Customer Reviews

The Rough Guide to Horror Movies

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

 

 

This is really a remarkably good overview of horror cinema. It offers a variety of information (historical, filmographic, aesthetic, cultural) which is organized to encourage casual or random browsing but also very readable from cover to cover. The background chapter on horror literature is particularly informative. No special theory is offered; some otherwise excellent horror film books take an overly-specialized perspective, but you won't have that problem here. The genre is taken seriously, but the fun of it is always kept in view. Many very fine (and some rarely seen) photos grace the book throughout. I only noticed one "blooper": in the sidebar on Barbara Steele, Fellini is reported to have "cut her out" of his film "8-1/2." However, when I saw it recently, Babbara was beautifully present in one important scene. Otherwise, this is a very well-done volume and is heartily recommended.

I picked this guide up because I seem to read most Horror reference guides I come across.

The "Rough Guide" series are well structured books,but unfortunately appear VERY trendy and hip,and not always too honest.

It's hard to trust a guide who claims that an essential horror movie of all time is one that got released within the last two years.

The same problem can also be found in the other guides,particularly the Comedy and Sci-Fi guides.

There Top Fifty Essentials aren't the worst picks,and certainly many are must sees,but the history seems forced and without any passion.
(The looks at the various Horror actors feels very biased and disatached).

Some entries are just silly,like why does Jason and Michael Myers need there own seperate entries?

Why is Pinhead on the cover,when he is seen so little in the actual book?
Could it be because he's a modern Horror icon designed to lure in bogus fans?

Poor Pinhead,if only you were in a book that appreciated you and your horror brethern(Frankenstein and Dracula get little respect as well....for Frankestein,the boneheads who wrote this book can seem to nly reccomend,Mary Shelly's Frankenstein(1994)....yikes!)

This book is strictly for amateurs,not for anyone wishing to learn
anything about the genre.

Buy a book by David J.Skal or something from Midnight Marquee Press instead.

Doesn't anybody who has so far reviewed this book have a problem that the author gives away endings? I mean, being a horror aficionado, I had seen most of the movies represented in this book, but if I hadn't seen them, I would have been considerably upset at having the endings to such classics as "Psycho" ruined. Additionally, I find that the book is occasionally awkwardly written. It's quite accessible though, even for casual fans of horror and the list of movies and people/characters critical to the genre is comprehensive.

2.5/5

The various Rough Guides to movies that have come out over the past couple of years have been hit-or-miss affairs. While not perfect, the Rough Guide to Horror Movies is definitely more on the hit side.

As with the other Guides, this book is divided into several sections, including a brief history of horror movies, a listing of icons of the genre, a look at horror in other countries and various reference sources. The centerpiece, however, is The Canon, an alphabetical look at the top 50 horror movies.

As usual, this list is debatable, though some more than others. Certainly few horror fans can debate such choices as Frankenstein, Cat People, Dracula (both the Lugosi and Lee versions), the Exorcist, Nosferatu, Suspiria or Halloween. Other choices, on the other hand, would get more argument, at least from me: flicks such as The Plague of Zombies, Switchblade Romance (a.k.a. High Tension) or Witchfinder General (a.k.a. The Conqueror Worm). Not that these are bad movies (even Switchblade Romance - which suffers from a trite plot twist - is not awful), but there are, I think better choices out there. What about Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 28 Days Later, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (the Fredric March version), Children of the Damned, The Masque of the Red Death or Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (just kidding on this one)?

Everyone's tastes will vary, so I don't fault author Alan Jones on his choices, as he does not put forth a good argument for his choices. There are little flaws here and there - missed or incorrect plot points, for example - but generally, this is a worthwhile reference book. Even if not perfect, it gives a good overview of the genre and will give most fans a chance to read of movies they were unaware of.

The book is richly informative, presenting a broad vision of American and British horror films, along with a copious amount of horror's international kith and kin. The format is exemplary, as the book is chaptered into sections that provide a linear discussion of the horror genre on the one hand, and a browsable-friendly approach on the other.

Briefly beginning with the literary and celluloid origins of horror, the author, Alan Jones, introduces his canon of 50 seminal horror films that stimulated the genre to new heights. This is a section to be revisited again and again, and while some of his inclusions may arguably be open to debate, the entries provide much to think about and discuss. The remaining, very browsable, chapters include the icons of horror, the global picture of horror films around the world, and a wonderful information section that gives details on film festivals and conventions, books and magazines, and websites the reader may wish to explore further to broaden his or her horizons on cinematic horror. (http://zomboscloset.blogspot.com)

I have been a die-hard Horror Fan since I was a kid, so when I bought this book I was very surprised to see aspects of the genre not readily covered by most horror books. It speaks of the 19th century influences on the genre, and also doesn't dwell on only the slasher flicks of the 60's onward, and the author writes everything in a very easy manner, nothing too difficult to understand. All in all, a very fun read, and a great intro. to people interested to find out more about the genre.

Reading this book is like shopping while hungry: everything will look good to you. You'll come away from this book with several dozen films you want to see, many of them foreign. Great trivia, like the line 'Don't step on it, it might be Lon Chaney.' (He was apparently known for his commitment to creature effects in the days before CGI).

Whether your new to the genre or a horror veteren, this book is full of fantastic information on nearly all aspects of horror. I bought this book yesterday and I was not disappointed. It contains history of the genre, all the essential movies and is very up-to-date. From Nosferatu and Freaks to American Werewolf in London and High Tension, this book has it all. I'm an avid fan of horror myself and I strongly reccommend this book.