Encyclopedia Sharksploitanica by Susan Snyder
Five decades ago, Jaws scared the swimsuits off of us and lit the fuse for a beloved little horror movie sub-genre called Sharksploitation. From the blatant rip-offs of the 1970's to the CGI assault of modern movies, shark movies are going strong and still satiating our appetite for toothy carnage.
With her education as a marine biologist and her experience diving with sharks, Susan brings her distinct perspective to 85 of Sharkploitation's most notorious, ridiculous and sometimes pointless contributions to film. Don't let her fool you though. This is really a tongue-in-cheek love letter to shark cinema ... the good, the bad and the "so bad it's good".
In this all-teeth-no-bones collection of reviews, interviews, essays, rants and even some poetry, Susan dissects the genre as a whole and explores everything she loves, and hates, about Sharksploitation movies.
GermanyMy First Choice for Shark Storylines
First, credit where credit is due: This is the first text I have come across that is more informative than Michael Gingoldβs βShark Movie Maniaβ (A book from the Rue Morgue Library series), and I do not say that lightly. As someone who pens the occasional movie review, let me just say that those who purchase this text should also check out the authorβs blog, Sharksploitation Sunday (https://sharksploitationsunday.com/). For the horror community, Snyder performs an intrepid public service of doing something even the bravest critics cringe at: Watching badly-made films so that others wonβt have to. The contents of the book afford Sharksploitation horror fans the opportunity to compile a comprehensive βTo-Watchβ list. Furthermore, literature on horror movies featuring sharks is painfully scant. This book shines as an invaluable desk reference for creators. Directors, screenwriters and authors who are thinking about dipping their toes into the world of Sharksploitation will have a bevy of plot ideas - and failed plot ideas - for shark tales.
Come on in, the waterβs shark infested!
Have you ever looked through all the horror movies on all streaming platforms and noticed the absurd amount of Shark movies. You may think to yourself, βthereβs just too many to choose from, and half of them look like they were chewed up and spit out by the not-so-friendly fish that star in themβ. Well now with Encyclopedia Sharksploitanica, you can read reviews on 85 different sharksploitation movies and find out which are the good, the bad, and the so-bad-itβs-good. Filled with tons of humor, commentary, interviews, and of course, reviews, Encyclopedia Sharkploitanica aims to guide you through the world of Shark films while keeping you chuckling the whole way through. Never have I enjoyed myself reading reviews as much as I had with this book. Funnily enough, Iβm now realizing Iβm reviewing a bunch of reviews, which is insanely meta. If you have a love of cheesy horror movies, sharks, or need a good laugh, let Susan Snyder tell you all about the plethora of Shark related creature features that streaming services have to offer. Who knows, you may find your next favorite movie!