Programmer and Vinegar Syndrome archivist Justin LaLiberty selects 30 X-rated films as a starting point for exploring the more risque filmographies of notable genre directors better known for their work in exploitation, horror, fantastique, superhero, comedy and more. (Learn more about Letterboxd’s recent addition of adult film pages on our blog.)

Note from Justin, August 2021:

It should come as no surprise that filmmakers that cut their teeth on adult cinema made their way into genre films—or vice versa—as both can be made with minimal resources, have less industry oversight than studio productions and have the potential for artistry to spare. This list includes filmmakers well known for their genre work—Wes Craven, Abel Ferrara, William Lustig—alongside filmmakers who perhaps only made a genre film (or two), but those films are still known, and often beloved, by genre fans.

This is not a complete list, some crossover filmmakers—notably David DeCoteau—are absent due to films either not being on Letterboxd at this time or their work in adult cinema not being substantial enough to warrant placement here. This is also not a list of the best adult films by genre filmmakers but, rather, a list of notable films, due to either quality, popularity, controversy or any combination thereof. Regardless of why each title may be included, they should all be a part of the conversation around, and filmography of, their respective directors.