an infectious curiosity to uncover everything the actor’s fans could want to know about him and his films. (Full disclosure: I am thanked in the Acknowl- edgments of this new publication, but my contri- bution consisted solely of providing information about the Canadian theatrical release of ACT OF VENGEANCE.)
Sidestepping pictures which have already re- ceived thorough coverage elsewhere, Talbot opens with a brief Bronson biography before jumping into his selected filmography, beginning with BREAKOUT (1975) and concluding with Bronson’s final effort, FAMILY OF COPS III: UNDER SUSPICION (1999). The eighteen films run the gamut from critically recognized entries like Walter Hill’s HARD TIMES (1975) and off- beat fare like FROM NOON TILL THREE (1976) to Cannon cult favorites like 10 TO MIDNIGHT (1983) and KINJITE: FORBIDDEN SUBJECTS (1989). Each receives wide-ranging examination, the chapters acting as companion piece follow- ups for those who have already seen the mov- ies. Extensive information about the production, its distribution (theatrical and other mediums), release dates, box office, and the relevance to the star’s career at that point are delivered. There is also an interview with at least one individual involved, including such B-movie luminaries as Diane Ladd, Bruce Glover, Angel Tompkins, Kathleen Wilhoite, Charles Dierkop, Robert F. Lyons, and Sy Richardson. Of particular interest are the numerous and varied comments on Bronson’s behind-the-scenes persona, which paint a man of many contradictions and greater complexity than virtually any role offered to him. More than two dozen interviews are included for these films and Talbot further enhances his previous effort with additional Death Wish se- ries coverage via discussions with personalities he was unable to speak with previously, includ- ing DEATH WISH II screenwriter David Engelbach (who was not shown the finished film until two days before its release, but still seriously con- sidered ordering his name removed) and actor Kirk “The Giggler” Taylor from DEATH WISH 3. There is also a good collection of stills and posters/ad mats from various territories. We would love to see a third volume dedi- cated to the star’s earlier work. Given the num- ber of decades since the production of pictures like SHOWDOWN AT BOOT HILL (1958) and THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963), it could be a daunting assignment, but these two volumes convincingly demonstrate that Talbot is more than up to the challenge.
74
REGIONAL HORROR FILMS, 1958-1990
A State-by-State Guide with Interviews By Brian Albright
2012, McFarland & Company
www.mcfarlandpub.com Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640 327 pp., Softcover, $45.00 Reviewed by John-Paul Checkett
As genre film historian and journalist Brian Albright asserts, the birth of the modern horror film is inextricably linked to the rise of regional cin- ema—defined here as independently-produced films shot outside of the professional and geo- graphical limits of Hollywood and employing local casts and crews. From genre classics such as CARNIVAL OF SOULS, through beloved B-movies like CHILDREN SHOULDN’T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS, to deranged oddities like BLOOD FREAK, regional horror films were characterized by a fasci- nating blend of the provincial and the outré, com- bining a unique geographical cultural flavor with a reckless disregard for genre convention—whether by ignorance or design. After a lively introduction outlining the history of regional horror, Albright offers interviews with 13 producers and directors of some of the more obscure examples of the phe- nomenon, followed by a comprehensive state-by- state catalogue of all the regional horror and science-fiction films falling within the allotted time period. Although a valuable guide to a legitimately
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