Cult Cinema: An Arrow Video Companion
Edited by Anthony Nield
Arrow Films
April 12, 2016
Reviewed by Jess Landry
Since their conception in the early 90s, Arrow Video has become pretty much the do-all, end-all in the world of cult cinema. They focus on distribution; they remaster and re-release old favourites (and some not-so-favourites) in a bid to keep the video nasties of the 80s alive and well for generations to come. So what better authority to compile a cult cinema companion than them?
Cult Cinema: An Arrow Video Companion is one of the most comprehensive and informative looks at the classics out there. The book itself is broken up into five sections: Cult Movies, Cult Directors, Cult Actors, Cult Genres (and Sub-genres), and Cult Distribution, with each section is filled to the brim with in-depth essays on their respective subjects. Topics covered in “Cult Movies” include well-known films like Deep Red, The Fall of the House of Usher, The ‘Burbs, and Battle Royale, while the “Directors” part gives nods to heavy-hitters such as Cronenberg (master of body horror), George A. Romero (master of zombies), and Lloyd Kaufmann (master of…well, Troma). In the “Actors” section, the hardcover discusses actors who defined the genre such as Boris Karloff and Vincent Price; the “Genres” section tackles well-known genres like giallo, but also features write ups on more obscure ones like Canuxploitation (sweet!) and Food Horror; and the “Cult Distribution” section covers cult cinema from its humble beginnings all the way up to the Asian DVD explosion.
Cult Cinema is a necessity for any lover of cult film, and a truly comprehensive, in-depth look at the very best of cult cinema. If you’re a fan of the obscure, the bizarre, the classics or horror cinema and its origins (and its future), this is a must own.
