THE GORE SCORE BOOK
The Gore Score – Revised & Updated (1987) – Demand for Balun’s gore guide led to an expanded edition published by FantaCo Enterprises in summer 1987archive.org. This version (sometimes subtitled “Ultraviolent Horror in the ’80s”) included over 300 horror film capsule reviews written in Balun’s inimitable stylethebedlamfiles.com. Each movie entry received two ratings: one reflecting overall quality (measured in skulls) and one gauging the amount of on-screen gorethebedlamfiles.com. (Balun later noted that readers cared most about the latter!) The FantaCo edition is the one that truly put The Gore Score on the map of horror fandom, and it remains a classic artifact of ’80s horror culture.
When FantaCo reissued The Gore Score in 1987, it featured the subtitle “Ultraviolent Horror in the ’80s” prominently. The cover incorporated gruesome imagery from Fulci’s Gates of Hell, emblematic of the video nasties era. (Collectors note that the 1987 front cover is a bit prone to creasing, indicating it wasn’t a high-gloss productionbrooklynatticbooks.com.) Regardless, seeing a book on store shelves in 1987 with the word “Gore” in dripping red letters was an instant attention-grabber for horror fans!
FantaCo 1987 edition: While more common than the 1985, the ’87 revised edition is also out-of-print and sought after. Copies show up online from time to time. As of this writing, sellers on eBay or Amazon Marketplace might list the 1987 Gore Score anywhere from $30 to over $100 USD, depending on condition. It’s a must-have for completists because of its iconic status. If you’re less concerned about owning the original printing, note that the content of the 1987 edition was essentially included in the Deep Red Horror Handbook (1989) – which itself can be found used for maybe $20-30 – but true fans will want the standalone Gore Score book with its original cover.
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