The darkly handsome man gazes deeply into her eyes. She finds him irresistible, wants to experience the passion of the moment. He grins—the movie audience can see his lengthened lateral incisors—and bends to her neck. The eroticism is horrible, and compelling.

Audiences are drawn to horror cinema much as the surrendering victim. Afraid to watch, but more afraid something will be missed. Since the horror film is the most primal of all movie genres, seldom censored, these films tell us what we are about. From the silent era to the present day, Dark Romance explores horror cinema’s preoccupation with sexuality: vampires, beauty and the beast, victimization of women, “slasher” films, and more. Separate chapters focus upon individuals, like Alfred Hitchcock and Barbara Steele. Entertaining, and thought-provoking on the sexual fears and phobias of our society.

David J. Hogan has written reviews and features for Filmfax, Outré, Moviegoer, Photon, Cinefantastique and other film magazines. He lives in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

David J. Hogan
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 350
Bibliographic Info: 60 photos, filmography, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 1997 [1986]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-0474-2
eISBN: 978-0-7864-6248-3
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      ix

Preface      xi

1. Keeping It in the Family      1

2. Just the Two of Us: The Horror of Duality      31

3. Dangerous Curves: The Perils of Sexuality      56

4. Beauty and the Beast      90

5. Turgid Teens      122

6. Lugosi, Lee, and the Vampire Lovers      138

7. High Priestess of Horror: Barbara Steele      164

8. Hitch      181

9. The Ironic Universe of Roger Corman      205

10. Prince of Perversity: Edward D. Wood, Jr.      225

11. The Spawn of Herschell Gordon Lewis      235

12. The Shape of Sex to Come      260

Filmography      291

Bibliography      311

Index      315

“intelligently organized and well written”—Film Quarterly; “entertaining”—Classic Images; “thought provoking”—Midnight Marquee; “views the way horror filmmakers exploit sexuality in their films of vampires, beasts, man-made monsters, and victimization of women”—AB Bookman’s Weekly; “Hogan’s criticism is discerning”—The Horror Show; “interesting”—Fantasy Review; “Clear, well-written, and intelligent.”—Neil Barron, Editor of Fantasy and Horror.