Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Grand Guignol: Theatre of Fear and Terror by Mel Gordon ISBN: 0-941693-08-2 Publisher: Amok Pr Pub. Date: November, 1988 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (2 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: And you thought splatter flicks from the 80's were intense.
Comment: I first heard about the Grand Guignal from the title of a book by L.-F. Celine (GUIGNAL'S BAND). The same author made another reference to it in a later work when he was describing the panic displayed by civilians fleeing an air raid. Being curious by nature, I felt compelled to learn more about this place where murder, madness, and mayhem were the norm, and atrocity was displayed for willing audiences most days of the week. Now, I'm not the type who enjoys senseless violence. I like substance to be the basis of my entertainment. If bloodshed is depicted, it had better serve a purpose by HELPING TO TELL THE STORY. However, I have a great deal of respect for those who try to push the bounds of what is accepted for the sake of creativity. If they are successful in furthering the cause of art by shaking things up, even better. The Grand Guignal Theater was quite successful, opening its doors to packed houses for over 80 years. At one time, it was included in most tourist guides of Paris as a must-see attraction. The book did a good job at giving the history and key players who took part in the theater's development. Many photographs and illustrations are included, as well as a listing of the Guignal's most popular plays. Horror was not the only theme pursued. Bawdy humor and social commentary were just as important. My only criticism is that I would have liked to have read more of the actual plays (a few--three, I belive--are included). Perhaps the author might be willing to give us a companion edition, eh?
Rating: 4
Summary: Rare Glimpse of a Forgotten & Fascinating History
Comment: From 1897 through the early 1960s, a singular theater in Paris performed a unique kind of spectacle. Low comedy and high terror collided on the stage of the Grand Guignol. Brutal tales of crime and horror featured startling, bloody special effects that prefigured the gory slasher movies of generations to come. Meanwhile, broad and bizarre farces alternated laughs with thrills. Conceived as a kind of "giant puppet" show, the theater was intended to appeal to the rawest emotions and most basic instincts of the audience -- to give adults a cathartic release through mad behavior not unlike the exaggerated action that excited children in a "Punch and Judy" show. The theater's dark, ironic, and perverse tales were instrumental in helping to shape German Expressionism and the cinema of horror. Mel Gordon's unique survey of the theater and its plays is a one-of-a-kind resource, giving readers a vivid glimpse into this forgotten chapter of theatrical history. The book provides overviews of the history of the theater and its its rippling effect on popular culture. The book also features synopses of popular plays from the Guignol repertoire -- fascinating descriptions of lurid one-acts with titles like "Orgy in the Lighthouse", "On the Slab," "Meat Ticket", "The Coffin of Flesh", and "Prison for Children". Some wild illustrations top it all off. All in all, it's a fascinating book for anyone interested in the outre side of pop culture. It's indispensable for anyone who's a student of horror or of the theater's stranger side.
 |
Title:Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The Complete Fifth Season ASIN: B0000AQS18 Publisher: Twentieth Century Fox Home Video Pub. Date: 09 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $59.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $38.99 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
