British Horror Cinema

by Steve Chibnall (Editor), Julian Petley (Editor)

British Horror Cinema investigates a wealth of horror filmmaking in Britain, from early chillers like The Ghoul and Dark Eyes of London to acknowledged classics such as Peeping Tom and The Wicker Man. Contributors explore the contexts in which British horror films have been censored and classified, judged by their critics and consumed by their fans. Uncovering neglected modern classics like Deathline, and addressing issues such as the representation of family and women, they consider the Britishness of British horror and examine sub-genres such as the psycho-thriller and witchcraftmovies, the work of the Amicus studio, and key filmmakers including Peter Walker. Chapters the 'Psycho Thriller' the British censors and horror cinema femininity and horror film fandom witchcraft and the occult in British horror Horrific films and 1930s British Cinema Peter Walker and Gothic revisionism. Also featuring a comprehensive filmography and interviews with key directors Clive Barker and Doug Bradley, this is one resource film studies students should not be without.

Genres: Film

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Art · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with most edited volumes, this is a bit of a mixed bag. I most enjoyed Mark Kermode's look at British censorship of horror films, Kim Newman's focus on psycho-thrillers, Leon Hunt's review of witchcraft and the occult in British films, John Tibbetts' deep dive into The Innocents and The Turn of the Screw, and Peter Hutchings discussion of Amicus films. The other chapters were either overly familiar, a bit of a slog, or based on specific films or auteurs that I haven't tasted myself. But, as always, fun to read about this genre.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting tidbits here (and I would otherwise have never known that La Scala in King's Cross was briefly a primatarium at the start of the '80s) but, because it was published in 2000, its history of British horror seems, unsurprisingly, unfinished. Wherefore art thou, zombies?