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Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You're Too Scared to Watch
A smart, funny crash course in the horror movie canon, from Psycho to Hereditary, for people who love getting the reference but hate being scared.
You don't have to miss out just because you don't like to be frightened! Stop trying to read nonsensical Wikipedia plot summaries (we know you’re doing it), and let an expert tell you everything you need to know about the most influential horror films of the past 60 years—without a single jump scare or a drop of gore.
With a rundown of the history and significance of horror cinema, explanations of common tropes, and detailed entries on 25 important movies ranging from Night of the Living Dead to The Blair Witch Project to Get Out, Horror for Weenies will turn even the scarediest of cats into a confident connoisseur.
Each entry includes:
- A detailed plot summary, with enough jokes that it won’t freak you out
- Smart, illuminating analysis of the film’s themes and cultural significance
- Descriptions of iconic scenes you definitely do not want to look at
- Talking points for impressing even the biggest scary-movie buffs
Never get left out of a conversation again!
You don't have to miss out just because you don't like to be frightened! Stop trying to read nonsensical Wikipedia plot summaries (we know you’re doing it), and let an expert tell you everything you need to know about the most influential horror films of the past 60 years—without a single jump scare or a drop of gore.
With a rundown of the history and significance of horror cinema, explanations of common tropes, and detailed entries on 25 important movies ranging from Night of the Living Dead to The Blair Witch Project to Get Out, Horror for Weenies will turn even the scarediest of cats into a confident connoisseur.
Each entry includes:
- A detailed plot summary, with enough jokes that it won’t freak you out
- Smart, illuminating analysis of the film’s themes and cultural significance
- Descriptions of iconic scenes you definitely do not want to look at
- Talking points for impressing even the biggest scary-movie buffs
Never get left out of a conversation again!
272 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 3, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 16, 2024
Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You're Too Scared to Watch by Emily C. Hughes
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Quirk
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: Debut book but I have been a fan of Emily's for a long time going back to her Tor Nightfire blog days and her website, Read Jump Scares
https://readjumpscares.com
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978168369...
Release Date: 9/3/2024
General Genre: BISAC Categories:
Topic - Celebrity & Popular Culture
Film - Guides & Reviews
Film - Genres - Horror
Sub-Genre/Themes: Horror movies, history/trivia/fun facts, educational, humor
Writing Style: Fun, informational, and hilarious
What You Need to Know: This book is for a really specific audience--people who are too afraid to watch horror movies but still enjoy knowing everything they can about them--including spoilers and plot details because they know for sure they're too scared to watch. In other words, ME!
My Reading Experience: This book was made for me. I am that person who hears people talking about the scariest movie they just saw and runs to Wikipedia to read the entire plot summary, spoilers and all, just so I can know all the grisly, gruesome details without having to actually experience them in real time. The problem with horror movies are the visuals that get stuck in my brain and haunt me while I'm trying to go to sleep. My mind will replay the worst scene from a movie over and over again on repeat. It's no use trying to make my brain stop--it won't listen to me. It tries to assault me with terrifying visuals until I just give up and turn the light on or watch Spongebob Squarepants. The best thing for me to do is just not watch horror movies. Sometimes, I try to be courageous and I make myself go to a big, exciting release (like Hereditary) or my daughter peer pressures me into watching something (like Midsommar) and I always regret it. This book explains the whole movie for weenies like me who refuse to watch it. Weirdly enough, I have seen over half of the movies in this book, but I only enjoyed the experience for like 10 of those. Ha!
..
I refused to watch several of the movies
..
I saw and hated myself afterward two of the movies
I loved Emily's plot summaries, asides, and personal anecdotes. It was like talking about scary movies with a best friend. Plus I tucked away all the fun facts and things I would have never known if I hadn't read this book. So much to learn here!
Final Recommendation: Even though this book is supposed to be for scaredy cats and weenies, I think horror movie buffs will enjoy Emily's commentary, fun facts & trivia, and all the jokes and asides. A great bedside or coffee table book. Makes a great gift for cinephiles.
Comps: 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by (me), Paperbacks From Hell by Grady Hendrix, and Necessary Death: What Horror Movies Teach Us about Navigating the Human Experience by Preston Fassel and Chris Grosso
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Quirk
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: Debut book but I have been a fan of Emily's for a long time going back to her Tor Nightfire blog days and her website, Read Jump Scares
https://readjumpscares.com
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978168369...
Release Date: 9/3/2024
General Genre: BISAC Categories:
Topic - Celebrity & Popular Culture
Film - Guides & Reviews
Film - Genres - Horror
Sub-Genre/Themes: Horror movies, history/trivia/fun facts, educational, humor
Writing Style: Fun, informational, and hilarious
What You Need to Know: This book is for a really specific audience--people who are too afraid to watch horror movies but still enjoy knowing everything they can about them--including spoilers and plot details because they know for sure they're too scared to watch. In other words, ME!
My Reading Experience: This book was made for me. I am that person who hears people talking about the scariest movie they just saw and runs to Wikipedia to read the entire plot summary, spoilers and all, just so I can know all the grisly, gruesome details without having to actually experience them in real time. The problem with horror movies are the visuals that get stuck in my brain and haunt me while I'm trying to go to sleep. My mind will replay the worst scene from a movie over and over again on repeat. It's no use trying to make my brain stop--it won't listen to me. It tries to assault me with terrifying visuals until I just give up and turn the light on or watch Spongebob Squarepants. The best thing for me to do is just not watch horror movies. Sometimes, I try to be courageous and I make myself go to a big, exciting release (like Hereditary) or my daughter peer pressures me into watching something (like Midsommar) and I always regret it. This book explains the whole movie for weenies like me who refuse to watch it. Weirdly enough, I have seen over half of the movies in this book, but I only enjoyed the experience for like 10 of those. Ha!
..
I refused to watch several of the movies
..
I saw and hated myself afterward two of the movies
I loved Emily's plot summaries, asides, and personal anecdotes. It was like talking about scary movies with a best friend. Plus I tucked away all the fun facts and things I would have never known if I hadn't read this book. So much to learn here!
Final Recommendation: Even though this book is supposed to be for scaredy cats and weenies, I think horror movie buffs will enjoy Emily's commentary, fun facts & trivia, and all the jokes and asides. A great bedside or coffee table book. Makes a great gift for cinephiles.
Comps: 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by (me), Paperbacks From Hell by Grady Hendrix, and Necessary Death: What Horror Movies Teach Us about Navigating the Human Experience by Preston Fassel and Chris Grosso
May 29, 2024
Star Review in the June 2024 Issue of Library Journal
Three Words That Describe this Book: expertly crafted, informative, accessible
Draft Review:
The first in a new series of “Outsider’s Guides,” from Quirk, Hughes presents a book best described as a conversation with the reader’s Horror fan bestie. Of course, Hughes cannot include every movie, so she makes it clear from the start that these are 25 influential films from three eras beginning in the 1960s up through the 2010s. However, the brilliance of the book is in how those movies are presented in seven categories: “The Basic Idea,” “You Might Actually Want to Watch If”, “But You Should Definitely Avoid If,” “Okay, Here's Exactly What Happens,” “Say This At A Party” (in dialogue bubbles), “Iconic Moments,” and finally “Can't Watch it? Read These Instead.” This structure gives Hughes the room to fully explain and frame each film, while also allowing the reader to decide when and if a specific entry is too much for them. Interspersed throughout are asides that perfectly balance humor and information such as definitions of various tropes, one-line spoilers of more movies, and a further discussion of “the bane of weenies everywhere,” the jump scare. For weenies? Definitely. But hardcore Horror fiends will also find plenty to enjoy here as well.
Verdict: As the current Horror Renaissance continues to bloom, this accessible, entertaining, and informative book will be in high demand at all public libraries but especially by those who are not as interested in feeling the fear themselves yet still want to be a part of the pop culture conversation. Pair with 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by Sadie Hartmann to capture a similar vibe for stories in print.
Notes:
This book is somehow both succinct AND thorough. Perfectly walks the line between explaining the entire plot of terrifying movies, but without scaring the reader. And still keeps is conversational even though clearly and expert. The brilliance in this book is in the writing-- how to explain why these books are terrifying, important, influential, and an obsession of millions of viewers without scaring the reader who cannot watch them.
From the start, she makes it clear, not every movie is here. There are key, influential films from the three eras: 1960s and 70s, 1980s and 90s, 2000s and 2010s. Also NO fear rating system because what scares someone is so personal. Ground Rules set the foundation and expectations.
Each entry-- the meat of the book follows a similar pattern. How she explains and frames each film allows readers to decide at each point where is too much for them. For 25 films.
The Basic Idea: 1 sentence summary
You Might Actually Want to Watch If
But You Should Definitely Avoid If
Okay, Here's Exactly What Happens: a detailed multi-page summary of what happens but without the jump scares and gore-- told in a distanced but still conversational way. Makes it seem not that scary at all. Don't believe me? Start with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and test your limits.
Say This At A Party-- in dialog bubbles-- my favorite addition.
Iconic Moments
Can't Watch it? Read These Instead.
I have told you most of the book and yet, I have told you nothing about what you will find inside.
Love the asides about tropes, lists of interest such as spoiling other movies with a single line or what "zombies" are actually called in zombie movies. Essays framing each major era. If you can't watch but can read-- books to try. One of my favorites is "A Taxonomy of Jump Scares"-- "the bane of weenies everywhere." I had no idea there were types of hump scares. That was fascinating and worth the price of admission.
Part of a new series by Quirk--Outsider's Guide. Can't wait for more if they are going to be this good.
Verdict: As the current Horror Renaissance continues to bloom, this accessible, entertaining, and informative book will be in high demand at all public libraries but especially by those who are not as interested in feeling the fear themselves but still want to be a part of the pop culture conversation. Pair with 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by Sadie Hartmann to capture a similar vibe for stories in print.
I have already pre-ordered a copy to be sent to my sister-in-law's house on the day it comes out. She is very excited to finally be able to understand all of the pop culture references and connect to my love of Horror finally.
Three Words That Describe this Book: expertly crafted, informative, accessible
Draft Review:
The first in a new series of “Outsider’s Guides,” from Quirk, Hughes presents a book best described as a conversation with the reader’s Horror fan bestie. Of course, Hughes cannot include every movie, so she makes it clear from the start that these are 25 influential films from three eras beginning in the 1960s up through the 2010s. However, the brilliance of the book is in how those movies are presented in seven categories: “The Basic Idea,” “You Might Actually Want to Watch If”, “But You Should Definitely Avoid If,” “Okay, Here's Exactly What Happens,” “Say This At A Party” (in dialogue bubbles), “Iconic Moments,” and finally “Can't Watch it? Read These Instead.” This structure gives Hughes the room to fully explain and frame each film, while also allowing the reader to decide when and if a specific entry is too much for them. Interspersed throughout are asides that perfectly balance humor and information such as definitions of various tropes, one-line spoilers of more movies, and a further discussion of “the bane of weenies everywhere,” the jump scare. For weenies? Definitely. But hardcore Horror fiends will also find plenty to enjoy here as well.
Verdict: As the current Horror Renaissance continues to bloom, this accessible, entertaining, and informative book will be in high demand at all public libraries but especially by those who are not as interested in feeling the fear themselves yet still want to be a part of the pop culture conversation. Pair with 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by Sadie Hartmann to capture a similar vibe for stories in print.
Notes:
This book is somehow both succinct AND thorough. Perfectly walks the line between explaining the entire plot of terrifying movies, but without scaring the reader. And still keeps is conversational even though clearly and expert. The brilliance in this book is in the writing-- how to explain why these books are terrifying, important, influential, and an obsession of millions of viewers without scaring the reader who cannot watch them.
From the start, she makes it clear, not every movie is here. There are key, influential films from the three eras: 1960s and 70s, 1980s and 90s, 2000s and 2010s. Also NO fear rating system because what scares someone is so personal. Ground Rules set the foundation and expectations.
Each entry-- the meat of the book follows a similar pattern. How she explains and frames each film allows readers to decide at each point where is too much for them. For 25 films.
The Basic Idea: 1 sentence summary
You Might Actually Want to Watch If
But You Should Definitely Avoid If
Okay, Here's Exactly What Happens: a detailed multi-page summary of what happens but without the jump scares and gore-- told in a distanced but still conversational way. Makes it seem not that scary at all. Don't believe me? Start with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and test your limits.
Say This At A Party-- in dialog bubbles-- my favorite addition.
Iconic Moments
Can't Watch it? Read These Instead.
I have told you most of the book and yet, I have told you nothing about what you will find inside.
Love the asides about tropes, lists of interest such as spoiling other movies with a single line or what "zombies" are actually called in zombie movies. Essays framing each major era. If you can't watch but can read-- books to try. One of my favorites is "A Taxonomy of Jump Scares"-- "the bane of weenies everywhere." I had no idea there were types of hump scares. That was fascinating and worth the price of admission.
Part of a new series by Quirk--Outsider's Guide. Can't wait for more if they are going to be this good.
Verdict: As the current Horror Renaissance continues to bloom, this accessible, entertaining, and informative book will be in high demand at all public libraries but especially by those who are not as interested in feeling the fear themselves but still want to be a part of the pop culture conversation. Pair with 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by Sadie Hartmann to capture a similar vibe for stories in print.
I have already pre-ordered a copy to be sent to my sister-in-law's house on the day it comes out. She is very excited to finally be able to understand all of the pop culture references and connect to my love of Horror finally.
July 11, 2024
I am a certified weenie. Everything is too scary for me. Forget Stephen King; I was terrified by the giant robot spider in Jonny Quest when I was 5. (Check it out on YouTube, and you’ll see what I mean. Shudder! I’m 66, and it still freaks me out a bit.)
So I was absolutely the target audience for this book. And, to my amazement, author Emily C. Hughes is so right! Reading what happens in a scary movie is tolerable, even if watching the movie would give me nightmares and sleepless nights for a week. Who would have thunk it? And Hughes generously provides pointers on what to say when others discuss these movies that have become staples of pop culture and receive homages in other films. Thanks to Hughes, I won’t have to miss pop-culture references anymore. In addition, Hughes’ humorous and sarcastic commentary on seven decades of horror movies will please readers, whether weenies or hard-core.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Quirk Books in exchange for an honest review.
So I was absolutely the target audience for this book. And, to my amazement, author Emily C. Hughes is so right! Reading what happens in a scary movie is tolerable, even if watching the movie would give me nightmares and sleepless nights for a week. Who would have thunk it? And Hughes generously provides pointers on what to say when others discuss these movies that have become staples of pop culture and receive homages in other films. Thanks to Hughes, I won’t have to miss pop-culture references anymore. In addition, Hughes’ humorous and sarcastic commentary on seven decades of horror movies will please readers, whether weenies or hard-core.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Quirk Books in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2024
Omg this book has all the great horror flicks!! Emily has a fantastic sense of humor and her detailed descriptions on each of these movies had my laughing my face off!! I was so happy she included Babadook and Hereditary, my two favorite movies. For Hereditary she describes the beginning and then says “We are just over a half hour into the movie. It is emphatically not going to get better from here”. Truer words have never been spoken! This is a must for any weenies, I myself am a recovering weenie now I’ll watch anything! The intro she speaks of how thinking about horror is as rewarding as watching it, in my case too also reading it. There’s so much to discover in horror and Emily does an amazing job creating an incredibly entertaining look at some of the most incredible horror movies ever made!
July 27, 2024
This was Excellent.
I really enjoyed and appreciated the in-depth critique of this author on various horror films.
I don't consider myself a weenie at all---gotta love a well-told horror story 😁---and was drawn to this book anyway for its humor and breakdown of, occasionally, (to me, anyway), at times, difficult to decipher horror movie endings.
While it can't cover every significant title of the genre in one book, I believe it does a great job at highlighting the best from each decade and what was occurring in history at the time to really drive the point home.
Both "weenies" and "non-weenies" will enjoy.
I recommend. 🤩
I really enjoyed and appreciated the in-depth critique of this author on various horror films.
I don't consider myself a weenie at all---gotta love a well-told horror story 😁---and was drawn to this book anyway for its humor and breakdown of, occasionally, (to me, anyway), at times, difficult to decipher horror movie endings.
While it can't cover every significant title of the genre in one book, I believe it does a great job at highlighting the best from each decade and what was occurring in history at the time to really drive the point home.
Both "weenies" and "non-weenies" will enjoy.
I recommend. 🤩
April 26, 2024
This is such a good reference book for any horror enthusiast not just the weenies.
June 5, 2024
Ideal for the horror aficionado as well as anyone with an interest in pop culture or films, this readable, fun book by Hughes will be popular with patrons. Well organized and filled book recommendations as well as interesting trivia, this book is a great companion to Sadie Hartman's 100 books to read before you are murdered.
June 18, 2024
Thank you Quirk Books and NetGalley for the eGalley to review!
This was the most fun I have had reading about horror, as each entry is delivered with anxiety-easing humor. You are told who wrote and directed the film, the basic idea of it (a single sentence description of the film), why you might actually want to watch it (this is usually especially humorous), why you might want to AVOID watching it (trigger warnings), an exact play-by-play of the film in an extended summary, why the film matters so much, and a list of its iconic moments. We're also treated to trivia in the form of "Say this at a party" sections (I love that so much) and a list of read-a-likes if you're not ready to take that step into watching the film but want a more controlled thrill to build yourself up to watching it (this is so important to us library workers who do reader's advisory).
It's not just an in-depth guide to the most influential and iconic horror movies, it's also a history book covering the 1960s to the 2010s regarding why certain horror is created and why it matters. Several books and documentaries that discuss horror and its impact at an academic and cultural level are referenced, adding to my never-ending to-be-read/watched list. While not every arguably influential/iconic film has an entry (for instance, The Amityville Horror is not included, because it's " too boring for this book"), they are talked about in relation to the films that are included, and repeat horror film writers/directors have their other movies mentioned.
If you do reader's advisory, this is going to be indispensable for you (I cannot emphasize that enough--you're given the whole movie, tropes, and books that are similar!). If you really want to know what your friends or the Internet are going on about when they talk about certain scenes or lines, you'll finally get in on the sensationalism or meme. Instead of reaching for Wikipedia for individual (and frankly dry) entries (sorry, Wikipedia), you'll likely reach for this instead, especially since they're all in one convenient place. As someone who experiences FOMO but knows their limits, it was helpful for me to be able to read exactly what happens and why it's influential instead of having to traumatize myself by watching it. On the flip side, some films I was unsure about watching I now want to watch because I have a better understanding of what I'm getting into.
I cannot wait to see this book expanded on in the future to include more decades, as horror continues to evolve. I'm for sure getting a copy for myself to keep handy!
This was the most fun I have had reading about horror, as each entry is delivered with anxiety-easing humor. You are told who wrote and directed the film, the basic idea of it (a single sentence description of the film), why you might actually want to watch it (this is usually especially humorous), why you might want to AVOID watching it (trigger warnings), an exact play-by-play of the film in an extended summary, why the film matters so much, and a list of its iconic moments. We're also treated to trivia in the form of "Say this at a party" sections (I love that so much) and a list of read-a-likes if you're not ready to take that step into watching the film but want a more controlled thrill to build yourself up to watching it (this is so important to us library workers who do reader's advisory).
It's not just an in-depth guide to the most influential and iconic horror movies, it's also a history book covering the 1960s to the 2010s regarding why certain horror is created and why it matters. Several books and documentaries that discuss horror and its impact at an academic and cultural level are referenced, adding to my never-ending to-be-read/watched list. While not every arguably influential/iconic film has an entry (for instance, The Amityville Horror is not included, because it's " too boring for this book"), they are talked about in relation to the films that are included, and repeat horror film writers/directors have their other movies mentioned.
If you do reader's advisory, this is going to be indispensable for you (I cannot emphasize that enough--you're given the whole movie, tropes, and books that are similar!). If you really want to know what your friends or the Internet are going on about when they talk about certain scenes or lines, you'll finally get in on the sensationalism or meme. Instead of reaching for Wikipedia for individual (and frankly dry) entries (sorry, Wikipedia), you'll likely reach for this instead, especially since they're all in one convenient place. As someone who experiences FOMO but knows their limits, it was helpful for me to be able to read exactly what happens and why it's influential instead of having to traumatize myself by watching it. On the flip side, some films I was unsure about watching I now want to watch because I have a better understanding of what I'm getting into.
I cannot wait to see this book expanded on in the future to include more decades, as horror continues to evolve. I'm for sure getting a copy for myself to keep handy!
July 19, 2024
Full disclaimer: I read an ARC so I'm reviewing that. There may have been edits to the final version.
Spoilers for the movie Get Out ahead
Overall I found this to be a fun read. If you're lacking on horror pop culture and want to be in the know then this is certainly a great book to help you with that. I like the way it was formatted as well. Before each lengthy recap you get a TLDR, a reason to watch, a reason to not watch, and at the end you get conversation starters and analysis of best moments + why the movie is relevant.
I will say I found some sections to be a tad bit lacking. The ones that come to mind are The Babadook and Get Out. In the Babadook there's mentions of It being a queer icon, which is a joke that originated from Netflix mistakenly putting the movie under it's Queer films category, though Hughes makes no note of this and instead accredits it to Tumblr. Tumblr popularized the joke, but did not start it.
In Get Out I noticed Hughes may have either not noticed or declined to include some key analysis, one of which being that the stuffing from the chair Chris picks out to use as makeshift earplugs is cotton. A black man picking cotton in order to escape a great evil. Hughes also writes off Rose eating cereal and drinking milk as her being a "sociopath" when the separation of the white milk from the colored cereal was very intentional. Hughes also fails to mention the alternate ending of the movie where cops are the ones to find Chris and Rose instead of Dre.
If you want an even more in depth review/explanation of these movies (and tons more) I would check out Dead Meat on YouTube. James does a really great job at not only showcasing the best of horror, but also giving insight into the actors themselves.
Spoilers for the movie Get Out ahead
Overall I found this to be a fun read. If you're lacking on horror pop culture and want to be in the know then this is certainly a great book to help you with that. I like the way it was formatted as well. Before each lengthy recap you get a TLDR, a reason to watch, a reason to not watch, and at the end you get conversation starters and analysis of best moments + why the movie is relevant.
I will say I found some sections to be a tad bit lacking. The ones that come to mind are The Babadook and Get Out. In the Babadook there's mentions of It being a queer icon, which is a joke that originated from Netflix mistakenly putting the movie under it's Queer films category, though Hughes makes no note of this and instead accredits it to Tumblr. Tumblr popularized the joke, but did not start it.
In Get Out I noticed Hughes may have either not noticed or declined to include some key analysis, one of which being that the stuffing from the chair Chris picks out to use as makeshift earplugs is cotton. A black man picking cotton in order to escape a great evil. Hughes also writes off Rose eating cereal and drinking milk as her being a "sociopath" when the separation of the white milk from the colored cereal was very intentional. Hughes also fails to mention the alternate ending of the movie where cops are the ones to find Chris and Rose instead of Dre.
If you want an even more in depth review/explanation of these movies (and tons more) I would check out Dead Meat on YouTube. James does a really great job at not only showcasing the best of horror, but also giving insight into the actors themselves.
August 24, 2024
While Horror for Weenies is designed as a starter guide to iconic Horror Films for people who find horror a bit to0 scary, it is also a great resource for die hard horror hounds. Emily C. Hughes commentary throughout the film summaries is entertaining and provides a humorous tone to balance out the scares. Like most Quirk non-fiction books, the design of the pages is visually striking, keeping readers interested by promoting a fast pace for the chapters. Each chapter has pop-outs for Trope Spotlights and facts about the production of each film, with many sections ending with an overview of the movie’s sub-genre or another related topic. One of my favorite features was the “Can’t watch it? Read these instead:” sections which select read alike titles that are great for both fans of the movies looking for more and folks that are too scared to watch, but still want to engage with the themes explored. Editor Jess Zimmerman introduces this book as the first in a series of “Outsider’s Guides” with the goal of making these pop culture discussions accessible for people who might not be ready to commit to a deep dive, but still want to understand the impact of the subject. While I was an “insider” for this particular book, having seen all of the movies that get a dedicated chapter, I still feel like I came away with a deeper appreciation of the genre and learned a good bit along the way. I am excited to check out future releases in this series (the introduction teases the topics reality shows and romantic comedies) to explore some areas of pop culture I am less familiar with.
Thank you Quirk Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you Quirk Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 2, 2024
I'll start by saying that this book does exactly what it claims it does--it provides the reader with detailed descriptions of horror films. However, I’m not sure that “weenies” are the target audience, as the descriptions are chock full of profanity and don’t shy away from the gruesome details. That being said, it’s definitely less gross than actually watching the films, but I wasn’t enjoying the experience very much.
My biggest complaint, however, is the author’s anti-Catholic sentiments, which clearly bleed into her commentary. From referring to the Church’s beautiful traditions and liturgies as “pageantry” to the part where she recommends viewers check out The Exorcist if you want to see a priest “get wrecked”, these extra asides were not necessary and not appreciated.
That being said, I suppose the weenie here is me, since I kept on reading, even as I realized I wasn’t enjoying myself, as I flipped through movie after movie and thought “Well, I’m glad I didn’t watch that one.” There were a few in this book that I did see (I am a horror fan, after all), but the descriptions made me question why I had liked those films so much when I saw them years ago.
TL;DR—It’s exactly what it says: detailed descriptions of horror films that don’t shy away from the details. In a way, you almost feel like you’ve seen the film, or at least, experienced enough that you could hold your own in a basic conversation. But, the author’s anti-Christian sentiments made it hard to enjoy myself.
My biggest complaint, however, is the author’s anti-Catholic sentiments, which clearly bleed into her commentary. From referring to the Church’s beautiful traditions and liturgies as “pageantry” to the part where she recommends viewers check out The Exorcist if you want to see a priest “get wrecked”, these extra asides were not necessary and not appreciated.
That being said, I suppose the weenie here is me, since I kept on reading, even as I realized I wasn’t enjoying myself, as I flipped through movie after movie and thought “Well, I’m glad I didn’t watch that one.” There were a few in this book that I did see (I am a horror fan, after all), but the descriptions made me question why I had liked those films so much when I saw them years ago.
TL;DR—It’s exactly what it says: detailed descriptions of horror films that don’t shy away from the details. In a way, you almost feel like you’ve seen the film, or at least, experienced enough that you could hold your own in a basic conversation. But, the author’s anti-Christian sentiments made it hard to enjoy myself.
June 5, 2024
This was such a fun read! Emily's engaging writing style and sharp wit made this impossible to put down. Even though I'm well-versed in the films she discusses, her insightful plot summaries and clever commentary kept me hooked. The inclusion of talking points, iconic scenes, and related book recommendations was a stroke of genius. I was thrilled to discover new details about some of my favourite movies, despite considering myself a horror movie expert. This book is a must-read for any horror fan, offering fresh perspectives and hidden gems that will enhance your appreciation of the genre. I can't recommend it highly enough!
Many thanks to Edelweiss, Quirk Books and Emily C. Hughes for the opportunity to read and review "Horror for Weenies" prior to its publication date.
Many thanks to Edelweiss, Quirk Books and Emily C. Hughes for the opportunity to read and review "Horror for Weenies" prior to its publication date.
July 16, 2024
This was really a fun, easy read! I am unabashedly a horror weenie (some of the descriptions in the book had me noping out) but I appreciate the overview of some of the classics of the canon and why they're classics. The writing was engaging, funny, and although I won't watch any of the movies, I at least know some more trivia.
December 13, 2023
Personally I think it’s pretty good! But then again, I did write the damn thing.
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