We’ve lost another true Master of Horror, waking up to the terrible news this morning that legendary filmmaker Stuart Gordon passed away at the age of 72 this week.

Stuart Gordon directed a handful of fan favorite gems within the horror genre, most notably an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s Re-Animator in 1985. He subsequently ensured his “Master of Horror” status with films like From Beyond, Dolls and Castle Freak. Gordon’s other directorial credits include Robot Jox, The Pit and the Pendulum, Fortress, Dagon, King of the Ants and Stuck. He also co-wrote the 1996 horror movie The Dentist, directed by Brian Yuzna.

Fittingly, Gordon directed two episodes of Showtime’s short-lived “Masters of Horror” television series: Season 1’s “Dreams in the Witch House” and Season 2’s “The Black Cat.”

It’s interesting to note that the 1989 family film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids features a “story by” credit to Stuart Gordon. Indeed, he and Brian Yuzna brought the project to Disney.

Most recently, Gordon directed the stage play Nevermore…An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe, which starred frequent collaborator Jeffrey Combs as Edgar Allan Poe.

Re-Animator, From Beyond and Castle Freak star Barbara Crampton wrote on Twitter, “An enormous talent, vibrant & boundary breaking, his work was in a class by itself. He created countless moments on film which were at once, funny, scary, daring & smart. He gave me my career. I lost a dear friend. I’m heartbroken. No words can do him justice. RIP Stuart Gordon.”

Stuart Gordon is survived by his wife, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, daughters Suzanna, Jillian and Margaret Gordon, four grandchildren and his brother, David George Gordon.