A New Heritage of Horror

The English Gothic Cinema

Winner of the Dark Fest Film Festival Award for Best Genre Author 2024

David Pirie's acclaimed history of British gothic film and television has long been regarded as a foundational study of the roots of British horror, identifying it as 'the only staple cinematic myth which Britain can properly claim as its own.'

This edition has been revised and updated to include discussion of films and TV dramas that have been newly discovered, restored or released since publication of the previous edition in 2007, as well as addressing newly-emergent screenwriters, directors and genres.

Drawing on insider accounts and archival sources, David Pirie investigates the notion of horror versus realism in popular fiction, and analyses the horror boom that developed around films including The Others and 28 Days Later. He chronicles British horror cinema from its origins in Gothic literature traces the rise of Hammer Films, its key directors and films as well as its battles with the censors, explores major horror sub genres including comedy horror and sci-fi, and brings the story up to the present day, where horror is flourishing in new ways, with films such as Shaun of the Dead, Under the Skin and Censor; the rise of genres such as folk horror and films that tackle questions of race and gender, and the emergence of a new generation of writers and directors including Prano Bailey-Bond, Ben Wheatley and Edgar Wright.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.