Contemporary British Horror Cinema

'The twenty-first century has seen the highly welcome rebirth of the British horror film, but it has long awaited a really substantial work which not only guides the reader through the truly remarkable number of horror films which have been produced since the turn of the millennium but also explains all the various factors - cultural, technological, industrial, economic - which have made this renaissance possible. Johnny Walker has now written that work, and anybody interested in the horror film, and indeed in British cinema, owes him a huge debt of gratitude.' Julian Petley, Brunel University London 'With this volume, Johnny Walker brings up to date both horror film criticism and writings on British national cinema. Contemporary British Horror Cinema seamlessly weaves together narratives of changing film finance and distribution, aesthetic tropes of twenty-first-century international horror cinema, fan culture and reception, and genre films' vital engagement with contemporary social reality. British horror cinema is experiencing a commercial and artistic renaissance, and now there is a critical study worthy of the films themselves.' Kevin Heffernan, Southern Methodist University 'What ties together the new Hammer films and Hoodie Horror? This wonderful book has the answers. Meticulously researched and bold in asserting connections between film practice and cultural sensitivities, Johnny Walker's comprehensive overview covers dozens of British horror movies since 2000, many of them worthy of (re-)discovery, that testify to the vibrancy of a volatile industry.' Ernest Mathijs, University of British Columbia Combining industrial research and primary interview material with detailed textual analysis, Contemporary British Horror Cinema looks beyond the dominant paradigms which have explained away British horror in the past, and sheds light on one of the most dynamic and distinctive - yet scarcely talked about - areas of contemporary British film production. Considering high-profile theatrical releases, including The Descent, Shaun of the Dead and The Woman in Black, as well as more obscure films such as The Devil's Chair, Resurrecting the Street Walker and Cherry Tree Lane, Contemporary British Horror Cinema provides a thorough examination of British horror film production in the twenty-first century. Johnny Walker is a Lecturer in Media at Northumbria University. Cover image: Cherry Tree Lane, 2010 (c) Steel Mill Pictures Cover design: Andy McColm [EUP logo] www.euppublishing.com