Book Review: Kamera Books “Silent Cinema” by Brian J. Robb

 Kamera Books’ series of publications on all genres of film has been an amazing revelation for film buffs and general audiences who want to know a little bit more about the historic significance of particular subjects in the film pantheon of which author Brian J. Robb’s “Silent Cinema” is but one.  Let me first say that these books were not designed for the proficient film historian but instead for the beginner or those just learning (or studying) about film genre and culture.  Robb’s book looks back at the beginnings of cinema itself by examining its first genre which is the silent film.

For many this will be a revelation on just how the film industry developed and how the techniques of the silent film came to be. Robb spends the first chapter on the development of the film industry as the evolution of the silent film is directly related to the development of the film industry itself.  He then spends an entire chapter on film innovator George Melies who took the new technology into a whole different direction and opened up the possibilities for future innovators.  This then opens the rest of the book to focusing on other aspects of the silent film industry which includes chapters on directors, both dramatic and silent actors, and even some of the scandals that threatened to bring down the film industry (or at least forced it to take a mirror to itself).

Because the film industry was not developed in a vacuum but had innovators from all parts of the world contribute to its evolution, Robb spends some of the book on the International silent cinema and its place in the industry as a whole.  The book ends by examining the coming of sound and how it brought an end to the golden age of silent cinema.

Robb’s book is a testament to the contributions of the silent cinema and the development of the film industry from its very beginnings.  Despite Robb’s dry sense of writing it does work for this “just the facts” style book which could have gone the direction of being too scholarly but doesn’t.  Robb hits all the right marks by taking a look at all the names and people that even the casual filmgoer may know such as Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith, Cecil B. Demille, Gloria Swanson, Lilian Gish and many, many more.  This is the history of the film industry.  This is the legacy of the silent film.

Book Review: Asian Horror by Andy Richards

There are a thousand books out there about the horror film genre so what makes author Andy Richards book Asian Horror (from Kamera Books) so different?  Well, its focus is on Asian horror films and their impact with other countries especially in the way they have influenced the still growing trend of American remakes of popular Asian films.  This is but one of many books focusing on specific film genres as published through Kamera Books.

In this book Richards focuses on the horror film and its influences on everywhere from Thailand to Japan to Korea to Hong Kong and more starting off with a chapter on how culture has influenced the different types of creatures and supernatural horrors prevalent in their films (which would be different from our own).  The book takes its time touching upon the classics of each culture - such as Tales of Ugetsu (1953) or Kwaidan (1964) and Hell (1960).  Every film of significance is given a thorough breakdown those that those interested in going out and finding them will know everything they need to about the film from the synopsis of the film and the cast and crew involved to background about the film and his “verdict” on the film which is how it has influenced culture and the horror genre as a whole.

There is plenty of space spent on the now classic modern films from these countries including Suicide Circle (2002), Ringu (1998), Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1988), A Tale of Two Sisters (2003), Mr. Vampire (1985), Dumplings (2004), Nang Nak (1999), Shutter (2004), Death Note (2006),  Kairo (2001), and Battle Royale (2000), to name a few.  There are tons of films discussed in the book along with the directors that made the films.  There is also a section with pictures from many of the films as well.

Like other Kamera Books this book is put together very well and gives readers a good understanding of Asian horror films and their influence on the genre.  Richards even goes briefly into how their modern day films have been influenced by the American horror film culture and he briefly touches upon the American remakes that have flooded the market (and continue to do so).   This is a good book for beginners and one for those who want a grand overview of some of the most important horror films from these cultures.