English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema

By Jonathan Rigby

Book Overview

English Gothic was the first book to trace horror cinema from the 1890s right through to the end of the 20th century. Now it comes complete with an assessment of the remarkable renaissance enjoyed by... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1905287364
• ISBN13: 9781905287369
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Reynolds & Hearn
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Simply Sensational.

As a longtime fan of old school horror films and British horror films in particular, I was absolutely blown away by this book. First of all I was surprised that I am only now catching up with it but then I haven't focused on these films for quite awhile having devoted most of my time in recent years to films from the silent era now that they are coming out on DVD. I did get the update on David Pirie's book A HERITAGE OF HORROR which remains essential but this one goes beyond that. Jonathan Rigby's subtitle is "A Century of Horror Cinema" and he chooses 100 films that he considers significant as well as provides background information on other films made at about the same time. While I don't agree with all of his assessments, overall the results are simply sensational. Lots of great photos too. Any list of films is always going to be subjective and I can think of some films that I would have included in the Top 100 and a few that I would have left off but at least the other films are mentioned. I found ENGLISH GOTHIC to be comprehensive but not judgmental. While I understand Rigby's starting the list in 1954 with THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT for that's when the horror boom begins, I would have included a handful of earlier films like THE GHOUL (1933), DEAD OF NIGHT (1945), LATIN QUARTER (1945), and THE QUEEN OF SPADES (1948) but he does discuss them in the prologue. As of the writing of this review, I have seen 86 of the Top 100 and will try to see the others although some titles like SHADOW OF THE CAT (1960) and CORRUPTION (1968) don't appear to be currently available in any format.

Definitive and absorbing.

As a huge fan of horror and science fiction films of the 'Golden Age' of the genre, I've always had a particular fondness for the (generally) more sophisticated and cerebral output of the British studios. As was the case for many of my generation ('baby boomers'), my introduction to these great films began with the legendary Hammer Studio's remakes of the classic Universal monster films, kicked off by the seminal Peter Cushing/Christopher Lee vehicle 'The Curse of Frankenstein'. I recall being scared silly as a child by the indelible image of Christopher Lee's bloodshot, snarling visage in the staircase scene from the superb 'Horror of Dracula', of having my heart race with excitement while watching Lee's turn as 'The Mummy', and, like a drug addict, anxiously awaiting the next chiller to be exported to U.S. movie screens. For those who harbor similar memories, 'English Gothic' is for you (this review is of the 2nd edition).There have been numerous other books that took a turn at this historically important product, but none (at least that I've read) comes close to this book's comprehensiveness, style and sheer reading pleasure. Author Jonathan Rigby (an actor himself) infuses this masterful work with insightfulness and attention to detail that could well serve as a model for others. Beginning with a chapter titled 'British Horror in Embryo', it concludes with the sad (but accurately titled) final chapter, 'British Horror in Retreat'. In between one will find a veritable treasure trove of detail, the effect of which is to present the reader with a unique contribution that is at once both somewhat scholarly yet readily accessible. While this loving treatment of British horror films (broadly defined, as it encompasses related mystery and science fiction titles as well) stands on its own, the book offers much more. It provides for a fascinating sociological context as well: the output of British studios, both in quantity and theme, reflect the socio/political milieu of the times. In addition, it does what no similar book has done, which is to provide a sense of what British Gothic film making was really like. It's almost like being an invisible observer, hovering over the studios during production. Even movie fans that do not care for horror films would find this aspect of the book worthwhile.The book's 260-plus pages give appropriate focus on the aforementioned grandfather of British horror, Hammer, without cutting short the contributions of other notable studios (such as Amicus and Tigon), as well as the sometimes complex co-production arrangements between these studios and those of other countries (for example, the collaborations between Hammer and such American production companies as AIP, Universal and Warners). Such detail is very informative. It's surprising how many such films, perceived as American, were in fact British productions (such as 'Fiend Without a Face' and 'First Man into Space').While American readers will find them

Exceptionally lucid and informative

After ploughing through the very disappointing Inside Hammer by Hammer veteran Jimmy Sangster, I was delighted at the brilliance of this volume. Rigby traces British horror films right back to their genesis, with the emphasis rightly placed on the period from about the mid-'40s to the mid-'70s (which period is also covered by David Pirie's A Heritage of Horror, now sadly out of print). The commentary is a skillful blend of background information on key productions, synopsis and critical commentary. There is a good sense of historical flow, as Rigby tells the story of the British horror film in chronological sequence, rather than focussing separate chapters on different genres or directors, say. Thus the reader is made alert to the historical and sociological context, a dimension lacking in lesser books on the same subject.The style and format is at once readable and also entertaining. Though it is possible, even advisory (and certainly enjoyable), to read the entire book from cover to cover, its format (the chronological order, along with side bars on every page giving details of key films) makes it a great reference tool to dip into from time to time. English Gothic is without doubt one of the finest, most compelling and exciting books I have come across on this subject.

The best history of British horror films ever published

For years, the only good history of British horror films was the one by David Pirie -- but that's almost 30 years old, and Pirie's focus meant he simply did not cover some films. Rigby's astonishing ambitious take on the genre required him to cover every single movie released in England that could be considered horror; he mentions many mouth-watering titles that have never crossed over to this side of the Atlantic or, if they did, are long gone. He's honest, rigorous and intelligent; his ideas, if not startling original, are reasonable and consistent. The book is beautifully illustrated (the British edition has a better cover, though), and a very handsome package. If you have any interest in horror movies, this is simply a must-buy. I cannot recommend this highly enough.