Well, would you look at the time? We're almost at the end of a decade. Yup, hard as it is to believe, the first tenth of the 21st century - the 2000's, or 'noughties,' or whatever the hell we're going to wind up referring to them as - is as good as over. What better time to reflect, to ponder the cultural personality of the new century in these, its infant years? This is the goal that Axelle Carolyn has set herself with this, her first book. You may remember Ms Carolyn from BtZ2, in which she was one of the first to fall victim to the dreaded 20 Questions. She's best known for being married to our hero, Neil Frickin' Marshall, and as you will see from whichever alluring photograph our illustrious editor has chosen to accompany this article, she's very attractive. But don't go dismissing her as a mere trophy wife. As this book demonstrates, she's a skilled writer with a considerable knowledge of the genre, and here she has crafted a history of contemporary horror movies that will doubtless prove indispensable.
The reason I say It Lives Again! will prove indispensable is that, at this point in time, much of what is written will still be fresh in the memory of any genre enthusiast worth their salt, but in years to come may prove elusive. Kicking off with a general overview of the genre at the end of the 20th century, Ms Carolyn tells the story of post-Millennium horror entirely chronologically, dedicating a chapter to each year from 2000 onwards and giving us the lowdown on the exact order that all the notable horror movies were released, from the well-remembered to those that slipped under the radar. All this is done in a bright, well-illustrated form, with glossy photos, interviews and footnotes aplenty. Thanks to the year-by-year format, the reader gets a good sense of how the prevailing trends of the last decade – torture porn, the zombie revival, the rise of Asian horror, and of course the remake surge - came to the forefront. (That said, the last year covered is 2008, so here's hoping that in years to come we get a revised edition covering the end of the decade.) At the same time she ties this in with much of what was going on in the world at the time, and there is much speculation as to how this tied in with what audiences were paying to see. Naturally, the words 'war,' 'terror' and '9/11' come up more than once.
As a reference book, then, It Lives Again! is hard to fault. However, for actual reading pleasure, I must say it leaves a bit to be desired. At its best, film writing can be a real joy to read - check out, say, David J Skall, Joe Queenan, and yes, even Harry Knowles. What I love about those writers is the way their enthusiasm exudes from the page, how they fill their writing with their own personality and passion. I have no doubt Ms Carolyn is every bit as passionate about her subject matter, and as such I would have liked to have seen more of that in her prose, as opposed to the more scholarly, impersonal approach she has taken. But I realise that was not her agenda. Rather than overwhelm us with her opinions and witticisms, she has aimed for a more neutral breakdown of events. Fair enough. So while It Lives Again! might not be the sort of book you'll necessarily want to read straight through from cover to cover, for those moments in the future when you find yourself pondering questions like "28 Days Later didn't come out in the same year as Resident Evil, did it?" or "wasn't there some French film called Bloody Mallory?" you may well appreciate having it on your shelf.
And if that's not reason enough for you, then yes, there is a sexy photograph of her on the inside back cover. Sold?
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