Rise and Fall of the Horror Film

I don't really think the bad reviewers understand art all that much. Another thing is why would Soren need to bring up Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Day the Earth Stood Still, I Married a Monster from Outer Space? They have nothing to do with his arguement nor were they artistic master pieces. By this reviewers logic Soren shouldve thrown in Star Trek and Star Wars. Also To say that The Exorcist is one of mankinds artistic master pieces takes a lot of guts. That movie has some of the worst special effects I've ever seen! I laughed my sox off watching it. It is by no means comparable to the classic horror films of yesteryear. Second of all these people are more concerned with what he didn't metion as to what he actually did metion. Its like they just skimed the pages to find mention of their favorite movies. And because Soren didn't metion their favorites they give it a low rating and say it was terrible and just an attack on todays gore fests. When he only mentions todays gore fests in like the last chapter. His book covers a great deal more. He reviews a lot of foreign movies that had particular ties to art movements in history. Like the german expressionest movement that was a defyance against the horrible lives people had after world war 1. Germany probably hit the hardest by the great depression was pleagued with real and terrible horror when people went mad killing themselves and eachother. The movies made by german expressionists were on a different level altogether than hollywood's pathetic trash. They were art projects not money projects. He goes over lots of other art movements as well, and their influences on film. The problem with today's films is there is no major art movement propelling them. their is no major art movement anymore and this book is ment to help people appreciate old films and hopefully be encouraged to make artistic films rather than films centralized on grossing you out or scaryness factors. Its about art appreciation and not art critisism. You have to look at the bigger picture and not wether he mentioned your favorite movie or not. He had lots of films he left out that i would have been interested in reading about but they werent central towards his arguement. You cant simply review a movie based on the acting, directing, special effects, and music! Even tho that is what most reviewers do now a days. thats like reviewing a book on the amount of different words it uses or complaining if it is to difficult to understand. Movies are more than just the acting and story. This book explains what else movies need to be about. That they can be active participants in revolutionary ideas and movements like german expressionism. They dont need to be blockbuster over the top with extreme gore and blood. Too many films rely on blood and guts for their shock value and rarely create a whole world of intense suffering and pain where everything in it actors and set are dismayed and frustrated. The old slasher films from

...The book isn't the be all end all that some claim, nor is it a horrible book. The important thing is that as a reference and a general introduction to some of the historical topics in this field it is good. As to those who claim Soren makes unfounded claims, maybe you should check his credentials. The man has both a Masters and a PhD from Harvard, and has had more prestigeous positions in art and archeology than you ever will in your lifetime. Last I checked, that makes him a bit more of an authority than some...