Canada's Worst Directors
This is a list of Canadian directors who only or mostly make really awful movies/TV shows.
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- Director
- Producer
- Editor
BAFTA and CSA-winning, double Emmy-nominated filmmaker Warren P. Sonoda has directed over 100 episodes of television including Trailer Park Boys, Ghostwriter, Utopia Falls, Murdoch Mysteries, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Odd Squad and just finished 2 episodes of SyFy's hit series Resident Alien for Amblin/Universal; 11 feature films including Things I Do For Money, Swearnet: The Movie and Coopers Camera; over 160 music videos which garnered 4 MuchMusic Video Awards and 2 CCMAs; he's received a medal from the Queen, knocked Martin Scorsese out of the Guinness Book of World Records, sits on the boards of BIPOC TV & Film and the Canadian Film Fest, and in 2020, was the first person of colour to be elected National President of the Directors Guild of Canada after being the youngest DGC member elected as the DGC's National Director Division Chair in 2018. He also failed Ryerson film school, twice.5ive Girls, Textuality, Puck Hogs, Unrivaled, Total Frat Movie, Merlin and the Book of Beasts, Swearnet: The Movie, Ham & Cheese, Servitude, Monster Warriors, The Masked Saint..... This guy's credits read like a list of "Canada's Worst Movies Of All Time".- Producer
- Cinematographer
- Writer
Born in Canada, Richard Pepin is known for directing and producing together with director Joseph Merhi with the PM Entertainment Group which he co-owned many action, fantasy and martial arts films between the 80s and 90s distributed for the direct circuit -to-video; Pepin unlike his colleague has oriented his career as a filmmaker on the genre of science fiction.Epicenter, Mindstorm, Caved In, The Sender, Hologram Man, Y2K, Fist of Honor, Dark Breed, T-Force, The Silencers, The Box, Firepower..... from Cyber Tracker to Cyber-Tracker 2 this guy has made a ton of bad movies. But at least they are fun, have real (usually past their prime) celebrities and seem intentionally cheesy and not just bad.- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Tom Green was born on 30 July 1971 in Pembroke, Ontario, Canada. He is a producer and actor, known for Freddy Got Fingered (2001), Charlie's Angels (2000) and Road Trip (2000). He was previously married to Drew Barrymore."Freddy Got Fingered" is one of the worst movies ever made. Plus a bunch of TV specials and talk shows where he started funny but got less funny over time.- Director
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Robert Iscove was born on 4 July 1947 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is a director and producer, known for From Justin to Kelly (2003), She's All That (1999) and Romeo and Juliet on Ice (1983). He was previously married to Wendy Maltby.The guy made "From Justin to Kelly"..... that alone is enough to get him on this list.- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Brett Kelly was born on 29 October 1972 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He is a director and actor, known for Raiders of the Lost Shark (2015), Thunderstorm: The Return of Thor (2011) and She-Rex (2009).Everything this guy makes is total crap and not in a fun/funny/cheesy way, it's just very poorly produced and very boring. I won't even list titles because the four I've actually watched slash "tried to watch" were so bad I don't even want to think about them.- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Courtney Solomon is an accomplished writer, director, producer and entrepreneur who is responsible for the creation of several franchises and has been involved with the production, marketing and distribution of over 80 films creating a significant film library.
Solomon grew up in Toronto, Canada where he spent much of his childhood on film sets where is mother worked in various film crew capacities. At the age of 19, Solomon formed Sweetpea Entertainment, the first of what would become many production companies, to fulfill his vision to acquire the rights and bring the world famous "DUNGEONS & DRAGONS" property to the big screen. At the age of 26, Dungeons and Dragons became his first producing and directing project and went on to gross over $75M globally. Two other D&D films were made in cooperation with Silver Pictures, and in 2023 "DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIVES" which banked $208M Worldwide at the box office for Paramount Pictures, starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez & Regé-Jean Page.
Thereafter, Solomon formed After Dark Films a label to produce horror, thriller and action titles. He launched After Dark with "AN AMERICAN HAUNTING" starring Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek based on the well-known Bell Witch legend. He wrote, produced, and directed the film. Solomon became one of the first producers to raise funds to market and distribute the film theatrically wide in the US. Personally handling the entire release campaign with no prior experience, Haunting was released on over 1750 screens and opened #2 in US staying in the top ten films for six weeks. The success of An American Haunting resulted in a long term distribution and co-production arrangement with Lionsgate Films.
Another of Solomon's creations, "8 FILMS TO DIE FOR" a one weekend only Rocky Horror Like Horror film festival which played 8 Films in hundreds of theaters nationwide over one weekend. 8 Films encouraged horror fans to dress as their favorite horror characters and "make a weekend of it" while they took over theaters across the country. 8 Films To Die For became an annual event for six years. Using the same format, Solomon also created a spin-off series of five action films ("ActionFest") in co-operation with Warner Bros. Today, After Dark's film library includes over 80 films.
In 2014, Solomon partnered with Mark Canton one of Hollywood's most prolific studio heads (Sony) and Producers (300) on a slate of Dramatic Feature films which included the critically acclaimed "CAKE" starring Jennifer Aniston who was nominated for best actress by SAG, BFCA and the Golden Globes for her performance. Other films in the slate included "MR.CHURCH" starring Eddie Murphy, "THE COMEDIAN" Starring Robert DeNiro and Leslie Mann, "THE YELLOW BIRDS" starring Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich, Jack Huston, Jennifer Aniston and Toni Collette and "BURN YOUR MAPS" which won multiple film festivals and stars Vera Farmiga and Jacob Trembley.
In 2018, Solomon acquired the rights and produced the first film based on the world wide phenomenon and bestselling novel series "AFTER" . The film was released in April 2019 and became an international hit opening #1 in 22 countries grossing $80M Worldwide at theaters. The sequel, "AFTER WE COLLIDED", will be released in 2020.
In 2018, Solomon acquired the rights to the world famous underground comic universe of the "Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers". Created by Gilbert Shelton in 1968 and distributed through underground presses because of the racy nature of the comics, the Freak Brothers and their unnamed Cat became the hilarious and witty voice for Cannabis around the world. The series "THE FREAK BROTHERS" debuted in 2020. Through the series, Solomon is making his first foray into the amazing world of Adult Animation with a super talented team of seasoned writers and actors to bring the Freaks to life.
Solomon recently wrapped production on the cult classic remake of "THE STRANGERS," a trilogy of movies with Lionsgate directed by Renny Harlin starring Madelaine Petsch, Froy Gutierrez & Gabriel Basso.
Simultaneously he wrapped production as well on Millenium's "RED SONJA" based on the world famous character and comic book; directed by MJ Bassett starring Matilda Lutz.
He is also in post on "ARTHUR THE KING", based on Mikael Lindnord's book, starring Mark Wahlberg, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Simu Liu.He's only directed three movies but they're all big budget Hollywood movies and they're all very terrible..... Getaway, An American Haunting and the unbelievably awful Dungeons & Dragons.- Director
- Producer
- Cinematographer
Lee Demarbre was born on 8 March 1972 in Quebec, Canada. He is a director and producer, known for Smash Cut (2009), Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter (2001) and Harry Knuckles and the Treasure of the Aztec Mummy (1999). He has been married to Cheryl since 2000.Low budget schlock. Stripped Naked, Summer's Blood, Smash Cut, The Dead Sleep Easy.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Author/Illustrator, Tony 'Tex' Watt ('What's Inside Your Gut, Shmut?: The Tragic First Tale of The World's Last Dumbosaurus!'), is also a veteran in the 21st Century cinematic exploitation field (& in 2005 one of the creators of the word 'web-isode', when he previewed chapters his early B-movie features , on Youtube ...as well as co-trademarking the word 'Fassage' [Facial & Massage], for his popular Toronto-based holistic Spa/ Fassage & Apothecary] businesses). ) and the last great apostle of self-idealized (& romanticized) rugged North American Individualism... Watt is a Canadian multimedia artist (filmmaker, t.v. horror-host [as: Kount Kracula], actor, singer/ songwriter, Alt recording artist, musician, former radio host and live stage performer) & member of Vom, a Canadian recording Act (as well as a solo performer and freaky kooky, crack-vampire Horror Host: Kount Kracula). Of Irish & Jewish descent (but, raised Baptist) , Watt was born in Kingston Jamaica, in the west indies. Watt generally likes to work within the genres of science fiction, fantasy and horror ( mostly with his artistic partner/muse :( Filmmaker/Actress) 'Vivita' . Tony ("Tex" to his friends), grew up mostly in Brampton, Ontario: & works as an underground/alt 'outsider' indie film-maker, T.V. producer, actor, cartoonist, musician, singer and songwriter and recording artist/former club artist. Feeling that a group is only as strong as it's weakest link; Watt's preference is to self-produce his various projects.
He started out making cheesy late-night infomercials - and soon, like many movie directors , Watt saw the horror movie genre as a launching pad to go on to bigger and better things. Watt grew up in the West Indies, the States (Florida, New York and Texas, where he got his nickname "Tex"); but, mostly in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and Toronto (Ontario: Canada).
As an independent Canadian t.v. producer ,Watt in 2002 founded the short-lived international ''Twisted Sinema'' Underground Movie Festival, after making his student film "Kracula"_(2001) qv (after taking Brampton, Ontario's Blue Sea Filmmaking course); in which he shamelessly promoted. Through said fest, he met the filmmakers from ''Primal Films'', who gave Watt acting roles in the horror b-movies: ''Awakening"_(2006) qv [aka Zombie Night 2]'' and ''Reel Zombies"_(2008) qv [aka Zombie Night 3 ]'. Through the "Twisted Sinema" show, Tony also met the Montreal based ''Robomonkey Productions'' filmmakers, who cast him in the cult-horror classic: ''Sinners & Saints''_(2004) qv , as the evil demonic ''Brimstone Milkman''.
In 2004, Watt won his first film-making award ( The New Jersey USA Film Project International's Greasefire Indiefest's award for excellence for "King Kaufman: The Passion of Lloyd"_(2008) qv , a documentary about ''Lloyd Kaufman'', the infamous b-movie" filmmaker" and founder of New York's ''Troma'' Studios) & "Dobby Dobson: An Interview with Jamaica's Music Ambassador"_(2009) . In 2009 ,Watt completed his first sci-fi/horror/fantasy film feature ''Frankenpimp''_(2009) qv, ( followed by ''Vixen Highway 2006: It Came from Uranus!''_(2010) qv & "Acid Head: The Buzzard Nuts County Slaughter"_(2011) qv & "Nosferatu vs. Father Pipecock & Sister Funk"_(2015) qv [winner of the festival 2016 Night of the Living Film Festival ] ..and others..) ; which was shaped by the culture vulture's love for the various cheesy, vintage grind-house/drive in & VHS video ''genres'' of many '50s, '60's, '70's, 80's 90's ''exploitation'' type movies. Tony once said an interview 'Life is Cheesy!' ; and he used that philosophy as a basis for the many styles he incorporates into his own self produced b-movies he produces.
Watt also commented to an interviewer during a press screening of "Frankenpimp": 'My personal filmmaking is like a documentary-type film; like they made in the '60s & '70s, like "The Chelsea Girls, 'Mean Streets", ''Taxi Driver'', ''Serpico'', ''The Chinese Connection''." ..This scene was inspired by ''Hitchcock''. He did a lot of stuff like this.. This shot, here, I got from old Bettie Page movies'.
His cinematic influences, also range from mainstream, underground, exploitation & exploitation horror, as in Hammer movies, Russ Meyer & Jean Rollins.
These themes also show up in his action movie influenced comic-book creation: "Code Name: King" ; as well as his self-produced film work.
In 2008, after creating a rowdy circus-like early afternoon ''rock'n'roll'' jam at Brampton, Ontario's Bramalea Rd. "All Star Bar and Grill" (complete with a ''bikini'' car wash); Watt soon released his debut rock& roll and Celtic influenced 10-song album: ''TonyWatt.com Plugged' (since discontinued, as he was disappointed with the weakly produced sound)', which includes an eclectic cover of the Irish Standard: ''Danny Boy'' and an original whimsical mariner's song ( he had co-written with film-making pals Lewis Mercer and Mike Burry, both from Newfoundland ) about the fictitious ship, the "King Henry III"; in which Tony & Lewis Mercer mused,'All of the (traditional) songs about seafaring are so depressing... with scurvy and rats. We figured(they must've had a song that was positive.'
A dedicated rocker, he turned on to the charms of Celtic music from his visits to Brampton's "Lar Na nGael" Irish Center:'I started digging into the Celtic stuff,, because if you like ''Led Zeppelin'', they've always done that stuff like ''Battle of Evermore'' or ''Goin' to California'', which is kind of Celtic.' Watt also uses his recorded music to soundtracks of his movies.
In 2013 Tex Watt produced: Kount Kracula's Review Showcase, a campy, gothic, Toronto, Canada-based (comic-book/graphic novel/movie /pop-culture ephemera) review showcase series; featuring:horror-host Kount Kracula, with a cast of groovy ghoulies!.
In 2018, Watt (as Kount Kracula,) added Kid-Lit Author/Illustrator to his resume, with 'What's Inside Your Gut, Shmut?: The Tragic First Tale of The World's Last Dumbosaurus!', with another upcoming picture-book (based on his cats & wife & advert flyer) 'Vivita: the Spa Therapist, Saves The Universe!', as well as a novel adaptation of his upcoming film: 'Bird Of Steel'!I hesitate to even add him to the list because his home videos don't even qualify as movies. But he put them on IMDb so here he is. Typically his "movies" are 3+ unedited hours of street people actors with unlit sets, unintelligible sound, and shot on a grainy 1990's flip phone's camera.- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Director
Bill Osco is known for The Being (1981) and Gross Out (1990).Low budget horror schlock few people have seen but deserving of this list. Made many years ago so much of the low production value can be excused because of that.