GOING TO PIECES

Written by
Adam Rockoff

Published by
McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
tel. 336-246-4460 Fax. 336-246-5018

223 pages, Illustrated case binding, 7 x 10
108 photographs
2002

Website: http://www.mcfarlandpub.com

Before i go on with this book review, let me tell you that every genre fan need this book. It is that good. Adam Rockoff takes an indepth look at the slasher genre and the history of horror but from a fan point of view which makes it all the more interesting. Leaving nothing out, i don't remember the last time i learned so much stuff about my fav genre.

After the usual and necessary Introduction, Adam gives us the lowdown on what makes a film a slasher film. The Killer, the weapon of choice, the setting, the past event, the final girl, eyes of the killer... In the pre-history ofthe slasher film chapter, we learn about Paris' Grand Guignole theater of the macabre, PSYCHO, PEEPING TOM, Giallos, the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, the story of how Sean S. Cunningham met Wes Craven and made a little film called THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, the films of Brian De Palma, Tobe Hooper's THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, Bob Clark's BLACK CHRISTMAS and more.

Then the film who would define the slasher genre came out, "the night HE came out"... HALLOWEEN. A whole chapter is dedicated to John Carpenter's masterpiece. The most succesful independant film of its time would influence the genre even 20 years later. Adam continues to take a look at the genre with every genre film released in the late 70s - mid 80s, from THE OMEN to DAWN OF THE DEAD, ALIEN, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, the whole story behind WHEN A STRANGER CALLS, THE DRILLER KILLER...

Then the majors decided to jump in the bandwagon and the first film to come out became the surprise hit of the summer and spawned 9 sequels so far, FRIDAY THE 13TH. Adam gives us a very informative and detailed look at this summer camp slasher which took the genre to another level, especially in the gore department. DRESSED TO KILL, PROM NIGHT, HE KNOWS YOU'RE ALONE continued the bloody trail.

Adam continues with THE BOOGEY MAN, TERROR TRAIN, FADE TO BLACK, MANIAC, MOTEL HELL, MOTHER'S DAY, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, THE FUNHOUSE, THE BURNING, the rest of the FRIDAY THE 13TH serie, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, HELL NIGHT, GRADUATION DAY, DEEP RED, TENEBRAE, THE NEW YORK RIPPER, ALONE IN THE DARK, THE HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW, SLEEPAWAY CAMP, PSYCHO II and tons more!

One of the most interesting chapter in the book is the one about A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET and the unfortunate decline of the slasher film where Adam dissect the whole ANOES serie and give us the lowdown of films like SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT, APRIL'S FOOL DAY, OPERA, the HALLOWEEN sequels.

The last chapter about the "resurgence" of the slasher film with films like SCREAM, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER and URBAN LEGENDS.

A great book, nicely put together which i've already read twice!