Comments on: Cracking Denis Gifford

By: Rose

Rose — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 12:45:47 +0000

Denis Gifford was a relative of mine. I’ve been trawling the internet to see if I can find out more about him and his daughter(my 3rd cousin) It’s nice to read these comments about him so many years later.

By: Fred

Fred — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 04:24:56 +0000

Thanks for writing about Denis Gifford. It was a pleasure learning more about the man. I’m another who can count A Pictorial Guide to Horror Movies as my first horror movie book. A childhood friend who turned me on to horror movies and The Monster Times (but not Famous Monsters — that came from another friend) had the book before me and, seeing that I couldn’t put it down, had his mom buy it for me for my 10th birthday. I still have it to this day and it is the hardcover in my collection which I’ve owned the longest.

By: SMB

SMB — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:55:39 +0000

Denis Gifford, what a blast from the past! I bought his Pictorial Guide to Horror Movies when I was fifteen and lost it to a flood. Thank goodness we have eBay! I just ordered a copy along with his SCI-FI book and I can’t wait to receive them. The Pictorial book changed my life forever when it came to horror movies.This is one of the few times I have visited the TCM website (I get the guide) and saw the Morlock section. If I hadn’t been intriguied and looked I would have missed out on some great nostalgia.

By: RHS

RHS — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:09:21 +0000

I probably had the Carlos Clarens book first but Gifford’s (which was more inviting due to the wealth of pictures – some of which I haven’t seen reprinted anywhere else, even to this day) was the first one I actually read.

By: David

David — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:08:39 +0000

I thoroughly enjoyed your post. When I get some time, I’ll revisit Gifford’s Pictorial History of Horror Movies. I count him, along with William K. Everson and Leonard Maltin, as the ones that inspired me, as I’ve been a life-long enthusiast of all things fantasy/horror/science fiction. Everson and Gifford were the first ones (maybe Clarens?) I’ll try to search for his other books. Great post!

By: K.W. York

K.W. York — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:00:29 +0000

I received a copy of “A Pictorial History of Horror Movies” when I was about 12. That book and Forrest J. Ackerman’s Famous Monster’s Magazines made me a diehard fan on the genre.