Category Archives: Book News

Frankenstein: The First Two Hundred Years

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Frankenstein First Two Hundred YearsWith year being the 200 year anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s immortal tale, Frankenstein, I was hoping that there would be some sort of celebrating going on during the year. And it didn’t take long for author Christopher Fraying to appease that desire.

Published at the end of last year, this book “traces the journey of Shelley’s Frankenstein from limited-edition literature into the bloodstream of contemporary culture.” Since I’m not only a sucker for reference books, when they are one of my favorite subjects of the genre, then you got me right away. This volume is just over 200 pages, and a nice 9.5″ x 11″ sixe, so it will make a nice coffee table book. Plus, it looks to be filled with a wonderful array of images, photos, artwork, from the beginning to modern day adaptations. According to the description on the publisher’s website, the book also features “new research on the novel’s origins, and a facsimile reprint of the earliest-known manuscript version of the creation scene; visual material on adaptations for the stage, in magazines, on playbills, in prints and in book publications of the nineteenth century; series of visual essays on many of the film versions – and their inspirations in the history of art; and Frankenstein in popular culture – on posters, advertisements, packaging, in comics and graphic novels.”

How could any Frankenstein fan not want to immediately order their copy of this book? The retail price is $39.95, but you can get it on Amazon right now for considerably lower. In fact, the book has 4 reviews on Amazon already, and all of them give the book 5 stars. I know once we receive our copy, we’ll get our review posted as well.

The Wonderful Movie Books of Guillermo del Toro

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As a collector of movie themed books, nothing brings me back to my childhood than when you find a book that is not only dedicated to a single title, but one that covers it with so much detail that you literally can just fall right into the film as you’re slowly turning the pages, reading all about the making of the particular title while looking at the wonderful images therein. It’s really magical. Of course, it’s great when you can find one of these books on a movie that you absolutely adore. Or maybe it’s about a particular filmmaker. Or even better, a series of books on this same guy, who has continued to create some of the most beautiful cinematic features over the years. Of course, I’m talking about Guillermo del Toro and the amazing books that have been coming out over the last few years.

cabinetofcuriositiesOver the last five years, there have been at least a half dozen titles that have come out, either from Harper Design and/or Insight Editions, all looking very similar to each other, but are just filled to the brim with tons of information. The first volume was called Guillermo del Toro Cabinet of Curiosities: My Notebooks, Collections, and Other Obsessions, and was released by Harper Design in October of 2013. This book was a walk into the creative mind of del Toro and what a wonderful stroll it is to take. It covers the filmmakers early life, gives us a tour of Bleak House, as well as going through some of his movies. Filling the pages are images where your mind can be inspired, from the mind-blowing photos of his collection in Bleak House, to the illustrations and original sketches from the different films, all coming from his notebooks while he was developing these movies. This large hardcover was a bit pricy with the original retail at $60, but it really is a must for fans of his work. Here’s a video he made explaining what this book is all about. Better to hear it right from him, right?

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The Unrepentant Cinephile

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Unrepentant CinephileNot sure when I first met Jason Coffman, but I’m pretty sure it was through our mutual friend Aaron Christensen, yet another demented film watcher. Except, that while both Aaron and I watch quite a few films during the year, if you were to combine our totals, it still wouldn’t compare to the amount that Mr. Coffman watches. It staggers my brain! But it isn’t just the number of films, but the caliber of some of them amazes me even more. He will watch anything. But even though he may dredge through the sewers of cinema, he a stronger film lover because of it.

Jason has been a regular staple at our Turkey Day Marathons since 2011 and when I can come up with a few titles that he still hadn’t seen, I fine a little pride in that! He really is an unrepentant Cinephile.

Jason has been writing about films for close to a decade, being able to read his thoughts on Film Monthly as well as Daily Grindhouse. But now he has compiled a massive amount of film reviews all in one place and even put it in book form, entitled The Unrepentant Cinephile: Collect Reviews of Cult, Exploitation, Horror, & Independent Films! With 800 reviews, this 500+ page book is now available on Amazon for only…ready for this?…$15.99! Or if you prefer Kindle, you can get it for FREE!!!

So if you are looking for a new checklist to start off 2018 with, then here is your chance. I can pretty much guarantee that you will read reviews of titles you’ve never heard of before. A lot of them. So this is either going to send you on a quest to find them, or make sure you avoid them. All thanks to our buddy Jason and his willingness to test the open waters for us.

You can order your copy directly from Amazon by clicking HERE.

Need Some Holiday Horror?

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Yuletide Terror

When thinking about the upcoming holiday, most people don’t think about horror films. In fact, it is supposed to be a joyous time, with gifts, food, family, commercialism…oops…skip that last one. But as I said, “most” people don’t think about horror films….but we do! So one way for us to stay with the “holiday spirit”, we can now read some essays on the Christmas by some of the genre’s talented writers!

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Monster Squad Celebrates Monster Makers

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Monster Squad Book

Some of the unsung heroes of horror films and monster movies are the guys that are actually creating the creatures! Back in the ’80s, the special effects and makeup artists were just as famous as the actors and directors, but that seems to have faded away. Sure, there are still names like Savini and Baker, but there are still so many talented people, working long and hard hours, to help bring these cinematic terrors to life. Now thanks to Heather A. Wixson, we can hear from several of the guys & gals in the trenches.

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A Celebration of Peter Cushing

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Cushing-covers

I don’t think there is a horror fan out there that doesn’t love Peter Cushing. I mean, how could you not love this incredibly talented actor that appeared in so many great films, let alone in the horror genre? Well, the fine folks who publish the We Belong Dead magazine, as well as the books 70’s Monster Memories and Unsung Horrors, have now published a new volume solely dedicated to this fine actor, simply called A Celebration of Peter Cushing.

This new book is 300 pages in a large format, and in full color, with introduction by Veronica Carlson. It covers not just his horror films, but all of his career, such as his roles as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Who.

Now the one thing that might sting a bit for us Cushing fans in the US is the price. It is £25.00, with another £20.00 for shipping. That makes it about $60 for us. Now that is a bit high for a single book. But I have their previous two volumes and they are just gorgeous volumes. Their 70’s Monster Memories sold out upon publication and now goes so a ridiculous amount, so it might be a wise ‘investment’ to take the plunge. Plus, it is about one of our most beloved actors, so why not get something that gives a fine tribute to this uncommon human being. 

You can place your order, or get more information about it from their website HERE.

 

Hammer Frankenstein Scrapbook Now Available

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Hammer Frankenstein ScrapbookFans of Hammer and their Frankenstein series now have the chance to order an incredible volume for their library. Peveril Publishing just announced that this volume is now ready for orders. If you own one of their Dracula Scrapbook editions, then you know the kind of quality put into these. Simply stunning.

This hardcover volume is 344 pages, color throughout, is filled with stills, script pages, schedules and call sheets, press books, press reviews, set design notes, contracts, and so much more. It is like walking back in time, with so much information and little tidbits of nostalgia for Hammer fans. Kinsey and Peveril always do an exceptional job on their books and each one of them is a glorious piece of work. They are so cool just to page through and look at all the history laid out within the pages.

Keep in mind that there are only 700 copies of this book and that their Dracula edition sold out in 5 weeks, so don’t wait too long. And while these volumes are a bit pricy, keep in mind that their value will only go up. You can see the Dracula Scrapbook on ebay for close to $250 now.

To order your copy now, head over to their website HERE.

Hammer Frankenstein Book

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Hammer Frankenstein ScrapbookI must have missed when they mentioned this on their Facebook page, but Peveril Publishing is putting the finishing touches on their latest book, The Hammer Frankenstein Scrapbook. Just like their previous Dracula edition, it will cover all of the Frankenstein pictures that Hammer did from The Curse of Frankenstein in 1957 to Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell in 1974 and all the gooey bits in between!

Like all of the titles coming from Peveril, this book with be filled with wonderful images, both in color and black and white, and a ton of information about the films and the people behind him. These titles are a bit pricy, especially getting them shipped to here in the states, but they are more than worth every single penny. They are just beautiful editions and are a sound investment as well. They are hoping to have the book out by October or November of this year.

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101 Scariest Movies Ever Made

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101 Scariest Movies Ever Made

I really have a love/hate relationship with these kind of books. It’s a book on horror films, so of course I’m going to add it to the library. But when a book comes out with a title like this, it is always open for debate, since everyone’s opinions are going to be different, even if just a little bit. Maybe you can’t believe that they would have included a certain title in their Top Ten? Or maybe that they even left out a film that you think should have been included.

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Nigel Kneale Biography Revised!

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Into the Unknown Kneale book“A pioneer in science fiction.” – John Carpenter

If you’re the slightest fan of Hammer, then you’ll probably know who writer Nigel Kneale was, since he was the man responsible for sending Hammer down their path of success with the Quatermass movies, based on his original tele-plays, as well as other Hammer titles like The Abominable Snowman (1957) and The Witches (1966). He also gave us The Stone Tape (1972), a chilling made-for-TV film that needs to be seen, as well as the series Beasts that he wrote. And of course, lets not forget that Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) came from him (though it was highly re-written). John Carpenter was highly influenced by Kneale, even using the pseudonym Martin Quatermass for his film Prince of Darkness. 

Now, thanks to the wonderful people at Headpress, you can read all about this fantastic and imaginative writer in their fully revised biography Into the Unknown, which comes out next month. Written by Andy Murray, the book covers Kneale’s career from his childhood to his work at the BBC and beyond, which left us with countless hours of imaginative and fantastic entertainment.

This is one volume that is a must for my library, and should be for yours as well. You can either order it from Amazon, which is only the paperback version. If you want a hardcover version, you have to order that directly from Headpress themselves.