Customer Reviews

Forgotten Horrors 4: Dreams That Money Can Buy

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This newest book in the Forgotton Horrors series covers the postwar era up to 1948. Many obscure films are covered, many that I had never heard of before. Others, like "Unknown Island" (an off-beat, lost island of dinosaurs flick), have had DVD releases. My only disagreement with the book is the inclusion of many murder mysteries, which don't qualify as horror in my mind. Of course, this would be a much thinner volume without them. I can't wait for the next volume to cover the fifties!

Michael Price and John Wooley continue the series of books that Price began with George Turner several decades ago chronicling films with horror over tones that have gotten little notice because they were from smaller or independent producers. The series is set to chronicle films up to, I believe the 1970's. Odds are if you looking at this listing you've read one of the earlier books in the series, so I'm not going to go into a discussion of what the book is I'll just talk about the books quality. Simply put this latest entry is very much the weakest of the bunch. To be honest when I first picked up the book I was calling it a good many names, few of them nice. Now that I've spent some time reading and rereading the books entries I've come to the conclusion that the book isn't as bad as I first thought, however its not as good ans any of the previous three entries. The biggest problem with the book is that most of the films discussed don't belong in it. yes its nice to have write ups of the films, but at the same time most don't really belong in it. I'm still trying to figure out why films like Boarding House Blues or Killer Diller which are musical review films or Enchanted Valley which is a kids film are included. I suppose like the equally out of place Bill and Coo they have a tenuous situation or character that allows inclusion. Personally I think it's a waste of space since they really don't belong. I'm also of the opinion that most of the crime films included don't need to be in the book either. Yes the entries are good reading , the trouble is they don't belong in a book on Forgotten Horrors even if you can twist and turn them to do so. I'm disappointed in this book. frankly the material in this volume is such that it makes me wonder what the next volumes in the series will bring. I would have liked if the book had been delayed and combined with another volume of more on point films. My recommendation is to start with the earlier volumes in the series and then decide whether you need this. If you're aiming for the whole run or just want a rambling often off topic discussion of B films pick it up. Otherwise look elsewhere.