Like all of our compatriots in the horror world, the Rue Crew was saddened to learn that filmmaker James Isaac is gone. Isaac died of cancer yesterday; he was only 51.

Isaac’s body of work was an impressive one. Though he only helmed a few films, including 2001’s Jason X and 2008’s Pig Hunt, Isaac was an accomplished special effects maestro who had a hand in some of the most iconic genre movies of our time. His early credits include Return of the Jedi and Gremlins, but it was his work with David Cronenberg on films such as The Fly and Naked Lunch that would cement his reputation. You can check out his credits here.

He will certainly be missed.