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"This is cultural history at its best. The author's vivid engagement with his material reveals Val Lewton in a bracing new light. Nemerov teases out relationships between film and society with supple writing, imagination, and skill. A critical tour de force." - David M. Lubin, author of Shooting Kennedy "Icons of Grief is a brilliantly conceived and successfully executed filmmaker study. Nemerov's research is dazzling, as are his highly sophisticated analyses. At every turn, he reveals his deep understanding of cinema. This is an exquisitely crafted book." - Scott Bukatman, author of Terminal Identity"
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This beautifully written study looks at the haunting, melancholy horror films Val Lewton made between 1942 and 1946 and finds them to be powerful commentaries on the American home front during World War II. Alexander Nemerov focuses on the iconic, isolated figures who appear in four of Lewton's small-budget classics - "The Curse of the Cat People", "The Ghost Ship", "I Walked with a Zombie", and "Bedlam". These ghosts, outcasts, and other apparitions of sorrow crystallize the anxiety and grief experienced by Americans during the war, emotions decidedly at odds with the official insistence on courage, patriotism, and optimism. In an evocative meditation on Lewton's use of these 'icons of grief,' Nemerov demonstrates the film-maker's interest in those who found themselves alienated by wartime society and illuminates the dark side of the American psyche in the 1940s. Nemerov's rich study draws from Lewton's letters, novels, and scripts and from a wealth of historical material to shed light on both the visual and literary aspects of the filmmaker's work. Lavishly illustrated with more than fifty photographs, including many rare film stills, "Icons of Grief" recasts Lewton's horror films as suggestive commentaries on a troubled and hidden side of America during World War II.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
A Different Approach
23 Mar 2007
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is perhaps the most original book written about Val Lewton's famous horror movies in decades. Nemerov looks at four images from Lewton's movies, images that center on little-known character actors Nemerov then shows how these tie into Lewton's Russian background, Lewton's career as a novelist, and American pop culture during World War II.
Rarely have I seen Lewton's films subjected to this kind of close analysis. While I might have wished that Nemerov focused on something from "The Seventh Victim" or "The Body Snatcher," I have to say that what he said made very good sense and placed Lewton in a broader context. (As opposed to the common idea that Lewton was such a genius that his films stand apart from everything else in the horror genre.) This is the rare book of which it can be said that I wish it were longer. Nemerov's enthusiasm for Lewton shines through, but he also has balanced judgment on Lewton's limitations as well. Strongly recommended for anyone interested in horror films or films of the Forties.
Rarely have I seen Lewton's films subjected to this kind of close analysis. While I might have wished that Nemerov focused on something from "The Seventh Victim" or "The Body Snatcher," I have to say that what he said made very good sense and placed Lewton in a broader context. (As opposed to the common idea that Lewton was such a genius that his films stand apart from everything else in the horror genre.) This is the rare book of which it can be said that I wish it were longer. Nemerov's enthusiasm for Lewton shines through, but he also has balanced judgment on Lewton's limitations as well. Strongly recommended for anyone interested in horror films or films of the Forties.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Wartime Horrors
27 Oct 2005
Format:Paperback
"Icons of Grief" is a fascinating critical study of producer Val Lewton's RKO horror films within a World War II context. Historian Alexander Nemerov examines the subtle power of Lewton's low-budget chillers (notably "Cat People," "I Walked With a Zombie" and "The Ghost Ship") and the cultural reflection upon wartime America. By providing new insights on Lewton and his work, Nemerov encourages the reader to seek out these remarkable films.
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