Customer Reviews

American Gothic: Sixty Years of Horror Cinema

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Anyone who read Jonathan Rigby's earlier milestone study of horror cinema, English Gothic, should need little urging to obtain a copy of his latest work. As the title suggests, this new book is an in-depth history of the horror movie in the USA. All of Rigby's considerable virtues as a writer are on display here; the erudition, the wit, and above all the readability. His prose is sheer pleasure to read and, combined with his formidable knowledge of the subject matter and his obvious love for it, make this book a masterpiece of its kind. Those fearing that over 300 pages of densely packed text surveying vintage horror films might tend to the dull are in for a very pleasant surprise. In Jonathan Rigby's hands this material is a constantly lively, informative and fascinating read. In fact, I even found myself engaged and engrossed by the early chapters on obscure silent films -- having decided I was going to skip them and head straight for the good stuff (Frankenstein and Dracula) I instead found myself drawn in and captivated by the illuminating, sardonic and meticulous writing featured here. Of course, once we do reach the early sound pictures and Frankenstein, Dracula et al, things really do get swinging. But besides all the well known classics of the genre, Rigby also sheds light on obscure, forgotten and offbeat works, often making them sound irresistibly fascinating. I soon found myself with a growing list of films to track down on DVD, including Kongo, Dementia and Jules Dassin's short version of The Telltale Heart. Rigby's scholarly yet spirited analysis (with a healthy dose of dry humour) makes these films come alive in the reader's mind. In this endeavour he's helped considerably by the lavish illustrations throughout this elegant and handsome volume (the book was designed by Peri Godbold). There is hardly a page which doesn't offer a rare black and white still or a reproduction of a poster; and for those who aren't fans of monochrome, there's an eight page color section. This book was a continual pleasure to read and when I finished it I immediately wanted more. And since American Gothic only covers films up until the 1950s, hopefully there will soon be another volume detailing a further half century of genre cinema. My only complaint is a lack of an index of names to accompany the index of titles. The book is such a goldmine of historical information it would make sense to include this and make American Gothic an even more indispensable research tool, as well as an irresistibly enjoyable read.

Only started reading this a couple of days ago, dipping into it at points of interest (eg "Cat people" , "Frankenstein" and it seems to maintain the high standard of Rigby's previous book "English gothic". A wealth of information and insight. Highly recommended.

Another great read by Rigby. Anyone familiar with his fantastic earlier volume, "English Gothic", knows how well researched and wonderfully presented his info is. A hard book to put down, even if you know much of this stuff already. As an owner of 80+ books of this type, this is among the best. Nothing lacking in facts- this guy has obviously seen all the films he has reviewed (or at least has done his research!). Pick this one up! And get "English Gothic" as well!

What sets this book apart from most about the horror genre is that it is written with intelligence and appreciation for the genre. There is also a bow to history and content. These are not found in most horror books. These type of books tend to be a fan's lament for the lost art of horror film-making or a sentimental journey down the filmdom's nostalgic past. Bravo!

American Gothic ; sixty years of horror cinema by Jonathan Rigby is the most in depth collection of American Gothic film information I have ever run across. In fact, it is probably a little more than "I" bargained for. It is a plethora of intense and concise information regarding the classical American gothic film genera that goes far beyond my basic understanding of the early film industry.

This is a book designed for the real film buffs and historians who live, eat, and breathe the dusty film vaults that encompass the spirits of Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, and many many more.

A great collection for the true horror film historian, but simply too much information for my interest and understanding of the subject matter.

Great book with several classic horror film reviews and pictures. A nice collectors keepsake book.

This is the story of Hollywood horror films from 1897 to 1956. It follows trends and looks into what the films mean. The pictures are good (some I've never seen before) and the synopsis and reviews of certain films is interesting...but I found this a real chore to get through. I'm a horror movie fan so I've read plenty of books on the subject. This book adds nothing new to it at all. It's the same theories and analysis that have been written about for years. Even worse it's written in a very dry academic manner that quickly gets boring. I thought I was reading a college thesis paper rather than a book a few times! It gets two stars for the pictures and synopsis of certain films but I really can't recommend this at all.

I learned some new things, but find the writing style awkward. Wouldn't recommend it to anyone unless they are a true horror fan and want it for their collection.

Reading this book was a concerted effort on my part. Rather than an overview of American gothic cinema, which is kind of a vague notion to begin with, this book was a review of select films which glossed over entire sub genres within the whole. The book itself is handsome, and well constructed with the requisite photos and such, but the writing, though obviously very well researched, is borderline academic and quite dry. Three stars for being pretty, but lacking in passion. For the serious and erudite film historian only.