Ooh, very scary kiddies!
Our first image of Halloween madness is the world's first "instant paperback," produced in 1969 on the death of Boris Karloff (aka William Henry Pratt), the California truck driver and acting stand-in whose "interesting" face was noticed by Jack Pierce, the prima donna of Universal's makeup department, as an interesting face upon which to build the ghastliest monster yet attempted for the silver screen...
Frankenstein's Monster! Karloff died on February 2, 1969, and this book, an anthology of Famous Monsters of Filmland articles, reminiscences, and interviews, came out within a month.
Even more so than the monster craze started by FM and stoked by all the other film magazines; by Eerie, Creepy, and their ilk; more so than the tattered EC comics handed down from uncle or big brother; -- this book legitimized monsters to our parents.
"Junior, why don't you stop reading those monster rags, they'll rot your mind!"
"But mom, this is a serious book about the makings of a complicated movie, with make-up tips and everything! Look! IT'S A BOOK!"
"Well, then, if it's printed in a book ..."
STAY TUNED, KIDDIES, FOR MORE MONSTER MADNESS ...
Mark,
ReplyDeleteI've never seen this book before! I just went onto Ebay and bought a copy...Thanks!...Paul Howley