The Art of Horror Movies: An Illustrated History

by Stephen Jones

This magnificent companion to The Art of Horror, from the same creative team behind that award-winning illustrated volume, looks at the entire history of the horror film, from the silent era right up to the latest releases and trends. Through a series of informative chapters and fascinating sidebars chronologically charting the evolution of horror movies for more than a century, profusely illustrated throughout with over 600 rare and unique images including posters, lobby cards, advertising, promotional items, tie-in books and magazines, and original artwork inspired by classic movies, this handsomely designed hardcover traces the development of the horror film from its inception, and celebrates the actors, filmmakers, and artists who were responsible for scaring the pants off successive generations of moviegoers! Edited by multiple award-winning writer and editor Stephen Jones, and boasting a foreword by director and screenwriter John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), this volume brings together fascinating and incisive commentary from some of the genre's most highly respected experts. With eye-popping images from all over the world, The Art of Horror Movies is the definitive guide for anyone who loves horror films and movie fans of all ages.

Genres: Horror, Art, Nonfiction, Film, Media Tie In, History, Pop Culture

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 19, 2017

About the author

Stephen Jones is an eighteen-time winner of the British Fantasy Award.

Reviews

[Brian Sammons · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing art book showcasing horror film posters from the silent era to today. Truly stunning art showing that modern movie posters just suck. This is an art book for serious fright film fans, and if that sounds like you, then consider this treasured titanic tome a necessity.

[Mai M Ibrahim · Rating 5 out of 5]

حلو والرسومات كبيرة 😍
هصور وانزله ع قناة "عن الفن" ع اليوتيوب لو حد مهتم وادعموا القناة بالاشتراك
3nelfn@
وكالعادة بصور الكتب اللي بستعيرها من المكتبة وبنزلها ع انستجرام
mai.designer92@

[Horror DNA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allow me to start this review a little differently: buy The Art of Horror Movies today! I won’t grab my thesaurus, but there really are only so many ways I can express how gorgeous this book is. Editor Stephen Jones has compiled an impressive array of artwork, including both contemporary original works and classic marketing advertisements, such as film posters, lobby cards and magazine covers from decades past, some dating back to the silent era. Over 600 color images fill the glossy pages, each with identifying text and notes from some of the artists themselves. This edition begins with a foreword by filmmaker John Landis, who reflects on the inspirational genre posters he grew up with. This is followed by an introduction by Jones, who presents an overview of what is to come.

You can read ZigZag's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Mark Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

.......Amazing.......

This is amazing. It's packed. 600 images of movie posters, lobby cards, advertising, tie ins and magazines!!!

Printed on high quality paper these images really jump out at you, all presented in chronological order with amazing explanatory notes and loads fun information.

The best thing about these books is the way you 'think' you know a certain poster or image and it isn't untill you actually sit and examine it that the true details begin to pop out...

One thing I did notice was how bad movie posters from 2000 onwards really are. When you look back at the era of bright, in your face images (which of course this book is full of) and titles dripping across a page, there is simply no comparison to anything after 2000 and I think it allows you to appreciate them even more.

This book can also trigger memories of movies you had long forgotten, or even didn't know existed.

A great book for the shelf as it's one I find myself drawn back to over and over again.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horror movie buffs will find THE ART OF HORROR MOVIES impossible to resist. This beautifully designed book is full of amazing, vibrant and varied artwork--more than 600 images. These include classic, iconic and rare horror movie poster art, as well as paintings and illustrations created for comic books, magazines and novelizations. Some of the most striking art comes from present-day digital artists who salute and reinvent vintage horror film art.

Stephen Jones and his contributors--film critics, journalists and historians--also offer a superb, concise and opinionated overview of a century's worth of horror on celluloid. Each chapter represents one decade of horror film output, both U.S. and international films. Sprinkled throughout are appreciations of some of the genre's MVPs: actors (such as Boris Karloff and Jamie Lee Curtis), producers, directors and studios. This art book is a treat for horror film enthusiasts, and overflows with vibrant images and fascinating film lore.

A beautifully illustrated and knowledgably written art book celebrating 100 years of horror films.

[Barry Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Jones takes the reader on another lush visual tour of artworks, this time posters and other advertising material for the art of horror films. Starting back in the silent era and working through the various themes and trends of each era until the present day, he includes art from many countries, a lot of which is of a higher caliber than the standard Hollywood fare but some of which is of an even more garish and sensational nature in form and content. It's a feast for the eyes and a reservoir of fact for the mind and contains some off-beat items and rarities, such as the label for a Vincent Price Black Cat Ale, brewed in Kent, England, or some of the custom-built marquees for road show attractions built in the days of movie palaces. Another treat for the eyes! - BH.

[NOLA Bert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome collection of movie posters of horror movies as well as commissioned art from some of the top fantasy/sci-fi/horror artists of the last 50 years including Alex Horley, Basil Gogos, Gary Gianni, Thomas Gianni, Frank Kelly Freas, Sanjulián, & Bryan Baugh among others. The book is organized by decade from the Silent Era to the 2000s with various horror experts writing a summary essay on each decade highlighting the main themes of the movies from that era. Interspersed across the chapters are shorter essays on the major figures in the field of horror movies. The art in the book is phenomenal. The essays are a mixed bag, with too much editorializing at times for my taste. I read a library copy.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the text of this book to go along with the stunning artwork. It was a nice touch to have contemporary art paying homage to the classic films to supplement the book. Especially when you got into later chapters when modern horror posters where more photos and photoshop than thoughtful graphic design.
Pardon me, my grouchy old man side is showing. Classic horror > modern horror

[Luis Dion-Dussault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adoré!

Le travail de recherche m’apparaît vraiment intéressant.

Des œuvres tirées du cinéma muet aux années 2010, et pas seulement les films incontournables.

Plusieurs analyses de la société viennent mettre en contexte le cinéma d’horreur produit à travers les différentes décennies.

A lire!

[TKBoss · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE ART OF HORROR MOVIES: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY: NEW EXPANDED EDITION edited by Stephen Jones.

Review by Trevor Kennedy.

HAVING READ AND thoroughly enjoyed 2020’s The Art of Pulp Horror from the same editor, Stephen Jones, I was quick to snap up this recently released second edition of a title originally published in 2015. Unsurprisingly, it’s more of the same with a weighty full colour hardback, packed to the brim with an extremely large collection of horror film posters and artworks from across the decades, many of them rarities, along with enjoyable articles relating to each period by some very well respected names in the field, including an appropriate foreword by the director of An American Werewolf in London, John Landis.

At its very core this tome is essentially a detailed history of horror films, brought to colourful life with the many aforementioned images – and a definite collector’s item for both film and art buffs worldwide.

Each decade is given the full treatment, from the silent era to the Universal monster heydays, through the 1950s atomic age-inspired sci-fi B-movies and the slasher craze of the 1980s, right up to the present day. Not only that – and this is the thing that interested me most – but great time and effort is given to multiple obscure and unknown to the mainstream movies (and their posters) from right across the globe over the last one hundred years. I was particularly amused by some of the international versions of posters for famous horror flicks, portraying scenes and objects that don’t even appear in the film it is promoting, with some of the artworks rendered on sack cloth, no less! It is also wonderful to be introduced to so many artists whose gloriously macabre work I had not viewed before.

Some of the featured artists include Randy Broecker, Jeff Carlson, Guillermo del Toro, Les Edwards, Bob Eggleton, Thomas Gianni, Basil Gogos, Graham Humphreys, Daryl Joyce, Douglas Klauba, Dave McKean, Rick Melton and Pete Von Sholly, while the well-informed written pieces come from the previously noted Landis, Jones himself (Introduction), Sir Christopher Frayling, Tom Weaver, Barry Forshaw, David J. Schow, Kim Newman, Jonathan Rigby, Lisa Morton, Anne Billson and Ramsey Campbell. With Applause Books as publisher, collectively they have produced a beautiful book aesthetically and an entertaining and educational one academically.

I would imagine that in years to come horror film nerds like myself will still be discussing and recommending this book (along with the Pulp Horror volume and the first book in the series, The Art of Horror) as something of a go-to reference bible for the field – deservedly so – and one that will always take pride of place on the bookshelf of any serious and respectable aficionado.

Note: As the subtitle of this edition obviously suggests, it contains a plethora of new material and images from the previous Rondo Hatton Award-winning one.

The Art of Horror Movies: An Illustrated History: New Expanded Edition is published by Applause Books and is available to purchase from Amazon and many other outlets.

[Damian C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Art of Horror Movies: An Illustrated History showcases original theatrical posters and contemporary artworks of the past century's most critical horror movies. Featuring more than fifty artist and one hundred titles this compendium is essential to appreciating the niche culture of the horror genre. Containing a forward by the legendary John Landis with an introduction by Stephen Jones we immediately feel the scope and importance of archiving such a creative and eclectic culture. The first chapter covers the very infancy of horror movies through "The Sinister Silents", which of course is reference to the silent film industry of the 1920's. From their the book works incrementally per decade until reaching "The 2000s Maniacs", which covers the rise of the found footage concept. Towards the end of the book is a section dedicated to the contributors in which we are given brief bios and additional sources of their works.

I am an avid movie watcher and the horror genre makes up a large portion of that passion. Getting my hands on this compendium was a necessity to be able to get the in-depth cultural changes of the niche culture. The author Stephen Jones was very clever and successful in creating such an illustrated history gathering nearly century old theatrical posters of the United States but also tapping into the international explosion in interest of horror movies with many Japanese titles. Each chapter is well balanced in text and imagery that indeed collaborate to improve one another's importance of telling the story. Each image is properly noted with a caption that lends itself useful for myself and readers wanting to dig deeper into individual movies. I had such a blast with this book and believe every horror movie fanatic should immediately get a copy diving head first into the niche culture.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of horror movies, and I've always loved the advertisements for these types of movies whether they were newspaper ads or movie posters, so this book is right up my alley. It brings together movie posters and artwork for horror films from the beginning of cinema to the present day. Each decade is broken down into its own chapter and each chapter presents such a wealth of information and history about cinema, styles, actors and actresses, poster artists, and so much more. It's a visual and information overload. I loved seeing how over the top posters were in the early days of movies. Such hyperbole. Even better are all the posters from around the world. Many are just so wild and graphic and shocking. This is an awesome coffee table book for anyone who is a massive horror movie buff.

[Kieran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this around Halloween, but didn’t finish it until now. The art is generally good, mostly highlighting foreign & alternate versions of movie posters, along with original work by contemporary artists. However, art aside, it actually provides a great overview of the history of the horror genre.

With one decade per chapter, each chapter provides an overview of the trends, themes, and developments that took place in the horror genre during that decade (with the notable exception of the section on the 2000s, which basically just lists a ton of horror films. I guess the decade was too recent for the authors to provide much meaningful commentary).

Worth checking out for fans of horror and film history.

[Jeff McIntosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Art of" is a lovingly pictured look back at the art of horror movie posters - from the beginnings of cinema with such classics as "Metropolis" and "Nosferatu"...chapters range from cinema's earliest silent offerings, up to and including 2000. Contributors include Lisa Morton, Ramsay Campbell, and David J. Schow...

If the text doesn't grab you, the poster reproductions will...many in full color...with comments from the artists.

Certainly a coffee table book for the horror movie set, or anyone interested in the art behind horror movie posters.

Jeff McIntosh

[Scott Delgado · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I would have preferred the book giving more print to already well-established horror movies, I did find that it was educational to learn about various movies from other countries. It is an interesting book. I enjoyed how the various contributors discussed how what was going on in the world at the time (decades) was reflected in the horror films produced at the time. It was an interesting read with some amazing artwork.

[Misty Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is NOT what I expected. Large pictures of re-imagined works and really small pictures of actual horror movie posters. The length and detail of the writen history of art related directly to Horror Movies is well done but A book like this is all about the pictures and in terms of historical art VISUALLY this book fails miserably. There is SOME very cool what I would consider "fan art" but if your looking for a comprehensive VISUAL horror history book this is not it.

[I.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of amazing posters and art from the beginnings of movies to today. Decent international selections , but that could have been beefed up. Some of the original art was hit or miss and I almost would have rather had less of that if it meant more posters or even things like matte paintings , vhs covers, etc.
Still a great book though.

[John Schorg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since the text is standard for anyone who has read anything on the history of horror movies, the selling point here is the collection of art, mostly posters through the years. However, far too much space is given to original artwork that isn't so great, particularly in comparison to the work that draws you to the book in the first place. Your opinion may vary...

[Lew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The referenced art in the title is primarily movie poster art for horror movies. I enjoy looking at all the well reproduced illustrations throughout the book. I'm no longer the horror movie fan I was as a kid in the Sixties.

[Sofie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My interest was piqued as soon as I found out about this book, as I’ve been a hardcore horror fan for as long as I can remember. It definitely did not disappoint, the graphic art was amazing, and I found it to be very informative as well on horror movies released throughout the years!

[Szymon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received this thoughtful gift from my partner for Christmas. Couldn't be happier about it. Perfect mini encyclopedia of new horror to check out. Catch me yapping about all of the movies I've seen that are featured in this book like a lil kid.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting to look at! I was disappointed that the em text, while chock full of interesting facts about horror at the chapters point in history, didn’t discuss why the posters at the time looked the way they did. Or why they were effective at pulling in and audience. But still good!

[Jolie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly what I was expecting (not even sure what I was expecting but this wasn't it), still a very nice amount of horror movie history all the same.

[Aaron Badgley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant history of Horror Movies as told through art, posters, etc.