In an email interview, the executive behind “Get Out,” “The Purge” series and other low-budget movies shared his favorite books about filmmaking. SCOTT HELLER
What books are on your night stand?
“Personal History: A Memoir,” by Katharine Graham; “When the Going Was Good: An Editor’s Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines,” by Graydon Carter and James Fox; “Abundance,” by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson.
What book might people be surprised to find on your shelves?
“Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,” by James Nestor.
What’s the most interesting thing you learned from a book recently?
Probably the benefits of breathing through my nose, from “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,” by James Nestor.
What kind of reader were you as a child?
Not a good reader.
Do you remember the first time you were scared by a book?
Yes, I was scared by the sex scene in “Forever,” by Judy Blume.
What’s the most terrifying book you’ve ever read?
“In Cold Blood,” by Truman Capote.
What’s the last great book you read?
“Sam Walton: Made in America,” by Sam Walton with John Huey; “The Taking of Getty Oil: Pennzoil, Texaco, and the Takeover Battle That Made History,” by Steve Coll; “Long Island Compromise,” by Taffy Brodesser-Akner.
What’s your favorite book about moviemaking?
There are two: “What Makes Sammy Run?,” by Budd Schulberg, and “Indecent Exposure: A True Story of Hollywood and Wall Street,” by David McClintick.
Fifteen years is a nice round number but are there other reasons now was the right time to publish “Horror’s New Wave” with your co-author, Dave Schilling?
It felt like the right moment — not just because of the anniversary, but because horror is more popular than ever, and always reflects our societal fears. Right now we’re seeing a shift in tone and scope, so while I want to celebrate the work these filmmaking teams have done, I also hope to spark conversation about why these movies resonate and where the genre is going.
Who else besides horror fans might appreciate it?
Horror fans are more varied than you might think — a lot of moms love horror! I think anyone interested in storytelling, culture or independent filmmaking will appreciate the book. It has a lot of fun behind-the-scenes stories from actors, writers, directors and the small army it takes to make a film, along with some very cool art. And I’d like to think it has something to say about the power of taking risks.
What could the publishing industry learn from the Blumhouse way of making movies?
You can’t rely on data for everything. Sometimes it’s good to rely on your gut.
Are there literary genres that you avoid?
Romance novels.
What books are you embarrassed not to have read yet?
All the Lyndon Johnson books from the guy who wrote the book on Robert Moses. (Robert Caro — I’ve read but not completed.)
What’s the last book you recommended to a member of your family?
“Long Island Compromise,” to my cousins.
The last book you read that made you laugh?
“Portnoy’s Complaint,” by Philip Roth, about 40 years ago. I rarely laugh when I read books.
The last book you read that made you furious?
Mary L. Trump’s books “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man” and “The Reckoning: Our Nation’s Trauma and Finding a Way to Heal.”
What’s your favorite book no one else has heard of?
“Die With Zero: Getting All You Can From Your Money and Your Life,” by Bill Perkins.
You’re organizing a literary dinner party. Which three writers, dead or alive, do you invite?
Caro, Capote and John Williams, who wrote the book “Stoner,” which I’m desperate to make into a movie.
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