Customer Reviews

Horror Films of the 1970s

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

John Kenneth Muir's "Horror Films of the 1970s" is a great reference guide for all horror movie fans. Covering 228 horror films from the 70s, the book is crammed with with detailed information within its 662 pages.

The book begins with a "History of the Decade" and then breaks down the horror films by year, ending with a brief conclusion and several appendices, which include "1970s Hall of Fame," "Recommended Viewing," and "Memorable Movie Ad Lines."

Muir tackles most of the films in the book (I say most because not all of the films reviewed follow this format....some are just given a brief mention and are not even rated.) by breaking it down into sections. First, he provides excerpts from critical reviews of the film. He then provides a cast and crew list. He then provides a POV section (where those people associated with making the film offer their thoughts on the film.) Next comes a synopsis of the film's storyline before moving on to the author's own commentary and review of the film. Finally, there is a Legacy section which details any important (good or bad) contribution that the film may have made to the genre as a whole. The author also provides a rating system (one to four stars) ranking the over-all quality of the film.

Muir's love of the genre is evident in the text, although his commentarys can sometimes be lengthy (he seems to have a gift for gab.) This reader found that Muir can sometimes "over analyze" a film, reading things into the script that I don't think were ever really there to begin with (not even by the makers of the film). The commentarys, however, have helped me to view a film differently, shedding light on aspects of the film that I may have otherwise overlooked. I am now much more aware of how camera techniques, lighting, editing and score (critical in all films but probably even more so to the horror genre) can contribute to the success or failure of a film. Muir even points out how some film's subtext points directly to the fears and concerns of the audience in the "disco era." (Again, something I may have overlooked.......especially 30 years later.) All these small points add up and can make watching one of these movies a much more enjoyable experience. This makes the book a remarkable success in my opinion.

On the whole, the book is a very enjoyable read and most horror lovers will probably find it quite satisfying. I am now in search of many of the films included in the book that I haven't yet seen. Some I have never even heard of until being introduced to them by Mr. Muir. Hopefully, a sequel (Horror Films of the 1980s)is somewhere on the horizon.

John Muir's filmbooks are really in their own genre -- they're not quite film analysis, they're not quite fan appreciation -- they're somewhere in the middle, and that's what gives them their special appeal. Ever watch a DVD with director's commentary? That's what it's like reading one of Muir's film books -- you're discussing films with someone who loves them, and it's infectious. The end result is it's not dry film criticism (do we really need another Freudian analysis of anything?) -- it's sharing the joy and wonder of great films and not so great films and some downright guilty pleasures with someone who really brings experience, humor, knowledge, and enthusiasm to the subject matter. As a major fan of horror films from the 1970s, this book jumps right to the top of my list of "must-haves". It's not a reference book -- it's a cover-to-cover read that's just formatted like a reference book. You'll find old favorites in here as well as get a little exposure to some films you haven't seen and probably should. It was the "best of times" for horror films (its only competing decade would be the 1930s, IMHO), and this book ranks with the "best of books" for a great decade for creepy movies. It does a great job of putting these films in their proper context (it was a fascinating decade, and its horror films really mirror that). This is a book that will make you smile, and throw you back a few decades into a time that was simpler and more confused...If you like horror films, you'll love this book. This should be a daily calendar! 365 Great Horror Films a Year!

As a died-in-the-wool horror fan, I really appreciate the thought and care put into this reference book. Muir makes a compelling case for this decade's importance in the genre (I think the 70's would win hands-down in a contest of the greatest number of significant or classic horror films in a decade. Look at the evidence: Halloween, Alien, Carrie, The Exorcist, Suspiria, Jaws, The Stepford Wives, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, etc., etc.). Further, Muir gives good analysis, and that is very appreciated, even when he occasionally gets carried away (he has a tendency to state a thesis--check out his analysis of some of Tobe Hooper's formalist techniques in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre--and then repeat himself over and over just to make sure that we, the readers, get it); there are also a number of small errors in details from certain films that annoyed me just because they are so careless: it is the TANZ Academy that Jessica Harper travels to in Suspiria, not the TAMM Academy, and it is the ALLARDYCE family that rents the evil house to Karen Black and Oliver Reed in Burnt Offerings, not The ALLODICES (I happen to be a big fan of both films so these mistakes particularly stuck out like bleeding limbs to me). But those are minor quibbles really; mostly I'm just grateful that Muir is not only a fan, but an intelligent writer and critic as well. I agree with another reviewer: let's next have a book on Horror Films of the 1980's, Mr. Muir.

Being a horror film buff, I've read many books dealing with the subject matter Mr. Muir covers, but I've never come across a book that so deftly manages to be both thoughtful/scholarly, while also extremely entertaining. Not many reference books manage to be page turners, but if you like horror films you'll find yourself unable to put it down. Muir's enthusiasm and extensive knowledge are evident, and in many ways reading the book is like having a discussion with a fellow horror fan.

As a person who is quite familiar with a good deal of the films Muir discusses, I was also pleased to discover many I had never heard of. It's led me to viewing a few gems that I might have missed otherwise. If you're a fan of the genre (or even just curious), don't hesitate to pick this up - you won't regret it.

Being a huge horror fan it was great to discover this book. I have had it for several months now and look through it constantly. Anyone who likes horror should denifinitely have this book. This book covers 228 movies from the 70's with detailed synopses for each movie as well as cast and crew information and a section with the author's commentary. I really enjoyed reading about the popular horror movies of the 70's and it was great to discover many movies which I was not familiar with. Having this book has led me to starting a collection of 70's horror movies which I think was the genre's best decade.
In addition to this book I have three others by John Kenneth Muir: The films of John Carpenter, Wes Craven: the Art of Horror and Eaten Alive at a Chainsaw Massacre. All of these books are excellent and I Highly recommend them.
If you are a hardcore horror fan this is a must have and even for the casual fan this book would be a wonderful addition to your library.

I've read a fair bit of horror film criticism and analysis, and Muir is one of the very best writers I've come across in the field. What it comes down to is that he covers the films with precisely the correct amount of depth, as he goes well beyond the simple capsule reviews, but avoids ridiculous, pretentious analysis where the films quality as either art or entertainment is ignored entirely in favor of exploration of theme and social commentary. (Which, of course, generally results in a lotta ludicrous garbage, beyond the extreme tedium.) This isn't to say he isn't interested in social commentary, he's just good at actually analyzing the film for what it is, rather than what he'd like it to be. (Course, he misses and overreaches at a few points, but that's just the inevitable disagreement on my part, rather than a general trend.) He writes cleanly and clearly, and without a hint of pretention. He also includes a ton of information for the bulk of the films, including extensive credit listings and a detailed synopsis to go along with a lengthy commentary. There are also quite a few shorter, near capsule-type reviews, but those are still more detailed than you'd see in most basic guides. Muir perhaps is slightly to forgiving for my tastes, but it's better to be a bit too favorable when it comes to film analysis than to critical, as it's tougher to come up with something interesting to say about a film that you hated. Obviously, this book isn't even close to comprehensive, but that would be pretty much impossible, and he does cover a remarkable range of films. Overall he emphasizes American films most, but still works in quite a few more prominent european films from the decade. (i.e. Suspiria, Deep Red, Zombi, Tombs of the Blind Dead etc.) Finally, the book ends with a number of helpful and/or amusing appendices at the end.

This book is damn expensive, so hopefully you can get it for free at a library, but if you can't it would probably still be worth picking up if you're really interested in horror films. Muir's books on Craven and Carpenter are also excellent, and follow the same basic format. (Though his book on Raimi was kinda disappointing, as it's more about filmmaking than the films themselves) Definitely worth checking out if you're interested in either of those guys, though those books are a bit out of date at this point. Anyway, I like it a lot. Hopefully we'll hear something more on Romero or euro-horror from Muir in the future.

Reading this book is fun. Being a horror film buff, this book is a practical and thoughtful encyclopaedia and always brings me so much fun when exploring the anxieties and common fears in historical and social context of 1970s horror. In this period of 70s horror remakes (such as The Hills Have Eyes, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Omen, Dawn of the Dead), this book can be a very essential guide to help us re-exmine the originalities and significance of these 70s classics. Highly Recommanded.

What a terrifically fun book to read! It brought back so many fond memories of going to these scary movies back in the 70's. The author knows his stuff and his enthusiasm shines through loud and clear--no stuffy criticism here. I am completely hooked on this book.

Obviously I am a huge fan of this magnificent book. One cannot really overstate how brilliant the reviews for this book are. Its also very easy to read, the author has a real understanding for the subjects he covers. Each film has a razor sharp observation that isnt always found in other resource books. I havent yet read horror films from the 80s but I cant wait!

I love this book. It tells about all the horror films that I remember and is a great reference book.