Regional Horror Films, 1958-1990: A State-by-State Guide with Interviews

In the second half of the 20th century, landmark works of horror film history were as much the product of enterprising regional filmmakers as of the major studios. From backwoods Utah to the Louisiana bayous to the outer boroughs of New York, independent, regional films like Night of the Living Dead, Last House on the Left, I Spit on Your Grave, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Evil Dead stood at the vanguard of horror cinema. This overview of regionally produced horror and science fiction films includes interviews with 13 directors and producers who operated far from mainstream Hollywood, along with a state-by-state listing of regionally produced genre films made between 1959 and 1990. Highlighting some of the most influential horror films of the past 50 years, this informative volume celebrates not only regional filmmaking, but also a cultural regionalism that is in danger of vanishing.