Sand, Sun and Shrieks

It's often said that a successful book on film is one that makes you want to see the movies it discusses. But in the case of Brad Sykes' Terror in the Desert: Dark Cinema of the American Southwest (McFarland), I sometimes had a different reaction -- I was grateful to him for sitting through some truly dreadful-sounding films, so that I'll never have to. I suspect it's a lot more fun to read about them, at least in this author's hands.

That's not to say that he writes only about drek here. Quite the contrary -- he not only pinpoints a film genre that's much more prevalent than I'd ever realized, but he also shows us some of the finest examples around. Once you've accepted the idea of desert horror as a genre, it's fairly easy to think of at least a few films that might qualify -- The Hills Have Eyes (1977) and its sequels, obviously; U-Turn (1997). But you may be surprised how many others fall under the author's view here. He casts a wide net in the films he covers, going all the way back to the silent era, and up through 2016.

He identifies The Sadist (1963) as "the very first desert terror film." Though it's been memorably lampooned on TV's Mystery Science Theater 3000, Sykes makes a convincing case that it's actually a film of merit, one that works on a level beyond its tiny budget and inexperienced actors. He also wisely includes in his study made-for-TV features like Duel and Savages that clearly deserve consideration. The author's own experience as a filmmaker enriches his appreciation of the films discussed, making his commentary intelligent and knowledgeable. He tries to see what works well (and why), but when a film deserves a slam, Sykes doesn't hesitate to provide it, calling Detour (2003, not the Edgar G. Ulmer film!) "technically spotty ... abysmally acted [and] excruciatingly inane." 

This is a worthwhile and accomplished study of a film genre that has too often been overlooked.

NOTE: I was furnished a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.