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Back in 2007, I was fortunate enough to contribute towards Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films & Monster Movies, Volume 1.

This mammoth project was the brainchild of one Aaron Christensen (AKA Dr AC: Fool for Blood) and featured contributions from some 78 horror fans from around the globe, whose combined efforts created 320 pages of highly engrossing reading, in a bid to create an essential guide covering 110 Horror landmarks in 101 essays; focusing upon must see classics & underrated gems for all those with an interest in the wide expanse of the genre.

Since its release in late 2007, Horror 101 has received high-praise wherever it has been encountered, by fans & critics alike, fast becoming a bestseller for its publisher, the fantastic Midnight Marquee.

Now is your chance to own a copy of this mighty tome, by purchasing directly from Where Shadows Fall in the United Kingdom...

£13.50 including recorded delivery
(within the United Kingdom)

Please contact Matt Black at HERE for information on alternative forms of payment and shipping rates outside of the
United Kingdom.*

← Interview with Editor Aaron Christensen

*copies available in mainland Europe from
Cultreviews.com

…just the right gift for the budding horror fan in your life. The must-sees are sufficiently covered here, from the silents (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu, The Phantom of the Opera) and early Universal creature features (Frankenstein and friends) through ’50s American sci-fi (Them!) and Hitchcock to latter-day classics from the ’70s and early ’80s (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween and sundry slashers). The love and respect these folks have for the genre is beyond question. All this, and an intro by Tom Savini – what’s not to like? -- John W. Bowen, Rue Morgue

As the title implies, Horror 101 is something of a textbook written for horror students by horror students. Edited and complied by Dr. AC (Aaron Christensen), this collection of essays provides in-depth readings on some of the most important, influential and just plain great movies that have shaped the fright genre. To an aficionado, this journey outside the industry and into non-pro reactions can bring back fond memories; for the newbie, this is a meticulous introductory course to cinematic works all fear buffs should know. -- Rebekah McKendry, Fangoria

Bringing a refreshingly egalitarian approach to the subject, Horror 101 collects musings on our favorite chillers not by the expected assortment of critics and filmmakers, but the audience – the fans themselves. Young and old, male and female, located all over the globe. From Alien through The Wicker Man, each entry brings a breath of fresh air to the consideration of seminal movies many of us thought had been analyzed to death. As editor Aaron Christensen puts it, “Keep America strong! Watch more monster movies!”
-- Joe Dante, director, The Howling, Pirahna, Gremlins

Written by horror film fans of all ages, from all walks of life, from all over the world, Horror 101 immediately sets up a fun atmosphere that would be lacking had it been written by genre critics. Many set the stage, sharing the circumstances under which they first viewed the film, which is as important as the actual movie itself. While many long time fans will have seen about 90% of the titles included, it is still a recommended read, if only for the communal spirit it creates in the sharing of stories from one fan to another.
-- Robert Freese, author, Bijou of the Dead

I LOVE this book!! Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies is a must-have for ALL horror movie fans and film folk in general. Aaron Christensen has assembled an eclectic group to write about a specific fright film that affected them and, believe me, these aren’t your daddy’s essays! Filled with quotes, overviews of the plots, facts about the films (inspiration, trivia, initial reactions, etc.) as well as the writers’ own opinions, these are not the typical dry, dense scholarly writings that most readers cannot begin to make sense of. This is a FUN book, written by people who truly love the horror genre and want to share their favorite screen screams with everyone else. With over 100 films covered, there is something for everyone here – from 1920’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari to 1999’s The Sixth Sense with everything in between. Fascinating reading, this book should be on every horror fan’s required reading list.
-- Elaine Lamkin, bloody-disgusting.com

Horror 101 is a fine collection of criticism, something different. It is not a book of polished prose and penetrating, detailed analysis. Instead, it is a book of enthusiasm. It reminds us why we love horror movies and how we came to discover them—those moments when, usually as children, we were so beautifully terrified for the first time by something that we saw on a screen. That’s an experience that more jaded and experienced moviegoers need to rediscover from time to time, and this book does it admirably. The writers bring real passion to their reviews. I heartily disagree with several of them, and that, too, is exactly as it should be. Equally laudable is the decision to include “big monster” movies. Though they’re generally dismissed by the critical establishment, they can make deep life-long impressions on younger viewers. It’s good to see the giant bugs, dinosaurs and beasties getting their due.
-- Michael W. Mayo, author, VideoHound’s Horror Show

There is something here for everyone: German Expressionism (Cabinet of Dr. Caligari), Serial Killers (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer), Edgar Allan Poe tales (The Black Cat), Rape/Revenge (Last House on the Left) Amicus (Asylum), Mario Bava (Black Sunday, Blood on Black Lace), Cannibals (Cannibal Holocaust), Dario Argento (Deep Red, Suspiria), and Asian Horror (Onibaba, Ringu). The usual classics are included [and] kudos for inclusion of some lesser-known horror greats. Horror 101 works as a great primer for the uninitiated of horror and also works well for Creature Feature lovers wanting to check out Slasher classics.
-- Molly Celaschi, Horror Yearbook.com

When I first picked up Dr. AC’s Horror 101, I have to admit I was fretting the read, expecting a group of horror kids that think the world of horror and monster movies started with the birth of Freddy Krueger. What I got – from page one – was the exact opposite!!! These are not just fanboys that like their gore and monsters; rather they are passionate folks who give great insight to all things horror and the macabre. Horror 101 will impress true horror hounds and provide valuable info for newcomers to the genre. From The Birds to Hellraiser to The Fly and everything in-between, Horror 101 has a touch of everything for the li’l monster in all of us! -- Tiffany Shepis, Scream Queen

A brilliant collection… Passionate fans like these don’t come around too often. Do you remember [the] fun you had remembering the time you first watched your favorite horror film? These people do.
-- Tony DeFrancisco, Fatally-Yours.com

A great book and reference guide for essential genre classics…interesting and engaging, a very addicting read. The book is subtitled Volume 1, and I hope that there are others to follow.
-- Alex DiVincenzo, Horror-101.com

A masterpiece of fan literature and an indispensable review companion for some of the most treasured, and loathed, works of horror cinema.
-- Uncle Bill, DeadPit.com

A great read for both veterans and those new to the horror genre…Highly recommended!!
-- Aaron Crowell, HorrorHound Magazine

Horror 101 is the primer every sci-fi and horror student needs for a compelling and intellectual glimpse into the classroom of genre movies. Instructor Aaron Christensen assigns you a challenging read. After digesting this, you will never again get an “F” -- unless it stands for “Film-lover.” -- John Stanley, author, Creature Features and I Was a TV Horror Host

Where’s the new generation of horror fans coming from? Well, from these guys, and it seems we’re in good hands. They’re passionate and opinionated (and mostly right!), and they treat classic horror with the respect it deserves. -- Bruce Lanier Wright, author, Yesterday's Tomorrows and Nightwalkers

***1/2! For the fans by the fans…a virtual A-Z as far as must-see horror films go. An interesting look at [these] films by people who enjoy movies first and writing about them second. If you are looking for a book to give to that newbie horror fan always asking you what they should watch, or even if you want to have a nostalgic trip down memory lane with some great horror films, this book is perfect.
-- Ed Demko, Bloodtype Online.com

Rambunctiously heartfelt…78 terror lovers from 12 different countries passionately give witness to their favorite celluloid horrors. From the original 1932 The Mummy to The Blair Witch Project, every style of the genre is nicely explored here. Every horror fan can identify with each writer’s emotional connection to not only the profiled film, but to the horror genre itself. This is the book one can hand to a dubious relative or friend to explain the wide appeal and cultural validity of everything heartstopping and grue-strewn. It is, also, just plain fun! -- Brian Kirst, Horror Society.com

Hi folks. Savini here.

I have to admit, when Aaron first contacted me about writing a Foreword for Horror 101, it sounded like an easy task. After all, I've been involved in the art of making people scream and/or gag (preferably both) since the early 70s, and been a fan of the genre myself for even longer than that.

But when I sat down before the keyboard, I found myself at a bit of a loss as to what to say. After all, in my line of work, I prefer to show people my ideas and passions rather than just talk about them. So, I called up a few of my old friends to talk shop, noodle a few ideas, get the, ahem, juices flowing as it were. And in the course of our conversation, it occurred to me – not for the first time – just how much horror movies have meant to me and what an influence they've been on my life. In fact, horror movies are my life, my livelihood, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

My earliest genre memories date back to when I was a six-year-old lad being taken to the cinema on Saturday mornings. Starting around 9am, my older sister Rose and I would plunk down our quarters, grab our popcorn, then settle into the lumpy theater seats to watch 17 cartoons, a couple of serials, tons of previews and finally, a double feature of horror classics like Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolf Man or Abbott and Costello Meet…well, all of them. Around 4 or 5 in the afternoon, we would stumble from the darkened theater, our blinking eyes surprised by the fact that such a thing as sunlight still existed. (Today, just try to get someone to sit through a double feature. Sigh. Those were the days…)

Growing up, there was a part of me – a big part of me – that honestly believed the monsters I was encountering on a weekly basis really, truly existed. Then, one Saturday when I was 11 years old, I saw Jimmy Cagney playing the immortal Lon Chaney in the movie that changed my life forever: The Man of a Thousand Faces. I suddenly realized that for every monster, there was someone behind the scenes who created them and from that moment on, I knew that I wanted to be that someone. I hurried to the library, found books on makeup and began experimenting at home on family and friends. Nothing has been the same ever since.

Well, that's not entirely true. Even though I'm now one of the monster makers, I'm still hypnotized and enthralled by horror movies. To be blunt about it, horror films and monster movies have come to mean everything to me. Since childhood, they've transfixed me, motivated me, and even saved me from a complete emotional breakdown when I was a combat photographer in the Vietnam War. As I looked through the lens of my camera at horrible physical atrocities, I tried to just think of them as special effects, and wondered how I could later create what I was looking at. It would prove to be an invaluable lesson in anatomy, death and real horror.

Obviously, I prefer pretend horror, which leads me to the book you hold in your hands. The cinematic art of creating monsters and suspense and scares, followed by the relief of getting up from the theater, stepping back into the sunlight...then finding someone else to talk to about it. This is exactly what Dr. AC and his enthusiastic band of blood brothers (and sisters – horror chicks rule!) have brought to the table with Horror 101. Flipping through these pages has been a pleasant walk down memory lane – a lane that is cold and dark, mysterious and terrifying, good and gory.

Sounds like fun, right?

Hopefully, Horror 101 reminds you, as it did me, of the special thrill that horror films and monster movies can provide – the sense of wonder that hypnotizes and enthralls audiences of all ages. Whether you're a horror veteran or just learning how good getting good and scared can be, you're in for a real treat. And that's quite a trick.

Tom Savini
Pittsburgh, PA USA
June, 2007