The Horror Film: An Introduction

by Rick Worland

Combining historical narrative with close readings of several significant horror films, this brief volume offers a broad and lively introduction to cinematic horror. In doing so, it outlines and investigates important issues in the production, consumption, and cultural interpretation of the genre.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Horror, Textbooks

336 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2006

Reviews

[Heather Domin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives fans and non-fans a comprehensive study of the horror genre: its roots in myth and folktale; its birth in 19th century gross-out theater; how viewers and critics have reacted to it over the years; how it connects with other genres; and how each wave reflects its time while still being part of the whole. After this the author chooses several films and examines them one by one to illustrate these points. The writing is smooth and accessible, academic but not ponderous, with just enough humor and zero elitism - that will win me over every time. I wish there had been more coverage of Asian film, but I guess you can only fit so much into an introduction, even one as dense (in the good way) as this. Recommended for all but the stodgiest.

[T.J. Tranchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book lives up to its title. It’s an introduction and therefore approaches its audiences as if they’ve never spent much time watching horror films. This would work great as a text in a film program in which horror has been mostly excluded and a brave instructor was trying to make inroads with genre works.

As a seasoned reader of academic texts on horror film, it feels like the author is trying to be the smartest person in a room full of people who’ve all read and seen the same material. There were no scholarly surprises for me. That’s not a bad thing, again, when one considers this as an introduction.

[yannicpro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting overview. Worland elaborately connects different movies throughout time with an understandable golden thread from societal and political events etc. Even though Worland seems to be trying to analyze horror movies in the whole western hemisphere, he still uses the US in an monolithic way. In the end it’s an introduction anyway.

[donovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

it’s very introductory, but there is some really interesting history and analysis in there, although i knew a good amount of it already bc horror is my favorite genre. really appreciated the spotlight on some more under-appreciated films like re-animator and cat people though

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read.

[Autumn J Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

a succinct history of horror.

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

We used this book for my summer session film class but I ended up reading the whole thing because I thought it was awesome. He breaks it up into two history sections beginning with the Grand Guignol and Melies' trick films and moving all the way up through 2007, the social impact of horror and why it's important and then a case by case study of some of the most famous/influential films, in his eyes. Lots of classics, lots of off the wall sleepers and B movies. It's well written and engaging; I don't care what any of my classmates say.

[Matthew Cirilli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually read this book for class but it would be worth reading anyway. The book gives a very interesting history of the horror film and then goes on to analyze important films in more detail. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in these types of movies or in film in general.

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly obvious, though someone had to get it all down.