Product Description

Creators of horror (Stephen King, Clive Barker and Peter Straub etc) write about their favourite works.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #439547 in Books
• Published on: 1998-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Customer Reviews

Comprehensive guide for the un/initiated horror fan

I think this book does a very good job at what it sets out to be - unlike other writings on horror films (often just factual or too academic) the writers value above all else the enjoyment of watching the films - and they aim to pass this on to others. In a scene that (maybe) sometimes totes obscurity as a badge of honour, I found this generous spirit refreshing - as well as being intelligently written, it invites you to watch more and fires up, for me, a deeper interest. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to get past the recent Hollywood re-makes and to get into the real routes of the genre. (I showed it to my friend who is a die hard fan too - he wanted to borrow it instantly, so the book's got a lot going for it).

A handsome and very readable guide
This is one of the most excellent guides to horror film written for laymen such as myself that I've read to date. Starting with a brief introduction to the genre and its roots in Gothic literature, it ranges from early silent films - the usual suspects such as Der Golem and Cabinet of Dr Caligari, as well as rarer treats as Haxan - to films made in 2005. Over 300 films are covered with at least a substantial paragraph each - all informative and entertainingly written (including a hilariously wry take on the reactionary moral stance of Exorcist) - and the book is richly illustrated throughout with well-chosen stills from many of these films. Interspersed among these individual entries are substantial essays on various sub-genres (zombie films, giallo, serial killers etc), influential authors (HP Lovecraft, Stephen King etc), and each decade from the 1930s onwards has its own chapter with an introductory essay summarising the best and worst trends of that decade. This would make a very handsome present for any fan of horror, and speaking for myself I have spent many enjoyable evenings browsing and dipping into the book - either finding out what it has to say about old favourites, or discovering many new titles to hunt for.

Brilliant

What every horror fan needs - this book is brilliant , there is every film you could wish for in here, from the silent prototypes , to the classics, to the obscure. It has great pictures and a summary of each decade, it is a wonderful book , I love it.