Horror!: 333 Films to Scare You to Death

by James Marriott, Kim Newman

From Frankenstein to Peeping Tom , the imaginative flair of the horror film has always shocked and delighted viewers. Packed with images of the most terrifying scenes in cinema history, this definitive volume traces the genre decade by decade, providing a witty and informative critique of more than 200 movies from all over the world. A team of seasoned, top horror experts leads the way with authority, humor, and encyclopedic knowledge, making this a superb guide for both die-hard and new horror fans.

Genres: Horror, Nonfiction, Media Tie In, Film, Reference

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kevinjwoods · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book needed only one little thing to make it work, an editor who had the slightest clue about what is and is not a horror movie.
He seems to have decided that the perfect horror movie is something like Deliverance rather than something like The Evil Dead and at times seems to resent having to include films with monsters and scares and hasn't realised that if the best thing about a scary movie is the cinematography then that movie has failed, rather than a list of movies a horror fan might enjoy this is a list of movies the pretentiarati might discuss over expensive coffee.
Add in some very bad editing, it is common to state in one review that a sequel hasn't been made and then later give the details of the sequel, and a general impression that an average foreign language film is always better than a good English-language movie and what can best be described as very random choice of movies and what you have is a very wasted opportunity.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like old scary movies, October is the best month for this book. Its a great reference for any scary film you might come across and choose to watch late at night in the dark. Read upon the details of each film, and get the information you need-who starred in the movie, who directed it, when was it made, etc. etc. Films covered reach from the old black and white classics to the modern slasher movies and everything in between. Whether you are a serious movie buff, or just curious about your favorites, this book is a great reference.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must read: The beginnings, the birth of horror cinema, all major movies from the 1930s to the 2000s. You'll find many great movie stills inside. I especially loved the features on ghosts, horror comics, Poe, occult cinema, Lovecraft, Jekyll+Hyde, Giallo, Eco horror, horror on TV, Urbania, slashers, Stephen King, cannibalism, serial killers, werewolves, zombies. The authors have done a top job here and created the quintessential overview. With this book you'll start becoming an expert. Highly recommended!

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty basic stuff--the only people this book will likely help is newbs to the horror film game. Not very well written--quite a few mistakes regarding plots and even actors and the descriptions of the films very often feature spoilers (fine if you say that up front but this is supposed to be a guide to films you SHOULD see, and who wants to see something that has been spoiled?). I tend to love these types of books and I found this one pretty boring and unhelpful. It has some important films in it but nothing that is unusual or even unheralded. Overall review--MEH.

[Michael]

I am reading a new edition off this book titled Horror: 333 Films to Scare You To Death. I am enjoying it greatly.

[Carla (There Might Be Cupcakes Podcast) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My version is 333 Films to Scare You to Death, but Goodreads won't allow me to add it, pointing instead to this one.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a resource book, so one I didn't read entirely cover to cover. But, I will be referring back to it often, have already ordered a couple movies per the book's recommendations.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent compendium but the quality of each movie synopsis was uneven and at times too spoilerish.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, other Newman books are better.