AMC’s History of Horror is set to premiere its second season on October 10th, but arriving this week, is the first season on Blu-ray. Taking the inaugural season and fleshing it out via a series of special features, this release is one that the most diehard genre fan should plan to grab.
The Show
Featuring guests such as Stephen King, Edgar Wright, Diablo Cody, Joe Dante and more, the first season of History of Horror sees Roth, the director of Hostel and Cabin Fever, devoting each episode to various horror sub genres. Episodes focused on vampires, monsters and so on, the show does a great job of spotlighting various personalities and filmmakers within the horror world, each speaking about various films that helped define each subgenre they’re tackling. With a wraparound-like round table between Roth, FX Maestro/filmmakers Greg Nicotero and rocker turned filmmaker Rob Zombie injected in between the sit downs with the various personalities, the show goes in depth enough to please avid horror fans, yet never feels gatekeeper-like or forced. Serving as examinations of horror films we all love and/or appreciate, it’s a fun show that is filmed quite well, offers figures like King and so on, all talking about specific films that every horror fan should see.
See Also: Five Movies That Show Mad Love for the Horror Genre (That Aren’t Scream)
In season one, I could definitely feel the AMC influence when it comes to tackling zombie films (we get it, you make the Walking Dead, AMC) but there are a dozen more films and takes that don’t get as much attention as the popular TV series does in the zombie episode.
All in all, History of Horror is a series that shows potential in its first season and get its viewer ready for a superior second one. Definitely worth picking up.
Special Features
The supplemental material is what makes History of Horror a must own Blu-ray. Taking the short clips of each interviewee and giving viewers the entire chats without edits is a plus. The special features act more like in depth podcast video interviews than your typical “here are movies you should like” approach that so many documentaries and shows throw at the audience. Listening to King talk in depth about vampires and zombies, Joe Dante speaking of the good, the bad and the ugly found within the films and a loooooong chat with Quentin Tarantino about his favorites really stands out, making the supplemental material just as compelling as the show itself.
Wicked Rating: Show: 6/10. Special features: 8/10
