Way back in 2017, I reviewed the book A Vault of Horror by Keith Topping, (click HERE for my review) which was one that I truly enjoyed. Sure, I’d seen most of the titles covered in this film guide, but it was mainly because of the format and his writing. Lots of fun information and trivia in there, the kind that makes you want to bust out the movie you just read about to watch again. Then last year, Topping put out a follow-up guide, entitled Return to the Vault of Horror, continuing in the same format. I haven’t gotten to reading it yet, but hopefully soon.
But now, Topping switches over from British horror films from the ’50s to the ’70s to science fiction and fantasy movies, even widening the years covered. The new book is called Island of Terror: A Guide to 60 Great British SF and Fantasy Movies from 1936-1984. When you put The Green Slime on the cover, I definitely am going to add this to my library! Some of the titles covered include H.G. Wells’ Things to Come, Hammer’s Four-Sided Triangle and the Quatermass films, to The Trollenberg Terror aka The Crawling Eye, The Earth Dies Screaming, Island of Terror, Scream and Scream Again, Alien, Lifeforce and many more in between.
This 598-page book will be coming out this October and can be purchased through the publisher, Telos Publishing, through their website HERE. The price is £19.99, which is about $27 here in the states.
Even though this book was released October of 2018, this is the first time I’ve come across it, or at least that I’m remembering! Of course, being on Hammer Films, I know I’m going to need to add it to my library. But at only 96 pages, it does raise some concerns on the content. Sure, I’ll be ordering it anyway, if only to be able to review it here and let other Hammer fans out there know whether it is worth their $25!
A Vault of Horror: A Book of Great (and Not So Great) British Horror Movies from 1956-1974
kitleyskrypt.com 