Double Shock Horror! Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy Combos in British Cinemas 1958-1970

Fact: Double film presentations as cinemagoers of a certain age fondly remember them no longer exist in British cinemas. However, 45 to 75 years ago, they flourished as never before and were the norm, part and parcel of the rich fabric of cinema life in a country not subjected to television's influence or, nowadays, social media. The cinema reigned supreme over all other forms of entertainment for the masses: there was nothing to hold a candle to the experience of watching a pair of motion pictures in a large, packed auditorium, be it a major release or a lowly Z feature.

From 1950 up to 1970, the post-war Baby Boomer generation were served up on their weekly movie menus a veritable feast of goodies, consisting of a double bill from Monday to Wednesday; another from Thursday to Saturday; and a third on the legendary Sunday One-Day Only slot. The latter unashamedly pandered to the horror/sci-fi/fantasy thrill-seeking buff and many of the 268 double bills included in this volume emanate from those fabulous, and much-missed, Sunday programs.

Without doubt, these halcyon years were the heyday of the double screenings in UK cinemas, playing to full and appreciative houses, week in, week out. If like myself you were a film enthusiast of the first order, living through that incredible heady and fruitful period was a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence that will never, as things stand, happen again. Hopefully, this book will relive some of those past glories, for older fans and, maybe, for newcomers to the genre who will maybe want to know what is was like going to the pictures way back then. Well, it was like this...