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Screams and Nightmares: The Films of Wes Craven (SOFTCOVER)
by Brian Robb
HUGE BOOK!
Until Scream (1996), director Craven's mainstream fame rested on the seven Nightmare on Elm Street films, whose level of invention and effects elevated them above the Halloween and Friday the 13th slasher series. Through personal interviews, secondary sources, and a wealth of photos, film-idol biographer Robb provides a sometimes worshipful picture of the Ohio-born, Fundamentalist-raised director. We witness a progression from low-budget shockers Last House on the Left (1972) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977) to the better-funded and -crafted The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), The People Under the Stairs (1991), and Vampire in Brooklyn (1995). Welcome attention is given the unsuccessful but enjoyable Swamp Thing (1982), although Robb forgets to discuss its lead character when examining a hallmark of Craven's work: the resourceful heroine. Just as shocking as Craven's subject matter is Robb's portrayal of how the Motion Picture Association of America sanitizes horror films.
Robb scans Craven's film work from the seminal Last House on the Left (1972) to Scream 2 (1997). Featuring stills from cult favorites (e.g., The Hills Have Eyes) as well as Craven's more mainstream hits and sporting a reasonably detailed filmography, the book is essentially what the fans have wanted. One chapter is lavished on the entire Nightmare on Elm Street series, though Craven was not directly involved in any episode after Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987). Craven's ability to consistently craft box-office hits has guaranteed him ever larger budgets, despite which his features have retained their ooky charm. Robb is unremittingly positive about Craven, without sacrificing biographical value in tantalizing tidbits, such as that Craven's childhood was spent in a "deeply religious working class Baptist family," that give heart to amateur Freudians and other analysts. Based on interviews with Craven and the reporting of such genre-specific journals as Cinefantastique, GoreZone, and the always entertaining Fangoria, Robb's concoction is entertaining and informative about a recognized cinematic auteur.
Book Description
Writer, producer, and director Wes Craven has successfully tapped into the horror vein for over thirty years, serving up scary, funny, hip thrillers that demand a second look. His films have been both critical and commercial successes, most notably Nightmare on Elm Street, which spawned a series of sequels and made Craven (and his creation, Freddy Krueger) an international sensation. But Craven's films have also become classics in a field that he continues to reinvent--the horror genre is still reeling from the impact of his most recent project, the brilliant Scream series.
With Screams and Nightmares, author Brian J. Robb covers Craven's entire career, from his low-budget beginnings to his most recent box office hits, from the banned thriller The Last House on the Left and the cult classic The Hills Have Eyes to the outrageous Shocker and The People Under the Stairs. Through exclusive interviews with Craven, Robb provides in-depth accounts of the making of each of the films--including the third installment of the Scream series--Craven's foray into writing novels, and his numerous television projects.
With a full filmography and more than 200 photographs, many from the director's own collection (including a detailed overview of Craven's television work), Screams and Nightmares is quite simply the only book of its kind. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Brian J. Robb is a journalist and author of books on Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, River Phoenix, and Leonardo DiCaprio. He has been researching the films of Wes Craven for over ten years, and a majority of the material for this book came from his many interviews with the writer/director.
NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET HORROR HILLS HAVE EYES! SCREAM
Item specifics - Nonfiction Books
Author: Brian J. Robb Publisher: Overlook Pr
ISBN-10: 1585670901 Subject: Performing Arts
ISBN-13: 9781585670901 Topic: Movie & Television
Format: Paperback Language: English
Printing Year: 2000 Condition: Brand New
Special Attributes: 1st Edition, Illustrated
Detailed item info
Synopsis
This biography of filmmaker Wes Craven--creator of SCREAM and NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET--chronicles his entire career and contains exclusive interviews that reveal his thoughts about his films, novels, and television projects.
Size
Height: 10.8 in.
Width: 8.3 in.
Thickness: 0.5 in.
Weight: 20.8 oz.
Industry reviews
"Not for the squeamish, this is a treat for anyone interested in horror films, makeup and special effects."
Alessio