John Stanley's creature features movie guide strikes again

John Stanley's creature features movie guide strikes again
Author: John Stanley
Publisher:
Total Pages: 454
Release: 1994
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 9780940064102

The book features capsulised reviews of 4000 genre films of science-fiction, fantasy, horror, psychoterror and weird mystery; Reviews oddball films and novelties ignored by other popular movie guides; Coded so you can instantly see if a title can be rented or purchased at your local video store; Reviews of movies and offbeat fare made exclusively for videocassette and not listed in other encyclopaedias; 529 photographs, many exclusives from the author's private collection, plus 24 original sketches; Scores of hilarious lines of dialogue and classical movie tag-lines. Deluxe hardcover edition is signed by the author.

Creature Features

Creature Features
Author: John Stanley
Publisher: National Geographic Books
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2000-08-01
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 0425175170

A compendium of critical and humorous reviews of sci-fi, fantasy and horror films—from smash hits to box office bombs—the perfect gift for movie buffs! Updated to include the most recent movie mega-hits, Creature Features has it all—the shockers, schlockers, blockbusters, bombs, cult faves, rare gems, classics, groundbreakers, gorefests, space operas, sorcery, Euro-splatter, and everything in between. From features, made-for-televsion, and straight-to-video, here are all the films you love and hate; the films you forgot about and never knew existed. Horror and science fiction fans will find films that matter and films that splatter in one critical and humorous guide. Featuring... • Thousands of capsulized reviews • A five-star rating system • Hundreds of obscure and rare titles • Cross-references to secondary titles, sequels and tricky retitlings • ...And more

The Official Razzie Movie Guide

The Official Razzie Movie Guide
Author: John Wilson
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Total Pages: 400
Release: 2007-09-03
Genre: Humor
ISBN: 9780446510080

A paperback guide to 100 of the funniest bad movies ever made, this book covers a wide range of hopeless Hollywood product, and also including rare Razzie ceremony photos and a complete history of everything ever nominated for Tinsel Town's Tackiest Trophy.

Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Film Sequels, Series and Remakes

Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Film Sequels, Series and Remakes
Author: Kim R. Holston
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 375
Release: 2018-02-12
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 0786496851

Science fiction, fantasy and horror movies have spawned more sequels and remakes than any other film genre. Following Volume I, which covered 400 films made 1931-1995, Volume II analyzes 334 releases from 1996 through 2016. The traditional cinematic monsters are represented--Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, a new Mummy. A new wave of popular series inspired by comics and video games, as well as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, could never have been credibly produced without the advances in special effects technology. Audiences follow the exploits of superheroes like Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man and Thor, and such heroines as the vampire Selene, zombie killer Alice, dystopian rebels Katniss Everdeen and Imperator Furiosa, and Soviet spy turned American agent Black Widow. The continuing depredations of Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers are described. Pre-1996 movies that have since been remade are included. Entries features cast and credits, detailed synopsis, critics' reviews, and original analysis.

The Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again

The Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again
Author: John Stanley
Publisher: Creatures at Large
Total Pages: 0
Release: 1994
Genre: Fantasy films
ISBN: 9780940064096

The book features capsulised reviews of 4000 genre films of science-fiction, fantasy, horror, psychoterror and weird mystery; Reviews oddball films and novelties ignored by other popular movie guides; Coded so you can instantly see if a title can be rented or purchased at your local video store; Reviews of movies and offbeat fare made exclusively for videocassette and not listed in other encyclopaedias; 529 photographs, many exclusives from the author's private collection, plus 24 original sketches; Scores of hilarious lines of dialogue and classical movie tag-lines. Deluxe hardcover edition is signed by the author.

The Horror Spoofs of Abbott and Costello

The Horror Spoofs of Abbott and Costello
Author: Jeffrey S. Miller
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2004-03-22
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 9780786419227

While Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are more famously known for their straight comedy routines, they did make a number of films in which horror played a crucial role. The first part of this critical reference examines the Abbott and Costello "Meet the Monsters" spoof films (Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and The Mummy). The second sections deals with Abbott and Costello's films with horror elements that do not follow this formula: Hold That Ghost, The Time of Their Lives and Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff. The plot of each film is examined in detail with special attention paid to the comedians' styles of comedy, the effect of the horror scenes, and the place of the film in the Abbott and Costello canon. The reactions of critics (then and now) and the influences the films have had on the horror and comedy genres and on pop culture are also discussed. A lengthy introduction provides background on the lives of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and the development of Universal Studios as the premier horror factory.

Best in Show

Best in Show
Author: John Kenneth Muir
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
Total Pages: 284
Release: 2004
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 9781557836090

(Applause Books). Best in Show is the first in-depth look at the method behind film director and actor Christopher Guest's madness and genius. John Kenneth Muir focuses his attention on the acclaimed Guest-directed trilogy of what some call "mockumentaries": Waiting for Guffman , Best in Show and A Mighty Wind . In these films Guest has escorted rapt audiences into the purportedly real worlds of a small-town theatrical company, dog show competition, and folk music festival. Muir also details the events that lead to Rob Reiner's influential and legendary This Is Spinal Tap , which Rolling Stone called the best rock and roll movie of all time, and in which Guest played the part of guitarist Nigel Tufnel. Much of Best in Show exemplifies the unique process by which Guest directs films. He employs a common repertory company, improvises scenes often without any rehearsal, and does not use any screenplay with dialogue, instead following a detailed outline often co-authored with his ace actor/writer Eugene Levy. Company members that have been interviewed for this book include Fred Willard, Harry Shearer, Bob Balaban and Michael Hitchcock. Guest's influences Saturday Night Live , National Lampoon as well as his more conventional comedies, such as The Big Picture and Almost Heroes , are studied. Best in Show is general enough to bring new fans to the table, yet detailed enough to satisfy the most in-the-know Guest fan and film student. A complete filmography with Guest's directing, acting and writing credits is included, as is the appendix, "You Know You're in a Christopher Guest Film When ..." Guest once commented, "I am drawn to people who have dreams that are slightly out of reach." Now, thanks to John Kenneth Muir, the fascinating world of Christopher Guest and company is substantially more within reach.

White Zombie

White Zombie
Author: Gary D. Rhodes
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 361
Release: 2015-09-03
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1476604916

The 1932 horror film White Zombie starring Bela Lugosi has received controversial attention from film reviewers and scholars--but it is unarguably a cult classic worthy of study. This book analyzes the film text from nearly every possible viewpoint, using both academic and popular film theories. Also supplied is an extensive intellectual history of the predecessor works to White Zombie, as well as information on the significance it carried for subsequent books and films, its theatrical release around the country, its modern cultural influence, and the attempts to restore the film to its original state. Other noteworthy features of this work include an in-depth biography of White Zombie director Victor Halperin, the first complete study of his life and career, and 244 images and photographs.

Trashfiend

Trashfiend
Author: Scott Stine
Publisher: SCB Distributors
Total Pages: 644
Release: 2012-10-03
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1909394025

A loving look at “disposable” horror culture from the 1960s and 1970s. Over two glorious decades the horror film waged war on good taste, exploiting every taboo and bursting every envelope along the way. TRASHFIEND is the definitive guide to the chaotic, creative and endlessly entertaining golden age of horror cinema. Scott Stine (author of The Gorehound’s Guide to Splatter Films series) shines a fond but satiric light on everything from low budget horror films to grisly comic art, lurid movie magazines to late-night creature features, campy monster toys to exploitive poster art. Packed with reviews, trivia, interviews, anecdotes and rare illustrations, and written with witty and insightful flair, TRASHFIEND will fascinate aficianados, nostalgists and cinema lovers of every stripe for a fun, energetic and critical look at this beloved genre.

The Dinosaur Filmography

The Dinosaur Filmography
Author: Mark F. Berry
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 510
Release: 2015-08-31
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1476606749

From classics like King Kong, to beloved B-movies like The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, to blockbusters like Jurassic Park, it's easy to see that filmmakers and audiences alike love to see dinosaurs on the screen. This comprehensive filmography, arranged alphabetically by title, contains entries that include basic facts (year of release, country of origin, studio, and running time), followed by a concise plot summary, the author's critical commentary, information on the production and the people behind it, and secrets of the often-ingenious special effects. Three useful appendices feature films with minor dinosaur content, planned but unfinished dinosaur movies, and the quasi-dinosaurs of Toho Studios. To be included, a movie must depict one or more representations of a "prehistoric reptile." Inaccurate portrayals are included, as long as the intent is to represent a real or fictional dinosaur. Not eligible are films featuring prehistoric mammals, prehistoric humans or humanoids, and beasts of mythology--unless, of course, the movie also has a dinosaur.