The Palgrave Encyclopedia of American Horror Film Shorts

The Palgrave Encyclopedia of American Horror Film Shorts chronicles for the first time over 1,500 horror and horror-related short subjects theatrically released between 1915, at the dawn of the feature film era when shorts became a differentiated category of cinema, and 1976, when the last of the horror-related shorts were distributed to movie theaters.  Individual entries feature plot synopses, cast and crew information, and – where possible – production histories and original critical reviews. A small number of the short subjects catalogued herein are famous; such as those featuring the likes of Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, The Three Stooges, Bugs Bunny, and Daffy Duck; but the bulk are forgotten. The diverse content of these shorts includes ghosts, devils, witches, vampires, skeletons, mad scientists, monsters, hypnotists, gorillas, dinosaurs, and so much more, including relevant nonfiction newsreels. Their rediscoverynotably rewrites many chapters of the history of horror cinema, from increasing our understanding of the sheer number horror films that were produced and viewed by audiences to shedding light on particular subgenres and specific narrative and historical trends. 

“Short films are one of the most over-looked and under-appreciated part of cinematic history. Yet they hold some of our best examples of horror’s enduring legacy, often serving as a place for filmmakers to independently practice their craft and export artistic intent outside of the larger studio system. Never has there been a comprehensive, thorough examination of the vast influence these horror shorts had over shaping film history. Gary D. Rhodes and David J. Hogan have crafted an incredibly detailed and meticulously researched guide to horror shorts, not only stressing their rightful place as part of horror history but also showing they still have the power to shock, scare, and enthral audiences today.” (Rebekah McKendry, Filmmaker, Writer, and Cinematic Arts Professor, University of Southern California, USA) 

“In the beginning of cinema, there were shorts, and then feature films began to take hold. This engagingly written and meticulously researched encyclopedia of horror shorts addresses an ongoing lacunae in horror scholarship, and film scholarship more broadly: the neglect of the short form. With its well-designed "subject index," this ambitious guide is conceived to make research easy for both scholars and fans alike.” (Mario DeGiglio-Bellemare, Professor of Humanities, John Abbott College, Canada)

Gary D. Rhodes is Professor of Media at Oklahoma Baptist University, USA. He is the author of numerous books on the cinema, such as The Birth of the American Horror Film (2018), as well as the filmmaker of documentaries, such as Lugosi: Hollywood’s Dracula (1997).

David J. Hogan worked for thirty years in Chicago book and magazine publishing as an executive editor and division publisher. He is the author of ten books about various aspects of film, scores of magazine pieces, and essays appearing in numerous cinema monographs.