNESSEE GOTHIC
Eric Stanze was the director of photography on TENNESSEE GOTHIC, shot entirely on 16mm motion picture film. The movie was directed by Jeff Wedding (A MEASURE OF THE SIN), and based on a short story by Ray Russell (THE INCUBUS, X: THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES).
TENNESSEE GOTHIC was released to enthusiastic critical acclaim. Mondo Digital praised it as “Beautifully shot… gets a lot of mileage out of its strong central performances and quirky tone… A twisty and entertaining melodrama.” Ian Jane of Rock!Shock!Pop! said, “The acting is strong, the story is tight, the direction is solid, and the camerawork is gorgeous. Eric Stanze handles the 16mm photography and it’s fantastic. Recommended!” Andrew Buckner of AWordOfDreams.com called the film “Unpredictable and entertaining… Stunning, gorgeous and colorful cinematography from Eric Stanze. Director Wedding delivers an unforgettable modern take on folklore… Spellbinding from the first frame to the last.”
Joe Bob Briggs awarded TENNESSEE GOTHIC the Best Picture award at his Mutant Film Festival, held in 2021 at the celebrated Mahoning Drive-In Theater.
IN MEMORY OF
Eric Stanze directed, shot, edited, and co-wrote the feature film IN MEMORY OF, a fever-dream horror / experimental / road trip / adventure film.
Shot in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah, IN MEMORY OF is a sprawling journey through madness that features original music score by two-time Grammy award-winner Rocky Gray, former drummer for the multi-platinum band Evanescence.
Jason Coffman for Daily Grindhouse called IN MEMORY OF “Absolutely stunning.” Heather Wixson for Daily Dead called the film “A disturbing and disorienting fever dream… an unsettling journey… truly a welcome return for the thought-provoking director.” Tom Stockman for We Are Movie Geeks called IN MEMORY OF “An unremittingly creepy municipality of the mind where mystery and madness have come home to stay. Stanze’s direction is clever, his cinematography top-notch… IN MEMORY OF is less interested in the horror of cheap frights than in creating a mood of paranoia and instability. Highly recommended.”
MARSHALL’S MIRACLE
Stanze directed 2nd Unit for the feature film MARSHALL THE MIRACLE DOG (also known as MARSHALL’S MIRACLE), starring Lauren Holly (WHAT WOMEN WANT, ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, DUMB & DUMBER), Shannon Elizabeth (AMERICAN PIE), and Matthew Settle (BAND OF BROTHERS).
WE ARE WHAT WE ARE
Stanze directed 2nd Unit on the feature film WE ARE WHAT WE ARE for director Jim Mickle.
The film stars Michael Parks (GRINDHOUSE, RED STATE, TUSK), Bill Sage (HBO’s BOARDWALK EMPIRE), Julia Garner (SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR), Ambyr Childers (THE MASTER), Kassie Wesley (EVIL DEAD 2), and Kelly McGillis (TOP GUN, WITNESS).
The film was an Official Selection of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and an Official Selection of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
RATLINE
Stanze directed, shot, edited, and co-wrote the feature film RATLINE, which won Best Feature in the Crime Film category at the 2011 Pollygrind Film Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Best Director at the 2013 Scare-A-Con Film Festival in Syracuse, New York. The movie was released to remarkable critical acclaim, and it landed on several year-end “Best Films Of 2011” lists. PopMatters.com ranked RATLINE #1 on its “Top 10 ‘Outsider Films’ of 2011” list. RATLINE was listed among the top 100 Essential Alternative Horror Films of the last 100 years by Rue Morgue Magazine.
STAKE LAND
Stanze directed 2nd Unit on the feature film STAKE LAND for director Jim Mickle and producer Larry Fessenden.
STAKE LAND stars Nick Damici (LATE PHASES), Connor Paolo (television’s GOSSIP GIRL), and Kelly McGillis (TOP GUN, WITNESS). The film won the People’s Choice Award for the Midnight Madness category at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, then went on to gather glowing critical praise. STAKE LAND made numerous year-end “Best Films Of 2011” lists.
DEADWOOD PARK
Stanze directed, wrote, shot, and edited the feature film DEADWOOD PARK, which won Best Feature and Best Cinematography when it premiered at the 2007 Freak Show Film Fest in Orlando, Florida.
DEADWOOD PARK received glowing reviews on the web and in print around the world. FilmMonthly.com called DEADWOOD PARK “Easily one of the best independent American horror films of the last decade.” PopMatters.com called the film “A visually stunning and emotionally powerful piece of cinema.”
SCRAPBOOK
Stanze directed, shot, and edited the controversial and critically-acclaimed SCRAPBOOK, which was named Best Independent Film Of The Year by Rue Morgue Magazine in 2001.
At the 2001 Syracuse International Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival in Syracuse, New York, SCRAPBOOK won Best Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. SCRAPBOOK screened as part of the 2007 Fright Night Film Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, where it won Best Feature Film. DVD House Of Horror called SCRAPBOOK “A masterpiece of soul-crushing, stomach-churning horror.”
ICE FROM THE SUN
Stanze directed, wrote, and edited ICE FROM THE SUN, which won Best Cinematography and Best Editing at the 2000 Syracuse International Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival in Syracuse, New York. The film won Best Horror / Experimental Feature at the 2003 New York International Independent Film And Video Festival.
The New York Daily News called ICE FROM THE SUN “Startlingly brilliant.” DVDtalk.com called the film “A stunning work of near-auteur level genius. Visually, you have rarely seen anything like this extraordinary, dreamlike film. Highly recommended.”
DOCUMENTARIES
Eric Stanze routinely works as an editor and co-producer on Paramount Pictures behind-the-scenes documentaries, produced for the studio’s Blu-ray releases. Included among these are documentaries for Oscar-nominated and Oscar-winning films.
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FEARNET.COM
From October of 2007 through April of 2014, Eric Stanze wrote professionally for FEARnet.com, one of the biggest horror film websites in the world.
Stanze occasionally writes for other film websites, and has contributed to books about independent filmmaking.