A history of horror /

Because of his large, solid, and varied collection of work, Dixon (Univ. of Nebraska) is recognized as an eminent film scholar. The current title is an impressive addition to his oeuvre. Dixon packs so much information into the book that one can hardly believe it runs to only a few more than 200 pages. But the information does not overwhelm. Starting with the first film that could possibly be categorized as horror, The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots (1895), the author follows the history and development of the horror film to such recent work as Shutter Island and Twilight. Along the way he discusses the major trends in the genre. The book is excellent for beginners, but Dixon provides enough obscure information to interest those familiar with the genre. For example, he describes how Conrad Veidt's character in The Man Who Laughs (1928) became the inspiration for the character of the Joker in the Batman comics. This book certainly has solid scholarship, but it is also a book that once picked up is hard to put down. Summing Up: Essential. All readers. L. J. Larson Our Lady of the Lake University

Dixon (James Ryan Endowed Professor of Film Studies, Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln; coauthor, A Short History of Film) surveys the development of the horror genre from the earliest Frankenstein and Dracula films through the decades of classics by Hammer studios, William Castle, Roger Corman, and Val Lewton. Dixon covers movies seldom found in other histories and more modern, international titles such as Wolf Creek, Black Water, and Grudge. The endurance of horror, trends like remakes and sequels, and such popular franchises as Child's Play and Halloween are also discussed. In the final chapter, Dixon analyzes the decline of modern horror owing to desensitized audiences, graphic gore, violence, and lack of solid plot lines or character development. Lists of the best horror websites as well as the 50 movies covered round out this volume. Verdict This concise overview is an informative and entertaining read, despite the exclusion of King Kong and other classics. Recommended for all libraries.-Rosalind Dayen, South Regional Lib. Broward Cty., FL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.