Customer Reviews

The Haunted Screen: Ghosts in Literature and Film

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A slim volume that is divided into four sections: The Gothic Ghost ("Wuthering Heights,") The Romantic Ghost ("The Ghost and Mrs. Muir," "The Uninvited," "Portrait of Jennie," "Letter From An Unknown Woman,") The Theater Ghost ("Liliom", "Our Town,") and Contemporary Ghosts ("Ghost" and "Truly, Madly, Deeply.") Those are the only ghostly tales covered in the book. Missing are such classics as "The Haunting of Hill House," "The Innocents" (i.e. "The Turn of the Screw"), and "The Legend of Hell House," among others.

I love ghost stories, and Dorothy Macardle's "The Uninvited" is at the top of my list. But this book did not satisfy me. In fact, I have yet to read some of it. It is not entirely an analysis of the subject or the works covered -- it contains lengthy detailing of basic plot elements and should have the word "SPOILER" stamped in red on the cover. If you have not seen or read the items that Kovaks writes about, you won't have to after you know all the details. (That is why I have not read some sections, since I have yet to see one or two of the works of fiction included in this book.)

For anyone interested in the adaptation of literature to film this is a must! This book is a collection of classic gothic writintgs tailored for the big screen. Gothic classics such as Wuthering Heights, A Portrait of Jennie, and The Ghost and Mr. Muir are reviewed in context to the unique characteristic of each story. The Haunted Screen: Ghost in Literature and Film examines the intricate aspect of memorable characters in gothic literature and film. This book provides a deeper understanding of romance, obsession and immortatlity.