100 European Horror Films (Bfi Screen Guides) [Paperback]

Steven Jay Schneider (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bfi Screen Guides | Publication Date: January 22, 2008

This book is a lively and illuminating guide to 100 key horror movies. It dissects classic films from directors and countries particularly noted for their horror production, as well as delving into sub-genres such as zombie, cannibal and vampire movies. The book also covers films by directors more commonly associated with art cinema, such as Bergman and Polanski.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steven Jay Schneider is a PhD candidate in Cinema Studies at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: British Film Institute (January 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844571645
• ISBN-13: 978-1844571642
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 7.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,361,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Euro-Horror Survey, July 14, 2008

By 

Rodney Meek (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 100 European Horror Films (Bfi Screen Guides) (Paperback)

This collection of reviews, edited by Steven Jay Schneider, covers one hundred European horror films from 1919 ("The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari") to 2004 ("The Ordeal"). The bulk of the movies considered are from the Sixties through the Eighties and include most of the seminal works of the continent from that period. There's a heavy emphasis on the Italian gialli (a lot of Bava and Argento) and the Italo-Spanish school of zombie and vampire flicks. The UK is not European enough for this book, so you won't find anything English here--meaning the entire Hammer and Amicus output is absent. But the book does go beyond Italy, Spain, and France to consider a few titles from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and elsewhere. And there are certainly a good number of movies from the more recent past, the Nineties and onwards (most recognizably the French "High Tension" from 2003).

The reviewers skew heavily to the academic side and come mostly from the US, Canada, and the UK. About the only name recognizable to the layman is the dangerously omnipresent and multi-talented Kim Newman. Most of the essays (virtually none of which exceed two pages) are written for the average reader, but a few of the authors can't help themselves and slip into jargon more suited for journals on transgressive gender studies about The Other.

The book has a pretty nice index and a good selection of black-and-white photos scattered throughout, and brief CVs for the contributors.

This won't be your thing if you really are keen on the Anglo-American side of horror movies, but it's definitely got a ton of material on the output from Western Europe, and certainly should help you find a few movies you'll want to hunt down and see.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Presentation of Eurohorror Films, January 19, 2008

By 

Baron Meinster (Romania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 100 European Horror Films (Bfi Screen Guides) (Paperback)

This book presents a rare opportunity for the reader to learn about some of the most significant Eurohorror films which were produced in Europe. The films addressed in this book originated from Italy, Germany, Spain, France, and Belgium. Several prominent writers and scholars wrote the articles which discussed each film at depth. This publication is an absolute must for aficionados to learn about horror films which were made in Europe. The articles are both educational and an excellent aid to guide readers to decide which films of this type they might wish to explore in the DVD market. Each article focuses on a single film with a total of one hundred articles zeroing on one hundred different Eurohorror films. I assure you that you will be delighted with this book and find yourself referring to it repeatedly.

5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Read For Euro-Horror Enthusiasts..., September 7, 2011

By 

4-Legged Defender "Anthony C. Rubbo" (ATL. GA.) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: 100 European Horror Films (Bfi Screen Guides) (Paperback)

[100 EUROPEAN HORROR FILMS (BFI Screen Guides) - edited by Steven Jay Schneider] Whether a relative newcomer to the genre or a seasoned Eurohorror militant, this book deserves a place on your shelf for a variety of reasons. Unlike most books that utilize a number in their titles ('101 Horror Movies You Must See Before You Die', '100 Best Horror Films', etc.) this one emphases the various countries social and political climate when the film was produced, the directors intentions and the films placement in their canon of work along with the various actors who appear, its relation to other popular horror films within the same genre, its social commentary as well as the usual synopsis and opinion that popularizes and ruins a lot of these books. At times, there isn't even a full outline of the film, but this in no way detracts from its impact, as it makes you want to see a flick you haven't seen, and doesn't bore you with the customary retread of the things you already know about those you have.

Another plus is the selection of films incorporated here - we're treated to a wealth and variety of films, some expected and others not so much, a good bulk of which the average American horror buff probably never 'Saw', or even knew existed. Almost every European country has an inclusion, opening doors to those who wish to expand their horror horizons, and reinforcing beliefs in those who already have. The films are alphabetized for easy reference, beginning with 'Anatomy' (German -2000- directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky) and concluding with 'Zombie' (Italian -1979- Lucio Fulci), stopping along the way to incorporate older films like 'The Golem' and 'Vampyr'(and a few others), to the first Eurohorror-resurgent films of the 50's, 'I Vampiri' and 'Eyes Without a Face', to the silver age of 60's and 70's titles like 'Don't Torture a Duckling', 'Torso', 'Blood and Black Lace', 'Deep Red', 'Valerie and Her Week of Wonders', 'Tombs of the Blind Dead' - you get the idea. It moves into the 80's with 'Zeder', 'The Vanishing', 'The Fourth Man', 'Demons', 'Possession', 'Schramm', 'Laurin', among others. All decades are represented and a tremendous cross-section of films are plumbed and examined to the point of an 'Autopsy'. There are also a solid selection of B+W photos littered throughout.

Highly recommended on all levels to all aficionados of articulate horror from abroad, and for those tired of books re-selling you on the American classics you've already seen 3 or 4 times.