Movies by Richard Bates Jr.

Richard Bates Jr. is a singular voice in American independent cinema, crafting darkly comedic and visually striking films that explore the underbelly of suburban life. With a keen eye for the absurd and the macabre, Bates blends genre elements – horror, satire, coming-of-age – into a unique cinematic language all his own. His 2012 feature debut, "Excision," exemplifies Bates' bold, transgressive approach. A nightmarish coming-of-age tale about a teenage outcast with disturbing surgical fantasies, the film is an audacious, uncompromising work that defies expectations at every turn. Bates' follow-ups, like the delightfully weird "Suburban Gothic" and the venomously funny "Trash Fire," further cemented his reputation as a filmmaker unafraid to venture into the most unsettling corners of the human psyche. More recently, Bates has continued to push boundaries with films like the unapologetically strange "Tone-Deaf" and the Wiccan-tinged dark comedy "King Knight." Throughout his eclectic filmography, he demonstrates a singular voice – one that is as visually arresting as it is thematically bold, blending social satire and genre thrills into a cinematic experience that is uniquely, unmistakably his own.