The Cutting Room: Dark Reflections of the Silver Screen

The credits have rolled, but the lights are still off. Something is lurking on the other side of the screen. There are dark secrets, starving monsters, and haunted survivors who refuse to be left on the cutting room floor. But that's okay, right? After all, everybody loves the movies....Here are twenty-three terrifying tales, dark reflections of the silver screen from both sides of the camera. James Dean gets a second chance at life—and death. The Wicked Witch is out of Oz, and she's made some very unlucky friends. When God decides reality needs an editor, what—and who—gets cut? These award-winning, bestselling authors will take you to the darkest depths of the theater and beyond.

Kirkus A Publishers Weekly Book of the Week STARRED REVIEW

“This themed anthology revolves around the idea that the separation between what is real and what we see on film is not as clear as we'd like to think it is. What if, for example, the Wicked Witch of the West didn't stay in Oz? What if James Dean got a second chance at life? These are just some of the weird-but-cool ideas explored in this tempting volume of stories from renowned editor Ellen Datlow, who collects 23 scary tales by the likes of Peter Straub, Genevieve Valentine, Robert Shearman, Laird Barron and more.”

Publishers Weekly

“Bright Lights, Big Zombie”―the literary target of which has long faded―still holds up reasonably well. Strong stories by Gary McMahon and Gary A. Braunbeck, as well as poems by Lucy A. Snyder and Daphne Gottlieb, are also worth noting, but really, the entire volume is outstanding.”

Booklist

“This collection of 23 stories should appeal to fans of horror and SF primarily, though noir and hard-boiled-mystery readers should feel welcome too.... Definitely worth checking out.”

Bookshots

“It's pretty much a given that an Ellen Datlow anthology will at least be good, if not great... 'The Cutting Room' is no exception.”

Diabolique

“Horror cinephiles and bibliophiles will have extra cause to rejoice this Halloween: The Cutting Room, a literary anthology, is an October treat.”

Ensuing Chapters

“When Datlow’s name is on the cover, however, you know the collection will contain the highest quality writing and arranging.... The Cutting Room is a major success.”

Looking for a Good Book

“I personally feel that short fiction is the ideal format for horror and dark fantasy literature and the theme of film/film-making is absolutely brilliant and Datlow collects a very nice assortment. This collection is highly recommended.”

LitReactor

“The Cutting Room is a ton of fun....”

LitReactor's favorite reads of 2014

“Horror stories about the cinema in some capacity. There was no way I wouldn't like this book, regardless of whether I was a horror and film buff or not. Datlow's pretty much the master of the anthology, and it shows here.”

About the Author

Ellen Datlow has been editing science fiction, fantasy, and horror short fiction for almost thirty years. She was the fiction editor of Omni magazine and Sci Fiction and has edited more than fifty anthologies. She has also won many awards for her work, including the Bram Stoker Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the Hugo Award, among many others.

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