Known as the "Edgar Allan Poe of cinema," Tod Browning is the dark master of filmmaking. However, despite the commercial success he enjoyed during his lifetime, he has never received the critical acclaim his work deserves. The Films of Tod Browning at last pays tribute to his cinematic legacy. Hugely influential on directors such as David Lynch, John Waters and Tim Burton, Browning employed a unique cinematic style, involving cross-cutting between scenes, dark noir-ish shadows, and macabre subject matter. However, successes such as The Unholy Three, The Blackbird and Dracula were overshadowed by the release of Freaks in 1932. With its controversial cast of "real freaks" and gruesome denouement the film was banned across America. It was a commercial failure and Browning rarely worked again. The Films of Tod Browning finally does justice to his whole oeuvre, reinstating him to the pantheon of great cinematic auteurs. With contributors including Vivian Sobchack, Bernd Herzogenrath and Nicole Brenez, the book is the definitive text on Browning's singularly complex body of work providing both a popular introduction and comprehensive academic appraisal of his career.