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HOME - INTRO - FEATURES - KRYPTIC ARMY - LINKS - CONTACT HORROR 101: THE A-LIST OF HORROR FILMS AND MONSTER MOVIES VOL 1 FAMOUS QUOTES
"Comparisons
would be pointless. Obviously the technical advances in movie-making since
the…30’s give the latter productions| - Peter Cushing on Hammer’s remake of THE MUMMY -
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HORROR 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies is the brainchild of Dr AC (aka Aaron Christensen). It was his idea to create a guide that would serve a newcomer horror fan with some essential movies titles that should be viewed. As he puts it, no matter how new of a fan you were, if you watched all of these movies, you could hold your own with a conversation with any other horror fan, and not feel like an complete outcast. But don't think that this is only for the newer horror fans. Even if you're the most die-hard fan, you will enjoy going back to some of these films that maybe you haven't seen or even thought about in some time. And since these are written by fans, it's just like you're having a conversation with another fan just like yourself. And so it began. While he originally intended for each of the essays to be written by himself, he came up with the idea of instead of having HIS thought and opinions on all of these movies, what about having the essays written by many different people, giving the reader MANY different thoughts and opinions. So this is a book written by fans, for fans. And the authors range in age, sex and from many different countries, truly giving a very wide variety of thoughts on these great movies. The book contains 101 essays on 110 different films by 78 different contributors from 11 different countries. How's that for diversity?
If you want more information about this book, check out the MySpace page for it HERE, or you can go to the official Horror 101 site HERE. You can send Aaron emails through there to get order info and any other info that you are looking for. You can also order it directly from us, as long as we have them in stock. Just send us an email to see if we have any left. And introducing the book, is someone who started a revolution of sorts with his work. And that would be Tom Savini. If it wasn't for him, horror movies might not have ever looked like they do now. Here's his introduction: Hi folks. Savini here. I have to admit, when Aaron first contacted me about writing a Foreword for Horror 101, it sounded like an easy task. After all, I've been involved in the art of making people scream and/or gag (preferably both) since the early 70s, and been a fan of the genre myself for even longer than that.
But when I sat
down before the keyboard, I found myself at a bit of a loss as to what to say.
After all, in my line of work, I prefer to show people my ideas and
passions rather than just talk about them. So, I called up a few of my old
friends to talk shop, noodle a few ideas, get the, ahem, juices flowing as it
were. And in the course of our conversation, it occurred to me – not for the
first time – just how much horror movies have meant to me and what an influence
they've been on my life. In fact, horror movies are my life, my
livelihood, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Growing up,
there was a part of me – a big part of me – that honestly believed the monsters
I was encountering on a weekly basis really, truly existed. Then, one Saturday
when I was 11 years old, I saw Jimmy Cagney playing the immortal Lon Chaney in
the movie that changed my life forever: The Man of a Thousand Faces. I
suddenly realized that for every monster, there was someone behind the scenes
who created them and from that moment on, I knew that I wanted to be that
someone. I hurried to the library, found books on makeup and began
experimenting at home on family and friends. Nothing has been the same ever
since.
Well, that's not
entirely true. Even though I'm now one of the monster makers, I'm still
hypnotized and enthralled by horror movies. To be blunt about it, horror films
and monster movies have come to mean everything to me. Since childhood,
they've transfixed me, motivated me, and even saved me from a complete emotional
breakdown when I was a combat photographer in the Vietnam War. As I looked
through the lens of my camera at horrible physical atrocities, I tried to just
think of them as special effects, and wondered how I could later create what I
was looking at. It would prove to be an invaluable lesson in anatomy, death and
real horror.
Sounds like fun,
right? Hopefully, Horror 101 reminds you, as it did me, of the special thrill that horror films and monster movies can provide – the sense of wonder that hypnotizes and enthralls audiences of all ages. Whether you're a horror veteran or just learning how good getting good and scared can be, you're in for a real treat. And that's quite a trick.
Tom Savini Pittsburgh, PA
USA Still not convinced that you need to add this book to your collection? Then check out the advance praise the book as gotten so far:
-- Joe Dante,
director, The Howling, Pirahna, Gremlins
When I first
picked up Dr. AC's Horror 101, I have to admit I was fretting the read,
expecting a group of horror kids that think the world of horror and monster
movies started with the birth of Freddy Krueger. What I got – from page one –
was the exact opposite!!! These are not just fanboys that like their gore and
monsters; rather they are passionate folks who give great insight to all things
horror and the macabre. Horror 101 will impress true horror hounds and
provide valuable info for newcomers to the genre. From The Birds to
Hellraiser to The Fly and everything in-between, Horror 101
has a touch of everything for the li'l monster in all of us!
-- Tiffany
Shepis, scream queen, Tromeo & Juliet, The Hazing, Nightmare
Man
-- Elaine
Lamkin, bloody-disgusting.com
-- Michael W.
Mayo, author, VideoHound's Horror Show
Horror 101 is the primer every sci-fi and horror student needs
for a compelling and intellectual glimpse into the classroom of genre movies.
Instructor Aaron Christensen assigns you a challenging read. After digesting
this, you will never again get an "F" -- unless it stands for "Film-lover."
-- John Stanley, author, Creature Features and I Was a TV Horror Host
Here's the review from Fangoria magazine:
Horror 101 is, as the title implies, something of a textbook written for horror students by horror students. Edited and complied by Dr. AC (Aaron Christensen), this collection of essays provides in-depth readings on some of the most important, influential and just plain great movies that have shaped the fright genre. To an aficionado, this journey outside the industry and into non-pro reactions can bring back fond memories, and may well have you making notes on a few long-forgotten titles to add to your Netflix queue. For the newbie, this is a meticulous introductory course to cinematic works all fear buffs should know.
Horror 101 opens with a powerful and sentimental passage by Tom Savini, who sets the tone as he discusses how the genre has affected him as an industry insider and even more so as a die-hard enthusiast. There follows an alphabetically arranged series of essays on terrifying greats from Alien to The Wolf Man, each written by a true devotee of the movie in question. The authors are diverse, spanning 12 different countries, and they discuss their first impressions of the films, provide historical background and delve into symbolism and allusions. The list is thorough, containing staples such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Shining while also giving equal time to more obscure flicks like Eyes Without a Face and Repulsion. The book is especially commendable, in fact, for its inclusion of international films, as many current horror texts overlook the value of movies such as Onibaba, Deep Red and Diabolique.
Don’t expect an academic textbook read here, as the entries bear an informal writing style highlighting each author’s unique voice. Some of the most commendable examples are Jason Herr’s personal memories of The Last House on the Left, Mark J. Price’s examination of the timelessness of Jaws and Jorge Didaco’s stylistic reading of The Innocents. One word of warning: The films are discussed in detail, with little regard given to preserving twists or endings. While the in-depth discussions are excellent, they will serve as spoilers for those who have not seen the movies. So proceed with caution- or better yet, go rent the films first and use Horror 101 to expand your education. --Rebekah McKendry, Fangoria Magazine |
As I'm so
fond of saying, you can never have too many reference books. And not only
do they give you the chance to increase your knowledge, but they can also help
you meet more die hard fans. Case in point, Mr. Aaron Christensen.
It was at the 2005 Flashback Weekend that a guy came up to me with a Godzilla
shirt on that I knew my son would love. So I made a comment about that,
and we started talking. He was amazed at the collection of reference books
that I was selling and we started to talk even more. He mentioned about
starting a project of developing his own reference book and was looking for some
help in finding some movies. So I offered up my services, as I would to
any fan. And now a couple of years later, we are on the verge of the birth
of something special. 
If you want to hear the good Dr talking about
the book, then check out him on YouTube
My earliest
genre memories date back to when I was a six-year-old lad being taken to the
cinema on Saturday mornings. Starting around 9am, my older sister Rose and I
would plunk down our quarters, grab our popcorn, then settle into the lumpy
theater seats to watch 17 cartoons, a couple of serials, tons of previews and
finally, a double feature of horror classics like Frankenstein,
Dracula, The Wolf Man or Abbott and Costello Meet…well, all of
them. Around 4 or 5 in the afternoon, we would stumble from the darkened
theater, our blinking eyes surprised by the fact that such a thing as sunlight
still existed. (Today, just try to get someone to sit through a double
feature. Sigh. Those were the days…)
Obviously, I
prefer pretend horror, which leads me to the book you hold in your hands. The
cinematic art of creating monsters and suspense and scares, followed by the
relief of getting up from the theater, stepping back into the sunlight...then
finding someone else to talk to about it. This is exactly what Dr. AC and his
enthusiastic band of blood brothers (and sisters – horror chicks rule!) have
brought to the table with Horror 101. Flipping through these pages has
been a pleasant walk down memory lane – a lane that is cold and dark, mysterious
and terrifying, good and gory.
Bringing a
refreshingly egalitarian approach to the subject, Horror 101 collects
musings on our favorite chillers not by the expected assortment of critics and
filmmakers, but the audience – the fans themselves. Young and old, male and
female, located all over the globe. From Alien through The Wicker Man,
each entry brings a breath of fresh air to the consideration of seminal movies
many of us thought had been analyzed to death. As editor Aaron Christensen puts
it, "Keep America strong! Watch more monster movies!"
I LOVE this
book!! Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies is a
must-have for ALL horror movie fans and film folk in general. Aaron Christensen
has assembled an eclectic group to write about a specific fright film that
affected them and, believe me, these aren't your daddy's essays! Filled with
quotes, overviews of the plots, facts about the films (inspiration, trivia,
initial reactions, etc.) as well as the writers' own opinions, these are not the
typical dry, dense scholarly writings that most readers cannot begin to make
sense of. This is a FUN book, written by people who truly love the horror genre
and want to share their favorite screen screams with everyone else. With over
100 films covered, there is something for everyone here – from 1920's The
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari to 1999's The Sixth Sense with everything in
between. I was excited to see smaller films like Henry: Portrait of a Serial
Killer, Deep Red, Black Christmas, The Wicker Man and
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? included with the big guys like The
Shining, Psycho, Halloween and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Fascinating reading, this book should be on every horror fan's required reading
list.
Horror 101
is a fine collection of criticism, something different. It is not a book of
polished prose and penetrating, detailed analysis. Instead, it is a book of
enthusiasm. It reminds us why we love horror movies and how we came to discover
them—those moments when, usually as children, we were so beautifully terrified
for the first time by something that we saw on a screen. That's an experience
that more jaded and experienced moviegoers need to rediscover from time to time,
and this book does it admirably. The writers bring real passion to their
reviews. I heartily disagree with several of them, and that, too, is exactly as
it should be. Equally laudable is the decision to include "big monster" movies.
Though they're generally dismissed by the critical establishment, they can make
deep life-long impressions on younger viewers. It's good to see the giant bugs,
dinosaurs and beasties getting their due.
Where's the new
generation of horror fans coming from? Well, from these guys, and it seems we're
in good hands. They're passionate and opinionated (and mostly right!), and they
treat classic horror with the respect it deserves.