Horror Movie History

Ever since horror leapt from popular fiction to the silver screen in the late 1890s, viewers have experienced fear and pleasure in exquisite combination. Wheeler Winston Dixon's A History of Horror is the only book to offer a comprehensive survey of this ever-popular film genre. Arranged by decades, with outliers and franchise films overlapping some years, this one-stop sourcebook unearths the historical origins of characters such as Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman and their various incarnations in film from the silent era to comedic sequels.

It was the end of World War II. FDR's New Deal had redefined American politics. Taxes were at an all-time high. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had created a fear of total annihilation. The rise of secret government agencies and sanctions on business had many watching their backs. America's sense of freedom was diminishing... and many were desperate to take that freedom back.

From its first publication in 1992, Men, Women, and Chain Saws has offered a groundbreaking perspective on the creativity and influence of horror cinema since the mid-1970s. Investigating the popularity of the low-budget tradition, Carol Clover looks in particular at slasher, occult, and rape-revenge films. Although such movies have been traditionally understood as offering only sadistic pleasures to their mostly male audiences, Clover demonstrates that they align spectators not with the male tormentor, but with the females tormented.

Essential 1970s Horror Movies: A Complete Guide to the Decade’s Scariest and Most Influential Films is your ultimate journey into the golden age of horror cinema. From groundbreaking psychological thrillers to terrifying tales of possession, monstrous mutations, and the bloody birth of the modern slasher film, this comprehensive guide explores the films that redefined the genre and left a permanent scar on pop culture. With in-depth chapters on iconic trends such as Italian Giallo, body horror, cult classics, and the rise of feminist themes in horror, this book highlights how the 1970s ...

Unearth the terrifying and true tales behind some of the scariest horror movies to ever haunt our screens, including the Enfield poltergeist case that was retold in The Conjuring 2 and the serial killers who inspired Hannibal Lector in The Silence of the Lambs. Behind the Horror dissects these and other bizarre tales to reveal haunting real-life stories of abduction, disappearance, murder, and exorcism.

In Your Favorite Scary Movie, entertainment journalist Ashley Cullins examines the making and impact of the Scream films with behind-the-scenes insight from cast, creators, and crew, as well as sharp analysis on how the movies’ special blend of gruesome violence and humorous self-awareness rewrote the horror playbook.

Hollywood Haunted was the definitive book on Hollywood ghosts and an instant hit when it was published in 1994; and its popularity has never waned. Recently Author Laurie Jacobson discovered chapters meant for the original book but cut for length. She has restored these chapters in this volume as well as additional information in original chapters to create the most complete version of the book – the way she and Marc Wanamaker originally envisioned it…Hollywood Haunted – Authors' Cut. HH Authors' Cut covers 100 years of ghostly goings-on in Tinseltown. Fascinating new stories enhance ...

The History of Slasher Films: From Cult Classics to Modern Horror Icons is your ultimate guide to one of cinema’s most enduring—and thrilling—genres. Whether you're a longtime horror fan or just discovering the thrill of the Final Girl, this engaging and in-depth book traces the evolution of the slasher film from its early roots in the 1930s to its 21st-century reinvention. Packed with fascinating film history, cultural analysis, iconic characters, and must-watch movie recommendations, this book explores how slasher movies reflect our fears, challenge social norms, and continue to ...

In 1978, Laurie Strode survived an encounter with Michael Myers, a masked figure who killed her friends and terrorized the town of Haddonfield, Illinois, on Halloween night. Myers was later gunned down, apprehended, and committed to Smith's Grove State Hospital. For forty years, memories of that nightmarish ordeal have haunted Laurie and now Myers is back once again on Halloween, having escaped a routine transfer, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.

The History of Body Horror Films: From Grotesque Origins to Modern Mutation is the ultimate guide for horror lovers, film students, and pop culture enthusiasts who want to dive deep into one of cinema’s most disturbing and thought-provoking subgenres. This comprehensive, 6000-word book explores the evolution of body horror movies from their eerie beginnings in early cinema to their grotesque peaks during the golden age of gore, all the way to their reemergence in today’s era of prestige horror. Discover how visionary directors like David Cronenberg, Shinya Tsukamoto, and Julia Ducournau...

Film historian David Thomson, leads us into this very delicate subject. While unpacking classics such as Seven, Strangers on a Train, The Conformist, The Godfather, and The Shining, he offers a disconcerting sense of how the form of movies makes us accomplices in this sinister narrative process. Murder and the Movies admits us into what Thomson calls "a warped triangle": the creator working out a compelling death; the killer doing his and her best; and the entranced spectator trying to cling to life and a proper sense of decency.

Although no genre is immune to the holiday-themed concept's adaptability and pulling power, no other has used this narrative quite as effectively as the horror genre. Maybe it’s the irony of chaos, bloodshed, and fear during what is traditionally perceived as a joyous event regardless of the celebration in question. Seasonal Screams will take you on a terrifying journey through your favourite seasons, offering a holiday horror movie for any occasion. Whether during Christmas festivities or Valentine’s Day plans, you can be sure to find a horror villain within these pages ready to ...

The Undead Legacy: A Complete Guide to the History of Zombie Movies is the ultimate guide for horror fans, film buffs, and pop culture enthusiasts who want to explore the terrifying, thrilling, and thought-provoking evolution of the undead on screen. Spanning nearly a century of cinematic history, this engaging and comprehensive book takes readers on a journey from the voodoo-inspired zombies of early black-and-white films to the modern global blockbusters and binge-worthy zombie TV series that dominate today’s entertainment. Each chapter breaks down a specific era—from 1930s voodoo ...

High school can be hell. Especially for Tamara Riley. Bullied and humiliated by her classmates, her only solace is in her deceased mother's strange and tattered grimoires. When the bullying takes a sudden and shocking turn, Tamara finds herself transformed from a meek victim to a sexy and powerful avenger.

Every day, countless lives are shattered, invaded by an insidious force that lurks in the shadows—the haunting menace of stalking. It is an affliction that knows no boundaries, transcending age, gender, and social status. It preys upon the innocent, the unsuspecting, and the vulnerable, leaving its victims trapped in a web of fear, uncertainty, and anguish. These are their stories. Welcome to STALKED, an intimate and compelling anthology that gives voice to the survivors, the brave souls who have endured the torment of stalking. Within the pages of this book, you will encounter a tapestry...

Based on very real and practical commentary, life experience, and occasionally, tongue-in-cheek-misfortunes of horror legends, Necessary Death explores how the horror genre offers individuals a unique opportunity for insight and understanding of their own lives.

On December 26, 1973, The Exorcist was released. Within days it had become legend. Moviegoers braved hours-long lines in winter weather to see it. Some audience members famously fainted or vomited. Half a century later, the movie that both inspired and transcends the modern horror genre has lost none of its power to terrify and unsettle. The Exorcist Legacy reveals the complete story of this cultural phenomenon, from the real-life exorcism in 1949 Maryland that inspired William Peter Blatty's bestselling novel on which the movie is based, to its many sequels, prequels, TV series, and homages.

I was a “Monster Kid” and “The Weird Kid, The Horror Movie Kid.” I found out early…horror is always personal. Now I make horror for a living. It shouldn’t just be WATCHED. Horror should be ENJOYED. This isn’t some stuffy analysis telling you what’s good or bad. Instead, it’s a tour of the 1930s through the 1980s—a personal account of how the best and worst of this era gave us so many memories and experiences that impacted our own lives. It’s fun…just how horror should always be.

Unearth the terrifying and true tales behind some of the scariest Horror movies to ever haunt our screens, including the Enfield poltergeist case that was retold in The Conjuring 2 and the serial killer who inspired Hannibal Lector in The Silence of the Lambs. Behind the Horror dissects these and other bizarre tales to reveal haunting real-life stories of abduction, disappearance, murder and exorcism.