Danse Macabre (book)
1981 non-fiction book by Stephen King, about horror fiction in print, TV, radio, film and comics, and the influence of contemporary societal fears and anxieties on the genre.
- Danse Macabre (book)47 related topics
Stephen King
American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels.
He related in detail his primary inspiration for writing horror fiction in his non-fiction Danse Macabre (1981), in a chapter titled "An Annoying Autobiographical Pause".
Dennis Etchison
American writer and editor of fantasy and horror fiction.
In 1983, Etchison was asked by Stephen King to be the film consultant/historian on the paperback edition of King's 1981 book on the horror genre, Danse Macabre.
The Stand
Post-apocalyptic dark fantasy novel written by American author Stephen King and first published in 1978 by Doubleday.
In Danse Macabre, King writes about the origins of The Stand at some length.
Thriller (American TV series)
American anthology television series that aired during the 1960–61 and 1961–62 seasons on NBC.
In Danse Macabre, Stephen King's 1981 history and critique of horror fiction, King suggests that Thriller was the best series of its kind up to that point.
Harlan Ellison
American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality.
At Stephen King's request, Ellison provided a description of himself and his writing in Danse Macabre: "My work is foursquare for chaos. I spend my life personally, and my work professionally, keeping the soup boiling. Gadfly is what they call you when you are no longer dangerous; I much prefer troublemaker, malcontent, desperado. I see myself as a combination of Zorro and Jiminy Cricket. My stories go out from here and raise hell. From time to time some denigrater or critic with umbrage will say of my work, 'He only wrote that to shock.' I smile and nod. Precisely."
Ramsey Campbell
English horror fiction writer, editor and critic who has been writing for well over fifty years.
In 1981, Stephen King published a semi-autobiographical overview of the horror field, Danse Macabre. In a chapter focusing on 20th century practitioners, King devoted a section to Campbell's fiction, alongside that of Ray Bradbury, Shirley Jackson, Peter Straub, Richard Matheson, Jack Finney and others.
Horror fiction
Genre of speculative fiction which is intended to frighten, scare, or disgust.
Stephen King, Danse Macabre. New York: Everest House, 1981. ISBN: 978-0896960763.
Shirley Jackson
American writer known primarily for her works of horror and mystery.
King, Stephen. Danse Macabre. Everest House, 1981.
H. P. Lovecraft
American writer of weird, science, fantasy, and horror fiction.
King stated in his semi-autobiographical non-fiction book Danse Macabre that Lovecraft was responsible for his own fascination with horror and the macabre and was the largest influence on his writing.
The Haunting of Hill House
1959 gothic horror novel by American author Shirley Jackson.
Stephen King, in his book Danse Macabre (1981), a non-fiction review of the horror genre, lists The Haunting of Hill House as one of the finest horror novels of the late 20th century and provides a lengthy review.