{"product_id":"neon-nightmares-la-thrillers-of-the-1980s-hardback","title":"Neon Nightmares - L.A. Thrillers of the 1980s (hardback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNeon Nightmares - L.A. Thrillers of the 1980s\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eby Brad Sykes\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6x9 size\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e408 pages\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eISBN 9798887712031\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBetween 1980 and 1989, Los Angeles was the world’s most popular location for thriller movies, providing the perfect setting for gritty neo-noirs, buddy cop actioners, cautionary tales, vigilante flicks and apocalyptic science fiction.  During this ten-year period, over two hundred L.A. Thrillers were produced and released, including Hollywood blockbusters like \u003cem\u003eDie Hard\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Terminator\u003c\/em\u003e, crime dramas like \u003cem\u003eTo Live and Die in L.A.\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003e52 Pick-Up\u003c\/em\u003e and exploitation epics like \u003cem\u003eVice Squad\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eSavage Streets\u003c\/em\u003e.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrad Sykes’ \u003cem\u003eNeon Nightmares: L.A. Thrillers of the 1980s\u003c\/em\u003e is the first comprehensive study of the City of Angels’ most outrageous cinematic decade.  Hundreds of films, from studio megahits to cult obscurities, receive in-depth reviews.  The book also examines the L.A. Thriller’s origins and development while focusing on key production companies, actors and filmmakers.  Written with insight gleaned over twenty-five years living and working in Hollywood and filled with rare stills, \u003cem\u003eNeon Nightmares\u003c\/em\u003e sheds new light on some of the most popular and controversial movies ever made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBRAD SYKES BIO\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrad Sykes is the award-winning screenwriter and director of more than 20 feature films, including \u003cem\u003ePlaguers\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eGoth\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eCamp Blood\u003c\/em\u003e.  He is the author of \u003cem\u003eTerror in the Desert: Dark Cinema of the American Southwest\u003c\/em\u003e and has penned articles for \u003cem\u003eFangoria\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMidnight\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eRoute\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eIndie Slate\u003c\/em\u003e.  Sykes lives with his wife\/producing partner Josephina in Los Angeles, California, where they own and operate Nightfall Pictures.    \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLIBRARY JOURNAL BOOK REVIEW\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003ehttps:\/\/www.libraryjournal.com\/review\/neon-nightmares-la-thrillers-of-the-1980s-2195171\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gmail_quote\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eRUE MORGUE re \"NEON NIGHTMARES\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gmail_quote\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003ehttps:\/\/rue-morgue.com\/interview-brad-sykes-on-his-1980s-l-a-thriller-horror-deep-dive-neon-nightmares\/\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBRAD SYKES Interview:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ehttps:\/\/bandsaboutmovies.com\/2023\/12\/06\/exclusive-interview-with-brad-sykes-director-of-scream-queen\/\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e BOOK REVIEW in \"Flick Attacks\":\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003ehttps:\/\/flickattack.com\/2024\/03\/reading-material-short-ends-3-18-24\/\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ehttps:\/\/retreatsfromoblivion.com\/2025\/03\/31\/welcome-to-la-introduction-to-neon-nightmares-la-thrillers-of-the-1980s-by-brad-sykes-bearmanor-media\/\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSHOCK CINEMA BOOK REVIEW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"document-page\" data-page=\"1\" width=\"816\" height=\"1056\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pdf-page\" width=\"816\" height=\"1056\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-wrapper user-select-text\" width=\"816\" height=\"1056\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-canvas-width=\"373.2480000000001\"\u003eNEON NIGHTMARES: L.A. Thrillers of the 1980s by Brad Sykes (BearManor Media;\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-canvas-width=\"319.6000000000001\"\u003ebearmanormedia.com; paperback: $32.00).\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-canvas-width=\"32.416000000000004\"\u003eThe 1980s unleashed a barrage of Los Angeles based cinematic thrillers, steeped in that city’s unique mixture of glamour and grime, and author Brad Sykes has collected and scrutinized all of these varied efforts for this insightful and entertaining 408-page book. Smart, informed and enthusiastic, you can sense Sykes’ love and appreciation of these films, whether they were major-studio releases starring Sly Stallone or Bronson, or direct-to-video sludge. Following a brief history of hard-boiled LA films which laid the\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"document-page\" data-page=\"2\" width=\"816\" height=\"1056\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pdf-page\" width=\"816\" height=\"1056\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-wrapper user-select-text\" width=\"816\" height=\"1056\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-canvas-width=\"146.11200000000002\"\u003egroundwork for this ‘80s boom, he breaks the material into sub-genre chapters — rogue cops (COBRA, MURPHY’S LAW, DEAD-BANG), buddy cops (LETHAL WEAPON, TANGO \u0026amp; CASH), horror (NOMADS, PRINCE OF DARKNESS), sci-fi\/fantasy (ALIEN NATION, THE HIDDEN, TRANCERS), comedies (REPO MAN, EATING RAOUL), as well as vigilantes, serial killers and prostitution. High-profile features like TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A., AGAINST ALL ODDS, BODY DOUBLE, and TEQUILA SUNRISE are judged alongside lower-budgeted, more exploitative titles such as VICE SQUAD, RUNNING HOT, the ANGEL trilogy, SAVAGE STREETS, SCARRED, WALKING THE EDGE, RELENTLESS, and THE BOYS NEXT DOOR. In addition to intelligently critiquing these films — giving even the schlockiest items equal consideration — Sykes offers his opinions on why each film succeeded or failed, details about their creation, plus the specific LA neighborhoods where each production was shot. It’s a unique and absorbing look at the City of Angels and its eclectic cinematic progeny.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ehttps:\/\/mcfarlandbooks.com\/product\/terror-in-the-desert\/\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BearManor Media","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50211232973057,"sku":"lty1787308007738","price":26.88,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0756\/1979\/5201\/files\/neon-nightmares---la-thrillers-of-the-1980s-hardback_1.jpg?v=1787308014","url":"https:\/\/www.juniperavenue.shop\/products\/neon-nightmares-la-thrillers-of-the-1980s-hardback","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}