Book: Horror Movies by Denis Gifford

[Rockshasa]

Does anyone remember this book? It was printed in 1973. I still own it, but I lost the cool looking cover at some point, so now it's just a solid red cover book.



Ahh, the memories! I obtained this book in the hot summer of 1974. I was 10 years-old, and I had just finished the 5th grade. My aunt Tootsie from California had come to visit us in Maryland. I had never met her before, and she was super nice. At one point we had gone to the local mall, and we were in Walden Books, and I saw this book. I wanted it so bad, and my aunt offered to buy it for me. I brought it home, and spent hours staring at the ghastly monsters within. My aunt and my grandmother spent several weeks with us that summer. I remember my grandmother bought me the Wings - Band On The Run album that summer also. Best Wings album ever. Great times and great memories back then!

I miss the 1970's!!!!

[Gory Glenn]

I just picked up a copy on eBay that included the dust cover for next to nothing. Never owned this one as a kid but glad to have it now as many people consider this a must own for Horror fans.

[Wich2]

"Remember it"?

It's one of the Monsterkid bibles!

[Rockshasa]

It's one of the Monsterkid bibles!

Is that so? Really?
Well, I'm glad I own it then! It's a great read, and it's got tons of pictures.

[horrorhunter]

I have three copies of it. It's one of the most important tomes in the history of monster movies.

I still have my original one that I bought back in the mid '70s. It's seen a lot of reading over the years, but it's still in good condition though the dust jacket has seen better days.

[Mike...In 3-D!]

I used to own one in rough shape. I ended up giving it to a kid that frequented the shop who was really interested in monster movies. He was over the moon.

[Rockshasa]

...though the dust jacket has seen better days.

Yeah, I don't think I took very good care of the dust jacket when younger, but my book is in great shape.

[RICKH]

I still have mine dust jacket and all.  I ordered it from the Monster Times and I remember the day it arrived at the post office!

[Mike Scott]

It's one of the Monsterkid bibles!

I second that! (Or, whatever number we're up to.)

Still have mine. DJ protected by Mylar since nearly the beginning. I worked in a library and all my DJs got the Mylar treatment.

[Rockshasa]

Still have mine. DJ protected by Mylar since nearly the beginning. I worked in a library and all my DJs got the Mylar treatment.

Well, I wish I had been wiser as a young kid. I remember when I hit around 21. My Mom was moving to Florida, and I was moving elsewhere. She asked me what I wanted done with all of my childhood toys that had been kept under our cellar steps for years. Being clueless, I told her to get rid of them anyway she saw fit. She ended up having a yard sale in our driveway, and sold all of my old toys. I could shoot myself in the foot now. What was I thinking???

[Mike Scott]

She asked me what I wanted done with all of my childhood toys that had been kept under our cellar steps for years. Being clueless, I told her to get rid of them anyway she saw fit.

It's the same sad story. (That and the one where your mom throws out all your stuff while you're in college.) Toys and comics seem to be the two things at the heart of most of these stories.

[BRICK]

I still have my copy, and the dust cover is still in pretty good shape. This was THE monster book for me, I can still remember the smell it had when it was new. Though the book covers many mediocre to bad movies, just having a mention in it is a place of honor!

[ChrisW]

Yep, still have my copy with dust jacket. My dad gave it to me for Easter, 1973. It is well thumbed and well read.

I've spent many hours admiring the dust jacket illustration by Tom Chantrell, who was a prolific movie poster artist in Britain. He did quite a few of the posters for Hammer. If you look on the back of the dust jacket, take a close look at Raquel Welsh from One Million Years BC. It looks like it was cut out and pasted on the dust jacket art. Well, it probably was, but that's ok, since he did the original art for that movie poster as well! 

[Rockshasa]

Yeah, Chris, it was the cover art that sold me this thing when I spied it in Waldenbooks back in the summer of 1974.
I think my dust jacket ripped at some point, so I took it off and threw it away. I was a kid...what did I know?

[Sir Masksalot]

many people consider this a must own for Horror fans.

I was in high school when mine first latched onto me. I cut out a picture from page 206
to use for a class assignment and taped it back in afterwards. My old battered volume
survives today with its scholastic scarring intact. I still consult it as much for reference
as for pleasure >



In case you're curious, my presentation was on "violence in movies". I needed
that image of the blonde with a hatchet embedded in her skull.