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swicksy's review
4.0
I'm a bit late to the Danny Peary party, but thankfully the release of a series of new e-books (so far Sci-Fi and Horror with Crime and Midnight movies coming over the next couple of months) have caught me up.
Peary breaks down the plot of each cult horror film, then follows it with a critical theory as to the themes and why these films have achieved cult status. What really caught my attention was the fact that Peary doesn't always subscribe to popular opinions. He's tougher on HALLOWEEN than most, and super critical of John Carpenter's later years especially THE THING which is now cited as one of his best works (granted when it was first released, many of the criticisms Peary has about the film were common). He also prefers the theatrical cut of BLADE RUNNER with the voice over (this is in the Sci-Fi book) which is usually reviled. He makes a great point in his chapter on the original WICKER MAN in that if it weren't for the knowledge of studio interference, would we still despise changes that are made against a filmmaker's wishes? Or are we just more aware of them because of their back-story?
In any case, Peary's book is an insightful, serious look at films that don't always get the best appreciation from critics and film historians.
Peary breaks down the plot of each cult horror film, then follows it with a critical theory as to the themes and why these films have achieved cult status. What really caught my attention was the fact that Peary doesn't always subscribe to popular opinions. He's tougher on HALLOWEEN than most, and super critical of John Carpenter's later years especially THE THING which is now cited as one of his best works (granted when it was first released, many of the criticisms Peary has about the film were common). He also prefers the theatrical cut of BLADE RUNNER with the voice over (this is in the Sci-Fi book) which is usually reviled. He makes a great point in his chapter on the original WICKER MAN in that if it weren't for the knowledge of studio interference, would we still despise changes that are made against a filmmaker's wishes? Or are we just more aware of them because of their back-story?
In any case, Peary's book is an insightful, serious look at films that don't always get the best appreciation from critics and film historians.
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