Hidden Horror: A Celebration of 101 Underrated and Overlooked Fright Flicks
by Aaron Christensen
Release Date: December 24, 2013
Publisher: Kitley’s Krypt
Review by Matthew Scott Baker
There are so many reasons to read books like HIDDEN HORROR: A CELEBRATION OF 101 UNDERRATED AND OVERLOOKED FRIGHT FLICKS. Most of these tomes are informative, educational, and even entertaining. But one of my great joys is comparing the titles listed in these books to those that I have in my movie library. I always check to see if my tastes are comparable to other horror fanatics; thankfully, I think they are. This gem of a book from Aaron Christensen is chocked full of interesting flicks, some familiar and some not. And regardless of whether you’ve seen them or not, chances are you’ll find something that piques your curiosity.
If you are not familiar with HIDDEN HORROR, here is the book’s synopsis:
Dr. AC is back, with a brand new compendium of essays from the brightest and bloodiest aficionados around the globe. 101 informed enthusiasts pay homage to their favorite overlooked creature features, moldy oldies and trashy treats, showcasing silent classics (The Man Who Laughs, The Hands of Orlac) and trippy mind-benders (Possession, The Tenant), schlocky shockers (The Gore Gore Girls, The Horror of Party Beach) and foreign freakouts (Ichi the Killer, Santa Sangre). You’ll be combing your queue and video shelves to track down every last one! Discover the Horror…HIDDEN HORROR.
I was quite pleased to see that I had several of the titles listed in this book already; then, I did the math and realized I only had 20 out of the 100 that are listed. And after reading through this book, I decided I’m going to have to add way more to my measly count!
This book is one of the most exhaustive lists of obscure horror that I’ve ever run across. But what makes it even more excellent is that the movies are listed and discussed by a wide variety of people. That’s right…this is not a single person’s list, but a whole slew of different people. As a result, the titles are diverse, and many sub-genres of horror are represented.
One aspect that I particularly enjoy about HIDDEN HORROR is that it’s not afraid to mention titles that many horror fans think are taboo. For example, HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH. I have friends that detest this film for no other reason than it doesn’t have Michael Myers in it. Personally, I’ve always liked this film but definitely feel it should have been renamed. Still, I don’t think a film should be ostracized for its poor title. There are several examples of inclusion like this, and this strengthens the credibility of the book as a whole.
HIDDEN HORROR: A CELEBRATION OF 101 UNDERRATED AND OVERLOOKED FRIGHT FLICKS is a massive win for me, and I highly recommend you check it out if you’re a fan of horror. Regardless of whether you are a veteran to the genre or a newcomer, you will definitely want to score some (if not all) of the titles in this book. Give it a look for sure.
