Silver Scream – Vol 1 (Guide to 40 Classic Horror Movies)

From somnambulist kidnappers stalking the streets of an expressionist nightmare to an ambulatory alien vegetable terrorising the crew of a futuristic spaceship, fantasy and horror film has explored every facet of human (and not so human) nature. From the earliest days of cinema, visions of blood-thirsty vampires, musty mummies, fanged wolf men, invisible men, insane phantoms and bolt-necked patchwork monstrosities have stalked, stomped, crept and lurched their way across popular consciousness.

In this two-volume series, we journey back to the very start, when the silver screen was silent and the horrors were presented in flickering black and white. We explore the development of eighty key films, with detailed analysis and biographies of all those involved in their creation from the writers and directors through the composers, cast and technical crew.

Revisit the days when the names of Lugosi, Karloff, Lorre and Chaneyruled the cinemas, and when the myths and legends of iconic monsters were created and developed. Come with us back to the time of the Silver Scream…

Contents – Vol. 1: The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, The Phantom of the Opera, Faust, The Cat and the Canary, Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Freaks,Murders in the Rue Morgue, Vampyr, Doctor X, White Zombie, The Old Dark House, The Mummy, Island of Lost Souls, The Vampire Bat,Mystery of the Wax Museum, Murders in the Zoo, The Ghoul, The Invisible Man, The Black Cat, Mark of the Vampire, Bride of Frankenstein, Werewolf of London, Mad Love, The Black Room, The Raven, The Invisible Ray, The Walking Dead, Dracula’s Daughter,The Devil-Doll, Son of Frankenstein, The Hunchback of Notre Dame,The Invisible Man Returns, Dr Cyclops, Black Friday, The Mummy’s Hand, The Devil Bat and The Monster and the Girl.

418pp. A5 paperback original. Illustrated with many black and white photographs.
ISBN 978-1-84583-026-7 (pb)

N.B. Order Volumes 1 and 2 together and get reduced cost.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steven Warren Hill was born in Chicago in 1966 and has loved classic horror movies for as long as he can remember, thanks in part to his grandfather Karl’s own interest in the same subject. When Karl passed away in 1977, Steve inherited a collection of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine (issues 1-27) and a complete set of Aurora monster model kits beautifully built-up by Karl’s careful hand. With the coming of the home video boom in the 1980s, Steve was able to start collecting, watching, and rewatching all his favourite classic horror movies, something he still does to this day (though his top favourite film is BRIGHTON ROCK – not a horror film at all). He runs a number of websites including The Movie Title Screens Page (a gallery of – what else – movie title screens), The Fay Wray Pages (officially sanctioned by Fay Wray herself) and The Doctor Who Image Archive, under his umbrella site www.shillpages.com, not to mention the hugely popular Gallifrey Base Doctor Who forum. Steve also loves music, acting and moviemaking. He is married to Jill Petillo (no kids, one rabbit) and they live in Chicago. This is Steve’s first book. Erm, first two books.