From the grindhouse oddities to major studio releases, this work details 46 horror films released during the genre’s golden era. Each entry includes cast and credits, a plot synopsis, in-depth critical analysis, contemporary reviews, time of release, brief biographies of the principal cast and crew, and a production history. Apart from the 46 main entries, 71 additional “borderline horrors” are examined and critiqued in an appendix.

Bryan Senn’s work has appeared in Filmfax, Cult Movies, Shivers, Midnight Marquee Press and Monsters from the Vault. The author of numerous books on the history of cinema, he lives in Montana.

Bryan Senn
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 528
Bibliographic Info: 139 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2006 [1996]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2724-6
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1089-4
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments     ix

Introduction     1

The Films

Dracula (1931)     9

Frankenstein (1931)     19

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)     30

Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)     43

Freaks (1932)     52

Vampyr (1932)     68

White Zombie (1932)     81

Doctor X (1932)     91

The Lodger (1932)     102

The Most Dangerous Game (1932)     109

The Old Dark House (1932)     119

The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)     129

The Mummy (1932)     137

Island of Lost Souls (1933)     144

The Vampire Bat (1933)     153

Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933)     159

King Kong (1933)     169

Murders in the Zoo (1933)     184

Supernatural (1933)     195

The Ghoul (1933)     205

The Invisible Man (1933)     212

The Son of Kong (1933)     221

The Black Cat (1934)     234

Drums o’ Voodoo (1934)     241

The Secret of the Loch (1934)     247

Maniac (1934)     256

Mark of the Vampire (1935)     264

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)     276

Werewolf of London (1935)     288

The Raven (1935)     296

Mad Love (1935)     308

The Black Room (1935)     314

Condemned to Live (1935)     322

The Crime of Doctor Crespi (1935)     328

The Invisible Ray (1936)     337

The Walking Dead (1936)     345

Dracula’s Daughter (1936)     352

Revolt of the Zombies (1936)     361

The Devil-Doll (1936)     368

The Man Who Changed His Mind (1936)     377

Son of Frankenstein (1939)     386

The Man They Could Not Hang (1939)     395

Torture Ship (1939)     402

Tower of London (1939)     409

The Dark Eyes of London (1939)     416

The Return of Dr. X (1939)     424

Appendix A: Borderline Horrors, “Lost” Films, and Foreign Exclusions     431

Appendix B: The Ten Best Films from The Golden Age of Horror     489

Bibliography     495

Index     501

“When Bryan Senn writes books on cinema, many monster movie fans know he grabs their attention right away and won’t let go”—Scary Monsters Magazine; “interesting…worthy of your attention”—John Kenneth Muir, Reflections on Film/TV; “excellent…essential”—Monsters From The Vault; “the most comprehensive history of 1930’s horror films published to date”—Video Watchdog; “a pleasure to read…an invaluable resource…recommended”—ARBA; “insightfully considers each film’s memorable moments, assets, and liabilities”—Choice; “a valuable and highly recommended addition to all film history and reference book collections”—Midwest Book Review; “informative”—Library Journal; “one of the most astounding books ever done on the horror film”—Cult Movies; “a treasure chest of information, contains well-supported analyses, and most importantly, is fun to read”—Midnight Marquee; “a gold medal”—Filmfax; “a valuable and highly recommended addition to all film history and reference book collections”—Midwest Book Review; “megadetailed examination”—VideoScope;“no fault[s]”—Classic Images; “the selection of photos is top notch, many I’ve never seen before. Films covered are all the favorites”—Little Shoppe of Horrors; “Senn writes with passion and precision…. [He] has a sharp eye for details of camera movement, music, and lighting and often analyzes scenes shot-by-shot.”—Neil Barron, Editor of Fantasy and Horror.