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Monster and Horror Movies
Looks at the high and low points in the history of horror films through movie stills, publicity photos, and movie posters
- GenresNonfiction
Hardcover
First published November 1, 1986
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October 8, 2023
A look at the history of horror cinema, from its silent origins up until the mid-1980s. This large format, hardback American book is chock full of pictures, both in black and white and colour, which by and large are the best thing about it as the text is basic in the extreme and really only ser.
Aylesworth separates the genre down into individual chapters, such as 'vampires' and 'werewolves', and then describes the films in a chronological order. "Modern" horror films such as HALLOWEEN and FRIDAY THE 13TH are dismissed out of hand as being rubbish, and it's clear that Aylesworth's tastes lie towards the more classic and subtle offerings of the genre.
However, fans looking for depth or insight are likely to be disappointed. This is a brief run-through of mainstream cinema, nothing more. Plots are described in depth, but analysis is kept to a minimum. You gradually get the impression that the films Aylesworth doesn't comment on but only describes are the ones he hasn't actually seen - LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT is included, for example, with no mention of it being a lost film. There are also numerous errors in the volume, from Mario Bava being described as 'Mario Brava' to TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER being described as a German film (!). In the worst mistake, Christopher Lee is said to play the leads in THE TWO FACES OF DR JEKYLL, even though Paul Massie essays the role and Lee only has the supporting role of Paul. As a result you wonder just how much of his stuff Aylesworth really knows.
Aylesworth separates the genre down into individual chapters, such as 'vampires' and 'werewolves', and then describes the films in a chronological order. "Modern" horror films such as HALLOWEEN and FRIDAY THE 13TH are dismissed out of hand as being rubbish, and it's clear that Aylesworth's tastes lie towards the more classic and subtle offerings of the genre.
However, fans looking for depth or insight are likely to be disappointed. This is a brief run-through of mainstream cinema, nothing more. Plots are described in depth, but analysis is kept to a minimum. You gradually get the impression that the films Aylesworth doesn't comment on but only describes are the ones he hasn't actually seen - LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT is included, for example, with no mention of it being a lost film. There are also numerous errors in the volume, from Mario Bava being described as 'Mario Brava' to TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER being described as a German film (!). In the worst mistake, Christopher Lee is said to play the leads in THE TWO FACES OF DR JEKYLL, even though Paul Massie essays the role and Lee only has the supporting role of Paul. As a result you wonder just how much of his stuff Aylesworth really knows.
Displaying 1 of 1 review