united states

Being a huge horror fan it was great to discover this book. I have had it for several months now and look through it constantly. Anyone who likes horror should denifinitely have this book. This book covers 228 movies from the 70's with detailed synopses for each movie as well as cast and crew information and a section with the author's commentary. I really enjoyed reading about the popular horror movies of the 70's and it was great to discover many movies which I was not familiar with. Having this book has led me to starting a collection of 70's horror movies which I think was the genre's best decade.
In addition to this book I have three others by John Kenneth Muir: The films of John Carpenter, Wes Craven: the Art of Horror and Eaten Alive at a Chainsaw Massacre. All of these books are excellent and I Highly recommend them.
If you are a hardcore horror fan this is a must have and even for the casual fan this book would be a wonderful addition to your library.

John Muir's filmbooks are really in their own genre -- they're not quite film analysis, they're not quite fan appreciation -- they're somewhere in the middle, and that's what gives them their special appeal. Ever watch a DVD with director's commentary? That's what it's like reading one of Muir's film books -- you're discussing films with someone who loves them, and it's infectious. The end result is it's not dry film criticism (do we really need another Freudian analysis of anything?) -- it's sharing the joy and wonder of great films and not so great films and some downright guilty pleasures with someone who really brings experience, humor, knowledge, and enthusiasm to the subject matter. As a major fan of horror films from the 1970s, this book jumps right to the top of my list of "must-haves". It's not a reference book -- it's a cover-to-cover read that's just formatted like a reference book. You'll find old favorites in here as well as get a little exposure to some films you haven't seen and probably should. It was the "best of times" for horror films (its only competing decade would be the 1930s, IMHO), and this book ranks with the "best of books" for a great decade for creepy movies. It does a great job of putting these films in their proper context (it was a fascinating decade, and its horror films really mirror that). This is a book that will make you smile, and throw you back a few decades into a time that was simpler and more confused...If you like horror films, you'll love this book. This should be a daily calendar! 365 Great Horror Films a Year!

John Kenneth Muir's "Horror Films of the 1970s" is a great reference guide for all horror movie fans. Covering 228 horror films from the 70s, the book is crammed with with detailed information within its 662 pages.

The book begins with a "History of the Decade" and then breaks down the horror films by year, ending with a brief conclusion and several appendices, which include "1970s Hall of Fame," "Recommended Viewing," and "Memorable Movie Ad Lines."

Muir tackles most of the films in the book (I say most because not all of the films reviewed follow this format....some are just given a brief mention and are not even rated.) by breaking it down into sections. First, he provides excerpts from critical reviews of the film. He then provides a cast and crew list. He then provides a POV section (where those people associated with making the film offer their thoughts on the film.) Next comes a synopsis of the film's storyline before moving on to the author's own commentary and review of the film. Finally, there is a Legacy section which details any important (good or bad) contribution that the film may have made to the genre as a whole. The author also provides a rating system (one to four stars) ranking the over-all quality of the film.

Muir's love of the genre is evident in the text, although his commentarys can sometimes be lengthy (he seems to have a gift for gab.) This reader found that Muir can sometimes "over analyze" a film, reading things into the script that I don't think were ever really there to begin with (not even by the makers of the film). The commentarys, however, have helped me to view a film differently, shedding light on aspects of the film that I may have otherwise overlooked. I am now much more aware of how camera techniques, lighting, editing and score (critical in all films but probably even more so to the horror genre) can contribute to the success or failure of a film. Muir even points out how some film's subtext points directly to the fears and concerns of the audience in the "disco era." (Again, something I may have overlooked.......especially 30 years later.) All these small points add up and can make watching one of these movies a much more enjoyable experience. This makes the book a remarkable success in my opinion.

On the whole, the book is a very enjoyable read and most horror lovers will probably find it quite satisfying. I am now in search of many of the films included in the book that I haven't yet seen. Some I have never even heard of until being introduced to them by Mr. Muir. Hopefully, a sequel (Horror Films of the 1980s)is somewhere on the horizon.