They Made How Many?!
Published by Rotted Rainbow Press, 2023. 646 pages
By Jason Paul Collum
Not only am I a sucker for horror film reference books, but even more so when there is a particular theme to it. I picked this up from Mr. Collum at the Flashback Weekend in 2023 and finally had the chance to really dive into it. If you’re looking for something to give you ideas of what movies to watch, then this is it. But tread lightly, which I’ll explain a little later.
Collum has taken on the monumental task of trying to go through all the American horror franchises of the 20th century, or “mostly” as stated on the front cover. But this massive 600+ page volume covers more than enough to keep you reading through it, as well as building that “I-Need-To-See” list of films. I really enjoyed the format, stating whether the individual titles are direct sequels or in name only. Trust me, in a few of these series, that alone gets pretty sketchy! Plus, the fun facts are great. There is a lot of trivia information that is really interesting and a lot of things I never knew.
Plus, there are a ton of interviews from a ton of the scream queens that made a lot of these films famous, or at least one of the reasons they are worth watching! Names like Brinke Stevens, Ameila Kinkade, Lisa Wilcox, Felissa Rose, and even Cassandra Peterson! The interviews are both fun and informative, and now, years after appearing in these films, they have a different perspective on them, and even the fans.
It is amazing when you’re going through the titles, and not even really realizing just how many of these franchises have gone on and on. I mean, I knew there were a bunch of Witchcraft movies, but 16?!?! And let’s not even get started on the Amityville series! Of course, that is the curse of this book, which I alluded to in the opening part of my review. You start reading through some of these titles and think “well, that doesn’t sound too bad of a story”, or maybe “I ought to do something crazy like go through the whole series over a weekend”. As I stated, tread lightly, because there were more than a couple of these series that I’m thinking of doing just that. Because as Collum states in his intro, “even if it sucks, there’s a good chance I’m going to eventually watch it again, and eventually come to love it.” Some might say that just means you’ve given up any sort of view of what’s good or bad. Or it means that Collum has realized that no matter how bad a film might be, it still could be entertaining. That is something, as fans, we all should be able to learn.
Through the different titles covered, never once does Collum talk down on them, or say they are not worthy of your time. Because it does come down to the individual viewer, and like Collum, I was also a child of the ‘80s (okay…more like an older teenager), but trips to the video store was a step into another world. In my early days of being a horror fan, I would probably stick my nose up at some of these on-going series. But now, as a well-seasoned veteran of the genre, and am more willing to give them a chance.
Which is what you should do with this book. I guarantee, for better or for worse, that by paging through this volume, you’ll start to have those crazy thoughts like “I wonder how long it would take me to get through all the Howling movies?” Then you’re off and running.
You can order this book by clicking HERE.
