Since its publication last July, Jason
Zinoman's Shock Value has received more mainstream press -
and largely favorable mainstream press - than most critical
analyses of horror cinema in recent years. The attention is
understandable, as this is a well-written account of a pivotal period
in the genre (the late '60s to early '80s) that's also
accessible to a general readership. It's not aimed purely at
cinephiles and academics or the fanatical horror fandom. It also
doesn't hurt that, in this age of information overload, the book is
a quick read or that Zinoman writes regularly for The New York
Times (mainly covering theater). Even in a time of a
historically fractured mass media, the "Gray Lady" still has
clout.(read more...)
