Historical Dictionary of Horror Cinema - (Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts) 2nd Edition by Peter Hutchings (Hardcover)

About the Book

The Historical Dictionary of Horror Cinema traces the development of the genre from its beginnings to the present. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries.

Book Synopsis

The Historical Dictionary of Horror Cinema traces the development of the genre from its beginnings to the present. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries.

Review Quotes

Horror cinema has grown in popularity over the decades, and this expanded edition of a dictionary first published in 2008 reflects this growth in the additions to its pages. Having spent 30 years researching and writing about the horror genre--and also attending festivals to interact with filmmakers and fans--Hutchings is very knowledgeable, and in the dictionary he offers a variety of ways to help novice horror viewers and cult fans alike make connections. In this second edition he provides numerous updates to the film cycles since publication of the first edition, and also adds many historically important films and filmmakers. The front matter includes a lengthy chronology that casts a wide view of the horror genre throughout its history, starting with 1764 Great Britain and covering countries and films across the globe, ending in 2017 with Italy and the US. Two appendixes reveal horror cinema's successes at the Oscars and Saturn Awards; the bibliography has been updated to include the most recent literature. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.

Part of the Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts, this book focuses on the history of horror cinema. This second edition brings the genre up to date since the 2008 edition by providing new entries on horror film cycles such as Resident Evil, Saw, and Final Destination, as well as on key creative personnel such as directors and producers. Previous entries have also been expanded or updated, and historically important films not included due to space in the first edition are now available. A chronology of horror and horror films from 1764 to 2017 is provided, followed by a short introduction which explains the format of the dictionary. Entries are bolded, as are words and individuals which point to other entries. See also references are capitalized. Two appendixes list horror films and Oscar awards, and winners of the Saturn Award (from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films) from 1972 to 2015. As is typical with this series, an extensive bibliography follows the dictionary.

About the Author

Peter Hutchings is a Professor of Film Studies at Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. He has published widely on horror film, television and literature as well as on science fiction, crime and other popular genres.