Horror Films of the 1970s - Hardcover

Muir, John Kenneth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0786412496 ISBN 13: 9780786412495

Publisher: McFarland Publishing, 2002

Synopsis

The seventies were a decade of groundbreaking horror films: The Exorcist, Carrie, and Halloween were three. This detailed filmography covers these and 225 more. Section One provides an introduction and a brief history of the decade. Beginning with 1970 and proceeding chronologically by year of its release in the United States, Section Two offers an entry for each film. Each entry includes several categories of information: Critical Reception (sampling both ’70s and later reviews), Cast and Credits, P.O.V., (quoting a person pertinent to that film’s production), Synopsis (summarizing the film’s story), Commentary (analyzing the film from Muir’s perspective), Legacy (noting the rank of especially worthy ’70s films in the horror pantheon of decades following). Section Three contains a conclusion and these five appendices: horror film clichés of the 1970s, frequently appearing performers, memorable movie ads, recommended films that illustrate how 1970s horror films continue to impact the industry, and the 15 best genre films of the decade as chosen by Muir.

About this title

About the Author:

Independent filmmaker John Kenneth Muir, a contributor to Cinescape, Filmfax and The Official Farscape Magazine, writes a monthly column on science fiction and horror films and television shows for Deep Outside. Muir has appeared on the Sci Fi Channel series Sciography. He is the author of several acclaimed works, including Terror Television (2001, $75), The Films of John Carpenter (2000, $48.50), and Wes Craven: The Art of Horror (1998, $45). He lives in the historic district of Monroe, North Carolina.

From Booklist:

The 1970s is one of the great decades for horror films. Classics such as Carrie, The Exorcist, Jaws, Halloween, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre all debuted during this time. Works by directors Stephen Spielberg, John Carpenter, Brian de Palma, Wes Craven, and others helped shape horror cinema. Focusing mostly on American films, this resource examines 200 movies released from 1970 to 1979.

The book is organized into 10 year-by-year sections, with the films arranged alphabetically by title and given ratings of between one and four stars. Most of the entries begin with excerpts from reviews, information on cast and crew, a synopsis, commentary by the author, and in some cases comments about the film's legacy. The cast and crew information and plot summaries are important reference resources. The commentary, which can go on for several pages, puts each film in context and discusses style and filmmaking techniques. It also explores how topics such as racism, religion, and women's rights are represented in films like Blacula, The Exorcist, and The Stepford Wives, respectively.

Perhaps the best part of the work is the beginning essay, "The History of the Decade (in Brief . . .)," which explains why horror films were so unique during the 1970s and explores some of the common themes, such as post-Vietnam distrust of government, nature run amuck, and the failure of science. The work ends with five appendixes: "Horror Film Conventions of the 1970s," "The 1970s Horror Hall of Fame," "Memorable Movie Ad Lines," "Then and Now--Recommended Viewing," and "The Best Horror Movies of the 1970s."

Horror Films of the 1970s is an important reference tool for film collections in academic and public libraries and a must for fans. RBB
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About this edition

• Publisher: McFarland Publishing
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0786412496
• ISBN 13: 9780786412495
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 672