What do you think?
Rate this book
First Scream to the Last
Like '80s horror?
Your search can end here.
With exclusive contributions and interviews from Wes Craven, Tom Holland, Dee Wallace, Adrienne Barbeau, Brian Yuzna, Felissa Rose, Victor Miller and many more - First Scream to the Last is a rare offering. One of only a few books that has managed to bring together many of the major names of this fantastic era, within its pages.First Scream to the Last offers an intriguing insight into the horror movies of the Eighties. Extremely comprehensive without being bloated, this essential companion is supported with various interviews from filmmakers and writers of the time, amongst others. An often misunderstood and under appreciated genre, the '80s was arguably its golden era. With the creation of iconic characters and visual images never seen before on film, it remains a special time for anyone involved and the avid horror enthusiast alike. From giallo to slasher, First Scream covers the highest (and not so high) moments of this genre, leaving no question unanswered. Objective, Unbiased, Independent, Informative. www.firstscreamtothelast.com
Your search can end here.
With exclusive contributions and interviews from Wes Craven, Tom Holland, Dee Wallace, Adrienne Barbeau, Brian Yuzna, Felissa Rose, Victor Miller and many more - First Scream to the Last is a rare offering. One of only a few books that has managed to bring together many of the major names of this fantastic era, within its pages.First Scream to the Last offers an intriguing insight into the horror movies of the Eighties. Extremely comprehensive without being bloated, this essential companion is supported with various interviews from filmmakers and writers of the time, amongst others. An often misunderstood and under appreciated genre, the '80s was arguably its golden era. With the creation of iconic characters and visual images never seen before on film, it remains a special time for anyone involved and the avid horror enthusiast alike. From giallo to slasher, First Scream covers the highest (and not so high) moments of this genre, leaving no question unanswered. Objective, Unbiased, Independent, Informative. www.firstscreamtothelast.com
- GenresHorrorNonfiction
360 pages, Paperback
First published August 6, 2014
5 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 9, 2016
First Scream to the Last is billed as the definitive guide to 1980s horror movies. This is definitely the horror movie era that is dearest to me so this book was right up my alley. Just as I never get tired of watching 80s horror, I never get tired of reading about it either.
The book is split into chapters with each one covering a different year. In each chapter, we get the author’s selection of the pivotal horror films of that year. You’ll read a synopsis and some background information, budget, box office takings, critical reaction, etc. Of course, the films that courted controversy or fell victim to being banned have the juiciest stories. A few images from the films are included. The entries I like the most are the ones that include interviews the author did with actors, such as Dee Wallace, Adrienne Barbeau, and Felissa Rose. He also spoke to directors including Wes Craven, Tom Holland and Brian Yuzna.
The movies covered include the big names you would expect, Halloween, Friday the 13th, Evil Dead, and Sleepaway Camp. There are also some titles that are a bit more obscure which many might not have seen yet, such as Deadly Eyes, Xtro and Bad Dreams. I was pleased to see plenty of Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento entries. There are tons and tons of movies covered, so lots of delights await the reader.
It’s a nice whirlwind tour around some classics from the genre. It’s not incredibly deep on each film, but there is enough to pique the reader’s interest if they haven’t seen a film and the interviews really add some color. I’m really glad I picked it up as it’s a great reference and an interesting read for fans.
The book is split into chapters with each one covering a different year. In each chapter, we get the author’s selection of the pivotal horror films of that year. You’ll read a synopsis and some background information, budget, box office takings, critical reaction, etc. Of course, the films that courted controversy or fell victim to being banned have the juiciest stories. A few images from the films are included. The entries I like the most are the ones that include interviews the author did with actors, such as Dee Wallace, Adrienne Barbeau, and Felissa Rose. He also spoke to directors including Wes Craven, Tom Holland and Brian Yuzna.
The movies covered include the big names you would expect, Halloween, Friday the 13th, Evil Dead, and Sleepaway Camp. There are also some titles that are a bit more obscure which many might not have seen yet, such as Deadly Eyes, Xtro and Bad Dreams. I was pleased to see plenty of Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento entries. There are tons and tons of movies covered, so lots of delights await the reader.
It’s a nice whirlwind tour around some classics from the genre. It’s not incredibly deep on each film, but there is enough to pique the reader’s interest if they haven’t seen a film and the interviews really add some color. I’m really glad I picked it up as it’s a great reference and an interesting read for fans.
October 18, 2015
Fantastic trip down memory lane, which brought the memories of some of my favourite movies flooding back! Includes a bunch of incredibly insightful interviews with some fascinating people, including the late Wes Craven. The book also comprehensively covers many of the more obscure and rare titles of the era, giving me a load of films to track down! Full of interesting facts and figures on hundreds of horror classics, this book is a must for any serious horror fan! Great book.
September 6, 2015
Awesome book. Growing up in the 80's and being a Horror fan this brought back so many great memories of good times. I also discovered a bunch of films I haven't seen and I have added to my list of movies to watch. I recommend this to any Horror fan.
November 18, 2015
Filled with knowledge about, and interviews with people from some my favorite 1980s horror films. A well put together tome sure to always live on in horror history. Looking forward to more from the author.
March 8, 2020
Now that I have insight into the greatest horror movies of the 80s, I can begin the task of starting a collection that will one day be inherited by my son, my nieces and nephews, and all will watch with mold interest while simultaneously looking at their phones, only to comment on the gory and awesomeness with disdain for special effects that pale in comparison to the CGI they have experienced most of their spoiled lives.
The nostalgia offered a much needed reprieve from my lackadaisical tour of the modern day remakes that were built on the classics (on violent) of the 80s and 70s. The only synopsis missing was the one for Critters. If the toilet infesting monstrosities from Ghoulies made the cut, and Xtro- that sci-fi horror Frankenstein found a spot, why not Critters.
Didn’t really enjoy most of the interviews. Unfortunately I can’t remember the names of the actors that died or survived the many horror movies of a decade quickly being forgotten. Except Robert England. And Johnny Depp-who’s career didn’t stay dead on Elm Street.
The nostalgia offered a much needed reprieve from my lackadaisical tour of the modern day remakes that were built on the classics (on violent) of the 80s and 70s. The only synopsis missing was the one for Critters. If the toilet infesting monstrosities from Ghoulies made the cut, and Xtro- that sci-fi horror Frankenstein found a spot, why not Critters.
Didn’t really enjoy most of the interviews. Unfortunately I can’t remember the names of the actors that died or survived the many horror movies of a decade quickly being forgotten. Except Robert England. And Johnny Depp-who’s career didn’t stay dead on Elm Street.
September 11, 2018
Fun read for 80a HORROR fans
Not much in the way of new info but a fun trip through the greatest decade of horror. A trip down memory lane
Not much in the way of new info but a fun trip through the greatest decade of horror. A trip down memory lane
September 25, 2015
Little more than a rather badly written series of synopses for the well-known horror films of the 1980s, full of spelling and grammatical errors and the occasional personal interview with personnel, few of which add anything of interest and appear to have been conducted via the internet.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews