There’s a chill in the air, the trees are starting to go bare and there’s darkness in the evenings again… Halloween must be upon us once more! Get into the spooky spirit this year with these terrifying titles on horror and gothic film and TV, from the classic Hammer Horrors to the legendary Exorcist to Burton’s iconic Nightmare Before Christmas. For all you horror film fanatics out there, jump down this dark rabbit hole into a wealth of visual fears, dread and desire….

Vampire Cinema: The First One Hundred Years by Christopher Frayling
Reel Art Press | 9781909526884 | HB | £39.95 | 31st October 2023

This coffee table visual feast celebrates a century of classic vampire cinema — mainstream and niche — through the many colourful ways in which the key films have been marketed and consumed, to enter the bloodstream of contemporary world culture. This book is dripping with stills, posters, artworks, pressbooks — many of which haven’t seen the light of day for a very long time — and is introduced by cultural historian and connoisseur of the Gothic Christopher Frayling, who has been called ‘the Van Helsing de nos jours’.

Weirdsville USA by Paul A. Woods
Plexus | 9780859655552 | PB | £14.99 | 30th November 2023

David Lynch, maverick Hollywood director, has pursued his contrasting obsessions more than most moviemakers would dare. In a wildly varying career he has experienced cult adulation, mainstream success, virtual rejection by the film industry and a renaissance that has seen him established as the brand name of ‘Weird Americana’. Taking into account Lynch’s latest projects, including the upcoming Twin Peaks revival to be broadcast in 2017, this new edition of Paul A. Woods’ exhaustive text is a combined biography and filmography following the surprising course of a genuine obsessive.

Terrence Fisher: Master of Gothic Cinema by Tony Dalton
FAB Press | 9781913051099 | PB | £24.99 | 15th September 2021

From The Curse of Frankenstein to The Horror of Dracula, The Phantom of the Opera to The Mummy, and The Curse of the Werewolf to The Devil Rides Out, Terence Fisher was Hammer’s acclaimed Gothic specialist, and is celebrated across the globe for directing many of the greatest horror movies of all time. When Dalton directed The Curse of Frankenstein in 1957, he discovered his true forte in horror and with it — and a host of other classic films that followed — Fisher indelibly stamped his unique talents on the horror film genre that continues, in large part because of Terry’s Hammer classics that are so influential and popular today.

The Exorcist Legacy by Nat Segaloff
Citadel | 9780806541945 | HB | £16.99 | 25th July 2023

On December 26, 1973, The Exorcist was released. Within days it became legend. Moviegoers braved hours-long lines in winter weather to see it. Half a century later, the movie that both inspired and transcends the modern horror genre has lost none of its power to terrify and unsettle. The Exorcist Legacy reveals the complete story of this cultural phenomenon. Nat Segaloff, biographer of the film’s director, William Friedkin, draws on original interviews with cast, crew, and participants as well as revelations from personal papers to present an intriguing and surprising new view of the making of the movie, and its aftermath. The Exorcist succeeds, and then some, not just by creating on-screen scares, but by challenging viewers’ deepest personal belief — and fears.

Corman/Poe by Chris Alexander
Headpress | 9781915316073 | PB | £22.99 | 6th July 2023

Roger Corman’s adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe stories were popular in their time as escapist horror cinema. Today, the series is recognised as unique and sophisticated, one that delivers decadent Gothic chills while exploring ideas of faith, sexuality, psychology and the supernatural. Corman/Poe is the only book to fully examine this important chapter in horror film history. In-depth conversations with the maverick Roger Corman are book-ended by engaging critical analyses of each of the eight films, which together stand as a fully realised and consistent creative vision. The book is illustrated with dozens of photographs and stills, many of which have never been published before, and features a brand-new foreword from Corman.

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Visual Companion by David A. Bossert
Hyperion | 9781484799857 | HB | £47.99 | 26th September 2023

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas was crafted as a piece of art: a visual masterpiece that blended together the genius of Tim Burton’s simple story and endearing characters with Danny Elfman’s eclectic music; Henry Selick’s stop-motion brilliance; Caroline Thompson’s heartfelt script; and the painstaking efforts of hundreds of artists, animators, and technicians — all wrapped in a world that only Burton could conjure up. Paired with stunning and never-before-released art and photography, this book transports readers into a one-of-a-kind, retrospective journey detailing how Nightmare was thoughtfully crafted and all the ways in which the fan community worldwide has embraced the film ever since. This beautiful volume includes a 3D photograph by Tim Burton and a pair of 3D glasses!

The Book of Beasts by Andrew Screen
Headpress | 9781915316097 | PB | £22.99 | 5th October 2023

This book is the first in-depth study of the legendary Kneale creation: the 1976 Folk Horror anthology television series, Beasts. In researching and writing this book, author Andrew Screen was given rare access to Kneale’s original scripts and production paperwork and provides an exclusive account of Kneale’s trials and tribulations in developing the series. There are also interviews with members of cast and crew, a discussion of episode treatments that were prepared but never realised — and the reasons why Kneale abandoned these at an early stage. Moreover, each storyline is contextualised with real life developments and events, exploring the mythological and cultural inspirations that place the series within its immediate historical framework. Written with full permission from the Kneale estate, The Book of Beasts is a comprehensive overview of a cult television series and its enduring impact on viewers today.

Nightmare On One Sheet by Graham Humphreys
Korero Press | 9781912740239 | HB | £26.99 | 2nd October 2023

A chilling collection of hand-painted artwork by Graham Humphreys featuring almost 150 new paintings. As home entertainment became increasingly popular during the Covid years, Graham found himself busier than ever. From DVD and Blu-ray reissues to soundtrack LP covers; and from reimaginings of cult movie posters to book jackets and private commissions, Graham’s latest output is among his best yet, and much of it is presented here in all its gruesome, bloody, technicolour glory.

The Ghastly One by Jimmy McDonough
FAB Press | 9781913051150 | PB | £24.99 | 1st September 2022

Milligan, perhaps the most compelling lone wolf in cinema history, gets his due in this definitive work. A dressmaker, actor and puppeteer, Milligan cranked out titles like Bloodthirsty Butchers, The Body Beneath, and The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here! on threadbare budgets. Due to their many limitations, his movies made Milligan the laughing-stock of the film industry. McDonough changes all that by providing the necessary context and pathos, allowing these chaotic yet highly personal movies (and their creator) to be seen in a new and sympathetic light. It’s told with unflinching honesty by biographer and journalist Jimmy McDonough. McDonough’s magnum opus is packed full of rare images. Hilarious at times, deeply unsettling, and ultimately heartbreaking, The Ghastly One will haunt its readers long after the last page is turned.

The Making of George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead by Lee Karr
Plexus | 9780859655699 | PB | £18.99 | 28/10/2021

Released in 1985, Day of the Dead was the final film of George A. Romero’s classic zombie trilogy, which forever changed the face of horror filmmaking. Set in an apocalyptic world where the living-dead epidemic has wiped out most of humanity, the movie quickly acquired cult status, and — with one remake released in 2008 and another in 2014 — its influence on popular culture can still be felt today. Now, for the first time, the full history of the making of the iconic original film is revealed. Drawing on a wealth of exclusive interviews with the cast and crew, author Lee Karr leaves no stone unturned in detailing the movie’s preproduction, shoot, release, and legacy. Filled with behind-the-scenes gossip and previously unpublished stories from the set, as well as over 100 full-colour photos, this book gives Day of the Dead the resurrection it deserves.

Aesthetic Deviations by Vincent A. Albarano
Headpress | 9781915316233 | PB | £19.99 | 3rd August 2023

Long considered the dead-end of genre cinema, Shot-On-Video (SOV) horror finally gets its due as a serious filmmaking practice. Using classic fanzines, promotional materials, and especially the theories of several important film scholars, Vincent Albarano brings SOV horror into critical focus for the first time in print. Aesthetic Deviations delves deep into several of the most famous SOV horror titles to give credit for their unique and singular contributions to independent genre cinema. Informed equally by a fan’s passion and the studied approaches of scholarly analysis, Albarano offers the first-ever detailed examination of the SOV horror cycle, proving that this strain of amateur filmmaking is deserving of proper appraisal. Sure to enlighten and provoke thought among fans and converts to the unique charms of SOV cinema, as well as inspire newcomers, Albarano’s book proves an invaluable resource for a neglected area of cinematic inquiry.

Doctor Who: 60 Moments in Time, designed by Peri Godbold and edited by Marcus Hearn
Panini | 9781804911273 | PB | £19.99 | 26th October 2023

The makers of Doctor Who Magazine present their biggest-ever publication — a deluxe bookazine celebrating the 60th anniversary of the world’s longest-running science-fiction programme. This 224-page limited edition explores Doctor Who‘s impact on its fans, the viewing public and popular culture across 60 chapters of all-new material. Edited by Marcus Hearn and designed by Peri Godbold, who previously collaborated on the bestselling 50th anniversary book Doctor Who: The Vault, this is the essential souvenir of a television milestone.

The ultimate collection on horror movies, from the creepy to the kooky, mysterious to the spooky — the FrightFest Guides have got it all! You’ll meet vampire-fighting musclemen, rock ‘n’ roll bloodsuckers, mad medics, sinister surgeons, big bad fairytale wolves, lycanthropic nymphomaniacs and more! FrightFest and FAB Press join forces in this on-going series of wide appeal books for both the curious spectator and the cult connoisseur.