The roots of horror movies reach back to the late 1800s, so even the most ardent of horror buffs can still learn a thing or two from Horror Unmasked, the new book from Brad Weismann. Featuring 24 chapters, the 232-page tome is a great history of horror that spans both time and the globe as it devotes several chapters to international horror, showcasing just how widespread the genre is and how it has influenced culture the world over.
As someone who hasn’t watched a ton of silent films, I was hooked right from the beginning by how Horror Unmasked details the genre’s early beginnings. From The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari to The Unknown, it winds up detailing the early pioneers that really helped horror become the genre that we know and love. Tod Browning and Lon Chaney get particular focus for their contributions, and it winds up being both an educational and entertaining read.
But what is really great about the early chapters, and is continued throughout the entirety of Horror Unmasked, is that the book knows it is about films first and foremost. It is constantly recommending movies to watch through sidebars and the text itself. A top 10 list of the best 1920s horror films gave me plenty to check out and further the history lesson outside of the book, as did a list of Chaney’s best performances. You really wind up getting a full history of horror as you continue through Horror Unmasked, which is its strongest quality.
Equally as enlightening as the focus on the early days of horror is the look at the international horror scenes. While entire books could be written about each region’s horror contribution, Horror Unmasked does a great job of introducing international horror icons to a general audience, like Mexico’s Chano Ureta and Japan’s Nobuhiko Obayashi. The book serves as a great launching pad for delving into different periods and subgenres of horror, as it gives you enough information to become interested and all the recommendations necessary to delve further in.
Covering over a century of horror films in 232 pages is a difficult task. It would be very simple for such a book to miss the mark by spending too much time on the horror icons that are most familiar and common knowledge. However, Horror Unmasked does a strong job of providing the full picture and giving a great overall look at horror history. While it doesn’t have time to get too into the weeds, you’ll get a great overview of everything from the rise of zombies to plenty of overlooked horror films like Bubba Ho-Tep.
Horror Unmasked Review: The Final Verdict
Horror Unmasked is an easy recommendation for anyone looking to flesh out their knowledge of horror movies. Broken into distinct chapters, it becomes a digestible read that allows readers to find plenty of great recommendations and learn why these horror films are important to the legacy of the genre. Context is king, and Horror Unmasked lives up to its billing of providing a history of terror from Nosferatu to Nope.
Disclosure: ComingSoon was sent a copy by the publisher for our Horror Unmasked review.
