We’ve learned the sad news this morning that legendary filmmaker Larry Cohen has passed away at 77 this weekend. Cohen, officially dubbed a Master of Horror when he was invited to direct an episode of the “Masters of Horror” anthology series back in 2006, wrote/directed cult films It’s Alive, It Lives Again, Special Effects, The Stuff and A Return to Salem’s Lot.

Cohen also wrote Maniac Cop, which was directed by William Lustig. His other writing credits include 2007’s Captivity as well as non-horror films Phone Booth and Cellular.

A true indie maverick, Larry Cohen’s work was unquestionably singular, often blending humor, horror and social commentary in wildly entertaining ways. Like the aforementioned films, God Told Me To and Q are standout Cohen efforts that illustrated just how much of a unique visionary he was. A one of a kind artist with a true heart and passion for entertainment.

If you’d like to learn more about Larry Cohen’s life and career, we encourage you to check out the doc King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen, streaming on Shudder.

And speaking of documentaries, Cohen was interviewed for the upcoming ’80s horror doc In Search of Darkness. He discusses The Stuff in an interview snippet below.