Richard Raaphorst

Richard Raaphorst was born in Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands. He studied at the Willem de Kooning Academy and attended at Graphic Lyceum{{Cite web |title=Personen in de Nederlandse filmsector |url=https://www.filmfestival.nl/persoon/richard-raaphorst |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=Nederlands Film Festival |language=nl}} in Rotterdam, where he graduated in 1996{{Cite web |title=Richard Raaphorst {{!}} About |url=https://www.richardraaphorst.com/about.html |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=www.richardraaphorst.com |archive-date=21 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241221145442/https://www.richardraaphorst.com/about.html |url-status=live }} with the short film Zombi 1 as part of his studies.

Raaphorst spent years designing and developing ideas for his project Worst Case Scenario and later expressed interest in reviving through a graphic novel. He directing the short film adaptation, the film's trailer was released in a limited promotional version on DVD in 2008 and was nominated for a Golden Trailer Award in 2005 in the category of 'Best Movie Trailer,{{Cite web |title=EAT MY BRAINS! - Worst Case Scenario nominated in the Golden Trailers Awards News Article |url=https://www.eatmybrains.com/shownews.php?id=293 |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=www.eatmybrains.com |archive-date=21 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241221150627/https://www.eatmybrains.com/shownews.php?id=293 |url-status=live }} however, due to numerous financial difficulties, the film was ultimately canceled in March 2009 before its completion.{{Cite web |date=2010-06-15 |title=News: All seems dead for WORST CASE SCENARIO, yet... |url=http://twitchfilm.net/news/2009/03/all-seems-dead-for-worst-case-scenario-yet.php |access-date=2024-12-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615214542/http://twitchfilm.net/news/2009/03/all-seems-dead-for-worst-case-scenario-yet.php |archive-date=15 June 2010 }}

In 2012, Raaphorst directed the short film The Rocketeer.{{Cite web |title=The Rocketeer |url=https://www.filmfestival.nl/film/the-rocketeer |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=Nederlands Film Festival |language=nl |archive-date=20 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240620050341/https://www.filmfestival.nl/film/the-rocketeer |url-status=live }}

A few years later, Raaphorst decided to create a feature film inspired by Worst Case Scenario, using some of its concepts and designs but with a completely new story. The found-footage film, titled Frankenstein's Army,{{Cite web |last=Foutch |first=Haleigh |date=2013-09-19 |title=Richard Raaphorst FRANKENSTEIN'S ARMY Interview |url=https://collider.com/richard-raaphorst-frankensteins-army-interview/ |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=Collider |language=en |archive-date=10 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910203430/https://collider.com/richard-raaphorst-frankensteins-army-interview/ |url-status=live }} was released on 26 July 2013, worldwide and became a significant success in Japan especially in United States.

File:Richard_Raaphorst_at_the_Edinburgh_Film_Fest_02.jpg]]

He was nominated and won at the Catalan International Film Festival in 2013 for his work as a director on Frankenstein's Army. In 2021, he received an award for special effects for the short film Shiny New World at the ToHorror Film Fest in Italy.{{Cite web |title=Kavel 22: Schilderij "Vrouw voor het raam" |url=https://www.rotary.nl/noordenmerwede/veiling/Kavels/22-kavel-vrouw-voor-het-raam/ |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=www.rotary.nl |language=nl |archive-date=27 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127040929/https://www.rotary.nl/noordenmerwede/veiling/Kavels/22-kavel-vrouw-voor-het-raam/ |url-status=live }}

In 2021, Raaphorst claimed that the design of a boss monster in Resident Evil Village resembled a creature from his 2013 film, Frankenstein's Army. He stated that the design was used without authorization or credit, calling it a "one to one" copy.{{Cite web |last=Wiseman |first=Liam |date=2021-05-10 |title=Movie Director Says Resident Evil Village Copied His Monster Design |url=https://sea.ign.com/news/171819/movie-director-says-resident-evil-village-copied-his-monster-design |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=IGN Southeast Asia |language=en-sg |archive-date=21 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241221145040/https://sea.ign.com/news/171819/movie-director-says-resident-evil-village-copied-his-monster-design |url-status=live }}

In 2025, Raaphorst was announced to return to feature filmmaking with Children of the Moor. The project was presented at the Frontières Platform at the Marché du Film in Cannes, an industry event supported by Canada's Fantasia Festival and the Marché du Film.{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Jamie |title='Frankenstein's Army' Director Richard Raaphorst Returns With Gorey Thriller 'Children of the Moor,' Pitching at Cannes' Frontières Platform (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://www.wtyefm.com/2025/04/09/frankensteins-army-director-richard-raaphorst-returns-with-gorey-thriller-children-of-the-moor-pitching-at-cannes-frontieres-platform-exclusive/ |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=WTYE / WTAY |language=en}} The film is backed by Raaphorst's creative collective, The Mad Scientists, in collaboration with 52 Films, a U.K.-based production company headed by screenwriter Adam Park. The principal photography for Children of the Moor is scheduled to begin in spring 2026.{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Jamie |date=2025-04-09 |title='Frankenstein's Army' Director Richard Raaphorst Returns With Gorey Thriller 'Children of the Moor,' Pitching at Cannes' Frontières Platform (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2025/film/global/richard-raaphorst-children-of-the-moor-frontieres-cannes-1236363249/ |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

Raaphorst has expressed a strong preference for practical effects over CGI, criticizing the overuse of digital enhancements in modern filmmaking for producing artificial and lifeless imagery.{{Cite web |last=Vigilla |first=Hubert |date=2020-02-20 |title=Interview: Richard Raaphorst (Frankenstein's Army) • Flixist |url=https://www.flixist.com/interview-richard-raaphorst-frankenstein-s-army/ |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=Flixist |language=en-US |archive-date=28 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428033518/https://www.flixist.com/interview-richard-raaphorst-frankenstein-s-army/ |url-status=live }} He often applies an "oil painting" approach to filmmaking, building visual richness through layered practical elements.{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Jason |date=2013-09-06 |title=IT'S ALIVE! — Richard Raaphorst On Bringing 'Frankenstein's Army' To Life! |url=https://www.iconvsicon.com/2013/09/06/its-alive-richard-raaphorst-on-bringing-frankensteins-army-to-life/ |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=Icon Vs. Icon |language=en-US |archive-date=21 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241221150021/https://www.iconvsicon.com/2013/09/06/its-alive-richard-raaphorst-on-bringing-frankensteins-army-to-life/ |url-status=live }} His signature "zombots" (zombie‑robots) stem from a lifelong fascination with industrial machinery and repurposed found objects, especially influenced by early experiences such as constructing puppets from dolls.{{Cite web |last=Barton |first=Steve |date=2013-09-18 |title=Exclusive: Richard Raaphorst Talks Frankenstein's Army and More! |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/48172/exclusive-richard-raaphorst-talks-frankenstein-s-army-and-more/ |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=Dread Central |language=en-US |archive-date=22 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122175903/https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/48172/exclusive-richard-raaphorst-talks-frankenstein-s-army-and-more/ |url-status=live }} A recurring narrative motif in Raaphorst's films is the marriage of war and grotesque fantasy. In Frankenstein's Army, for instance, the Nazi-industrial setting is populated with monstrous, steam-powered creatures built from human corpses and scrap metal.{{Cite web |title=Eye For Film: Interview with Richard Raaphorst about Frankenstein's Army |url=https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2013-06-30-interview-with-richard-raaphorst-about-frankensteins-army-feature-story-by-jennie-kermode |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=www.eyeforfilm.co.uk}} He has also described his interest in using the language of propaganda and gaming in his films.{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Brian |date=2013-09-13 |title=Director Richard Raaphorst Talks Frankenstein's Army [Exclusive] |url=https://movieweb.com/exclusive-director-richard-raaphorst-talks-frankensteins-army/ |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=MovieWeb |language=en}}

{{multiple image

| align = right

| footer = Italian horror directors Dario Argento (left) and Lucio Fulci (right), both of whom Raaphorst has identified as major influences on his visual style and approach to genre storytelling.

| image1 = Argento 01.jpg

| image2 = Lucio Fulci 94.jpg

| total_width = 260

}}

Raaphorst has cited a wide range of influences, from horror cinema to animation and industrial design. He has named filmmakers such as Peter Jackson, Terry Gilliam, David Cronenberg, and Italian horror directors Dario Argento{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Jamie |date=2025-04-09 |title='Frankenstein's Army' Director Richard Raaphorst Returns With Gorey Thriller 'Children of the Moor,' Pitching at Cannes' Frontières Platform (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2025/film/global/richard-raaphorst-children-of-the-moor-frontieres-cannes-1236363249/ |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=Variety |language=en-US |archive-date=21 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250621160644/https://variety.com/2025/film/global/richard-raaphorst-children-of-the-moor-frontieres-cannes-1236363249/ |url-status=live }} and Lucio Fulci as key inspirations for both style and storytelling. He cited John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) as a major influence on Frankenstein's Army, particularly for its use of practical effects and creature design.{{Cite web |last=James |first=Jonathan |date=2013-09-11 |title=Q&A with Frankenstein's Army Director Richard Raaphorst |url=https://dailydead.com/qa-frankensteins-army-director-richard-raaphorst/ |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=Daily Dead |language=en-US |archive-date=28 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828192115/https://dailydead.com/qa-frankensteins-army-director-richard-raaphorst/ |url-status=live }} He expressed admiration for David Lynch's surreal and unsettling aesthetics, highlighting works like Eraserhead (1977) as formative influences on his own visual approach. Also he also named the Japanese animated film Akira (1988) as one of his all-time favorites.

Raaphorst has received recognition at several international genre film festivals for his work as a director and special effects artist.

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |last=Genzlinger |first=Neil |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/movies/horror-films-at-the-tribeca-film-festival.html |title=Scare Me, Sure, but Also Make a Statement |work= |publisher=The New York Times |year=2013 |isbn= |issn=0362-4331}}
• {{cite book |last=Dendle |first=Peter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DG6rK0PE2vIC&q=richard+raaphorsted%3D2ahUKEwj6rOqVjYWOAxVhT2cHHdj_CU04FBDoAXoECAsQAw%23&pg=PA11 |title=The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia, Volume 2: 2000-2010 |publisher=McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-2571-2945-4 |editor-last= |editor-first= |editor-last2= |editor-first2=}}
• {{cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0frEG1unzaYC&dq=richard+raaphorst&pg=PA107 |title=Nazisploitation! The Nazi Image in Low-Brow Cinema and Culture |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-4411-8359-0 |editor-last=Daniel H. Magilow, Elizabeth Bridges, Kristin T. Vander Lugt |editor-first= |language= |format= }}
• {{cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dGihCAAAQBAJ&q=richard+raaphorstovdme%3D1&pg=PT51 |title=New Directions in 21st-Century Gothic The Gothic Compass |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-3176-0901-8 |editor-last=Lee Brien |editor-first=Donna |format= |editor-last2=Piatti-Farnell |editor-first2=Lorna}}
• {{cite book |last=Barsanti |first=Chris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G4GDBwAAQBAJ&q=richard+raaphorstovdme%3D1&pg=PA148 |title=The Sci-Fi Movie Guide The Universe of Film from Alien to Zardoz |publisher=Visible Ink Press |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-5785-9533-4 |editor-last= |editor-first= |format= |editor-last2= |editor-first2=}}
• {{cite book |last=Ward |first=James J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cSR1CQAAQBAJ&dq=richard+raaphorst&pg=PA55 |title=Nazis on the Moon! Nazis under the Polar Ice Cap! |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-4422-5112-0 |editor-last=A. Bowdoin |editor-first=Van Riper |editor-last2=Miller J. |editor-first2=Cynthia}}

{{sister project links|display=Richard Raaphorst|wikt=no|commons=Category:Richard Raaphorst|n=no|q=Richard Raaphorst|s=no|b=no|v=no|species=no|d=Q94617697}}

• [https://richardraaphorst.com/ richardraaphorst.com]
• {{IMDb name|0704675}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raaphorst, Richard}}

Category:1971 births

Category:21st-century Dutch male writers

Category:Dutch film directors

Category:Living people

Category:Storyboard artists

Category:Dutch male screenwriters

Category:Dutch screenwriters

Category:Dutch horror film directors

Category:Dutch science fiction film directors

Category:Willem de Kooning Academy alumni