Larry Skorniak

Larry Skorniak isn’t exactly a household name in Hollywood, but if you’ve ever stumbled across “Cyrus” (2010) or “House of the Witchdoctor” (2013) during a late-night horror binge, then you’ve crossed paths with his work. He’s that guy behind the scenes, the one you probably wouldn’t recognize in a coffee shop but whose fingerprints are all over these indie productions. “Cyrus” is one of those gritty, no-nonsense horror flicks that doesn’t pull any punches—it dives straight into the mind of a serial killer, inspired by real crime stories, and drags you through some seriously unsettling territory. Skorniak clearly isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, crafting a world that’s bleak, raw, and not for the faint of heart. Jump forward a few years and you get “House of the Witchdoctor.” This one’s a wild ride, merging classic slasher vibes with a dash of exploitation cinema. It’s got that old-school horror charm—college students, creepy mansion, things going off the rails fast. Skorniak’s touch? You can spot it in the pacing, the way tension builds, and how he leans into the brutality without making it feel cheap. There’s a kind of throwback energy here, but it’s got enough edge and weirdness to stand out from the sea of forgettable straight-to-streaming horror. He may not have a massive filmography, but the guy knows how to leave a mark—no sugarcoating, just straight-up, in-your-face storytelling.