How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive

Name: How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive
Price: 19.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780316569316

✍️ Craig Dilouie

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$19.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A satirical novel about a cursed camera and a director's obsession with horror films.

This narrative follows Max Maury as he navigates the pressures of directing cheap slashers while craving artistic recognition. His discovery of a haunted camera shifts his focus from creative expression to capturing real terror. Sally Priest attempts to leverage this opportunity for her acting career, unaware that the line between fiction and reality is dissolving. The plot relies on the tension between Max's professional drive and the supernatural forces bound to the equipment. It examines how the desire for artistic legacy can lead to fatal consequences when mixed with genuine evil. The story highlights the precarious position of actors in a industry that demands both performance and survival.

Key Themes

cursed film equipment final girl archetype 80s slasher cinema

Literary Context

The story is set in the 1980s, a period defined by cheap slasher films and audiences craving blood. It reflects the Hollywood production environment where directors struggled for funding against slimy producers who prioritized profit over art.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Stephen King · R.L. Stine · Clive Barker

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Horror Fiction

🏛 Run for It 📅 2024 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780316569316

📚 This Book in Collections

🔪 Slasher Books & Final Girl Novels 🔪 Serial Killer & Slasher Fiction

📝 Description: How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive

Craig Dilouie’s How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive offers a satirical look at the film industry through the lens of 1980s slasher cinema. The narrative centers on Max Maury, a successful director frustrated by his producer's refusal to fund artistic visions in favor of cheap bloodshed. His career takes a dark turn when he discovers an old camera that recorded real Hollywood horror. This device comes with a cryptic warning and emits wails, signaling the evil it contains. Sally Priest enters the story as an aspiring actress determined to become the Final Girl. She meets Max at a wrap party and seeks to prove her scream queen prowess to secure the lead role. Max becomes obsessed with using the cursed camera for his next project, ignoring the dangers involved. He is dead set on finishing what he believes will be the scariest movie ever put to film. Sally must step into the spotlight as the protagonist of this real-life nightmare. The book draws on the traditions of 80s horror tropes and Hollywood production culture. It suits readers who enjoy meta-narratives about filmmaking and supernatural fiction. Those seeking straightforward instructional guides on actual movie production will find this work unsuitable. The story blends professional ambition with genuine terror, grounding its scares in the specific context of cinematic history.

💎 Our verdict on How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Dilouie crafts a compelling satire that effectively merges the tropes of 1980s slashers with the anxieties of Hollywood production. The tension between Max’s professional drive and the supernatural forces bound to the cursed camera creates a gripping atmosphere. Sally Priest’s journey from aspiring actress to protagonist in a real-life nightmare adds necessary emotional weight. The book excels in grounding its scares in cinematic history, offering a fresh perspective on the 'Final Girl' archetype. It is best suited for readers who enjoy meta-narratives and supernatural fiction that critiques industry demands, rather than those seeking straightforward instructional guides on actual movie production.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate meta-horror and satirical takes on the film industry will find this book particularly engaging. It offers a unique blend of supernatural terror and professional ambition, appealing to those fascinated by the precarious position of actors and directors in high-stakes creative environments. The narrative provides insight into how artistic legacy can lead to fatal consequences when mixed with genuine evil, making it suitable for fans of psychological horror who enjoy exploring the dissolution between fiction and reality within a cinematic context.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Dilouie crafts a compelling satire that effectively merges the tropes of 1980s slashers with the anxieties of Hollywood production. The tension between Max’s professional drive and the supernatural forces bound to the cursed camera creates a gripping atmosphere. Sally Priest’s journey from aspiring actress to protagonist in a real-life nightmare adds necessary emotional weight. The book excels in grounding its scares in cinematic history, offering a fresh perspective on the 'Final Girl' archetype. It is best suited for readers who enjoy meta-narratives and supernatural fiction that critiques industry demands, rather than those seeking straightforward instructional guides on actual movie production.