Mikel J. Koven Books

Exploring the intersection of folklore and cinema, this book delves into how urban legends inspire various films, from classics like Alien to modern thrillers. It offers a comprehensive overview of existing literature on folklore in film, analyzing the role of belief in shaping narratives. The text discusses how urban legends serve as foundational elements in storytelling and how films can embody or enact these legends, providing insights into both cultural beliefs and cinematic practices.

Giallo cinema, a unique subgenre of horror, often goes unrecognized outside of dedicated enthusiasts, and is frequently overlooked in academic film studies. Mikel J. Koven challenges the prevailing biases against these films, advocating for a vernacular cinema approach that redefines how they are evaluated. By shifting the focus away from traditional notions of "good" or "artistic" films, Koven encourages a fresh perspective that appreciates the cultural significance and distinct qualities of giallo cinema, countering critical prejudices.

In the early 1970s, a type of film emerged that featured all-black casts, really cool soul, R'n'B and disco soundtracks, characters sporting big guns, big dashikis and even bigger 'fros and some of the meanest, baddest attitudes ever to shoot their way across the big screen. Blaxploitation Films considers this genre from the perspective of class and racial rebellion with over 60 blaxploitation movies reviewed and discussed. Fully up to date, it includes Baadasss and The Hebrew Hammer and discusses the deaths of Isaac Hayes and Rudy Rae Moore.