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posies23's review
5.0
A great overview of the horror genre from 1950-1980. Well written and interesting, if in great need of updating. Lots of interesting personal stories from King, and some insightful commentary about several "classic" horror films, tv shows, and books. (And some "not-so-classics," too.)
I really liked it, but wish King would write a followup.
I really liked it, but wish King would write a followup.
lornbr's review against another edition
2.0
O livro é bem legal, mas não é pra mim.
Ele analisa tudo que existe de conto de horror/terror em todas as midias possiveis, radio - tv - cinema.
As coisas legais são o toque de autobiografia do própio Stephen King, o que me levou a ler esse livro foi esse quote:
"Disciplina e trabalho constante são as pedras de amolar sobre as quais as facas cega do talento é trabalhada até ficar afiada o suficiente"
Esse quote nada mais é que o Stephen King falando que talento é super-valorizado.
Se você é fã de filmes de horror que foram lançados entre 50 e 80 vai gostar desse livro, se você está pensando em escrever um historia de terror/horror também é interessante.
Ele analisa tudo que existe de conto de horror/terror em todas as midias possiveis, radio - tv - cinema.
As coisas legais são o toque de autobiografia do própio Stephen King, o que me levou a ler esse livro foi esse quote:
"Disciplina e trabalho constante são as pedras de amolar sobre as quais as facas cega do talento é trabalhada até ficar afiada o suficiente"
Esse quote nada mais é que o Stephen King falando que talento é super-valorizado.
Se você é fã de filmes de horror que foram lançados entre 50 e 80 vai gostar desse livro, se você está pensando em escrever um historia de terror/horror também é interessante.
hectaizani's review
4.0
Originally published in 1981. A little bit dated, but a good overview of horror movies and literature from the 50s-70s. I found a few things I'd overlooked before.
beillumined's review against another edition
3.0
I don't generally do well with non-fiction, but I decided to give this a go anyway because Stephen King always gets a pass. And obviously, it took me forever to trudge through.
Stephen, don't take it as an insult that you only got 3 stars, you're still my favorite.
"Danse Macabre" is really about the genre of Horror itself. And not just about writing horror, but also television and film. Obviously this subject interests me, if you know me. However, King's novel was published in 1981, the year I was born. So many of the works discussed in the book are ... well, irrelevant to our time period. Of course some were familiar, especially classic novels and movies. I found myself wondering what King would have to say about today's horror culture and how it has evolved in the past 33 years, especially in television and film (hey, Steve, how about a Danse Macabre sequel?)
So with that in mind, I did find myself feeling a little out of place. Or, out of time, really. A generational gap truly existed between myself and some of the topics. Which, I didn't hold against him. In fact, I'm pretty thrilled about the big list of movies I now plan to add to my Netflix queue.
But, some spots lagged, some spots bored, some spots... I don't even remember reading. I perked up here and there, maybe things I especially agreed with? Pages and quotes I purposely marked? But I had to force myself to sit down today and finish the ending.
But I will leave you with a couple quotes that really stuck out for me...
"And whenever I run into someone who expresses a feeling along the lines of, "I don't read fantasy or go to any of those movies; none of it's real," I feel a kind of sympathy. They simply can't lift the weight of fantasy. The muscles of the imagination have grown too weak."
"Omega, the horror film sings in those children's voices. Here is the end. Yet the ultimate subtext that underlies all good horror films is, But not yet. Not this time. Because in the final sense, the horror movie is the celebration of those who feel they can examine death because it does not yet live in their own hearts."
Stephen, don't take it as an insult that you only got 3 stars, you're still my favorite.
"Danse Macabre" is really about the genre of Horror itself. And not just about writing horror, but also television and film. Obviously this subject interests me, if you know me. However, King's novel was published in 1981, the year I was born. So many of the works discussed in the book are ... well, irrelevant to our time period. Of course some were familiar, especially classic novels and movies. I found myself wondering what King would have to say about today's horror culture and how it has evolved in the past 33 years, especially in television and film (hey, Steve, how about a Danse Macabre sequel?)
So with that in mind, I did find myself feeling a little out of place. Or, out of time, really. A generational gap truly existed between myself and some of the topics. Which, I didn't hold against him. In fact, I'm pretty thrilled about the big list of movies I now plan to add to my Netflix queue.
But, some spots lagged, some spots bored, some spots... I don't even remember reading. I perked up here and there, maybe things I especially agreed with? Pages and quotes I purposely marked? But I had to force myself to sit down today and finish the ending.
But I will leave you with a couple quotes that really stuck out for me...
"And whenever I run into someone who expresses a feeling along the lines of, "I don't read fantasy or go to any of those movies; none of it's real," I feel a kind of sympathy. They simply can't lift the weight of fantasy. The muscles of the imagination have grown too weak."
"Omega, the horror film sings in those children's voices. Here is the end. Yet the ultimate subtext that underlies all good horror films is, But not yet. Not this time. Because in the final sense, the horror movie is the celebration of those who feel they can examine death because it does not yet live in their own hearts."
melsbookshelves03's review against another edition
4.0
A snapshot of horror in history. I simply cannot give this book five stars because, for most of it, I was bored to tears, and that is coming from a massive horror fan. I loved King's exploration of certain movies, television, and books but some of this book was just dragging on and on and I needed it to move on to the next point. I like the period of time this book discusses as it is before I was born and so it was very interesting to read about what King believed to be the popular stories at the time (some still popular and others I'd never heard of). I did have to keep reminding myself of the book's publication date and that modern horror would not be discussed. There is an essay written by King in the 2000s about more modern horror and I felt myself very much grasped by that passage. I will say I think my favorite moments of this book are the personal stories that are few and far between but are still within the book. I liked learning about the horror of those times, but the book was slow and this type of nonfiction is not usually what I gravitate towards.
alexisrt's review against another edition
Stephen King's Danse Macabre by Stephen King (1987)