Are You in the House Alone? A TV Movie Compendium, 1964-1999... Edited by Yours Truly!

Anyone who visits Made for TV Mayhem certainly has a deep affection not just for retro television, but also for the classic Movie of the Week. In the 1970s, the ABC MOW was churning out film after film, and while that phenomenon only lasted for a few years, the idea of the TVM as an event, as something to stay home for, remained through the rest of the seventies, well into the nineties. Part of the love for the made for TV movie is, of course, nostalgia, but telefilms also tapped into current issues, and brought them into our living rooms night after night. Some movies were forgotten about, while others became fondly remembered classics. British publisher Headpress seeks to reconcile our memories of the obscure, as well as the bona fide hits in their new book Are You in the House Alone? Growing up with Gargoyles, Giant Turtles, Valerie Harper, the Cold War, Stephen King, and Co-ed Call Girls: A TV Movie Compendium, 1964-1999, which I edited.

Are You in the House Alone? A TV Movie Compendium, 1964-1999 (its truncated title) is a book of reviews and essays about network made for television movies. Essays span several topics, ranging from reunion TVMs to the telefilm’s response to sexual assault. And, there are hundreds of reviews covering the most talked about TV movies to some of the most obscure titles. The contributing authors are passionate about the topic, and we did our best to uncover as many of the dusty corners of the small screen as we could.

The book’s official street date is April 6th, 2017, but there will be a special launch for Are You in the House Alone? in November at Monster Fest in Melbourne, Australia. The film festival will be held between November 24th-27th, and I will be there, along with some of the book’s contributors, including Kier-La Janisse, who is the director of MF, and a noted film programmer, writer, and Editor-in-Chief of Spectacular Optical, as well as authors John Harrison (Hip Pocket Sleaze: The Lurid World of Vintage Adult Paperbacks), and Lee Gambin (Massacred By Mother Nature: Exploring the Natural Horror Film). Also joining us will be John’s wife, stuntwoman and actress Marneen Fields, who has appeared in everything from The Spell to The Calendar Girl Murders! We’ll be discussing the enduring legacy of the made for television movie and capping off the evening with a screening of Bad Ronald! You can read more about Monster Fest here, and their press release for their events can be found here.

Here's a peek at the cover of Are You in the House Alone? A TV Movie Compendium, 1964-1999:

After Monster Fest, a hardcover version of the book will be immediately available through Headpress’ website (link to come), but it will not be obtainable through general retailers until April 6th, 2017. This book has been a labor of love, not just for me, but for all of the writers as well as Headpress. I, of course, will keep everyone up to date on any events or signings, but please mark your calendars for April 6th, or if you are in Australia, come to Monster Fest, pick up the book and say hello! Would love to meet you!