good b movie reference books ?

[derrida]

i'm looking for good books, encyclopedias (..maybe websites?) that contain old b movies (the movies, not the history) as complete as possible.
wikipedia for example lists b movies by genre and year..the lists are pretty extensive but seem to be incomplete.

i'm primarily interested in: sci-fi, japanese sci-fi, obscure horror, funny nonsense stuff..90s us- trash..dinosaurs!!..evil germans..whatever. no hardcore splatter but loveable trash.
decades primarily from the 40s on- 80s or 90s.

any sugesstions would be great

[Andrew]

Any reference book is going to have omissions.  There are just too many films for any single reference volume.  Here are two I would consider must-haves:

The Psychotronic Video Guide To Film

Keep Watching the Skies! American Science Fiction Movies of the Fifties, The 21st Century Edition (I have the older 2-volume version)

There are quite a few websites in my links section.
http://www.badmovies.org/links_favorites.html
http://www.badmovies.org/links.html

Based on your focus, I'd highly recommend the Astounding B-Monster:

http://www.bmonster.com/default.php

[Rev. Powell]

"The Psychotronic Video Guide" is almost ridiculously complete (up to 1996). You'll need the much shorter "The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film" as well. Both are out of print so you'd have to find used copies.

(Edit: Andrew beat me to it!)

[Menard]

A few more books in addition to what has been listed:


Videohound's Cult Flicks and Trash Pics - Scroll down the page and you'll find suggestions for other Videohound books. Also look at the used and new section as you can find copies of this real cheap.

Slimetime: A Guide to Sleazy, Mindless Movies - Despite the suggestion from the title that this is a sleazefest, it's primarily reviews of grindhouse and other movie fare from the editor of Shock Cinema magazine. I linked to an older edition as the newer edition costs twice as much, but there is a link to the newer edition on the page.

Midnight Movies - A classic, and that's all I have to say. Also check out the used and new section as you can find copies of this pretty cheap.

Cinema Sewer Collection - This is volume one, but the other two volumes are also listed, just scroll down the page. I have several of the magazines and this is as sick and sleazy as the cover and title suggests.

Creation Cinema Collection - This is actually a search on Amazon I linked to. This is a series of books on different genres and sub-genres of cinema, including grindhouse and b-movies, and is not shy nor does it pull any punches.

The Dark Side Magazine - Not only the best magazine on horror movies, retro and contemporary, in my opinion, but check out their books to. Unfortunately their book on zombie movies is out of print, and the author is Allan Bryce; if you come across a used copy it is so worth it if zombie movies at all interest you. And it is a British publication.

[LilCerberus]

One of the most renowned, is The Golden Turkey Awards by Micheal Medved.

I've always been partial to The Book Of Cult Movies by Danny Perry.

[Andrew]

A few more books in addition to what has been listed:


Videohound's Cult Flicks and Trash Pics - Scroll down the page and you'll find suggestions for other Videohound books. Also look at the used and new section as you can find copies of this real cheap.

How did I forget that one?  Definitely another must-have for the bad movie library.

[The Burgomaster]

My favorites are:

* THE PSYCHOTRONIC ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FILM - I read my first copy so many times it actually split in half at the spine.  So, I bought another copy and I still have it.

* THE PSYCHOTRONIC VIDEO GUIDE - I've read this many times, too.  In fact, I read a few movie reviews from one or both of these Psychotronic books virtually every day.

[derrida]

great books. thanks alot!

i've also discovered this a few days ago:
the phantom of the movies videoscope by joe kane.
..good cover at all but i don't know..seems to be a little ripoff of the psychotronic video guide in some way.

what about books that focuses on japanese sci-fi and monster movies? i just discovered videohound's dragon- asian action and cult flicks by brian thomas..

[Rev. Powell]

great books. thanks alot!

i've also discovered this a few days ago:
the phantom of the movies videoscope by joe kane.
..good cover at all but i don't know..seems to be a little ripoff of the psychotronic video guide in some way.

It's not a ripoff. Michael Weldon (Psychotronic) is very thorough, which is why he's an important reference source. Kane doesn't attempting to cover every b-movie but he's a much better writer and his reviews are more fun to read.

[Raffine]

Tom Weaver's Poverty Row Horrors! is a great encyclopedia of all those Monogram, PRC, and Republic poverty row horror films from the 40's. Weaver has written many fine genre-related books, including the definitive book on the Universal Horror films, and recorded many DVD commentaries. He hangs out at the Classic Horror Film Board and is very happy to discuss these movies with fellow fans.

George Turner and Michael Price have a great series (I think there's five at last count!) on Forgotten Horrors.

I've always been partial to The Book Of Cult Movies by Danny Perry.

I love Peary's cult movie books! I think there are three volumes. I used to have all three but lost them all at some point. They are out of print and a bit pricy to replace. His Guide for the Film Fanatic can be found used fairly cheap ('new' copies are a hundred bucks!) and is a good round up of his favorites.

[Rev. Powell]

I've always been partial to The Book Of Cult Movies by Danny Perry.

I love Peary's cult movie books! I think there are three volumes. I used to have all three but lost them all at some point. They are out of print and a bit pricy to replace. His Guide for the Film Fanatic can be found used fairly cheap ('new' copies are a hundred bucks!) and is a good round up of his favorites.

I'm a big fan of Peary's "Cult Movie" books too (I've got 1 & 3, would love to pick up 2).  But, they're not focused on b-movies, as derrida asked. And they're not "complete," either; he limits himself to 50 or 100 reviews in each book. Still worth a look for sure!

[lester1/2jr]

psychotronic guide is on google books

[Raffine]

A few more books in addition to what has been listed:


Videohound's Cult Flicks and Trash Pics - Scroll down the page and you'll find suggestions for other Videohound books. Also look at the used and new section as you can find copies of this real cheap.

How did I forget that one?  Definitely another must-have for the bad movie library.

This thread inspired me to dig out my old copy of this.

[derrida]

from thelostmovies...

The B List: The National Society of Film Critics on the Low-budget Beauties, Genre-bending Mavericks, and Cult Classics We Love by David John Sterritt Anderson

Scenes from a Revolution: The Birth of the New Hollywood by Mark Harris

New Hollywood Cinema: An Introduction by Geoff King

Hollywood  'B' Movies: A Treasury of Spills, Chills & Thrills by John Reid

Attack of the B Movie Posters by Bruce Hershenson

Reflections of A "B"- Movie Junkie by Jim Driscoll

Great Hollywood  Westerns: Classic Pictures, Must-See Movies and 'B' Films by John, Howard Reid 

B Movies, Blue Love by Bella Pollen   

The Golden Age of B Movies by MCCLELLAND Doug

Land of a Thousand Balconies: Discoveries and Confessions of a B-movie Archaeologist by Jack Stevenson

""Who is that?"" The late late viewers guide to the old old movie players, by Warren B. Meyers. Designed and illustrated by Jerry Lang and Gosta Viertel by Warren B (1929-?) Meyers 

The Big Book of B Movies by Robin Cross

Golden Age of B. Movies by Doug McClelland 

Hollywood  Classics 2: B Movies, Bad Movies, Good Movies by John Reid

Attack of the B-movie makers: Where no film school has gone before! : a personal and in-depth look at low-budget filmmakers David Decoteau (Creepozoids) and Fred Olen Ray (Deep Space) by J. R Bookwalter 

" B " movies;: An informal survey of the American low-budget film, 1933-1945 (The Curtis film series) by Don Miller

Gurps Atomic Horror: Science Runs Amok in B-Movie Adventures! (Steve Jackson Games) (Paperback) by Paul Elliott (Author), Chris W. McCubbin (Author)

Interviews with "B" Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls and Makeup by Tom Weaver

B. Western Actors Encyclopaedia: Facts, Photos and Filmographies for More Than 250 Familiar Faces (McFarland Classics) by Ted Holland

[lester1/2jr]

it couldn't hurt to get like 5-10 issues of shock cinema