Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Film Sequels, Series and Remakes

Science fiction, fantasy and horror movies have spawned more sequels and remakes than any other film genre. Following Volume 1, which covered 400 films made 1931–1995, Volume 2 of this comprehensive reference analyzes 334 releases 1996–2017. The traditional cinematic monsters are represented—Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, a new Mummy. A new wave of popular series inspired by comics and video games, as well as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, could never have been credibly produced without advances in special effects technology. Audiences follow the exploits of superheroes like Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man and Thor, and such heroines as the vampire Selene, zombie killer Alice, dystopian rebels Katniss Everdeen and Imperator Furiosa, and Soviet spy turned American agent Black Widow. The continuing depredations of Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers are described. Pre–1996 movies that have since been remade are included. Entries features cast and credits, detailed synopsis, critics' reviews, and original analysis.

Film fans will be impressed by the scope of this volume, which covers more than 400 English-language films released theatrically between 1931 and 1995. Under the heading Horror, "supernatural" horror films (e.g., The Omen) are included, while thrillers (e.g., Psycho) are excluded. Because this work is about "sequels, series, and remakes" rather than all individual films in the genre, the entries are arranged topically. And because choices had to be made under which topic to classify certain films, the reader will need to consult the index; for example, the "Blacula" series is considered apart from "Dracula," without cross reference. The synopses often give away the ending, and some readers may wish that the authors' brief analyses had been omitted. Most of these films are covered in older works, such as Phil Hardy's Encyclopedia of Horror Movies (1986), but this volume brings the coverage up-to-date. This resource will be useful in comprehensive film collections in larger academic and public libraries.?Anthony J. Adam, Prairie View A&M Univ. Lib., Tex.
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