A Taste Of Blood: The Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis [Paperback]

Christopher Curry (Author), Christopher Wayne Curry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2000 | ISBN-10: 1871592917 | ISBN-13: 978-1871592917 | Edition: 1

The incredibly popular, violent horror films of recent decades, such as "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "Friday the 13th", and "Nightmare on Elm Street", owe much of their existence to the undisputed Godfather of Gore - Herschell Gordon Lewis. In 1963 Lewis, with his monumental splatter movie "Blood Feast", single-handedly changed the face of horror cinema forever.

As well as virtually inventing the gore genre, Lewis also produced a number of nudie and roughie movies, as well as sampling the full gamut of exploitation subjects ranging from wife-swapping and ESP to rock 'n' roll and LSD. A Taste of Blood details all these, plus gore classics such as "2,000 Maniacs", "Gore-Gore Girls" and "Color Me Blood Red", placing them in context amid the roots and developments of the exploitation films.

A Taste of Blood is a definitive study which not only chronicles Lewis' career as the master of exploitation but also contains interviews with him and many of his former collaborators, including David F Friedman, Bill Rogers, Daniel Krogh, Mal Arnold and Hedda Lubin. These are interwoven with commentary, extremely rare photographs, production stills, posters, and a thorough synopsis of each of Lewis' three dozen influential films. Also included is a stunning 8-page colour section of graphic screen gore.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Creation Books; 1 edition (2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1871592917
• ISBN-13: 978-1871592917
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,689,437 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An itroduction to the master., June 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Taste Of Blood: The Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis (Paperback)

In short, this book should be owned by anyone who has ever watched a horror film and talked about it the next day. Far to many think it all started during the late 70's slasher era but Hell no! H.G. Lewis really messed up my head and now I can truly say I have a guide to look deeper into that which led to this which is me. I deeply thank Christopher Curry for this complete and in depth guide. Now buy it, and I'll be seeing you, (better hope not!) Rob

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN EXCELLENT GUIDE TO THE WIZARD OF GORE: H G LEWIS, March 13, 2000

By 

Mike Howlett - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Taste Of Blood: The Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis (Paperback)

Christopher Curry has done a remarkable job of gathering information and interviews and has made A TASTE OF BLOOD a must-have book for horror movie fans, independent film fans, and of course, gore-hounds! The reviews are informative and entertaining, and never talk down to the reader (a fault found in many film books). The big draw here for me is Curry's personal interviews; not only with Lewis and his longtime partner David Freidman, but also with some of his players, including Fuad Ramses himself, Mal Arnold! This book is a valuable addition to my collection... one I will turn to many times for reference.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Definitive Look at the Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis, March 6, 2000

By 

Jonathan L. Daniels "Jonathan Daniels" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Taste Of Blood: The Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis (Paperback)

A Taste of Blood will surely become a treasured part in the collection of every fan of the Godfather of Gore. The book is a comprehensive guide to the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis and an insightful and candid look into the world of exploitation films. It is one exceptional fan's tribute to H.G. Lewis and a fond look back at some of the defining films of the drive-in era. The author provides a detailed look at each and every one of H.G. Lewis' bloody and bizarre (but always entertaining) films. The book contains exclusive interviews, behind the scenes information, detailed plot summaries, and plenty of great insights provided by H.G. Lewis, David Friedman, and many others. Also, the book is overflowing with tons of rare pictures that you will probably never find anywhere else. A Taste of Blood is an entertaining, educational, and engrossing book for the veteran or novice horror/exploitation fan. If you're an H.G. Lewis fan, this book should already be on your shelf. As a long time fan of the Godfather of Gore myself, I'm in awe of the wealth of information included in this book. Give Christopher Curry some well-deserved credit by ordering his book. You will not be disappointed.