If you’re any sort of movie geek, one of the first things you think when planning a trip is, “I wonder what was filmed there?” Tony Urban is definitely a movie geek with a particular love of horror, and he can help you plan your next road trip with Travelogue of Horror. This full color coffee table book is as thorough as it is fun, and gets extra points for being dedicated to Urban’s mom, who went along as he tracked down these obscure locations.
The trouble with these obscure locations is that paying them a visit won’t exactly be a day at Universal Studios. Many are off the beaten path or in small towns, and once you find them, you’re often in very private, very residential areas. The current owners of homes featured in horror movies may not be thrilled to find you poking around, rendering the long trek to your destination somewhat disappointing. The beauty part is that Urban has already done the footwork for you, and you can visit from the safety of your easy chair.
Travelogue of Horror covers everything from mainstream fare like The Exorcist, Jaws and Silence of the Lambs to classics like Friday the Thirteenth and Evil Dead, eventually meandering into the dark territory of real life horror locations…like Jeffrey Dahmer’s house. There’s something decidedly more terrifying about the idea of visiting places where actual evil took place, but Urban goes there. Then he takes a totally fun turn and heads to the home of Stephen King, which is enough to leave just about anybody spazzing out with excitement.
Urban’s book features movie quotes, trivia, history, and personal anecdotes about each site, and even includes exact street addresses to the locations. The book also includes photographs taken by Urban, though it is missing stills from the movies for comparison. While it would have been fun to see the real life photos next to shots from the movies, it makes sense that copyright issues would make this impossible. All in all, Travelogue of Horror is a fun read for any horror fan and a great book to have on hand to aid in travel planning.
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