Title: Swedish Sensationsfilms: A Clandestine History of Sex, Thrillers, and Kicker Cinema
Written By: Daniel Ekeroth
Published by: Bazillion Points
328 pages, Copyright 2011.
ISBN-13: 978-0979616365 (US – $19.95)

Though the internet has opened up the doors for those wanting to know just about anything about any given subject, every now and then arises a subject that is just beyond the fringe and has yet to be given its due in the spotlight. Case in point: Swedish cinema. Like many, my knowledge of Swedish cinema is limited to the films of Ingmar Bergman and a handful of the more well known exploitation films like Thriller a Cruel Picture. And while the advent of the DVD format has opened up avenues to view films that would otherwise fly under most film enthusiasts radar, there are still way too many films that have yet to be rescued from obscurity.

This brings us to Daniel Ekeroth’s book on Swedish cinema titled ‘Swedish Sensationsfilms: A Clandestine History of Sex, Thrillers, and Kicker Cinema’. Content wise this book opens and closes with comments from its author. In between, the contents include a essay written by Christina Lindberg about her film career; a glossary of curious Swedish culture; 20 bio’s / filmographies for some of the more prominent Swedish filmmakers, actors and actresses; and a list of twenty ‘Swedish Sensationsfilms’ that one should watch before they die. The bulk of the book comprises an A to Z guide containing over two hundred films presented with an abundance of images from the films discussed.

From start to finish, this book is s a fascinating read that will turn you on to many great films waiting to be rediscovered. Some of the more notable include Joseph W. Sarno’s Inga, Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring, Bo Arne Vibenius’s Breaking Point and the aforementioned Thriller a Cruel Picture. Though some film’s are merely glossed over, others are given more in-depth analytical breakdown. This does not hurt the overall flow of the book in any way, since Daniel Ekeroth’s enthusiasm for the subject at hand makes every entry a worthwhile read. Overall Swedish Sensationsfilms: A Clandestine History of Sex, Thrillers, and Kicker Cinema is a well rounded look into Swedish cinema’s most fertile and adventurous era of filmmaking.