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| Nic Brown's Blood Sacrifice |
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Book Reviews: Comedy Horror Films (2009) - By James L. Neibaur
Posted on Thursday, July 02, 2009 @ 05:44:22 Mountain Daylight Time by Duane
 Bruce Hallenbeck has been writing about the horror and sci-fi movie genres for some time, including some excellent essays published in leading magazines that celebrate such films. His latest book commendably examines the lethal combination of horror and humor.
Constructed by decade, from the silent era to the new millennium, with films listed in chronological order, Hallenbeck shows the evolution of this offshoot of both the horror and comedy genres effectively. By examining the films in his fashion, the author is able to present how each era was influenced by the previous, and enhanced its presentation based on past examples.
Hallenbeck has a very comprehensive understanding of cinema and a strong frame of reference, and it is quite evident in his analyses on films as diverse as THE BAT (Roland West, 1926), THE OLD DARK HOUSE (James Whale, 1932), ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (Charles Barton, 1948), BUCKET OF BLOOD (Roger Corman, 1959), CARRY ON SCREAMING (Gerald Thomas, 1966), YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (Ml Brooks, 1975), TOXIC AVENGER (Lloyd Kaufman, 1986), VAMPIRE IN BROOKLYN (Wes Craven, 1995), and TRAIL OF THE SCREAMING FOREHEAD (Larry Blamire, 2008). Hallenbeck knows the genre so well that even those of us who have frequently seen the more noted films in his book are given interesting information and insights.
This does not include every comedy-horror feature (I was disappointed at the exclusion of THE BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS (Edward Bernds, 1954), but those films Hallenbeck chooses to include are given exceptional analysis as to the reason for their being chosen, their significance to either genre, and their general importance as movies. Not every movie is good. This writer has a particular dislike of the Ritz Brothers opus THE GORILLA (Allen Dwan, 1939), and it appears the author generally agrees. But what is most interesting about this book is the diversity of titles from each separate decade, and Hallenbeck's interesting insights for even the most marginally interesting film.
Any general fan of movies will benefit from this book, as will libraries and film research centers. It is most highly recommended.
For more information, go to http://www.mcfarlandpub.com.
Thursday, July 02, 2009 @ 05:44:22 Mountain Daylight Time Book Reviews | |
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Average Score: 5
Votes: 2
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