The new genre retrospective book from author Adrian Roe, Seasonal Screams: A History of Holiday Horror will release just in time for Halloween (literally) on October 31, 2024.
The book features exclusive cover artwork by Graham Humphreys, which you’ll find below.
Seasonal Screams: A History of Holiday Horror will take you on a terrifying journey through your favorite seasons, with contributors and interviewees including Neil Marshall, Ellie Cornell, Jeff Lieberman, Linnea Quigley, Daniel Stamm, Mellissa Anderson and more.
The press release previews, “Whether it’s the dry autumnal leaves that shatter under your feet with every step during Halloween, or the cold crisp snow turning the world white over Christmas, there has always been a special relationship with film and the changing seasons. Or more specifically, with the public holidays that are celebrated during these traditional and familiar dates marked by default on our calendars. To some, these moments represent something far more profound, an annual reminder of where we were, who we were with, as the memories of yesteryear are invoked during holidays that we have become accustomed to since childhood.
“For varying reasons there has also been a creative bond between film and these annual events for almost as long as the medium has existed. We can trace holiday themed movies back to 1898, with the release of George Albert Smith’s Santa Claus, which is believed to be the first ever “Christmas Movie.” Smith would also direct the short The Old Maid’s Valentine in 1900, which would use February the 14th to deliver a surprise. Victor Sjöström’s silent movie, The Phantom Carriage (1921), would use New Year’s Eve as the backdrop for its haunting premise, while holidays such as Halloween and Easter have been channeled through film on countless occasions.
“Although no genre is immune to the adaptability and pulling power of the holiday themed concept, no other has used this narrative quite as effectively as the horror genre. Maybe it’s the irony of chaos, bloodshed, and fear during what is traditionally perceived as a happy and joyous occasion, regardless of the celebration in question. Perhaps the alluring promise of a villain so deranged that they are willing to use the happiest of days for such pain and carnage takes that fear factor to another level. There is another clear benefit of this creative allegiance, which is possibly the strongest explanation of them all – the repeat offender. Creating a horror movie that happens to coincide with a familiar annual event not only opens the door for sequels but gives us a horror villain who will become synonymous with our favourite holiday– a filmmaker’s dream, if you will. A guaranteed audience hungry to revisit their favourite holiday villain, whatever the occasion. The horror fan is a loyal breed, and I can’t think of an annual holiday where moviegoers aren’t searching for that perfect holiday horror movie to mark the occasion. Whatever the reason, film would not be what it is without the “Holiday Horror” subgenre, which has managed to influence and evolve due to this most unlikely convergence.”
Adrian Roe is the author of the First Scream to the Last trilogy, which are horror compendiums covering ’70s, ’80s and ’90s horror movies. This informative series is supported by various contributions from the likes of Wes Craven, John Carpenter, Tom Savini, Tom Holland, Mick Garris, Julie Carmen, Heather Langenkamp, and many others.
Adrian has since published Bled Dry in 2020, which documents the history of the vampire subgenre. Various artists were once again involved with the work that looks at the origins of the vampire lore, while also covering over 100 years of vampires in film.
In 2021 Adrian published Screams for a New Millennium, which served as a detailed reference piece for the horror movies of the ’00s. With a foreword written by Jamie Blanks (Urban Legend, Valentine, Storm Warning), the book is supported with contributions by some of the key creatives and influencers of the time.
