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Hidden Horror: A Celebration of 101 Underrated and Overlooked Fright Flicks
Dr. AC is back, with a brand new compendium of essays from the brightest and bloodiest aficionados around the globe. 101 informed enthusiasts pay homage to their favorite overlooked creature features, moldy oldies and trashy treats, showcasing silent classics (The Man Who Laughs, The Hands of Orlac) and trippy mind-benders (Possession, The Tenant), schlocky shockers (The Gore Gore Girls, The Horror of Party Beach) and foreign freakouts (Ichi the Killer, Santa Sangre). You’ll be combing your queue and video shelves to track down every last one! Discover the Horror…HIDDEN HORROR.
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 21, 2014
There are so many reasons to read books like HIDDEN HORROR: A CELEBRATION OF 101 UNDERRATED AND OVERLOOKED FRIGHT FLICKS. Most of these tomes are informative, educational, and even entertaining. But one of my great joys is comparing the titles listed in these books to those that I have in my movie library. I always check to see if my tastes are comparable to other horror fanatics; thankfully, I think they are. This gem of a book from Aaron Christensen is chocked full of interesting flicks, some familiar and some not. And regardless of whether you’ve seen them or not, chances are you’ll find something that piques your curiosity.
I was quite pleased to see that I had several of the titles listed in this book already; then, I did the math and realized I only had 20 out of the 100 that are listed. And after reading through this book, I decided I’m going to have to add way more to my measly count!
This book is one of the most exhaustive lists of obscure horror that I’ve ever run across. But what makes it even more excellent is that the movies are listed and discussed by a wide variety of people. That’s right…this is not a single person’s list, but a whole slew of different people. As a result, the titles are diverse, and many sub-genres of horror are represented.
One aspect that I particularly enjoy about HIDDEN HORROR is that it’s not afraid to mention titles that many horror fans think are taboo. For example, HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH. I have friends that detest this film for no other reason than it doesn’t have Michael Myers in it. Personally, I’ve always liked this film but definitely feel it should have been renamed. Still, I don’t think a film should be ostracized for its poor title. There are several examples of inclusion like this, and this strengthens the credibility of the book as a whole.
HIDDEN HORROR: A CELEBRATION OF 101 UNDERRATED AND OVERLOOKED FRIGHT FLICKS is a massive win for me, and I highly recommend you check it out if you’re a fan of horror. Regardless of whether you are a veteran to the genre or a newcomer, you will definitely want to score some (if not all) of the titles in this book. Give it a look for sure.
I was quite pleased to see that I had several of the titles listed in this book already; then, I did the math and realized I only had 20 out of the 100 that are listed. And after reading through this book, I decided I’m going to have to add way more to my measly count!
This book is one of the most exhaustive lists of obscure horror that I’ve ever run across. But what makes it even more excellent is that the movies are listed and discussed by a wide variety of people. That’s right…this is not a single person’s list, but a whole slew of different people. As a result, the titles are diverse, and many sub-genres of horror are represented.
One aspect that I particularly enjoy about HIDDEN HORROR is that it’s not afraid to mention titles that many horror fans think are taboo. For example, HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH. I have friends that detest this film for no other reason than it doesn’t have Michael Myers in it. Personally, I’ve always liked this film but definitely feel it should have been renamed. Still, I don’t think a film should be ostracized for its poor title. There are several examples of inclusion like this, and this strengthens the credibility of the book as a whole.
HIDDEN HORROR: A CELEBRATION OF 101 UNDERRATED AND OVERLOOKED FRIGHT FLICKS is a massive win for me, and I highly recommend you check it out if you’re a fan of horror. Regardless of whether you are a veteran to the genre or a newcomer, you will definitely want to score some (if not all) of the titles in this book. Give it a look for sure.
January 27, 2021
Full Disclosure: I contributed the essay for HALLOWEEN III in this book and I am friends with a few other contributors.
Even as a horror fan, I had overlooked many (most?) of these movies. Some I had just missed, some I had heard negative things about, so I skipped. Since reading the book, I have watched dozens and dozens of the films that were included. I didn't necessarily agree with the other writers and didn't even like all of them. And that's okay. I really enjoyed reading all the essays. I love reading how passionate people are about films they love.
I don't feel hesitant at all about giving this book a huge recommendation, because I was only a tiny part of it.
Even as a horror fan, I had overlooked many (most?) of these movies. Some I had just missed, some I had heard negative things about, so I skipped. Since reading the book, I have watched dozens and dozens of the films that were included. I didn't necessarily agree with the other writers and didn't even like all of them. And that's okay. I really enjoyed reading all the essays. I love reading how passionate people are about films they love.
I don't feel hesitant at all about giving this book a huge recommendation, because I was only a tiny part of it.
November 7, 2017
This book contains reviews/essays of 101 "hidden gem" horror movies, contributed by a variety of writers. Looking quickly at the table of contents, it seems like each review is by a different author, but I'm not sure if any authors contributed more than one review. In terms of the writing, it's all very competent, at about 2-4 pages per film. Each one gives a quick summary of the film then delves into why it's special.
Having seen most of the listed films by now (I think I'm at 94 out of 101), I can say that the quality of the recommendations is pretty good. They're all fairly unknown unless you're used to seeing recommendations off the beaten track. There's a good variety of sub-genres represented, from high-brow to unapologetic schlock.
Recommended for horror fans looking for new discoveries.
Having seen most of the listed films by now (I think I'm at 94 out of 101), I can say that the quality of the recommendations is pretty good. They're all fairly unknown unless you're used to seeing recommendations off the beaten track. There's a good variety of sub-genres represented, from high-brow to unapologetic schlock.
Recommended for horror fans looking for new discoveries.
July 20, 2019
Llega un momento en la vida de todo fan del terror en el que un libro como este es necesario y hasta esencial. Cuando ya creemos que no hay nada más por descubrir, por suerte aprendemos que siempre hay algo más por descubrir.
Mis reseñas favoritas son, además, aquellas hechas por fans, por gente que ha gozado de lo lindo viendo las mismas pelis que recomiendan. Son este tipo de críticas las que me hacen querer correr al mundo virtual a ver si encuentro las maravillas que describen. Es nostalgia, sí. Es romanticismo. Pero también es un gusto adquirido que paladeamos muy pocos. No una, ni dos, sino muchas historias geniales me ha descubierto Hidden Horror y brindo por ello. ¿Para cuando un segundo tomo?
Mis reseñas favoritas son, además, aquellas hechas por fans, por gente que ha gozado de lo lindo viendo las mismas pelis que recomiendan. Son este tipo de críticas las que me hacen querer correr al mundo virtual a ver si encuentro las maravillas que describen. Es nostalgia, sí. Es romanticismo. Pero también es un gusto adquirido que paladeamos muy pocos. No una, ni dos, sino muchas historias geniales me ha descubierto Hidden Horror y brindo por ello. ¿Para cuando un segundo tomo?
November 17, 2015
For fans of horror films these days are unlike any seen since the 1930s. It was then that the monster films created by Universal Studios ushered in a genre that died off until the nuclear monster craze of the fifties. While the occasional horror film was well received by fans and critics over the years, it was never the same as before when a new horror film came out near weekly. That’s all changed over the past decade or so and now we have non-stop horror films coming out weekly. Unfortunately most aren’t that great but there are the rare gems.
That same standard has held true over the many years that horror films have been being made. There have always been those hidden gems that fans knew about or talked about that many missed. In the early days of video fans traded their copies of these films with one another or let each other know when they’d be on the late show. With the increased use of the internet scores of web sites began talking about these past films and collectors sought out these treasures either from one another or when they would be occasionally released on video then DVD.
But how could you find out some of the best of the best? I mean books on the topic if horror films were out there but those mostly discussed the latest franchise ala Jason/Freddy/Leatherface/Michael or the biggest movies that came out like THE EXORCIST or THE OMEN. What about those little films, the ones people talked about among friends, the ones that appeared on some horror host program that inspired nightmares in minds too young to be able to see those R rated slasher flicks on the big screen? Where was the book talking about those movies?
Apparently there were enough people wondering this for Editor Aaron “DR. AC” Christensen to round up a collection of these recommendations together in a book titled HIDDEN HORRORS. What he’s done is contact a number of horror fans from all over the world to add their suggestions to the box and let other horror fans know about movies that they might have missed on the “Most Watched” rack at the local rental store or that were being discussed on mainstream horror sites. These are films that inspired the nightmares I was speaking of, the movies that caused many to find friends among the fans of horror or to get involved in the genre either via teaching, making movies, writing or more. Those who have written pieces for this book come from all of those backgrounds and more.
As he states in the book, there are a few titles that he questioned including in this tome. Movies like I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE and THE HILLS HAVE EYES can’t be called unknown films to many horror fans. But with a young generation brought up to appreciate only what is new perhaps they haven’t been exposed to these and other films found in the book. These movies were part of that low budget/drive-in movie genre that most young people today have no exposure to. With the help of this book they’ll know what to look for now.
Starting alphabetically with ALUCARDA and ending with X: THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES the book offers 101 different reviews of films for fans to seek out. To my knowledge all are available in one format or another for the discerning fan to look for. Each is written by someone different and while many names may not be that familiar to some, they are within the world of the horror fan. For instance one is written by Anthony Timpone who was once editor of FANGORIA magazine while another was written by Jon Kitley of kitleyskrypt.com, also the publisher of the book. Don’t worry though because at the end of each piece credit is given as well as a short description of the author of each review.
What makes the book good is also that which makes it inaccessible to some. That’s the fact that these are seriously written pieces where some will expect a gloss over piece. There is depth to the writing of these reviews that is rarely seen when it comes to discussions of the genre. Most would not expect a well written piece about a movie like THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH but you’ll find it here. Some pieces seem to be stretching it a bit when it comes to an overuse of adjectives and adverbs but then again these are written by people who take their horror seriously.
On top of that what made the book so enjoyable for me was the fact that I got the chance to learn about a few movies that even I, a die-hard horror fan, missed at one time or another. While I have seen well over 2/3 of the films listed that left another 1/3 that I now have to seek out. I’m guessing that most won’t even have seen that many of the films listed so the end result could be good news for DVD companies as readers seek out these titles.
The movies written about here range from regular horror offerings to a western to art films to low budget double feature style drive-in flicks. The authors involved here cover every type of horror film you can imagine. Best of all is being able to recognize some movies that even I have thought were long overdue when it came to recognition being singled out. Movies like DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW, THE CHANGELING (not to be confused with the Angelina Jolie movie this one starred George C. Scott), SHOCK WAVES, TOURIST TRAP, THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE, HALLOWEEN III and more are included in this book.
If you’re a fan of horror films then you’ll want to add this book to your collection. It offers a guided tour through a list of movies that you will probably have missed at one point or another. If you’re not a horror fan you may want to read this any way. It will offer you a glimpse into why so many have chosen this genre as their favorite and give you a chance to see that not all horror films involve serial killers, slashers or possessed children. No matter what your favorite type of film is I can highly recommend this book to those who love movies and horror in particular. While the book itself might not inspire nightmares for those who read it I have little doubt that some of the movies suggested here might.
That same standard has held true over the many years that horror films have been being made. There have always been those hidden gems that fans knew about or talked about that many missed. In the early days of video fans traded their copies of these films with one another or let each other know when they’d be on the late show. With the increased use of the internet scores of web sites began talking about these past films and collectors sought out these treasures either from one another or when they would be occasionally released on video then DVD.
But how could you find out some of the best of the best? I mean books on the topic if horror films were out there but those mostly discussed the latest franchise ala Jason/Freddy/Leatherface/Michael or the biggest movies that came out like THE EXORCIST or THE OMEN. What about those little films, the ones people talked about among friends, the ones that appeared on some horror host program that inspired nightmares in minds too young to be able to see those R rated slasher flicks on the big screen? Where was the book talking about those movies?
Apparently there were enough people wondering this for Editor Aaron “DR. AC” Christensen to round up a collection of these recommendations together in a book titled HIDDEN HORRORS. What he’s done is contact a number of horror fans from all over the world to add their suggestions to the box and let other horror fans know about movies that they might have missed on the “Most Watched” rack at the local rental store or that were being discussed on mainstream horror sites. These are films that inspired the nightmares I was speaking of, the movies that caused many to find friends among the fans of horror or to get involved in the genre either via teaching, making movies, writing or more. Those who have written pieces for this book come from all of those backgrounds and more.
As he states in the book, there are a few titles that he questioned including in this tome. Movies like I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE and THE HILLS HAVE EYES can’t be called unknown films to many horror fans. But with a young generation brought up to appreciate only what is new perhaps they haven’t been exposed to these and other films found in the book. These movies were part of that low budget/drive-in movie genre that most young people today have no exposure to. With the help of this book they’ll know what to look for now.
Starting alphabetically with ALUCARDA and ending with X: THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES the book offers 101 different reviews of films for fans to seek out. To my knowledge all are available in one format or another for the discerning fan to look for. Each is written by someone different and while many names may not be that familiar to some, they are within the world of the horror fan. For instance one is written by Anthony Timpone who was once editor of FANGORIA magazine while another was written by Jon Kitley of kitleyskrypt.com, also the publisher of the book. Don’t worry though because at the end of each piece credit is given as well as a short description of the author of each review.
What makes the book good is also that which makes it inaccessible to some. That’s the fact that these are seriously written pieces where some will expect a gloss over piece. There is depth to the writing of these reviews that is rarely seen when it comes to discussions of the genre. Most would not expect a well written piece about a movie like THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH but you’ll find it here. Some pieces seem to be stretching it a bit when it comes to an overuse of adjectives and adverbs but then again these are written by people who take their horror seriously.
On top of that what made the book so enjoyable for me was the fact that I got the chance to learn about a few movies that even I, a die-hard horror fan, missed at one time or another. While I have seen well over 2/3 of the films listed that left another 1/3 that I now have to seek out. I’m guessing that most won’t even have seen that many of the films listed so the end result could be good news for DVD companies as readers seek out these titles.
The movies written about here range from regular horror offerings to a western to art films to low budget double feature style drive-in flicks. The authors involved here cover every type of horror film you can imagine. Best of all is being able to recognize some movies that even I have thought were long overdue when it came to recognition being singled out. Movies like DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW, THE CHANGELING (not to be confused with the Angelina Jolie movie this one starred George C. Scott), SHOCK WAVES, TOURIST TRAP, THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE, HALLOWEEN III and more are included in this book.
If you’re a fan of horror films then you’ll want to add this book to your collection. It offers a guided tour through a list of movies that you will probably have missed at one point or another. If you’re not a horror fan you may want to read this any way. It will offer you a glimpse into why so many have chosen this genre as their favorite and give you a chance to see that not all horror films involve serial killers, slashers or possessed children. No matter what your favorite type of film is I can highly recommend this book to those who love movies and horror in particular. While the book itself might not inspire nightmares for those who read it I have little doubt that some of the movies suggested here might.
April 26, 2015
Some good essays and recommendations. Many titles wouldn't be considered obscure to a horror fan, but I didn't mind that at all. A good range of recommendations, though skewing somewhat heavily toward American movies. I've already sought out several titles that I'd not heard of before, and several others I'd heard of but was pushed toward by the reviews. The only downsides were 1) that many reviews contained spoilers about the end of the movie, which just seems odd if you're writing a review to someone who theoretically hasn't seen it before and 2) a handful of the essays contained some questionable, sexist remarks. The review for Humanoids of the Deep repeatedly directs contemptuous remarks at the women who starred in the movie and lauds the film's misogyny as a fun selling point.
October 8, 2016
Wish I had more time to read each essay in depth. This is a marvelous guide to some overlooked horror gems (the minute I saw the 80s version of The Blob I knew this people knew what they were talking about!). Most are not so terribly obscure they'd be difficult to get a hold of, and the essays are written with such clear enthusiasm it's hard not to want to watch each one
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews