“Shock! Horror! Astounding Artwork from the Video Nasty Era” by Francis Brewster, Harvey Fenton, and Marc Morris is a captivating and essential book for anyone interested in horror films, particularly the infamous “video nasties” era in the UK. Here’s a detailed review:
A Visual Feast of Outrageousness
The book’s greatest strength lies in its stunning presentation. It’s a visual feast. It showcases a vast collection of lurid, eye-catching, and often shocking video cover art from the early 1980s. The images are reproduced in full color and at a large size. This allows readers to fully appreciate the detail and artistry of these designs, even in some delightfully trashy cases. The covers are a testament to the wild, unregulated nature of the video market at the time, where the goal was to grab attention at all costs.
More Than Just Pictures
While the visuals are the main draw, the book offers much more than just a collection of images. The authors provide insightful commentary and historical context. They delve into the “video nasties” phenomenon and the moral panic it sparked. Additionally, they discuss the subsequent crackdown by the authorities. They offer a comprehensive overview of the era, including details about the films themselves, the video companies that released them, and the controversies surrounding them.
Key Features and Strengths:
- Comprehensive Collection: The book features a wide range of video covers, including many of the most notorious “video nasties” and other lesser-known but equally outrageous titles.
- High-Quality Reproduction: The images are reproduced in high quality, allowing readers to fully appreciate the artwork’s detail (and, in some cases, its sheer absurdity).
- Historical Context: The authors provide valuable historical context, shedding light on the “video nasties” phenomenon and its impact on British film culture.
- Informative Commentary: The accompanying text is well-researched and informative, offering insights into the films, the video companies, and the controversies surrounding them.
- Detailed Information: The book includes a complete and unexpurgated “video nasty” timeline, charting which videos were seized and prosecuted.
“Shock! Horror! Astounding Artwork from the Video Nasty Era” is a must-have for fans of horror films. It is especially appealing to those with an interest in the “video nasties” era. It’s a visually stunning and informative book that captures a unique and often overlooked chapter in film history. It’s a celebration of the outrageous, the transgressive, and the sheer audacity of a time when video was a new and largely unregulated medium.
Don’t forget to read the other blogs in my BASEMENT BOOK SHELF series. If you want to add this book to your creepy library, click on the book cover below.