Cult Movies: The Classics, the Sleepers, the Weird, and the Wonderful (Hardcover)

by Danny Peary (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 402 pages
• Publisher: Gramercy (October 6, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517201852
• ISBN-13: 978-0517201855
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #759,667 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For my money, the best series of books for the film fan!, May 1, 2001

By	J. Remington "John Remington" (Adams, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Danny Peary, a film fanatic himself, in these series of three books (I'm only dealing with the first in this review) gleefully, critically and passionately celebrates what makes film going the sheer pleasure that it is. In a series of well written, insightful, often humourous and always celebratory essays, Peary explores many classic, weird and wonderful films that raise the pulses of fans.

Many film texts are dry treatises that absolutely drain the rollercoaster vicseral joy that a film can bring. Not so with Peary's excellent series. Peary manages to legitimately relate the true art that is cinema while at the same time exploring what makes so many great films live as a part of our very extistances.

I have read and re-read this book several times and each time, I have discovered a new insight into a favorite film or been directed to a new reference point. Peary is very careful to point to other film scholars and film titles that can enhance a film cutlists experience. In deconstructing each film, he also includes fascinating tidbits of information such as interviews with the film makers, insights into the creative process and backstory history.

Especially fine are his explorations on "It's a Wonderful Life", "King Kong", "Singin' in the Rain", "Rio Bravo" and "A Hard Day's Night". He successfully argues in all those cases that superb entertainment does make great art.

Do I agree with every one of Peary's opinions? Do I enjoy every single film included in these three books? Of course not! But Peary does give vallidation to all of us who could be classified as true film geeks. Since these books are as of this writing all out of print, I with the strongest terms possible urge you all to seek them out. You will not be dissapointed!

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF MY FAVORITE FILM BOOKS, May 13, 1999

By A Customer

Let me state at the outset that I just love this book! I bought it when it first came out in the early '80s, and it kind of changed my movie-going habits. I'd long been a fan of the old movies, but this book, along with its two sequels, "Cult Movies 2" and "Cult Movies 3," provided me with 200 films that--largely due to Mr. Peary's enthusiastic and keen-minded style--I just had to go and see. As of today, I've seen all but a handful of these wonderful films. It's always fun to see a movie and then read a dead-on analysis of that film. Many times I will disagree with Danny Peary (for example, I think he downgrades "Forbidden Planet" unfairly), but in the vast majority of cases I will be amazed at how much Mr. Peary has picked up that I hadn't noticed. (For example, for some reason, it never sunk in with me that Janet Leigh's character in "Psycho" has the name of Marion CRANE, while Norman Bates is a taxidermist of birds!) He is an extremely observant and thoughtful reviewer, with an obvious love of his subject. The range of films reviewed in these three books is quite large, from the 1927 silent movie "Napoleon" to "Plan 9 From Outer Space"; from "Children of Paradise" to "Phantom of the Paradise." This is the type of book that forces you to respect the author's opinions, even if you wildly disagree with them. Finally, I would like to recommend the book "Alternate Oscars" by the same author...a true treat for film buffs!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Movie lovers, You're not alone!, March 11, 1999

By A Customer

When I first found this treasure in 1982, my first thought was "I'm not alone!" Of the 100 movies Danny Peary chose for his work, many were my own personal favorites. Mr. Peary clearly loves film, but he loves movies even more. By that I mean his reviews reflect someone who sits in a dark theater or a comfortable chair and just enjoys what he is watching, without overanalyzing them. That is why this book is so enjoyable.