Horror Films of the 1970s (2 volume set) - Softcover

Muir, John Kenneth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0786431040 ISBN 13: 9780786431045

Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2007

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 cliches 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:

John Kenneth Muir is the author of twenty-two reference books covering science fiction and horror on film and television, including award winners Horror Films of the 1970s (2002 ALA Best Reference) and The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television (2005 New York Public Library Best Reference). He is creator of the Internet sci-fi series The House Between and his popular blog reflectionsonfilmandtelevision.blogspot.com.

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 & Company
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0786431040
• ISBN 13: 9780786431045
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 684