Terror on Tape: A Complete Guide to over 2,000 Horror Movies on Video (Billboard Books' Entertaining and Informative) (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A well-written, useful guide to horror on videotape through 1994. It covers a lot of films, yet is small enough to carry to the video store. Each title is listed with plot summary, fun-to-read review, date, distributor, MPAA rating (where applicable), running time, director, cast, and a half-to-four-star rating. Includes mainstream, cult, foreign (but not Asian), and exploitation titles. Has 100 sidebar essays on important actors and directors, and plenty of black-and-white illustrations. For a surprisingly high percentage of the films, this reviewer agreed with the author's even-handed assessments.

Product Description

"Terror on Tape" is a complete, comprehensive guide to over 2,000 horror films from the past 75 years that have been reissued on videotape, from mainstream masterpieces to cheesy exploitation flicks to deservedly unknown bombs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 389 pages
• Publisher: Billboard Books (October 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823076121
• ISBN-13: 978-0823076123
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #570,144 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent, Comprehensive, and Concise, November 14, 2004

By	Robert Meeks (Winchester, KY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had read both positive and negative reviews on this guide and figured I would take a chance. I found this guide to be comprehensive in its coverage of titles with concise yet informative reviews (do keep in mind that this book was published in 1994). James O'Neill comes across as someone who is a horror movie buff yet is objective enough to sort out the bad and the good in a very cliched genre. Since there have been some negative reviews on this page for the book, I present the following short summations as an attempt to answer some of these reviews: 1) This book is titled 'Terror on Tape' and therefore concentrates its focus on horror movies available on tape. It was never represented as a complete coverage of horror movies whether on tape or not. 2) O'Neill is not anti-slasher, just anti-bad movie. Too many horror buffs reviewing movies have a tendency to rate them on their gore, infamy, and nudity content as opposed to whether they are any good (plot, script, direction, etc). 3) The reviews are concise giving a basic plot outline, the particulars (actors, director, year, etc.), alternative titles, and of course his opinion. He accomplishes in his reviews what others have failed to do in longer reviews and does not attempt to spoil the movie. Additionally he does not borrow stock reviews and rewrite them for his guide as is a practice in many video review guides. 4) Since this guide concentrates on horror movies on tape (pre-1994) the coverage is obviously going to be slanted toward available titles on tape (although it would appear obvious, some reviewers apparently missed that point).---Although I do not agree with every review in the guide, I do find more hits than misses. It is additionally notable that it is obvious that O'Neill has seen the movies he has reviewed as compared to some guides I have read which left me wondering if the reviewer had actually seen the movie they reviewed. Unfortunately, that appears to be a common practice for the sake of coverage. You will not find that to be the case with 'Terror on Tape'. A comprehensive yet easy to carry guide.-Bob *[James O'Neill also wrote a companion book called 'Sci-Fi on Tape'. Amazon has it listed as well.]

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional quick reference guide, March 24, 2000

By	Brett Keller (Twin Falls, Idaho) - See all my reviews

I think the negative reviewers may have been seeking something else when they examined this book--this is general reference book that gives the reader a quick, concise synopsis & review of a great number of films. It covers over 2000 films whereas McCarty's (very good) Splatter Guides only cover around 400 movies each. I agree that the reviews are lacking in depth, but the breadth of coverage is what makes this book a fantastic reference. I don't know of any other book that covers so many films. When I encounter a new film or am trying to recall a film, this book provides just the right amount of information. If I wish to get in-depth analyses and do extended reading, I'll go elsewhere, but this is an essential reference book--the one I go to first. I only hope there is plan to keep it updated.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An extremely well-written and qualitative guide, December 13, 1998

By A Customer

Since horror films attract such a wide range of fans and admirers, it is often difficult to know in which direction a guide is aimed. Thankfully, James O'Neill is clearly a writer with a deep respect not just for a good thriller but for the art of film itself, and he has constructed this guide for the most thoughtful reader. His reviews are not only well-considered and constructed; they are extremely literate, and Mr. O'Neill shows an extensive background in the genre which backs up his reviews well beyond gut-level responses. As a fan of thrillers and film criticism, I own many books in this field; "Terror On Tape" is easily my personal favorite.