Shock Value (book)

Shock Value: How a Few Eccentric Outsiders Gave Us Nightmares, Conquered Hollywood, and Invented Modern Horror is a 2011 American book by Jason Zinoman. It traces the evolution of horror films as they began to focus on more reality-based, less campy subjects during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Shock Value
AuthorJason Zinoman
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SubjectFilm criticism
Published2011 (The Penguin Press)
Media typePrint
Pages274
ISBN978-1-59420-302-2

Background

The book grew out of an article Zinoman wrote for Vanity Fair in 2007. Over four years, Zinoman collected interviews with filmmakers, and, after interviewing family and friends, returned to the filmmakers again, to find new, fresh topics for interviews. Zinoman also researched stories he heard repeated from multiple sources, such as the former friendship between John Carpenter and Dan O'Bannon, both of whom were responsible for important horror films in the 1970s.[1] To differentiate the clashing styles of horror filmmaking that took place in the 1960s, Zinoman used the terms "Old Horror" and "New Horror". These are borrowed from a 1979 Harper's Magazine article written by Ron Rosenbaum. Zinoman defines Old Horror as being campy films focused on stars, while New Horror is more politically aware, realistic, and focused on directors.[2] New Horror also has what Zinoman describes as a "postmodern sensibility of evil", where antagonists have no discernible motive.[3] Zinoman says that films like Targets offer commentary on this change-over.[4]

Reception

Cynthia C. Scott of Bright Lights Film Journal wrote that the book "lacks the epic scope" of other New Hollywood histories, but it offers compelling arguments to take the discussed films seriously.[5] Ty Burr of The New York Times praised the book's research but wrote it "struggles to bring the larger picture into focus".[6] Matthew Hays of The Globe and Mail called it "crucial reading for any serious horror aficionado".[7] Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club rated it A− and wrote that the book's only flaw is that it should have been longer.[8] Ryan Daley of Bloody Disgusting rated it 5/5 stars and described it as "the most effortlessly enchanting treatise on the American horror film since Stephen King's Danse Macabre".[9]

References
  1. Barone, Matt (2011-07-11). "Interview: "Shock Value" Author Jason Zinoman Talks The Lasting Impact Of '70s Horror Movies". Complex. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  2. Fasman, Jon. "Q&A: JASON ZINOMAN, HORROR NUT". Intelligent Life. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  3. Tucker, Neely (2011-08-05). "'Shock Value' author Jason Zinoman: Driven toward fear". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  4. Gross, Terry (2011-07-06). "Horror's 'Shock Value' Redefined In The 1960s". Fresh Air. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  5. Scott, Cynthia (2011-08-24). "Book review: Shock Value, by Jason Zinoman". Bright Lights Film Journal. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  6. Burr, Ty (2011-07-10). "Sons of Rosemary's Baby: Birth of the New Horror". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  7. Hays, Matthew (2012-09-06). "Terrific trash, horrifying art". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  8. Handlen, Zack (2011-07-20). "Jason Zinoman: Shock Value". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
  9. Daley, Ryan (2011-08-01). "[Book Review] 'Shock Value' Scores Perfect!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2015-09-09.
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