Photo by Sean Chee, Brooklyn Horror

On Saturday, October 20, Brooklyn Horror Film Festival honored another horror legend with its Leviathan Award. Created in 2023, the award celebrates luminaries of horror for their work in the genre. This year’s recipient was filmmaker Ernest Dickerson. He picked up the award at a special screening of Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight, celebrating its 30th anniversary. However, it was Dickerson’s iconic work in film and television that was the center of attention this historic evening.

On hand to introduce the movie, and Ernest Dickerson was New York’s busiest emcee, Xero Gravity. After some fun banter and a quick reveal of the award, the screening of Dickerson’s 1995 masterpiece was underway. No matter how many times you have watched this funny, sexy, and important film, it is a different experience with an audience. It was also the first time many people in the crowd had seen it in a theater. The chemistry between Billy Zane and Jada Pinkett Smith melted a few brains. However, we all persevered and enjoyed laughing with an audience instead of in our homes with a smaller crew.

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Photo by Sean Chee, Brooklyn Horror

After Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight ended, Ernest Dickerson’s longtime friend Nelson George took the stage. He reintroduced the legendary filmmaker amid some very deserved applause. This year’s award was in the shape of a VHS and decked out in the current Brooklyn Horror Fest artwork featuring a rat standing in flames.

Dickerson jokingly asked the audience if they remembered VHS tapes as he took his seat. Before officially picking up the award, George asked Dickerson a few questions about his career. George reminded the audience just how prolific Dickerson’s career has been and highlighted his work with Spike Lee. George even shared that he was introduced to Dickerson’s work when he served as Director of Photography on Lee’s first five films.

Dickerson explained that he was also the DP on Lee’s thesis film Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads, which led to him getting his first professional job. Dickerson also shared that he grew up watching horror and sci-fi, and confirmed that there are horror elements in his film, Juice. Other cool trivia uncovered in the talkback was that parts of Def by Temptation were filmed in Laurence Fishburne’s home.

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Photo by Sean Chee, Brooklyn Horror

Because the evening was celebrating Ernest Dickerson and his iconic film, Dickerson shared facts about the process. He got laughs out of the audience when he confessed that he had never seen an episode of Tales from the Crypt when he was initially being considered to direct the film. When the laughter died down, he explained that it was originally an indie horror movie called Demon Knight. He was interested because he’s a big fan of cosmic horror, and it was the closest thing he could find to the subgenre.

When it became a Tales from the Crypt film, it changed a few things. For example, Dickerson didn’t direct any of the parts involving the Crypt Keeper. He also shared that it was important for him to have a Black final girl. He stood his ground when the studio tried to get Cameron Diaz. This became an iconic and important milestone in horror.

Brooklyn Horror Film Fest wasn’t quite done with Ernest after the screening of Demon Knight and the award, though. They also screened Def by Temptation, a different film from earlier in Dickerson’s career, where he served as cinematographer. The horror legend was also on hand to help introduce that movie before his night ended. However, because the weekend’s guest of honor never rests, he was back at it Sunday morning as the interviewee for a live podcast recording of Blerdy Massacre. 

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While one weekend is not nearly enough to truly celebrate all of Ernest Dickerson’s contributions to cinema, it was a very good start. It also gave a lot of his younger fans some homework if they only knew him for his work in the genre. We love to see it. 

Are you also happy that Ernest Dickerson walked away with Brooklyn’s biggest genre award this year? Do you also spend a lot of time judging critics who act like his work should not be on display at the Louvre (when they get better security)? Then find me on  Bluesky because we clearly have a lot in common. While you are there, tell me your favorite Dickerson film because I am nosy.

Categorized: Editorials