The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia [Hardcover]

Peter Dendle (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0786408596 | ISBN-13: 978-0786408597 | Publication Date: December 1, 2000

Zombies are cautionary forms of humankind's most universally cherished ideal—life after death. Often ragged, unkempt, ill-spoken, rotting individuals, zombies (or the post-dead) seem socially awkward in comparison to the more popular and more aristocratic, undead, like Count Dracula and his peers. And so, the humble zombie remains, for the most part, unappreciated and unacknowledged—until now. No longer will films devoted to them be buried in the last pages of horror movie guides.

The exhumation of zombie films from obscurity is accomplished in terrifying detail in The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia. The first exhaustive overview of the subject, this book evaluates over 200 movies from 16 countries over a 65-year period starting from the early 1930s. It mostly treats feature-length films, covering everything from large studio productions to backyard videography, but also touches on memorable episodes of television series and miscellaneous shorts. Lengthy entries point out interesting or innovative features of the zombie portrayal in each movie, while an introduction traces the evolution of the genre and interprets the broader significance of the zombie in contemporary Western mythology. Productions credits, a brief plot summary, and alternate titles accompany each entry.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Comprehensive...impressive." -- Hitch

"Exhaustive" -- -Interzone

"The exhumation of zombie films from obscurity is accomplished in terrifying detail here. The first exhaustive overview of the subject" -- -Cult Movies

"The first scholarly work to evaluate the role of zombies...delightful...recommended...enjoyable." -- ARBA

"The inclusion of works is admirable...a good book." -- Chiller Theatre

"Well written...[an] impressive tome" -- -Brutarian Quarterly

About the Author

Peter Dendle is assistant professor of English at Pennsylvania State University, Mont Alto. He lives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 259 pages
• Publisher: McFarland & Company (December 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786408596
• ISBN-13: 978-0786408597
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,272,757 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clever, concise, yet extremely thorough..., August 17, 2003

By 

Gogmagog "fan of all things music, movies and... (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia (Hardcover)

If you're a zombie film-lover wondering whether this volume is worth the hardcover price, simply click the "buy" button and get it over with. Once it's in your hands, you'll forget about the cost and enjoy several hours of great reading - as well as a reference you'll return to again and again.

Dendle provides several scholarly (yet not stuffy) pages of historical overview and then delves into a film-by-film analysis that had me re-visiting and re-appreciating my own video library and then running out to buy those films I know knew I could not live without. As any zombie film fanatic knows, we can spend lots of money and sit through hundreds of wasted hours before finding a diamond in the rough. Dr. Dendle's done the work for you - all you have to do now is find the films.

The ZOMBIE MOVIE ENCYCLOPEDIA is by no means complete - while the author visits many films that have even the slightest zombie connection (e.g., WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S PART 2), he misses out on others altogether that could easily fall into the zombie genre (e.g., John Carpenter's PRINCE OF DARKNESS or Lamberto Bava's DEMONS films). Still, there's no way any of us can see them all and Dendle appears to have seen and reviewed more than anyone else.

I cannot recommend this book more highly. Ignore the cheesy cover art. Don't worry about the price. If you love zombie films, this will immediately become your primary reference source. As a matter of fact, buy two - every zombie fanatic seems to have a friend who's just as devoted to the genre - and this will make a great gift.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First-rate reference work: well-written and informative., February 7, 2001

By 

Trevor Hodges (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia (Hardcover)

This is a first-rate piece of work. There are not many encyclopedias around which I would read cover-to-cover, but this is one. Not only is it informative, it is witty and entertaining to read - and peppered with delicious stills from the films.

Dendle really seems to know his stuff. Clearly, there have been more than a few late nights in front of the TV for this one - but where he was able to see some of these films, I really couldn't guess. He must have a video collection to-die-for (hee hee hee).

But seriously, Dendle gives his subject matter its due reverence, which, he freely admits, in some cases, is not much. But his object is not to provide a list of great zombies; rather, it is to chronicle the growth of this horror-film staple from its origins to the present day. But this, as he points out in a very insiteful introduction, is a mirror for wider American anxieties - from the racial fears implict in the films of the 30s and 40s to the 80s and 90s plague anxiety.

I strongly recommend this work not just to zombie film enthusiasts but to movie enthusiasts in general. It is the chroncile of a sub-genre in horror films but it is also a reflection of the fears of 20th century America.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, a great work of reference for anyone, March 24, 2005

By 

Zombie God "zOmBiE" (São Paulo, Brasil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia (Hardcover)

This book is a must be for anyone fan of zombie movies or horror fans, the movies are well described and commented, all classical zombies movies are there, although a few zombies movies (or realted) are missing but the final result is extremely positive and fullfill a gap in the genre. Anyone searching information on zombies movies will find this book a great help.