The New Horror Handbook

Something I had to admit to myself while reading A.S. Berman’s THE NEW HORROR HANDBOOK: I like horror movies more than the average person should. Given a choice between something nominated for a dozen Academy Awards or something that contains a dozen dead teenagers, I’d take the latter every time.

Therefore, it’s no surprise I lapped this up as if it were a plate of pancakes bathed in butter, and I was trying to prevent a hangover. A former writer for USA TODAY, Berman looks at the state of scare cinema in the 21st century, through a slew of interviews with the people whose job it is to frighten you, for your enjoyment.

Eli Roth is first up, and I’m one of the people who’s not annoyed by the guy. He sure takes a lot of heat in the press, but seeing CABIN FEVER with two friends who equally “got it” is one of the greatest movie experiences I’ve ever had, and HOSTEL: PART II surprised me (as it disturbed me) how it wasn’t just a cash-in rehash.

Greg McLean, director of WOLF CREEK and ROGUE, follows, as does Steve Niles, comics scribe extraordinaire and co-screenwriter of 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, which I agree returned the big-screen vampire to being scary after too many years of being namby-pambies (which they’re now back to being again, “thanks” to TWILIGHT).

It’s refreshing to see a full chapter focused on the rather under-the-radar Vincenzo Natali, whose sci-fi sleeper CUBE remains a personal favorite (and thus, I’m thrilled to see Berman has an entire book on the franchise coming out in 2010). I think the jury’s still out on SAW sequel helmsman Darren Lynn Bousman (after all, REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA was an utter chore to sit through), but he at least is to be commended for bringing a respect and love to his material, rather than just being a hired gun.

I was unfamiliar with Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, and their film INSIDE, but what they have to say is interesting, nonetheless. Actually, everyone makes for a great interview. It would’ve been easy for Berman to phone it in by just transcribing his conversations into a Q&A format, but ever the good journalist, he took the time in selecting quotes and crafting genuine articles out of them — well-written one and all.

He looks at the three GINGER SNAPS menstruating werewolf flicks with a critical eye, and profiles the history and staff of RUE MORGUE magazine. I’d never thought of a periodical being among the subjects in a book on horror films, but as a cheerleader for the genre overall, the MORGUE is certainly deserving.

The book closes with profiles of three people whose names you’re not likely to know, because they represent the next wave of fright filmmakers. They are Emily Hagins, subject of the documentary ZOMBIE GIRL, which follows the preteen’s ambitious efforts to write and direct her own zombie film; Sean Clark, who’s behind the HORROR’S HALLOWED GROUNDS web series that revisits the spooky locations of iconic movies; and Joe Monks, a director who’s cranking out low-budget shockers … despite being blind.

I thought these chapters devoted to the as-yet-unknown would be boring, but they were anything but. Even if you have no frame of reference with regard to their work, Berman makes their relevance clear. He makes an excellent host!

With its abundance of sidebars, prodigious illustrations and slick design, THE NEW HORROR HANDBOOK reads like a magazine that just happens to be as thick as a book. Although it’s not a complete snapshot — nor is it intended to be — it’s essential reading for today’s horror fans. Don’t be put off by its micro-indie publisher; this is a total pro job, and one I’d love to see become a series with subsequent editions every couple of years. —Rod Lott

Buy it at Amazon.