🩸 Horror Fiction

A Life in the Cinema

✍️ Mick Garris
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$18.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Mick Garris explores dark Hollywood and supernatural horror in his first book.

This collection merges fictional storytelling with film craft insights. It opens with cynical Hollywood narratives before transitioning to domestic horror themes. The inclusion of the story Chocolate offers readers a look at the adaptation process from page to screen. Audiences gain access to both narrative prose and script formats within this single volume, providing a comprehensive view of Garris's creative approach.

Key Themes
Hollywood decay supernatural grandmother impossible love
Literary Context

Published in 2022 by Encyclopocalypse Publications, this book bridges classic horror traditions with modern filmmaking. The presence of Stephen King and Tobe Hooper links it to established genre history while presenting Garris as a key contemporary voice.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Stephen King · Tobe Hooper · Dark Fantasy enthusiasts
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Encyclopocalypse Publications 📅 2022 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781959205470

📝 Description: A Life in the Cinema

Mick Garris shares his debut literary work, A Life in the Cinema, which combines eight short stories with a screenplay to explore the shadowy aspects of human experience. The title narrative and its follow-up, Starfu**er, offer a cynical look at Hollywood, stripping away celebrity glamour to reveal underlying decay. Moving beyond Los Angeles, other tales examine diverse conditions: a grandmother’s enduring love after death, a secret desire in a geriatric trailer park, impossible romance, twisted parental affection, and a fatal encounter with fame. The book concludes with Garris's screenplay alongside the source story, Chocolate. This collection appeals to fans of gothic fiction and supernatural horror, particularly those who value Stephen King’s introduction and Tobe Hooper’s afterword. However, readers seeking polished, optimistic Hollywood narratives might find the tone too bleak, as the work presents a stark, grim reality through a cinematic lens rather than offering comfort.

💎 Our verdict on A Life in the Cinema

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Garris delivers a stark, grim reality through a unique blend of narrative prose and script formats. The collection effectively strips away Hollywood glamour to reveal underlying decay, appealing strongly to fans of gothic fiction and supernatural horror. While the tone is undeniably bleak, this is a feature for those seeking depth over comfort. The dual presentation of 'Chocolate' as both story and screenplay provides valuable insight into adaptation processes. Readers who appreciate Stephen King’s influence and Tobe Hooper’s cinematic vision will find much to admire here. However, those expecting polished or optimistic Hollywood narratives may find the atmosphere too heavy. It is a thoughtful, if dark, exploration of human conditions.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers interested in the intersection of cinema and supernatural horror will find this collection compelling. It offers a rare glimpse into Mick Garris's creative process by merging short fiction with screenplay formats. Fans of gothic tales and psychological dread will appreciate the exploration of decay, twisted affection, and fatal encounters with fame. The inclusion of an introduction by Stephen King and afterword by Tobe Hooper adds significant value for genre aficionados seeking to understand the craft behind the scares. This book is ideal for those who enjoy a bleak, unvarnished look at human experience through a cinematic lens.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Garris delivers a stark, grim reality through a unique blend of narrative prose and script formats. The collection effectively strips away Hollywood glamour to reveal underlying decay, appealing strongly to fans of gothic fiction and supernatural horror. While the tone is undeniably bleak, this is a feature for those seeking depth over comfort. The dual presentation of 'Chocolate' as both story and screenplay provides valuable insight into adaptation processes. Readers who appreciate Stephen King’s influence and Tobe Hooper’s cinematic vision will find much to admire here. However, those expecting polished or optimistic Hollywood narratives may find the atmosphere too heavy. It is a thoughtful, if dark, exploration of human conditions.

✍️ More books by this author Mick Garris

These Evil Things We Do: A Novel & Four Novellas
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Mick Garris
These Evil Things We Do: A Novel & Four Novellas
$22.99
78
Read →
Dark Screams: Volume Five
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Mick Garris
Dark Screams: Volume Five
$32.99
78
Read →
Dark Screams: Volume Five
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Mick Garris
Dark Screams: Volume Five
$45.95
81
Read →

🏛 Books from this publisher Encyclopocalypse Publications

The Megarothke
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Robert Ashcroft
The Megarothke
$16.99
81
Read →
My Pet Serial Killer
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Michael J Seidlinger
My Pet Serial Killer
$21.99
81
Read →
Something In The Groove
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Glenn Rolfe
Something In The Groove
$10.99
78
Read →
The Haunted Halls
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Glenn Rolfe
The Haunted Halls
$15.99
78
Read →
Merciless
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Kristal Stittle
Merciless
$12.99
78
Read →
Yellow Line
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Kristal Stittle
Yellow Line
$18.99
78
Read →

You might also like

See more →
These Evil Things We Do: A Novel & Four Novellas
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
1
Mick Garris
These Evil Things We Do: A Novel & Four Novellas
$22.99
78
Read →
Dark Screams: Volume Five
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Mick Garris
Dark Screams: Volume Five
$45.95
81
Read →
Cruel Jaws: The Novelization
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Brad Carter
Cruel Jaws: The Novelization
$18.99
86
Read →
Nailbiters: Hard Bitten
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Paul Kane
Nailbiters: Hard Bitten
$19.99
86
Read →
Our Lady of the Inferno
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Preston Fassel
Our Lady of the Inferno
$16.99
86
Read →
Hate House
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
John C Foster
Hate House
$16.99
86
Read →

Have a question about this item?

Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.

Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist