Sort of keeping in the same vein of last Friday’s topic, pre-internet, the one thing that a lot of us film fans used to learn more about and seek out different titles was usually a particular volume or two that we considered our bible… a film reference guide. These were the books that we’d consult as soon as we heard of a certain title to try and learn more about it. Or one that we would page through, reading the little synopsis of the different titles and adding them to our Need-To-See list.
I’ve heard tales over the years of some fans actually taking their book to the video store, paging through it as they wandered the aisles. Other tales of making check marks or highlighting in the book the ones they’ve seen, some even making little marks or notes by them. While I personally don’t condone or recommend writing in any of these types of books, I have a lot of respect for someone that was transforming his volume from the guide he bought adding his own personal remarks and thoughts. Going back to that decades later would also be like a journey down memory lane. That being said, I would still recommend doing that… but just by a little spiral notebook or keeping a log on your computer. Just an idea!
Okay… back on topic! What was the book that was essential in your early days of your horror education, the one that helped and guided you on your journey? And if you can remember and want to, lets here more than just the title. Where did you find it? Has it fallen apart over the years from overuse? Do you still have it? The more stories the better.
kitleyskrypt.com 
When I was a young lad (whipper-snapper?) in the 70’s my older brother had a book simply titled “Horror Movies” (I think) by what I seem to remember being Octopus press. It had a close-up picture of Dr. Tree (in skull form) from Dr. Tree’s House of Horror. Due to the time it was written it focused a lot on the classic monsters and their updated Hammer Horror movies, although a lot of Amicus works made their way in as well.
At any rate, I loved looking through this book and as I got older I started trying to find as many of the movies as I could remember. By the time video stores came around and we had a VCR, my brother had married and moved out and besides that I don’t remember seeing most of these movies in the video store.
Eventually, (long after the days of the video store) I bought a copy of Creature features by John Stanley. Nowadays I look for books with less common movies listed and longer synopsis. My 2 favorite are Hidden Horror by your good friend Dr. AC & The Fright File: 150 Films to See Before Halloween by Dustin Putnam. Both of these have turned me on to some really great movies I would have never found otherwise.
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I know that book and have a copy in my own library. It was actually called Movie Treasury Horror Movies, and was one of the older books to come out in the early 70s, along side Denis Gifford’s Pictorial of Horror Movies. So I know exactly the photos you’re talking about!
Glad you enjoyed Hidden Horror. That was fun to be part of. And I also have the Fright Files, but I haven’t gotten to it yet.
And honestly, your last comment… that is why I love these books because that is exactly what they should be doing…helping fans seek out other titles!
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Alan Frank’s books on horror were a big part of my childhood…
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As I mentioned above, Frank’s books were essential of fans of that time. We would memorize those photos (not necessarily the name of the films, but we knew the photo!) and hoping to see the movies one day. Good times.
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hi Jon! just read the post of your new book. i’d like to get a copy, but could you sign it, too? i wasn’t sure if you’d be able to do that, Thx!!  Toni 24.07.2020, 07:09, “WordPress.com” <comment-reply@wordpress.com>:Jon Kitley posted: ” Sort of keeping in the same vein of last Friday’s topic, pre-internet, the one thing that a lot of us film fans used to learn more about and seek out different titles was usually a particular volume or two that we considered our bible… a film reference”
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Yes, I would be honored to sign a copy of my book for you. Just click on the link to the right, on the cover of my book. That will give you all the information. Or you can email me directly… jon@kitleyskrypt.com.
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OK, this is a topic I can really sink my teeth (fangs) into! I have been collecting horror film reference books for many years now in my journey to discover the horror. I still have the first two I purchased in back in 1974: A Pictorial History of Horror Movies (Denis Gifford) & Horror and Fantasy in the Movies (Tom Hutchinson) at the bargain table at Waldenbooks at the mall. Both books were sale priced at $4.98 each (sticker still attached) and as a young, ten year old boy, I thumbed through the pages, drooling over the wonderful pictures (including a few nude photos – whoo hoo) and knew I needed to own these books and track down these films listed within. I have kept both books in good condition over the years and have eventually collected/watched nearly all the films listed within.
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I love hearing these kind of stories, Todd, where we can actually remember when and where we got these books. It really shows how important they were to our youth. I know for Gifford’s book, any time I have one of those on display at a convention, I will get 2 or 3 people come up with a smile on their face, saying how much they remember having that book. Even sold one to director Neil Marshall one time, when he said that was the book that got him started on horror movies!
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When I was a kid and a teen it was much more about magazines and word of mouth for me rather than books. My dad had a favorite hobby shop that we would frequent so I would bee line to the magazine section and page through the latest Fangoria and Gorezone mags. This was still during the time before I was allowed to see more “hardcore” horror stuff so I would marvel at the covers and gory stills taking mental notes of movies that I’d eventually like to see when I was “old enough!” Lol! As I got older and started watching everything that I could, I still relied pretty heavily on mags as a main source of info.
Once I met Dave Kosanke in the mid 90’s, he was the one who was instrumental in starting me down the path of books. Of course, Jon, you’ve had a hand in turning me on to some great books over the years as well!
As for my favorite, it’s probably Book of the Dead: The Complete History of Zombie Cinema. Still have it and love it very much!
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I like knowing I had a small part in your horror education!
And I still think that Russell’s Book of the Dead is one of the best books on the history of zombie films. Starting out even before White Zombie, showing where the ideas came from. Great read and a must for any zombie fan.
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Well when I was a teen it was Balun’s Gore Score. His reviews we’re short and to the point. I found that book and Horror Holocaust at my local comic shop the same day. When I was around 19-20 I found a copy of pStanley’s Creature Features, that was my go to book movie forward. I ended up picking up a few version of it over the years. And the first one of those books was also picked up at the same comic shop. They carried a lot of odd things and not just your basic Marvel
And DC comics. One last note, Video Screams was my first reference book. It served its purpose until I found better ones.
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While I wasn’t a big fan of Balun’s opinions, I do appreciate that he was waving the flag for a lot of movies most wouldn’t even bothered with. I also had Stanley’s Creature Feature guide, but found too many mistakes in there to the point it got a little irritating! And I love in the beginning of Video Screams where it has images of different VCR’s at the time!
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