The Overlook Film Encyclopedia: Horror (The Overlook Film Encyclopedia Series) (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This is the best single volume book on the horror film, the definitive reference work devoted to the subject. It contains entries on every movie even remotely connected to the genre, whether it is a 19-century silent, a grade "Z" schlocker, or an "art" film by the likes of Fritz Lang or Ingmar Bergman. Each entry contains a full list of credits and a descriptive review. Hardy writes about horror movies with such enthusiasm and intelligence that you feel you're getting the low down on the genre from a sincere and learned friend.

Product Description

A new edition of the comprehensive guide to the horror film genre. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Overlook TP (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879516240
• ISBN-13: 978-0879516246
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,220,054 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most comprehensive horror film reference, March 29, 2002

By	Alexander Clarkson (Sylvania, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The fact that this encyclopedia has not been updated since its last reprinting in 1995 borders on the offensive. That's because it is simply the best reference of the genre I've ever encountered. The book is filled with short to medium length reviews of horror films from every period in film history (up to 1992) and every nation which dabbles in the genre.

The fact that the encyclopedia is that complete is not necessarily its biggest asset. The reviews which compose the book do not simply provide summary, a quick line or two of evaluation, and a useless star rating a la Leonard Martin. Instead, each review examines its subject in relation to other similar works by subject, studio, director, actor, etc. It refuses to provide star ratings, favoring a more detailed explanation of a film's strengths and weaknesses. Also, and this pleases me the most, many films are examined through a critical lense, looking at how the film explores gender, culture, politics, economics, etc.

Combine these strengths with the inclusion of just about every horror film ever made and you have a book horror fans will leave by their bedside.

This encyclopedia treats the horror film genre as it should be treated, an important and vital field of art with a history and voice to be heard. Any causal or serious student of horror films must own this book. It will deepen and enlive their enjoyment of horror, from the absurd and esoteric, to the classic and mainstream.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful For any Horror Buff, July 2, 1999

By	"[e-mail]" (Little Falls, NY USA) - See all my reviews

An attractive and indispensable guide to practically every horror film ever made, from the 1910's to the 1990's. It probably contains more out-of-print and foreign titles than most other guides. It is truly a massive book with hundreds of beautiful photos. However, the film reviews are a little awkward, and those photos would have looked a lot nicer in color.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have guide to horror films, January 17, 1998

By	P. Mann (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Phil Hardy's Overlook Encyclopedia of Horror is an essential part of any horror-film aficionado's library. Though it is clear that the editors are fans of the genre, they are intelligent fans. This book consists of a year-by-year listing of horror films from around the world. For each film, the book provides a thorough review in which the editors freely praise or criticize the film according to its merits or the lack of merit. The reviews are comparable in length to those of Roger Ebert though without the personal confessions and revelations.

The great strength of this tome is that it is so thorough, covering films from Japan, Italy, and other countries that one would not find even mentioned in Leonard Maltin's video guide. The reviews, moreover, do well to identify conventions and movements within the genre and its subgenres (as in cannibal films or vampire films). With more and more non-English-language films emerging on video, Hardy's guide may prove the only source for the discerning (or non-discerning) horror viewer.

There are two major drawbacks to this book, though. The first is that it lacks the indices that it should have. For example, finding a film by a particular director can be particularly frustrating. Though Hardy includes many alternate titles, the book is not complete in this respect, and it is quite possible to find a video tape with a title that Hardy's book does not credit. The book may have the film, but finding it can be a chore. A director index would significantly cut search time. The other major flaw is that the video revolution seems to be leaving Hardy behind. Too many films are being released (largely due to the economics behind making inexpensive films with ready-made markets), and the book is by no means even close to comprehensive for films of the late '80s and '90s. Despite these flaws, there is nothing that I have seen that comes close to comparing to the Overlook horror encyclopedia, and it is still a must-have book for the serious viewer of horror films.