Book Review: Shock Value
Believe everything you’ve heard about this book; Jason Zinoman’s Shock Value: How a Few Eccentric Outsiders Gave Us Nightmares, Conquered Hollywood, and Invented Modern Horror is an engrossing, well-written book that gives credit where credit is due and places some of the best horror films ever made in a historical and cultural context. Whew! That’s a lot of content for a 272-page book, and Zinoman fits it all in without once becoming dull or unimaginatively academic.
Zinoman’s focus is modern horror cinema, in this case defined by the films of the 60’s and 70’s. Filmmakers like Roman Polanski, George Romero, Wes Craven, William Friedkin, Peter Bogdanovich, John Carpenter, Alfred Hitchcock, William Castle, and Dan O’Bannon are included, quoted and in some cases interviewed. Through their stories and films Zinoman makes the case that modern horror can in part be defined by their ambiguity, illustrated by their expectation-confounding open endings. This style of writing is highly effective as it turns what could be the direct reporting of fact into storytelling, drawing the reader deeper into what the author is writing.
While I don’t agree with Zinoman 100%, I was always interested in what he has to say and I respect his opinions. For example, it’s my belief that modern horror films began with the Val Lewton-produced movies of the 1940’s that frequently moved their locales out of the traditional gothic settings to more modern venues, featuring characters that were identifiably contemporary. But as Glenn has noted in the comments section below, it’s necessary to set parameters when writing towards a thesis. Other examples: I’m pretty sure that the people-trapped-in-an-isolated-farmhouse climax of The Birds was the major influence on Night of the Living Dead’s setting, and the open ending of The Birds seems both a response to Psycho’s negatively received explanation scene, just as it anticipates the open-ended films that would follow. I am also much more a supporter of Hitchcock, Psycho, William Castle, Vincent Price and The Exorcist than Zinoman appears to be. But none of this is a criticism; it’s a reflection of how enthusiastic this book made me about its topic. I felt I was having a passionate debate with the writer, mirroring Zinoman’s take that the horror films of the 60’s and 70’s were “having a dialogue” with earlier horror films. It just so happens that the dialogue I was having with Zinoman had me re-evaluating and articulating my thoughts about my favourite genre during my favourite era of filmmaking!
Part of a recent wave of excellent books about horror films, Shock Value rightfully takes its place on the list of essential reference books about the genre. I can’t recommend this Penguin Press book highly enough. For slasher fans, Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Bay of Blood, Blood and Black Lace and The Last House on the Left are all represented here. Hopefully Zinoman will follow this up with more work in a similar vein… and soon; I’ve got more conversations to have with him.
|
||||||||
I couldn’t agree more. It is a fantastic book, especially for slasher fans. Nice review.
I’m glad this book lives up to its growing reputation. I’ll add Shock Value to my Christams list if I can’t find a copy before then. I want this book even more after reading your review.
Looks like a really good book with a similar theme to Kim Newman’s infuriatingly snooty Nightmare Movies.
Couldn’t agree with you more about Lawton and Hitchcock. All Hitchcock’s psycho films are morally ambiguous. Then again there’s always a tendency to force cut off points onto any historical thesis. In truth there probably isn’t really a starting point for modern horror because it evolved rather than arrived fully formed; There’s also a tendency to imagine that the past was somehow more innocent and less sophisticated than the present when really the codes of conduct were just different.
Good points, Glenn. You’re right about the evolution of modern horror, as well as the need to set cut off points in a thesis.
I just heard back from Jason Zinoman via Facebook and here are his comments: “Thanks for this thoughtful review, and i do like how you describe it as a dialogue, which is exactly how i would like it. Some really good points, particularly about Val Lewton who is a pioneer and a great director for sure. My sense from interviewing all these artists is that he didn’t have as big a direct influence as i expected going in, but your point is well taken, and worth exploring more. Clearly he had a huge impact on Scorsese — not sure if you saw the doc he made about him, but it’s real interesting.”
Sounds like a definite purchase for me! I have to say Jason’s FB comments kind of mirror my thoughts reading this article. Lewton’s films, in retrospect, can be seen as precursors to modern horror but they didn’t have that kind of impact when they were released.
The same way you can trace the slasher film way before even Psycho, it was Halloween and Friday the 13th that truly started the trend.
Can’t speak for the book but using the art from Mortuary (one of my favourites!) is a nice touch.