This book, by film critic Hal C F Astell of the Apocalypse Later review site, explores the quirky and surprising reasons why 26 classic American bad movies were made.
It aims to be highly representative of different budgets, timeframes and genres.
Films included range from big budget Hollywood productions like Strange Interlude, The Outlaw and The Conqueror to no budget indie flicks like Manos: The Hands of Fate, The Beast of Yucca Flats and The Monster of Camp Sunshine.
They span the years from from 1932 (Strange Interlude) to 1980 (Fist of Fear, Touch of Death), with each decade fairly represented.
They also span diverse genres: not just horror and science fiction films, but also martial arts, melodrama, biker, adventure, exploitation, war, espionage, western, comedy, biopic, historical drama and message movies.
A complete list of chapters with their theme is: A is for Ambition: Eegah (1962)
B is for Bruce: Fist of Fear, Touch of Death (1980)
C is for Con: The Creeping Terror (1964)
D is for Debt: The Corpse Grinders (1971)
E is for Ego: Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966)
F is for Frustration: The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)
G is for Gimmickry: Strange Interlude (1932)
H is for Hubris: Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
I is for Insanity: Pink Angels (1971)
J is for Justice: Child Bride (1938)
K is for Knockers: Double Agent 73 (1974)
L is for Location: Creature from the Haunted Sea (1961)
M is for Mimicry: Life Returns (1935)
N is for Necessity: Monster a Go-Go (1965)
O is for Opportunity: Polk County Pot Plane (1977)
P is for Patchwork: Devil Monster (1946)
Q is for Quickie: Cuban Rebel Girls (1959)
R is for Religion: Blood Freak (1972)
S is for Sex: The Outlaw (1943)
T is for Timeslot: They Saved Hitler's Brain (1976)
U is for Unknown: The Monster of Camp Sunshine (1964)
V is for Violence: Blood Feast (1963)
W is for Whimsy: Rat Pfink a Boo Boo (1966)
X is for eXploitation: Chained for Life (1951)
Y is for Yes: The Conqueror (1956)
Z is for Zeal: Reefer Madness (1936)
About the Author:
While he still has a day job in IT, Hal C F Astell is a teacher by blood and a writer by inclination, which gradually morphed him into a movie reviewer. He writes primarily for Apocalypse Later, his movie review site, but also for others who ask nicely.
Born and raised in the rain of England, he's still learning about the word 'heat' after nine years in Phoenix, AZ, where he lives with his better half, Dee, in a house full of assorted critters.
Just in case you care, his favourite movie is Peter Jackson's Bad Taste, his favourite actor is Warren William and he thinks Carl Theodor Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc is the best movie ever made. He's always happy to talk your ears off about the joys of precodes, fifties B pictures or Asian horror movies.
He's usually easy to find at film festivals, conventions and events because he's likely to be the only one in a kilt. He's friendly and doesn't bite unless asked.
Huh? is his first book, published alongside a second, Velvet Glove Cast in Iron: The Films of Tura Satana.
