Tales of horror have always been with us, from Biblical times to the Gothic novel to successful modern day authors and screenwriters. Though the genre is often maligned, it is huge in popularity and its resilience is undeniable. Marc Blake and Sara Bailey offer a detailed analysis of the horror genre, including its subgenres, tropes and the specific requirements of the horror screenplay.

Tracing the development of the horror film from its beginnings in German Expressionism, the authors engage in a readable style that will appeal to anyone with a genuine interest in the form and the mechanics of the genre. This book examines the success of Universal Studio's franchises of the '30s to the Serial Killer, the Slasher film, Asian Horror, the Supernatural, Horror Verite and current developments in the field, including 3D and remakes. It also includes step-by-step writing exercises, annotated extracts from horror screenplays and interviews with seasoned writers/directors/ producers discussing budget restrictions, screenplay form and formulas and how screenplays work during shooting.

Box set featuring nine action movies. In 'Skinheads' (1989) a group of Los Angeles neo-nazis are forced to move to North California when one of them shoots a black man. When they arrive in the small town they continue on their path of hatred, harrassment and destruction until they come across two resilient college kids determined to stop the skinheads' reign of violence. When a Hollywood film crew travel to shoot on an isolated desert location they are attacked by CIA-backed mercenaries. At first the film people fight back using their special effects equipment, but as the carnage mounts they sustain heavy losses, and soon the director's daughter is the only one still alive. She then teams up with one of the embittered mercenaries to better her chances of surviving. 'Hiroshima' (1990) paints a dramatic account of the race to develop the atomic bomb, the ethics and politics behind it, and the events which led to its use at the end of World War 2. In 'Emperor' (1988), Tony (Alex D'Andrea) is a Bronx street hustler, an old-fashioned, low-level operator who finds himself forced off his turf by vicious crime boss Falco (Anthony Gioia). Teaming up with an ex-con and sultry songstress, he learns a few things about the way of the world and makes an attempt to get back on the right side of the wrong side of the tracks - taking the fight back to Falco. In 'South Bronx' (1985), two young children are being brutally exploited as their foster home moonlights as the headquarters for one of the city's largest pornography rings. Amazingly, the two children escape to the streets, where they enlist the help of an undercover cop (Mario Van Peebles) and his partner to capture the porn king and his accomplices. In 'The Swap' (1969) Robert DeNiro plays Sammy Nicoletti, an adult film director who is murdered. His brother Vito (Anthony Charnota) vows to find the killer and avenge Sammy's death. When Vito is released from prison he begins his own investigation, encountering deceit and blackmail. The final days of Sammy's life unfold from a party on Long Island back to the big city. As Vito draws nearer to the truth, his own life hangs precariously in the balance. In 'Death Collector' (1975) it's 'all in the family' for a young, streetwise hood as he becomes a collector for the mob. He quickly rises, run by rung, up the ladder of the underworld in this violent crime saga. Blaxploitation legend Fred 'The Hammer' Williamson stars in 'Black Cobra' (1987). When fashion photographer Elys Trumbo (Eva Grimaldi) sees one of her neighbours being murdered by a member of the Black Cobras, a psychopathic motorcycle gang, she manages to catch the killer's face on film. The Cobras' leader comes after her, but luckily tough police sergeant Malone (Williamson) has been appointed to protect her. In 'Born To Win' (1971), George Segal stars as as an ex-hairdresser who struggles to support his expensive drug habit and to avoid arrest, turns 'narc', informing on his fellow junkies. Eventually Segal's sense of self-hatred threatens to overwhelm him. In 'Revenge' (1988), the gun-crazy right-wing terrorist group 'Strike Force' have set their sights on the deadly NK-2, which is a very large weapon indeed, and will do everything in their power to get hold of it. Vietnam vet Jason Shepherd (Roger Rodd) is approached with the job of tracking down these vicious killers and preventing them from doing any more damage. He accepts the job, but when the group gun down two of his most loyal friends, it suddenly becomes personal.

The craft of sitcom is possibly the hardest of all screenwriting genres, demanding a complex set of skills. How NOT to Write a Sitcom is a troubleshooting guide aimed at both the novice and the practising sitcom writer. It illustrates and explains the many pitfalls in concept, characterisation, plotting and dramatic/comedic writing,which pepper the hundreds of scripts submitted every year. Each point is illustrated with an example of the error and each section contains practical suggestions and exercises for the writer to apply to their own writing. The book makes no assumption of the reader other than an interest in the form. It contains interviews with current producers as well as interviews with successful practioners of the craft. Marc Blake is a script consultant, writer and teacher of writing for sitcom. In this book he acts as a `script mechanic' for writers - stripping a sitcom down to its component parts, isolating the faults and fixing them. What script editors and producers are looking for are scripts that work. Naturally they want a genius in embryo, but above all they first want to see something that is roadworthy.

It is often suggested that there are 'secrets' to comedy or that it is 'lightning in a bottle', but the craft of comedy writing can be taught. While comedic tastes change, over time and from person to person, the core underpinning still depends on the comedic geniuses that have paved the way. Great comedy is built upon a strong foundation. In Writing the Comedy Movie, Marc Blake lays out - in an entertainingly readable style - the nuts and bolts of comedy screenwriting. His objective is to clarify the 'rules' of comedy: to contextualize comedy staples such as the double act, slapstick, gross-out, rom com, screwball, satire and parody and to introduce new ones such as the bromance or stoner comedy. He explains the underlying principles of comedy and comedy writing for the screen, along with providing analysis of leading examples of each subgenre.

Mike Trent's holiday starts badly when a corpse interrupts his midnight swim. Sarah Rutherford is investigating the death of her party-loving sister. When they join forces, they find themselves up against the criminal community. Still, you can't make paella without peeling prawns.

This small volume contains a collection of over 100 mouth-watering, vomit-inducing, eye-blistering gags about drink, drinkers and drinking.

Sarah Rutherford, using a job in Fuengirola as a cover, is investigating her sister's death. Mike, a lonely sub-editor, is drawn into her quest after witnessing the death of a hotel manager. Things hot up in the British ex-pat community, culminating in a collision of double-crossing and wild dogs.

Its Valentine's day and Andy Crowe has been dumped. He's also driving to Birmingham with his most hated rival, and it's raining. Could things get much worse? Oh yes. Three small-time villains are about to pull off a job, and they are heading for the same motoroway services as Andy and Rob.

Rox Matheson is in London to take on the London Scammers in their own backyard. Reece is the minicab driver who falls for her, and Davey K is the snakey operator who wants to make life diffcult for both of them.

Marc Blake hits the greatest city on earth... Rox Matheson is newly arrived from Manchester, out to recoup some money ripped off her by a bunch of London gangsters. She wants to take on the South London scammers in their own backyard. Reece is a minicab driver who falls for her despite being indebted to the same family that she is after. Davey K is snakey operator who wants to make life difficult for both of them. While Steve and Archie are muscle for the family, but also are trying to run a little moneyspinning scam of their own on the side... This group of heros and chancers form the basis of Blake's cuttingly funny new book which will expand his market more than ever...

It is often suggested that there are 'secrets' to comedy or that it is 'lightning in a bottle', but the craft of comedy writing can be taught. While comedic tastes change, over time and from person to person, the core underpinning still depends on the comedic geniuses that have paved the way. Great comedy is built upon a strong foundation. In Writing the Comedy Movie, Marc Blake lays out - in an entertainingly readable style - the nuts and bolts of comedy screenwriting. His objective is to clarify the 'rules' of comedy: to contextualize comedy staples such as the double act, slapstick, gross-out, rom com, screwball, satire and parody and to introduce new ones such as the bromance or stoner comedy. He explains the underlying principles of comedy and comedy writing for the screen, along with providing analysis of leading examples of each subgenre.