Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor, born right in the heart of Detroit on May 21, 1946, is not exactly a household name, but honestly, he’s carved out a weird little niche in the movie biz. He’s the kind of writer-director you stumble across at 2 a.m. when you’re deep into some bizarre film rabbit hole. His stuff? Not exactly mainstream, but that’s part of the charm. “Fright Show” from 1985, for example, is this cult horror anthology that’s got that scrappy, DIY vibe—think VHS tapes and late-night cable, not glossy Hollywood. Taylor’s fingerprints are all over it, too; you can tell he’s having fun with the genre, not taking it too seriously, but still managing to creep you out. Jump forward a few decades, and you land on “Shipslog” (2019), which is a totally different beast. This one’s more personal, kind of reflective, like a filmmaker looking back at his life—or maybe just trying to make sense of the mess. You get the sense Taylor’s putting a lot of himself into it, letting things get a bit raw, a bit real. Then, there’s “Stingray” from ‘78, which sits somewhere between crime flick and oddball adventure. None of his movies scream “blockbuster,” but honestly, that’s not the point. Taylor’s work feels like a love letter to outsiders, misfits, and movie weirdos everywhere. If you’re into offbeat, slightly rough-around-the-edges cinema, you’ll probably appreciate what he brings to the table.