Immoral Tales: European Sex and Horror Movies 1956-1984

Cathal Tohill and Pete Tombs

New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1994; Pages: 272

In this oversized heavily-illustrated book, T&T provide ``in-depth profiles of the prime movers'' in the European B-movie industry, and combine these with a historical backdrop that makes it easier to place the directors' works in context. The authors see the beginning of the Euro sex-horror films in the ``fantastique'' (much like Soren in his book on the Rise and Fall of the Horror Film) but also in the 60's and 70's revolutions in film-making Europe. ``These bizarre flicks ... [are] too lowbrow to be considered arty, but too intelligent and personal to be described simply as Euro-trash.''

The historical chapters deal with Italian, German, French, and Spanish sex-horror traditions, with the inexplicable omission of British films. Although interesting, these chapters are not the strongest in the book. The best part comprises six chapters dedicated to Jess Franco, Jean Rollin, José Larraz, Jose Bénazéraf, Walerian Borowczyk, and Alain Robbe-Grillet. Each separate chapter is a combination of a biographical sketch and an analysis of trends, innovations, methods, and style in each director's films. The book includes a comprehensive filmography, and tons of pictures (mostly B&W, but there is a color insert).

Given the number of great European directors, it is no surprise that T&T had to restrict their list to a handful. However, some of their choices do not make much sense to me. There are some excellent sex-horror films by Argento, Fulci, Ossorio, Soavi, Grau, and Bava, yet no (or very little) mention is made of them. All of them are genre-defining in many ways in terms of style, camera work, even themes. It is not possible to provide a good analysis or even a good account of the European sex-horror films without examining some of these directors as well. Fortunately, there are now dedicated books of similar calibre to Argento and Fulci (in English, there are books on most others in various languages).

Having said that, the T&T book remains one of the most painstakingly researched volumes on the topic. Because they do not denigrate these films and do not feel that the films are somehow ``low art'' (as opposed, I suppose, to the stinkers that pass as ``high art''), the authors are able to be objective in an entertaining sort of way. The book is definitely worth reading, and just as definitely worth having for any fan of horror in general, and its European variety in particular.

February 26, 2001. BLS

@BOOK{tohill-94:immoral,
    TITLE     = {Immoral Tales: European Sex and Horror Movies 1956-1984 },
    AUTHOR    = {Cathal Tohill and Pete Tombs},
    YEAR      = {1994},
    PUBLISHER = {St. Martin's Griffin},
    ADDRESS   = {New York},
    ISBN      = {0-312-13519-X},
    NOTE      = {Pp. 272}
}