Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film

by Joseph Maddrey

What's weighing on Americans? Look to horror movies for your answer--they're one of the best measures of the American consciousness. From an early fascination with the Gothic, to the mutant horrors of the Atomic Age and alien enemies of the Cold War, to the inner demons of the psyche and the American Dream turned nightmare, the history of American horror films is a reflection of changing American cultural attitudes and values--and the fears that accompany them. This survey of the pivotal horror films produced in America examines the history of the genre as a reflection of cultural changes in the United States. It begins with an exploration of the origins of the genre, and follows its development until the present, using various films to document the evolution of Hollywood horror flicks and illustrate their cultural significance. The second part focuses on eight pivotal directors whose personal visions helped shape the genre--from early pioneers like Tod Browning and Alfred Hitchcock, to modern masters like John Carpenter and Wes Craven. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may .

Genres: Horror, Nonfiction, Film, History

207 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2004

Reviews

[Liana Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

So interesting. I love horror film criticism and this was one of the best I've read.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read, especially if you are familiar with the genre. I first feared that Maddrey would be a little too broad in scope, but his views of the growth and revisions of US culture through its horror movies is quite insightful and sensical. Combine this with his final chapters that focus on auteurs like Hitchcock, Carpenter, Lynch and a magnificent crater on Wes Craven, and you have a book that should be reading material for citizenship.

[Ryan Splenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good introductory book on the history of the American horror film. Joseph Maddrey gives a brief, chronological review of American horror movies that cover various topics and themes like gothic monsters, radioactive monsters, the monster as madness, human monsters, postmodern American horrors, and more. A short discussion of important movies in each section is presented along with thematic readings into those films. In essence, it is a shorter and easier to read version of Kim Newman’s Nightmare Movies. In addition to the films discussed, a second section focuses on key auteurs/directors that have made major contributions to the genre. The directors covered are Tod Browning, Alfred Hitchcock, Roger Corman, George A. Romero, John Carpenter, Larry Cohen, David Lynch, and Wes Craven. Although this book could be much more detailed, it is a great intro for all horror fans.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating examination of how horror movies throughout the decades have often been subtext for the fears, prejudices, and mindset of Western societies in different cultural eras. If you are a fan of horror movies, it is definitely worth a read. For everyone else, the movie documentary narrated by Lance Henricksen is just as good and touches on all of the main points in the book.
I would have liked to rate the book higher, but I felt that the author spent a bit too much time describing film plots and missed the opportunities to go deeper into the psychology of the films or explore more social parallels.

[Earline · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative and entertaining read, but is only a short introduction and overview of the history of American Horror films.