my favourite horror movie essay

Our Favorite Essays and Stories About Horror Films

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Make tonight's evil dead marathon more literary with our best writing about the genre.

It’s the spookiest day of the spookiest season, but you already had your party last weekend, and now you have to stay home and either hand out candy to grabby children or turn out all lights visible from the street and pretend you’re not home. What makes a night in both fun and seasonally appropriate? Horror movies, of course! So while you’re waiting for, or hiding from, trick-or-treaters tonight, put on a Nightmare on Elm Street marathon and make your way through some of the best stuff we’ve published about scary films.

“ There’s Nothing Scarier Than a Hungry Woman ” by Laura Maw

Maybe you haven’t noticed this, but horror movies contain a lot of scenes of women eating—and not only eating, but eating voraciously. Laura Maw has noticed, and she thinks she understands. This essay is both a sensitive cultural analysis of a horror movie trope and a beautiful personal narrative of coming to terms with both the threat and the banality of hunger.

As a woman, to say that you have found eating uncomfortable at times is not particularly groundbreaking. The anxiety has become mundane because it is so common for women, but isn’t that in itself noteworthy? Horror invites us to sit with this disgust, this anxiety, to acknowledge our appetite, to refuse to let us suppress it. There is something uncomfortable and enthralling about watching a woman devour what she likes with intent.

“ Horror Lives in the Body ” by Meg Pillow Davis

This Best American Essays notable is about the physical experience of horror—both horror films, and the familiar horrors we encounter in our normal lives, the ways we brush up against mortality and violation and fear. Why do we seek out this physical experience—”the pupil dilation, the quickening heart, the sweat forming on your upper lip and the surface of your palms, and the nearly overwhelming urge to cover your eyes or run from the room”?

If those other viewers are anything like me, they watch horror movies because they recognize the horror, because its familiarity is strange and terrifying and unavoidable. It is the lure of the uncanny filtering into the cracks and crevices of the cinematic landscape and drawing us in.

“ What ‘Halloween’ Taught Me About Queerness ” by Richard Scott Larson

Michael Myers wears a mask to hide his face while he kills—but is that the only mask he wears? Richard Scott Larson talks about watching Halloween obsessively as an adolescent, while he was starting to understand that his own desires were also considered monstrous.

The experience of adolescence as a closeted queer boy is one of constantly attempting to imitate the expression of a desire that you do not feel. Identification with a bogeyman, then, shouldn’t be so surprising when you imagine the bogeyman as unfit for society, his true nature having been rejected and deemed horrific.

“ If My Mother Was the Final Girl ” by Michelle Ross

The “final girl” is the one who’s left standing at the end of the film, the one who survives the carnage. But what do you call someone who’s still standing after childhood trauma? This short story is about horror films, but more than that, it’s about mother-daughter relationships—a deeper and more mundane form of horror than the kind in slasher flicks.

The one thing my mother and I share is a love for slasher films. When the first girl gets hacked up or sawed in half or stabbed in the breast, my mother says, “Now there’s real life for you.” And I glance at her sideways and think, you can say that again.

“ A Love Letter to the Girls Who Die First in Horror Films ” by Lindsay King-Miller

Unlike the “final girl,” the girl who dies first doesn’t have a catchy title. Lindsay King-Miller writes about the lost friend who taught her that we don’t all have it in us to be a final girl—and that we should celebrate the girl who dies first, because she’s not living in fear.

To survive a horror story you have to realize you’re in one. The girl who dies thinks she’s in a different kind of story, one that’s about her and what she wants: to dance, to party, to fuck, to feel good. She thinks she is the subject of this story, the one who watches, desires, sees, the one who acts upon the world. She does not feel the eyes on her, does not know she is being observed, that her fate is not to reshape the world but to be reshaped by it.

“ Nothing Has Prepared Me For The Reality of Womanhood Better Than ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2’ ” by Sarah Kurchak

Yes, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a cheesy horror-comedy hybrid in which women are menaced and their bodies are treated as set dressing. But so is adolescence. Sarah Kurchak writes about the many ways in which this movie taught her what to expect from the world.

Sure, this was, on many levels, a schlocky B-movie with so many of the expected hallmarks of the time — women in hot pants and peril, over-the-top gore. But it was a schlocky B-movie in which a woman faced men’s threats, both implicit and explicit, and was left breathing but almost unrecognizable at the end of it. That felt familiar.

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You’ve probably wondered about the inspiration behind your favorite scary movies and the background of some of those horrifying stories. Sometimes the origins of a horror movie are as simple as an author telling a scary story, and at other times films are based on more sinister, true events . You might also be interested in the making of certain horror movies or the impact they have on the audience or the cast. Maybe you're into film theory and want to study the gender dynamics, cultural and political significance, and philosophy of horror, like in Carol Clover's seminal book Men, Women, and Chainsaws . Luckily, there are plenty of resources that explore these exact topics and the development of horror movies in general.

You might be interested in why people are attracted to horror movies and the act of feeling fear. In which case, you might want to read Stephen King’s essay Why We Crave Horror Movies . Digging even deeper, you might notice horror films can help us examine fears around eating, sexuality, religion, and more. You might even wonder about the characters that often die first and why, which is explained by Lindsay King-Miller in her essay A Love Letter to the Girls Who Die First in Horror Movies . Whatever it may be, in addition to the aforementioned texts, here are the best essays and books about horror movies.

Monsters in the Movies: 100 Years of Cinematic Nightmares

Director John Landis ( American Werewolf in London, Twilight Zone: The Movie ) wrote a book on movie monsters covers some of cinema’s most terrifying creatures and their development. Landis explores the design of movie monsters and special effects, both in high and low-budget films. Monsters in the Movies includes interviews with the minds behind the monsters, their historical origins, and tricks behind bringing these ghouls to life.

Nothing Has Prepared Me for Womanhood Better than Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2

Sarah Kurchak’s essay examines a subject people might not consider in horror movies. The truth is that many scary films express beliefs about women and their experiences via horror and gore. Kurchak dissects how Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 features female stereotypes in hot pants but also explores women facing the threats of men and emerging from adolescence completely altered. Kurchak argues that this horror comedy can teach female viewers about what to expect from the world and adolescence.

Stephen King At the Movies: A Complete History of Film and Television Adaptations from the Master of Horror

The chilling stories of author Stephen King have made both startling reads and frightening films. King’s works have established more than 60 horror movies and 30 television series. This book covers the making of all of them, including behind-the-scenes material and King’s opinion on some adaptations. If you’re looking to dive deeper into some iconic films based on King’s stories , consider picking up Stephen King at the Movies .

There’s Nothing Scarier than a Hungry Woman

Remember how we said that horror movies can contain messages that don’t appear obvious on the surface? Laura Maw notices how in many horror movies there is always a scene of a ravenous woman eating, and her fascinating essay considers the meaning behind that.

Related: Best Performances in Horror Films of All Time, Ranked

Maw writes that “horror invites us to sit with this disgust, this anxiety, and to acknowledge our appetite and refuse to suppress it.” Maw presents a feminist analysis of hungry women in well-known horror movies in a way which both explores and challenges preconceptions about women.

Behind the Horror: True Stories that Inspired Horror Movies

Dr. Lee Miller’s research into the origin stories of movies like The Exorcist and A Nightmare on Elm Street are compiled in this handy book. Miller details the true accounts of disappearances, murders, and hauntings that inspired these hit movies.

Behind the Horror explains the history of the serial killers featured in Silence of the Lambs and takes a good look at the possessions that motivated the making of The Exorcist and The Conjuring 2 .

My Favorite Horror Movie: 48 Essays by Horror Creators on the Film that Shaped Them

Arguably one of the best books to read if you are curious about the makers behind famous horror movies. My Favorite Horror Movie features over 20 essays from filmmakers, actors, set designers, musicians, and more about the dark works that solidified their careers.

The films discussed include It , Halloween , The Shining , and others. It’s a good book for looking at horror movies from different angles and recognizing the many minds that contributed to these iconic works.

The Art of Horror: An Illustrated History

Yet another great book for establishing a rounded perspective of horror movies, this time in a much more visual way. The Art of Horror sorts through famous illustrations, movie posters, cover art, comics, paintings, photos, and filmmakers since the beginning of horror with Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelley’s infamous Frankenstein . Learn about these talented artists, their chilling work, and their impact on the direction of horror.

Wes Craven: Interviews

If you’re trying to hear from the best horror directors themselves, the Wes Craven interviews are a great place to start. Craven is responsible for films like Scream , The Hills Have Eyes , A Nightmare on Elm Street , and The Last House on the Left , and is often considered one of the greatest horror filmmakers of all time.

Related: The Best Scream Queens of All Time, Ranked

Craven established a particular style in his films that changed the way horror movies are made, and this book pulls information from the master himself. Wes Craven: Interviews includes almost 30 interviews with the director ranging from the 1980s until Craven passed away in 2015.

101 Horror Movies You Should See Before You Die

Ever wonder if you’re missing a great horror film from your spooky collection? This is the book for you. 101 Horror Movies You Should See Before You Die covers the absolute essentials of every kind of horror film, from gothic to slasher and international horror classics as well. Horror can take on so many different forms and this book is one of the best for finding horror films you might have missed.

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The lights go down. 90 minutes from now, your feeble mind will never be the same. Thoughts of flowers, puppy dogs, and serene shopping malls will be replaced with ghosts in your TV, zombies tearing your flesh, and chainsaws ripping through your chest! This singular horror movie experience, which caused you to forever hold disdain for preppies, wear black to family functions, and scare your siblings to death, is now embedded in your DNA! Long live horror!

Produced and edited by horror filmmaker Christian Ackerman, My Favorite Horror Movie is a ghoulish celebration of how the singular viewing of a horror film can inspire someone to find their identity and develop an obsession of dark arts. Featuring contributors with various professional horror backgrounds such as filmmakers, actors, writers, directors, painters, musicians, journalists and film festival directors, the essays in My Favorite Horror Movie celebrate classic films from the likes of George Romero, John Carpenter, Sam Raimi, Tobe Hooper, Dan O’Bannon, Wes Craven, Alfred Hitchcock, and many more!

Contributors: Alex Napiwocki, Arielle Brachfeld, B. Harrison Smith, Bill Shafer, Blake Reigle, C. Courtney Joyner, Calder Greenwood, Cerina Vincent, Chris Hampton, Christian Ackerman, Christopher Jimenez, Chuck Foster, Chuck Parello, Clint Carney, Dave Parker, Eric Spudic, Ernie Trinidad, Esther Goodstein, Felissa Rose, Frank Merle, Graham Skipper, Hank Braxton, Hunter Johnson, Jack Bennett, James Cullen Bressack, Jared Rivet, Jeffrey Reddick, Jonathan Martin, Josh McKevitt, Joshua Lou Friedman, Julia Hapney, Ken Jacobsen, Matt Mercer, Michael Gingold, Michael Klug, Miguel Rodriguez, Nick Phillips, Rolfe Kanefsky, Ryan Lambert, Sarah Nicklin, Sean Decker, Spooky Dan Walker, Staci Layne Wilson, Tammy Sutton, Terry Wolfinger, Todd Robey, Tony Timpone, Trista Robinson

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• Publisher Black Vortex Cinema
• Publication date 2018
• ISBN 10  1732270201
• ISBN 13  9781732270206
• Binding Paperback
• Number of pages 240

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Essays About Movies: 7 Examples and 5 Writing Prompts

Check out our guide with essays about movies for budding videographers and artistic students. Learn from our helpful list of examples and prompts.

Watching movies is a part of almost everyone’s life. They entertain us, teach us lessons, and even help us socialize by giving us topics to talk about with others. As long as movies have been produced, everyone has patronized them.  Essays about movies  are a great way to learn all about the meaning behind the picture.

Cinema is an art form in itself. The lighting, camera work, and acting in the most widely acclaimed movies are worthy of praise. Furthermore, a movie can be used to send a message, often discussing issues in contemporary society. Movies are entertaining, but more importantly, they are works of art. If you’re interested in this topic, check out our round-up of screenwriters on Instagram .

5 Helpful Essay Examples 

1. the positive effects of movies on human behaviour by ajay rathod, 2. horror movies by emanuel briggs, 3. casablanca – the greatest hollywood movie ever (author unknown).

• 4.  Dune Review: An Old Story Reshaped For The New 2021 Audience by Oren Cohen

5. Blockbuster movies create booms for tourism — and headaches for locals by Shubhangi Goel

• 6. Moonage Daydream: “Who Is He? What Is He?” by Jonathan Romney
• 7. La Bamba: American Dreaming, Chicano Style by Yolanda Machado

1. My Favorite Movie

2. movies genres, 3. special effects in movies, 4. what do you look for in a movie, 5. the evolution of movies.

“​​Films encourage us to take action. Our favourite characters, superheroes, teach us life lessons. They give us ideas and inspiration to do everything for the better instead of just sitting around, waiting for things to go their way. Films about famous personalities are the perfect way to affect social behaviour positively. Films are a source of knowledge. They can help learn what’s in the trend, find out more about ancient times, or fill out some knowledge gaps.”

In this movie essay, Rathod gives readers three ways watching movies can positively affect us. Movie writers, producers, and directors use their platform to teach viewers life skills, the importance of education, and the contrast between good and evil. Watching movies can also help us improve critical thinking, according to Briggs. Not only do movies entertain us, but they also have many educational benefits. You might also be interested in these  essays about consumerism .

“Many people involving children and adults can effect with their sleeping disturbance and anxiety. Myths, non-realistic, fairy tales could respond differently with being in the real world. Horror movies bring a lot of excitement and entertainment among you and your family. Horror movies can cause physical behavior changes in a person by watching the films. The results of watching horror movies shows that is has really effect people whether you’re an adult, teens, and most likely happens during your childhood.”

In his essay, Briggs acknowledges why people enjoy horror movies so much but warns of their adverse effects on viewers. Most commonly, they cause viewers nightmares, which may cause anxiety and sleep disorders. He focuses on the films’ effects on children, whose more sensitive, less developed brains may respond with worse symptoms, including major trauma. The films can affect all people negatively, but children are the most affected.

“This was the message of Casablanca in late 1942. It was the ideal opportunity for America to utilize its muscles and enter the battle. America was to end up the hesitant gatekeeper of the entire world. The characters of Casablanca, similar to the youthful Americans of the 1960s who stick headed the challenge development, are ‘genuine Americans’ lost in a hostile region, battling to open up another reality.”

In this essay, the author discusses the 1942 film  Casablanca , which is said to be the greatest movie ever made, and explains why it has gotten this reputation. To an extent, the film’s storyline, acting, and even relatability (it was set during World War II) allowed it to shine from its release until the present. It invokes feelings of bravery, passion, and nostalgia, which is why many love the movie. You can also check out these  books about adaption . 

4.   Dune Review: An Old Story Reshaped For The New 2021 Audience by Oren Cohen

“Lady Jessica is a powerful woman in the original book, yet her interactions with Paul diminish her as he thinks of her as slow of thought. Something we don’t like to see in 2021 — and for a good reason. Every book is a product of its time, and every great storyteller knows how to adapt an old story to a new audience. I believe Villeneuve received a lot of hate from diehard Dune fans for making these changes, but I fully support him.”

Like the previous essay, Cohen reviews a film, in this case, Denis Villeneuve’s  Dune , released in 2021. He praises the film, writing about its accurate portrayal of the epic’s vast, dramatic scale, music, and, interestingly, its ability to portray the characters in a way more palatable to contemporary audiences while staying somewhat faithful to the author’s original vision. Cohen enjoyed the movie thoroughly, saying that the movie did the book justice. 

“Those travelers added around 630 million New Zealand dollars ($437 million) to the country’s economy in 2019 alone, the tourism authority told CNBC. A survey by the tourism board, however, showed that almost one in five Kiwis are worried that the country attracts too many tourists. Overcrowding at tourist spots, lack of infrastructure, road congestion and environmental damage are creating tension between locals and visitors, according to a 2019 report by Tourism New Zealand.”

The locations where successful movies are filmed often become tourist destinations for fans of those movies. Goel writes about how “film tourism” affects the residents of popular filming locations. The environment is sometimes damaged, and the locals are caught off guard. Though this is not always the case, film tourism is detrimental to the residents and ecosystem of these locations. You can also check out these  essays about The Great Gatsby .

6. Moonage Daydream:  “Who Is He? What Is He?” by Jonathan Romney

“Right from the start, Brett Morgen’s  Moonage Daydream  (2022) catches us off guard. It begins with an epigraph musing on Friedrich Nietzsche’s proclamation that “God is dead,” then takes us into deep space and onto the surface of the moon. It then unleashes an image storm of rockets, robots, and star-gazers, and rapid-fire fragments of early silent cinema, 1920s science fiction, fifties cartoons, and sixties and seventies newsreel footage, before lingering on a close-up of glittery varnish on fingernails.” 

Moonage Daydream  is a feature film containing never-before-seen footage of David Bowie. In this essay, Romney delves into the process behind creating the movie and how the footage was captured. It also looks at the director’s approach to creating a structured and cohesive film, which took over two years to plan. This essay looks at how Bowie’s essence was captured and preserved in this movie while displaying the intricacies of his mind.

7. La Bamba:  American Dreaming, Chicano Style by Yolanda Machado

“A traumatic memory, awash in hazy neutral tones, arising as a nightmare. Santo & Johnny’s mournful “Sleep Walk” playing. A sudden death, foreshadowing the passing of a star far too young. The opening sequence of Luis Valdez’s  La Bamba  (1987) feels like it could be from another film—what follows is largely a celebration of life and music.”

La Bamba  is a well-known movie about a teenage Mexican migrant who became a rock ‘n’ roll star. His rise to fame is filled with difficult social dynamics, and the star tragically dies in a plane crash at a young age. In this essay, Machado looks at how the tragic death of the star is presented to the viewer, foreshadowing the passing of the young star before flashing back to the beginning of the star’s career. Machado analyses the storyline and directing style, commenting on the detailed depiction of the young star’s life. It’s an in-depth essay that covers everything from plot to writing style to direction.

5 Prompts for Essays About Movies

Simple and straightforward, write about your favorite movie. Explain its premise, characters, and plot, and elaborate on some of the driving messages and themes behind the film. You should also explain why you enjoy the movie so much: what impact does it have on you? Finally, answer this question in your own words for an engaging piece of writing.

From horror to romance, movies can fall into many categories. Choose one of the main genres in cinema and discuss the characteristics of movies under that category. Explain prevalent themes, symbols, and motifs, and give examples of movies belonging to your chosen genre. For example, horror movies often have underlying themes such as mental health issues, trauma, and relationships falling apart. 

Without a doubt, special effects in movies have improved drastically. Both practical and computer-generated effects produce outstanding, detailed effects to depict situations most would consider unfathomable, such as the vast space battles of the  Star Wars  movies. Write about the development of special effects over the years, citing evidence to support your writing. Be sure to detail key highlights in the history of special effects. 

Movies are always made to be appreciated by viewers, but whether or not they enjoy them varies, depending on their preferences. In your essay, write about what you look for in a “good” movie in terms of plot, characters, dialogue, or anything else. You need not go too in-depth but explain your answers adequately. In your opinion, you can use your favorite movie as an example by writing about the key characteristics that make it a great movie.

From the silent black-and-white movies of the early 1900s to the vivid, high-definition movies of today, times have changed concerning movies. Write about how the film industry has improved over time. If this topic seems too broad, feel free to focus on one aspect, such as cinematography, themes, or acting.

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the  best essay checkers .

If you’re looking for more ideas, check out our  essays about music topic guide !

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My Favorite Horror Movie: 48 Essays By Horror Creators On The Film That Shaped Them (Paperback, NEW)

The lights go down. 90 minutes from now, your feeble mind will never be the same. Thoughts of flowers, puppy dogs, and serene shopping malls will be replaced with ghosts in your TV, zombies tearing your flesh, and chainsaws ripping through your chest! This singular horror movie experience, which caused you to forever hold disdain for preppies, wear black to family functions, and scare your siblings to death, is now embedded in your DNA! Long live horror!

Produced and edited by horror filmmaker Christian Ackerman, My Favorite Horror Movie is a ghoulish celebration of how the singular viewing of a horror film can inspire someone to find their identity and develop an obsession of dark arts. Featuring contributors with various professional horror backgrounds such as filmmakers, actors, writers, directors, painters, musicians, journalists and film festival directors, the essays in My Favorite Horror Movie celebrate classic films from the likes of George Romero, John Carpenter, Sam Raimi, Tobe Hooper, Dan O’Bannon, Wes Craven, Alfred Hitchcock, and many more!

Films Essayed: Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, Alien, Aliens, An American Werewolf in London, Beaches, Brain Damage, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Creature From The Black Lagoon, Creepshow, Day of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Deadly Friend, Devil Doll, Drag Me To Hell, Evil Dead, The Exorcist, Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman, Friday The 13th: Part 2, Fright Night, Godzilla (1954), Halloween, It, Jaws, Night Of The Living Dead, A Nightmare On Elm Street, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Poltergeist, Predator, Psycho, Re-Animator, Return of the Living Dead, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers, Soylent Green, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Shining, The Sighting, The Thing, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

Contributors From the World of Horror: Alex Napiwocki, Arielle Brachfeld, B. Harrison Smith, Bill Shafer, Blake Reigle, C. Courtney Joyner, Calder Greenwood, Cerina Vincent, Chris Hampton, Christian Ackerman, Christopher Jimenez, Chuck Foster, Chuck Parello, Clint Carney, Dave Parker, Eric Spudic, Ernie Trinidad, Esther Goodstein, Felissa Rose, Frank Merle, Graham Skipper, Hank Braxton, Hunter Johnson, Jack Bennett, James Cullen Bressack, Jared Rivet, Jeffrey Reddick, Jonathan Martin, Josh McKevitt, Joshua Lou Friedman, Julia Hapney, Ken Jacobsen, Matt Mercer, Michael Gingold, Michael Klug, Miguel Rodriguez, Nick Phillips, Rolfe Kanefsky, Ryan Lambert, Sarah Nicklin, Sean Decker, Spooky Dan Walker, Staci Layne Wilson, Tammy Sutton, Terry Wolfinger, Todd Robey, Tony Timpone, & Trista Robinson

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Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Black Vortex Cinema (May 8, 2018)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1732270201
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1732270206
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.9 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.55 x 8.5 inches
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MZS.Press is the online arts bookstore founded by author, critic, and filmmaker Matt Zoller Seitz and directed by Judith Carter. It offers new, used, signed, collectible, and rare books on film, TV, music, photography, and the visual arts. The store was launched in 2019 on a different platform and has expanded to incorporate arts books published by MZSPress's private imprint: titles currently include Seitz's The Deadwood Bible: A Lie Agreed Upon and Dreams of Deadwood , about the HBO Western, and Walter Chaw's A Walter Hill Film . 

Our deepest wish is to promote, encourage, and distribute work by small presses, academic presses, and individuals. Extraordinary work tends to get swallowed up on giant platforms like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The store's inventory of nearly 1000 volumes is currently in the process of being reconstructed after its relocation from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Dallas, Texas. The titles featured here are personally selected by a group of curators and advisors, including Seitz, Carter, and an array of critics, artists, journalists, educators, publishers, and arts mavens who are known for their ability to suss out what Seitz's jazz musician dad liked to call "the good sh*t." 

"I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight." - The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Matt Zoller Seitz

Critic, Author, Filmmaker, MZS Press Creator

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large and film critic of RogerEbert.com; a staff writer for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism. His writing on film and TV has appeared in Sight and Sound, The New York Times, Salon.com, The New Republic and Rolling Stone. Seitz is the founder and original editor of the influential film blog The House Next Door, now a part of Slant Magazine.

Seitz has written, narrated, edited or produced over a hundred hours’ worth of video essays about cinema history and style for The Museum of the Moving Image, Salon.com and Vulture, among other outlets such as Texas Highways and AARP. His five-part 2009 video essay Wes Anderson: The Substance of Style was spun off into the hardcover book The Wes Anderson Collection . This book and its follow-up, The Wes Anderson Collection: Grand Budapest Hotel were New York Times bestsellers.

Other Seitz books include the New York Times bestellers  The Sopranos Sessions  and  Mad Men Carousel ;  TV (The Book) ,  The Deadwood Bible: A Lie Agreed Upon , and  The Wes Anderson Collection: The French Dispatch . He is also an interviewer, moderator, and film programmer who has curated and hosted film and TV presentations for the Museum of the Moving Image , IFC Center , San Francisco's Roxie Cinema , and other venues. He is currently launching a Dallas extension of his MZS Film Series at the historic Texas Theater .

Judith is quoted as saying "his hobbies include exotic dancing, moonwalking, and affixing masking tape labels to every food item in the refrigerator, including eggs. Oh and he has the attention span of a gnat."  MZS agreed to it all except the moonwalking. 

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My Favorite Horror Movie: 48 Essays By Horror Creators On The Film That Shaped Them [Print Replica] Kindle Edition

The lights go down. 90 minutes from now, your feeble mind will never be the same. Thoughts of flowers, puppy dogs, and serene shopping malls will be replaced with ghosts in your TV, zombies tearing your flesh, and chainsaws ripping through your chest! This singular horror movie experience, which caused you to forever hold disdain for preppies, wear black to family functions, and scare your siblings to death, is now embedded in your DNA! Long live horror!

Produced and edited by horror filmmaker Christian Ackerman, My Favorite Horror Movie is a ghoulish celebration of how the singular viewing of a horror film can inspire someone to find their identity and develop an obsession of dark arts. Featuring contributors with various professional horror backgrounds such as filmmakers, actors, writers, directors, painters, musicians, journalists and film festival directors, the essays in My Favorite Horror Movie celebrate classic films from the likes of George Romero, John Carpenter, Sam Raimi, Tobe Hooper, Dan O’Bannon, Wes Craven, Alfred Hitchcock, and many more!

And don't miss our new stand-alone sequels My Favorite Horror Movie 2: The New Blood & My Favorite Horror Movie 3: Scream Warriors for 100 essays by an all new batch of legends and luminaries!

• Print length 240 pages
• Language English
• Sticky notes Not Enabled
• Publication date May 31, 2018
• File size 30372 KB
• Page Flip Not Enabled
• Word Wise Not Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Not Enabled
• See all details

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About the author, product details.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07DGN1PNK
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Black Vortex Cinema (May 31, 2018)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 31, 2018
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 30372 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
• #61 in Video Guides & Reviews
• #71 in Movie & Video Guides & Reviews
• #297 in Movie & Video History & Criticism

About the authors

C. courtney joyner.

C. Courtney Joyner is a screenwriter and director with over 25 produced movies to his credit, including the cult films PRISON starring Viggo Mortensen and directed by Renny Harlin, Mark Lester's CLASS OF 1999, THE OFFSPRING starring Vincent Price, and entries in both the PUPPETMASTER and TRANCERS series for Full Moon/Paramount. A graduate of USC - and a teenage extra in George Romero's DAWN OF THE DEAD - Courtney's first movie was THE OFFSPRING starring the legendary Vincent Price. His work in television has included TV movies for CBS, (DISTANT COUSINS), the USA Network (BETRAYAL, GUILTY AS CHARGED), and Showtime (WHITE RUSH). For the SyFy Channel, he co-wrote all 13 episodes of the series, WILLIAM SHATNER'S FRIGHT NIGHT. His latest screenwriting work is COP WAR with Sheldon Lettich and a biography of the outlaw Belle Starr.

As a film journalist, his articles have appeared in TRUE WEST, WILDEST WESTERNS, ROUND-UP, FANGORIA, FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, and others. He is the author of the very well-recieved THE WESTERNERS: INTERVIEWS WITH ACTORS, DIRECTORS AND WRITERS, and has made major contributions to non-fiction books such as LON CHANEY, JR, THE CINEMA OF H.P. LOVECRAFT, THE BOOK OF LISTS: HORROR, IT CAME FROM THE VIDEO AISLE, TRASH CINEMA, MOVIES FROM THE END OF THE WORLD, HIGH CONCEPT MOVIE MASSACRE, DUKE: WE'RE GLAD WE KNEW YOU, and EMPIRE OF THE B's. He has also been an on-cmaera historian and commentator on more than 50 dvd and blu-ray releases of western, horror, and science-fiction movies and TV shows, including, BROKEN ARROW, THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, THE THING, DOC, STAGECOACH, MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, RUNAWAY TRAIN, THE MAD MAGICIAN, COUNT YORGA- VAMPIRE, RAWHIDE, THE CULPEPPER CATTLE CO, THE GRAND DUEL, COMPANEROS, HE WALKED BY NIGHT, T-MEN, GORGO, EDGE OF ETERNITY, REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, THE COMANCHEROS, THE BIG TRAIL, CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA, APACHE RIFLES, THE TWILIGHT ZONE, THE BIG GUNDOWN, THE LONER, ANNIE OAKLEY, MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000, and many, many more.

He has appeared in the feature-length docs, OUT OF PRINT and the upcoming RAOUL WALSH: THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOLLYWOOD'S LEGENDARY DIRECTOR. Joyner is also the Co-Executive Producer of the feature-length documentary CELLULOID WIZARDS IN THE VIDEO WASTELAND, about the rise and fall of "B" move company Empire Pictures, that will be released in 2018.

Joyner's novel-length western fiction includes creating the SHOTGUN series for Pinnacle books: SHOTGUN, SHOTGUN: THE BLEEDING GROUND, BUSHWHACKED: THE BLOODY SAGA OF JOHN "SHOTGUN" BISHOP, SHOTGUN: THESE VIOLENT TIMES, and the upcoming SHOTGUN: BULLET KISSED. He is also the author of the fantasy adventure NEMO RISING from Tor Books, which continues the story of Jules Verne's legendary characters, and was released on Dec. 25th, 2017.

Joyner's short fictions can be found in the anthologies LAW OF THE GUN, BEAT TO A PULP, FISTFUL OF LEGENDS, THE TRADITIONAL WEST, SIX GUNS AND SLAY BELLS, HELL COMES TO HOLLYWOOD, and others. His story "Two Bit Kill" from LAW OF THE GUN was nominated for a Peacemaker Award by the Western Fictioneers as Best Short Story of 2010, while "Christmas for Evangeline" from SIX GUNS AND SLAY BELLS was nominated for the same award in 2013. In 2014, SHOTGUN was nominated for a Peacemaker as Best First Novel. Among other awards, Joyner has received the President's Award from The Western Writers of America. He is a member of The Horror Writers Association and The International Thriller Writers. Courtney lives in Los Angeles.

Christian Ackerman

Los Angeles-based producer, writer, and director Christian Ackerman began his career as a production assistant at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Since then, he has gone on to produce 29 features including Collide, Deltopia, Portal, and Bethany, and the upcoming grindhouse film Night of the Bastard.

As a writer, he wrote Night of the Bastard (with partner Chuck Foster), Joe Bob's Haunted Drive-In (with Foster and Joe Bob Briggs), and Deadly Reunion.

Starting in 2018, he spearheaded the revered My Favorite Horror Movie trilogy of books, featuring 150 essays by horror legends and luminaries on the film that shaped their lives.

Besides writing, directing, and producing, Christian has worked on over 2000 hours of television, including over 200 episodes as an Art Director.

He served as curator and/or judge for Filmquest, SoCal Creative & Innovative Film Festival, Joe Bob's Haunted Drive-In Festival, and Comedy Ninja Film Fest.

His films have won over 35 awards and played around the world.

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Customers find the book fun to read whether they're by the beach or on the toilet. They also say it's great for horror movie lovers.

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Customers find the book fun to read, whether they're by the beach or on the toilet.

"This book has some fun essays of some good and some great films. Recommended for any generation of horror fans and freaks!" Read more

"This is a fun read whether you're by the beach or on the toilet...." Read more

"...It really is fun to talk movies and this book proves that!" Read more

"Entertaining and fun ...." Read more

Customers find the book great for horror movie lovers.

"... Recommended for any generation of horror fans and freaks!" Read more

"...An essential part of any horror collection ." Read more

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‘My First Horror Film’ Exclusive Clip: What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie?

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Shihan Van Clief’s feature film debut My First Horror Film is a found footage nightmare about a woman documenting her first time starring in a horror movie. Van Clief takes a meta approach here, with even the title reflecting his own experience as a filmmaker. And in our exclusive clip from the film, which is being released by Epic Pictures Group’s horror label Dread, it only gets more meta as the crew discuss their favorite horror villains.

Read the full synopsis below:

An aspiring influencer, still navigating her path to success, chronicles her pursuit of landing a role in her debut horror film. However, her dreams turn into a nightmare when a real-life killer starts targeting her fellow cast mates. As the crew finds themselves thrust into a deadly reality mirroring the script they were hired for, they must band together to outwit the murderer and survive the harrowing ordeal they once thought was mere fiction.

Watch our exclusive clip below!

Van Clief wrote, directed, and produced My First Horror Film . Georgina Navarro ( Fade ), Chauntice Green ( 9-1-1: Lone Star ), Justyn Franco ( The Nexus ), Stephan O’Shea, Joy Marie Thomas ( Ballers ), and Miles Crawford ( Euphoria ) star in the film.

My First Horror Film  will have a special LA screening on August 9, 2024, followed by a VOD release on August 13,   2024. 

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Follow the authors

My Favorite Horror Movie: 48 Essays By Horror Creators On The Film That Shaped Them [Print Replica] Kindle Edition

The lights go down. 90 minutes from now, your feeble mind will never be the same. Thoughts of flowers, puppy dogs, and serene shopping malls will be replaced with ghosts in your TV, zombies tearing your flesh, and chainsaws ripping through your chest! This singular horror movie experience, which caused you to forever hold disdain for preppies, wear black to family functions, and scare your siblings to death, is now embedded in your DNA! Long live horror!

Produced and edited by horror filmmaker Christian Ackerman, My Favorite Horror Movie is a ghoulish celebration of how the singular viewing of a horror film can inspire someone to find their identity and develop an obsession of dark arts. Featuring contributors with various professional horror backgrounds such as filmmakers, actors, writers, directors, painters, musicians, journalists and film festival directors, the essays in My Favorite Horror Movie celebrate classic films from the likes of George Romero, John Carpenter, Sam Raimi, Tobe Hooper, Dan O’Bannon, Wes Craven, Alfred Hitchcock, and many more!

And don't miss our new stand-alone sequels My Favorite Horror Movie 2: The New Blood & My Favorite Horror Movie 3: Scream Warriors for 100 essays by an all new batch of legends and luminaries!

• Print length 240 pages
• Language English
• Sticky notes Not Enabled
• Publication date 31 May 2018
• File size 30372 KB
• Page Flip Not Enabled
• Word Wise Not Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Not Enabled
• See all details

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Product description

"An altogether engrossing compendium detailing the impact of art upon artists, My Favorite Horror Movie is a terrifying must read!"

-Tom Holland - Writer-Director (Child's Play, Fright Night, Psycho 2)

About the Author

Product details.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07DGN1PNK
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Black Vortex Cinema (31 May 2018)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 30372 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
• 1,020 in Film Guides & Reviews
• 1,444 in Film & Video Art
• 3,169 in Film History & Criticism (Books)

About the authors

Christian ackerman.

Los Angeles-based producer, writer, and director Christian Ackerman began his career as a production assistant at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Since then, he has gone on to produce 29 features including Collide, Deltopia, Portal, and Bethany, and the upcoming grindhouse film Night of the Bastard.

As a writer, he wrote Night of the Bastard (with partner Chuck Foster), Joe Bob's Haunted Drive-In (with Foster and Joe Bob Briggs), and Deadly Reunion.

Starting in 2018, he spearheaded the revered My Favorite Horror Movie trilogy of books, featuring 150 essays by horror legends and luminaries on the film that shaped their lives.

Besides writing, directing, and producing, Christian has worked on over 2000 hours of television, including over 200 episodes as an Art Director.

He served as curator and/or judge for Filmquest, SoCal Creative & Innovative Film Festival, Joe Bob's Haunted Drive-In Festival, and Comedy Ninja Film Fest.

His films have won over 35 awards and played around the world.

C. Courtney Joyner

C. Courtney Joyner is a screenwriter and director with over 25 produced movies to his credit, including the cult films PRISON starring Viggo Mortensen and directed by Renny Harlin, Mark Lester's CLASS OF 1999, THE OFFSPRING starring Vincent Price, and entries in both the PUPPETMASTER and TRANCERS series for Full Moon/Paramount. A graduate of USC - and a teenage extra in George Romero's DAWN OF THE DEAD - Courtney's first movie was THE OFFSPRING starring the legendary Vincent Price. His work in television has included TV movies for CBS, (DISTANT COUSINS), the USA Network (BETRAYAL, GUILTY AS CHARGED), and Showtime (WHITE RUSH). For the SyFy Channel, he co-wrote all 13 episodes of the series, WILLIAM SHATNER'S FRIGHT NIGHT. His latest screenwriting work is COP WAR with Sheldon Lettich and a biography of the outlaw Belle Starr.

As a film journalist, his articles have appeared in TRUE WEST, WILDEST WESTERNS, ROUND-UP, FANGORIA, FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, and others. He is the author of the very well-recieved THE WESTERNERS: INTERVIEWS WITH ACTORS, DIRECTORS AND WRITERS, and has made major contributions to non-fiction books such as LON CHANEY, JR, THE CINEMA OF H.P. LOVECRAFT, THE BOOK OF LISTS: HORROR, IT CAME FROM THE VIDEO AISLE, TRASH CINEMA, MOVIES FROM THE END OF THE WORLD, HIGH CONCEPT MOVIE MASSACRE, DUKE: WE'RE GLAD WE KNEW YOU, and EMPIRE OF THE B's. He has also been an on-cmaera historian and commentator on more than 50 dvd and blu-ray releases of western, horror, and science-fiction movies and TV shows, including, BROKEN ARROW, THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, THE THING, DOC, STAGECOACH, MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, RUNAWAY TRAIN, THE MAD MAGICIAN, COUNT YORGA- VAMPIRE, RAWHIDE, THE CULPEPPER CATTLE CO, THE GRAND DUEL, COMPANEROS, HE WALKED BY NIGHT, T-MEN, GORGO, EDGE OF ETERNITY, REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, THE COMANCHEROS, THE BIG TRAIL, CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA, APACHE RIFLES, THE TWILIGHT ZONE, THE BIG GUNDOWN, THE LONER, ANNIE OAKLEY, MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000, and many, many more.

He has appeared in the feature-length docs, OUT OF PRINT and the upcoming RAOUL WALSH: THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOLLYWOOD'S LEGENDARY DIRECTOR. Joyner is also the Co-Executive Producer of the feature-length documentary CELLULOID WIZARDS IN THE VIDEO WASTELAND, about the rise and fall of "B" move company Empire Pictures, that will be released in 2018.

Joyner's novel-length western fiction includes creating the SHOTGUN series for Pinnacle books: SHOTGUN, SHOTGUN: THE BLEEDING GROUND, BUSHWHACKED: THE BLOODY SAGA OF JOHN "SHOTGUN" BISHOP, SHOTGUN: THESE VIOLENT TIMES, and the upcoming SHOTGUN: BULLET KISSED. He is also the author of the fantasy adventure NEMO RISING from Tor Books, which continues the story of Jules Verne's legendary characters, and was released on Dec. 25th, 2017.

Joyner's short fictions can be found in the anthologies LAW OF THE GUN, BEAT TO A PULP, FISTFUL OF LEGENDS, THE TRADITIONAL WEST, SIX GUNS AND SLAY BELLS, HELL COMES TO HOLLYWOOD, and others. His story "Two Bit Kill" from LAW OF THE GUN was nominated for a Peacemaker Award by the Western Fictioneers as Best Short Story of 2010, while "Christmas for Evangeline" from SIX GUNS AND SLAY BELLS was nominated for the same award in 2013. In 2014, SHOTGUN was nominated for a Peacemaker as Best First Novel. Among other awards, Joyner has received the President's Award from The Western Writers of America. He is a member of The Horror Writers Association and The International Thriller Writers. Courtney lives in Los Angeles.

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Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

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