Island of Terror (A Guide to 60 Great British SF and Fantasy Movies From 1936 – 1984) pb – PRE ORDER

From Things to Come to Lifeforce … 60 British science fiction and fantasy films which collectively made a lasting impression on the psyche of a nation. Author Keith Topping examines more of the films which shaped his childhood, taking a wry and often irreverent look at their triumphs and failings, their stars, their continuity blunders and impact on the genre as a whole. Illustrated with many rare black and white photographs, this is one film guide guaranteed to raise a smile as we take you back to more of the delights of yesteryear.

Includes entries on the following films:

H G Wells’ Things to Come; They Came to a City; A Matter of Life and Death; Seven Days to Noon; Four Sided Triangle; Spaceways; Devil Girl from Mars; Stranger from Venus; The Quatermass Xperiment; Timeslip; 1984; The Gamma People; Fire Maidens from Outer Space; X The Unknown; Quatermass 2; The Trollenberg Terror; The Strange World of Planet X; First Man into Space; Behemoth, The Sea Monster; Village of the Damned; The Day the Earth Caught Fire; The Day of the Triffids; Unearthly Stranger; Children of the Damned; H G Wells’ First Men in the Moon; The Earth Dies Screaming; The Ipcress File; Help!; Dr. Who and the Daleks; Invasion; The Night Caller; Island of Terror; 2001: A Space Odyssey; Fahrenheit 451; Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150AD; The Terrornauts; They Came from Beyond Space; The Night of the Big Heat; Quatermass and the Pit; The Body Stealers; The Mind of Mister Soames; Zeta One; Moon Zero Two; Scream and Scream Again; Trog; Quest for Love; Doomwatch; Phase IV; The Mutations; The Final Programme; The Land that Time Forgot; The Man Who Fell to Earth; At the Earth’s Core; Prey; The Medusa Touch; The Boys from Brazil; Alien; Flash Gordon; Inseminoid; and Lifeforce

COMMENTS ON A VAULT OF HORROR

‘If you like horror movies as much as I do, you’re in for a treat’ ‘Definitely a must have’ ‘A treasure trove of information.’ Alan Scouser on YouTube – https://youtu.be/m4uA9HMemDI?si=LKcaOTcgwpH5sigC

‘Anyone with an interest in horror or British films in general will be fascinated by the plethora of facts given for each movie.’ Ty Power, Sci-Fi Online

‘If you have just a fleeting interest in Hammer movies, or you’re a rabid fan, then I urge you to buy this book.’ Christopher Teague, Infinityplus

‘ Topping has done an excellent job putting this volume together and is a must for every library. Highly recommended.’ KitleysKrypt

‘This book really made me think about what seems to be on the surface just a bit of fun, but which is bursting with social comment, psychological insight and its own special take on the history of this period.’ Rachel A Hyde, Myshelf.com

‘This is the book for people wanting to find out more about British Horror films, because the author has both a great love for the movies he is writing about, and also is incredibly knowledgeable. The period concentrated on in this book 1956-1974 is regarded as the golden age of British Horror films, which encompasses famous film studios such as Hammer and Amicus, and perhaps lesser known ones such as Tigon.’ Jonathon T Beckett, Amazon

‘A highly informative and passionately written book on British horror films from the period of 1965 to 1974.‘ Joe Moggs, Amazon

COMMENTS ON RETURN TO THE VAULT OF HORROR

‘Mine of information’ ‘Every British Horror fan should have this book’ ‘These are some of the best movie books I’ve ever had’ Alan Scouser on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXRPOQR2sPk

598pp. 6×9 paperback
ISBN: 978-1-84583-251-3
Published 31 October 2025

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rockin’ Keith Topping is an extremely freelance journalist and author whose previous work includes co-editing two editions of The Guinness Book of Classic British TV. He’s also written numerous guides to television series as diverse as The X-Files, The Sweeney, Doctor Who and Roswell for Virgin Books. He’s responsible for four novels, (including the award-winning The Hollow Men), and a novella (Telos’s own Ghost Ship), the Stargate SG-1 guide Beyond the Gate, and the best-selling volumes Slayer, Hollywood Vampire and Inside Bartlet’s White House. He has contributed to numerous genre magazines, including TV Zone and Shivers, and is a former Contributing Editor of DreamWatch specialising in coverage of US television. Keith was born on Tyneside on the same day in 1963 that his beloved Newcastle United lost 3-2 at home to Northampton Town. Things haven’t improved much since. He regularly appears on local radio and also contributed to the BBC television series I Love the ’70s. His hobbies include socialising with friends, foreign travel, loud guitar-based pop music, trashy British horror movies of the ’60s and ’70s, football, comedy, murder and lots of other stuff.