cover image Asian Horror

Asian Horror

Andy Richards, Kamera (IPG, dist.), $19.95 trade paper (160p) ISBN 978-1-84243-320-1

This survey of Asian horror movies is unlikely to work either for the casual filmgoer or the devoted fan. Orotund pronouncements ("Godzilla demonstrates that a giant monster movie is one of the most effective ways of dramatizing social, political and ecological crises") are coupled with sketchy summaries of dozens of movies from the last 50 years and uneven commentary. While Richards clearly has an exhaustive knowledge of his subject matter, his expertise shines through most clearly in an introductory chapter about the view of supernatural forces in Eastern culture that manages to convey a lot of useful information in just four pages. Readers unfamiliar with the films discussed are likely to find too little information about their plots to make an intelligent decision about whether they are worth their while, and his "verdicts" ("Splatter hounds have a host of creatively executed gougings, garrottings, impalements and decapitations to enjoy") aren't sophisticated or detailed enough. (Dec.)