Stephen King offers an insightful examination of the modern horror genre, encompassing books, film, TV, and American culture.

The book is engaging as King, with his distinct voice and humor, dissects the horror genre into easily digestible segments. It functions well as an information and opinion source, yet it lacks a certain depth or emotional core.

I have read this book twice, and while the issues and insights presented are interesting, I find myself longing for a more profound message or a call to action. It sometimes feels defensive, as if the book is striving too hard to legitimize something that perhaps doesn't require such validation.

Overall, I would rate it a 6 out of 12.

2017 read; 2005 read

I truly loved spending an abundant amount of time with King himself.

It was an absolute delight, similar to sitting in a cozy coffee shop and simply listening intently as the man himself shared his profound thoughts on pop culture horror in both books and movies.

Not only that, but he also regaled me with his personal experiences.

I have given this encounter a 5-star rating because I can vividly envision myself revisiting it sometime in the future.

I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the world of horror and the insights of a master like King.

It was an unforgettable experience that left a lasting impression on me.

I can't wait to relive those moments again.

Highly recommended!

Overall, it was a great read.

However, I didn't give it full stars because at times, when the author delved into certain books and stories in great detail, I found it rather boring. This was especially the case when I hadn't read those particular works, so I couldn't really connect with the descriptions.

Nevertheless, I did manage to get a lot of recommendations for my to-be-read (TBR) pile.

I also found this interesting, although it was a bit out of date as it only spanned until 1980.

I would be very interested to know if the author would consider doing another modern version, given that so much has happened in this genre since then.

There have been numerous new trends, authors, and works that have emerged, and it would be fascinating to see how the author would update and expand on his previous analysis.

Overall, despite its few drawbacks, this article was still a valuable read and has left me eager to explore some of the recommended books.

Decades before Stephen King penned his renowned book on craft, On Writing, he wrote this particular work. It focuses specifically on the craft of horror writing, yet can also be regarded as a history of the genre. King doesn't confine his retrospective solely to books. Movies, TV classics like “The Twilight Zone,” and even radio plays are all encompassed. I adored every insight he offered regarding the writing process and the dissection of the emotion of fear. The master of scariness elucidates that terror, horror, and gross-outs are three distinct things. Terror is entirely psychological, horror pertains to crossing boundaries, and we're all familiar with what a gross-out is. Terror is the ideal, but King admits he's not averse to the gross-out when necessary.

The book did have two drawbacks. Firstly, whenever he expounded on some movie I'd never heard of, I became bored. Since he's such a master storyteller, I persevered through those parts because I knew a captivating personal story would ultimately follow. However, if you're not a die-hard horror fan, some portions of this book will likely bore you too. Secondly, the book is dated, having been written in the 1980s. But datedness has its own allure, so I'll concentrate on that for the remainder of this review.

The interesting aspect of datedness is that you get to witness the author's former perspective in light of what you know now. For instance, King discusses 1970s science fiction movies about environmental apocalypse. Such movies are still made today, but now that we're closer to the crisis, the tone is even more severe, and the subject is more likely to be taken up by journalists rather than fiction writers. The same holds true for Arab terrorism. The Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran was the major threat when this book was written, but even the dark imagination of Stephen King didn't anticipate 9/11.

The differences in his personal life were even more fascinating. He refers to his seven-year-old son Joe several times in the book, which made me chuckle. But the best part was his attitude towards the film adaptations of his books. At that point, only three had been made: Carrie, 'Salem's Lot, and The Shining. It's now known that King loathed the film version of The Shining, and I wholeheartedly concur with him. The movie failed to capture any of the depth of the psychic child at the core of the story. But his criticism was mild in this book. He said the directors treated his work “fairly,” and he felt “relieved.” But director Rob Reiner relates the story that when he screened “Stand By Me” for King, at first he was silent, and then he said he needed to take a walk. When he returned, he said, “That was the first time a movie really captured what I meant in the book.” But that hadn't occurred yet, and he didn't know how excellent an adaptation could be. Since he cites Kubrick's previous movies with admiration, you can understand why he consented to let the famous director work with his material. He had hopes, and he was disappointed, but he couldn't express them as fully then. But now that some directors have done justice to his work, he can feel the contrast all the more keenly.

If you're seeking the terrifying entertainment that Stephen King delivers so adeptly, you won't find it here. But if you relish the analysis of craft, whether as a writer or as a horror enthusiast, there's ample to be gained from reading this book.

To be fair, if you are a writer and a Horror fan, this book is a must-pickup.

If you love Horror and are curious about the bases and hidden messages within it, the way it is written, and the morality involved, then you should definitely pick it up too.

This is essentially a comprehensive thesis on everything Horror,涵盖了from movies to books, and it is frankly very good.

Although it can be a little bit dull at times, overall it is excellent.

The only drawback I can think of is that it is old.

There has been so much more that has come after this book, and I would not hesitate to buy a continuation if it were available.

There is also so much more from King himself.

This edition has an updated introduction from 2010, which is still a tiny bit out of date.

It is good, but it is impossible to sum up 27 plus years after publication.

For those interested in the bases of Horror film and books, this is a must-read.

It is also filled with numerous book and film recommendations.

After following a couple of them, I have decided how I will approach this book.

The job of the fantasy writer, or the horror writer, is to break down the walls of that narrow perspective for a short time. They aim to offer a single, powerful sight for that third eye.

The task of the fantasy-horror writer is to make you, for a brief moment, a child once more.

I am in awe of the astonishing qualities and the profound understanding and knowledge that Stephen King has. I love him as an author and hold him in the highest regard. However, after reading this, a whole new wave of respect and admiration for him has washed over me.

He涵盖了这本书中的许多内容，并且他做得如此出色、如此迷人、如此优雅，在阅读过程中我没有一刻感到无聊。而且我学到了很多。

Stephen King对恐怖和人类的理解，以及他在写作和讲故事方面的能力是无与伦比的。我真的无法对其给予足够的赞扬。这真的很神奇。

This was extremely good. So very good. So enjoyable to read. I would recommend it to anyone, even if you're not into horror. You may not read it continuously, but I think there is something for everyone to learn from here.

Honestly, this wasn't a King book that I had ever planned to read.

I thought that with all the decades that have passed since it was written, things would be outdated. And as a person who rarely reads non-fiction, I wondered if I would really be that interested.

As a horror fan, though, I should be interested, right?

Now, I was certainly not wrong about it being outdated. But come on, look at when it was published. However, I did find myself really fascinated with some parts of the book.

Starting with the discussion about The Invasion of the Body Snatchers definitely peaked my interest. I had watched the Donald Sutherland version, and that final scene will never be forgotten.

And it's also not outdated in the sense that a lot of King's views still resonate for those old movies. I hope I'm making sense.

In any case, I did find this to be a bit dense in certain areas, but in others, it was great to see a different perspective.

Overall, it was an interesting read that made me think about horror movies in a new way.

Danse Macabre is Stephen King's exploration of the horror genre across TV, film, radio, and text, spanning approximately from 1950 to 1980. I had long intended to read this book, and the Kindle price finally convinced me.

I'm not entirely sure what to say about it. It was rather average. King writes about three decades of the horror genre in various media. I found some of the subjects interesting, especially the movies and books, many of which I'll be on the lookout for. His insights into the nature of horror and why we're so drawn to it were thought-provoking. However...

As a big Stephen King fan, I think he's a great writer, even though he produces bestsellers as frequently as I pay my car insurance. At times, he can be a bit verbose. In his prose, I don't notice it as much, but in non-fiction, it really stands out!

"The Shrinking Man" and "The Haunting of Hill House" were both barely longer than novellas, yet King drones on about them for twenty pages each! The autobiographical parts were far more interesting to me than some of the movies and books he discussed. I have trouble caring what Stephen King thinks about obscure B-movies made decades before I was born that would seem cheesy by today's standards.

Despite the long-windedness, I did find the book informative and it added some things to my watch list. Also, King criticized John Saul a few times. Was Saul the James Patterson of horror in his day? Will my life be incomplete if I never read John Saul (or James Patterson)? These are things to think about.

You know what's not as enjoyable as reading horror fiction or watching horror movies? Reading someone else's thoughts on them for one hundred pages too many! Three out of five stars.

Horror in real life is an emotion that one grapples with—all alone. It is a combat waged in the secret recesses of the heart.

I firmly believe that we are all ultimately alone. Any deep and lasting human contact is nothing more nor less than a necessary illusion. However, at least the feelings which we think of as "positive" and "constructive" are a reaching-out, an effort to make contact and establish some sort of communication.

Feelings of love and kindness, the ability to care and empathize, are all we know of the light.

They are efforts to link and integrate. They are the emotions which bring us together, if not in fact then at least in a comforting illusion that makes the burden of mortality a little easier to bear. We often find ourselves in the clutches of horror, yet it is these positive emotions that give us the strength to face it. Love and kindness have the power to heal our wounds and bring us closer to one another. They are the beacons of hope in the darkness of our lives.

Even though we may be alone in our struggles, the knowledge that we can reach out and connect with others through these emotions gives us the courage to keep going. In the end, it is these emotions that define us as human beings and make our lives worth living.

I read and rate non-fiction books in a completely different way from novels. In the case of non-fiction, three stars is not at all bad. The fact that it took me two months to read this particular non-fiction book isn't a negative aspect either.

There were many parts of the book that truly entertained me. I found the general explanations on the subject of horror to be highly interesting. Additionally, the chapters dedicated to King's biographical peculiarities were captivating. Moreover, I even learned some new perspectives about stories that I had already read, such as "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson. My main focus was on the reading list provided at the end of the book. Now, I have a plethora of recommendations for further reading, which is quite exciting.

However, unfortunately, the book had a few chapters in the middle that didn't hold much relevance for me. As a result, the reading experience dragged on during those parts. The sections on horror in TV series, radio plays, and films didn't interest me that much, mainly because of the restriction from 1950 to 1980. But to be fair, I was aware of this limitation beforehand.

4.5⭐

⚠️ Do not confuse Danza macabra with La danza de la muerte, later called Apocalipsis.

This essay is divided into three main parts. The first part delves into horror films, exploring their various subgenres, the impact they have had on audiences, and the techniques used by filmmakers to create fear and suspense.

The second part focuses on horror literature. It examines different authors and their works, the evolution of the horror genre in literature, and how written words can evoke intense emotions and vivid images in the reader's mind.

The final point is where King shares with us the origin of his first three novels. He provides insights into his creative process, the inspirations behind his stories, and the challenges he faced while writing them.

I truly liked this essay a great deal. It was not boring at all, as it felt as if you were having a direct conversation with the author face to face. The way King presents his ideas and thoughts is engaging and captivating. However, the aspect that fascinated me the least was 'Horror Fiction'. The descriptions and fragments of the novels that are mentioned tend to be a bit excessive at times, which can make the reading experience a bit overwhelming. But other than that, I have nothing negative to say about this essay. It is a great read for anyone interested in the horror genre.

I’ve been patiently parsing my way through a lot of the early works of Stephen King lately.

I think “The Stand” is next in order of publication, but that’s a tall order to tackle, so I might put it off until early next year.

In the meantime, I picked up a battered paperback copy of King’s long-form essay on the horror artform itself, “Danse Macabre.”

Originally published in 1981, King wrote this book at the urging of his then-editor, Bill Thompson.

Thompson told him it would be a good idea to do a genre study, hoping it would answer common questions from fans and interviewers.

I remember reading it not long after it first came out, and despite being 37 years out of date, the material has aged reasonably well.

There have been revisions, and King added a “forenote” to a 2010 revision titled “What’s Scary?”

However, younger fans will struggle with the pop cultural references King uses.

He was current up to 1980, but a lot has happened in the horror genre since then.

Names like Clive Barker, “The Walking Dead,” Poppy Z. Brite, and even Anne Rice are absent or get short shrift.

Even Freddy Krueger and the “Nightmare On Elm Street” franchise seem quaint in 2018.

Despite this, the book still has value for those interested in horror fiction being more than just cheap thrills.

King argues that horror is a legitimate art form with a place in the cultural canon.

“Danse Macabre” also establishes King’s bona fides as a serious genre figure.

He often suffers from “popular author syndrome,” but he has never diluted his work to score easy bestseller points.

The best way to approach the book is to put the pop cultural references aside and focus on King’s ideas about the subconscious roots of horror and its appeal.

Stephen King is a smart guy, and some of the material here has been recycled, as he admits in the afterword.

But he makes interesting observations on the horror genre deserving respect.

The sections on television and movies have aged less well, but it’s fun to remember the visual medium in 1980.

“Danse Macabre” is a reminder of how good (and obscure) shows like “Thriller” were.

Readers today can easily find reruns on YouTube.

I don’t think I discovered anything new, but I appreciated the section on television.

If you’ve never read “Danse Macabre,” you should.

Used copies are cheap, and you can find the original hardback for a reasonable price.

It’s an overlooked part of King’s oeuvre, but well worth seeking out for its insights into his approach to horror fiction.

One last thing, King seems mostly ambivalent about Stanley Kubrick’s movie version of “The Shining” in “Danse Macabre,” contrary to what some people say.

Ultimately, “Danse Macabre” is only necessary for superfans or King completionists, but it’s still a fun read, despite being outdated.

Pick it to pieces with an open mind.