Customer Reviews

Immoral Tales: European Sex & Horror Movies, 1956-1984

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There are lots of books on sex films and there are lots of books on horror films. This is the only book I know of that looks at the sex/horror hybrid. I cannot explain why, but on-screen titillation is that little bit more piquant when shown in the context of a horror film. This is a marvellous book, and it contains interesting information about my favourite film of all time, "Vampyros Lesbos". Buy this book and seek out the videos.

An instant classic, Messers Tohill and Tombs (and with a name like that you've got to go into horror or undertaking) lead the reader into the bizarre realms of European horror and sleaze cinema with verve and style. The movies they describe aren't for everybody, and neither is 'Immoral Tales', but if you enjoy poetically choreographed gore, naked chicks with too much mascara, and sheer oddball exotica, this volume's your unholy bible. The book's as slick, garish, sleazy, playfully pretentious, and exquisitely tasteless as its subject is apt to be (though not nearly as cheap-looking!). It's easy to forget in the age of the DVD how alien and obscure much of this was when 'Immoral Tales' was first published a decade ago, and its authors deserve kudos as authentic pioneers, just as you owe yourself a copy of this book you sick little cine-phile!

Living in Europe, I had the extreme pleasure and opportunity to see a lot of Euroflics in cinemas - one experience that drew me to J. Franco was seeing "Freiras Perversas" in a century-old ex-opera house on vacation in Portugal ... in the cellar with some raincoat locals who clearly thought I was mad showing up there. Anyway. This book contains a lot of essential information on some filmmakers, most notably Franco and Rollin, whose work really is explored further than in all other books there are. But... the book tends to concentrate on directors rather than countries which makes sense as a lot of directors worked euro-wide. But then, you can't have everything. I found this book much more attractive than Mondo Macabro.

Great overview of a genre much looked down upon by many "serious" cinephiles; the trashy, sexy, bloody sex-and-horror Euroflicks of the 1950's through the early 1980's. With the advent of DVD's, many of these classic (yes, I said "classic" and I mean it!) films can now be seen by the genre fan, especially if one happens to own a DVD player that can play Region 2 European-issue discs. The Euroexploitation movies of this period adumbrated the "slasher" flicks of 1970's and 1980's US cinema, and in many cases, IMHO, were better-assembled with sexier actresses and a more uninhibited approach toward the mixture of sex and horror. Lots of fine B&W pictures, but, I have to say, not a lot of color pictures (a 16-page insert). NOT a "safe for work" type of book (but then, neither are the movies reviewed herein!) Not for everyone, but recommended for fans of "trash" cinema, horror, and the beauties of classic Eurofilm.

I got this about a year ago and I still read it! It goes into some detail about the Horror scene from day one in Europe so to speak which I thought was very cool.. It also talks about the differance in Directors in Europe, which I thought ok but why talk about so of there most terrible movies instead of the great ones?

A well-researched but light hearted look at the often kitsch always entertaining horror/sexploitation flicks of the period. My husband (...) thoroughly enjoyed Tohill's nostalgic treatment and so did I.

Easily one of the most entertaining books I have read on the sex/horror movie subject(although most don't concentrate solely on sex/horror). The problem is that it's so well written that I ripped through it in no time at all. I suppose when you look at it it really isn't such a small book, it just felt like it. You can't really criticize something that makes you want keep reading, but I just wish there was more.