History of Horrors: The Rise and Fall of the House of Hammer Horror Book Review

Some call it horror. Others call it fantasy. Whatever they choose to call it, most critics, historians, and filmmakers agree that no single entity has had more influence over the genre than Hammer Film Productions, a small independent British film company. “A History of Horrors” traces the life and spirit of the “House of Hammer” from its fledging days of the late 1940s, through its successes of the 1950s and 60s, to its decline in the 1970s. Through the eyes of many of the studio’s key players, and through the works of film critics and historians, the book paints a vivid and fascinating picture of the rise and fall of a film empire, offering what author Denis Meikle refers to as “the truth behind that legend.”