Paul Blaisdell, Monster Maker: A Biography of the B Movie Makeup and Special Effects Artist - Hardcover

Palmer, Randy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0786402709 ISBN 13: 9780786402700

Publisher: McFarland Publishing, 1997

Synopsis

Paul Blaisdell was the man behind the monsters in such movies as The She Creature, Invasion of the Saucer Men, Not of This Earth, It! Terror from Beyond Space and many others. Working in primarily low-budget films, Blaisdell was forced to rely on greasepaint, guts and, most importantly, an unbounded imagination for his creations. From his inauspicious beginning through The Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow (1959), the construction of Blaisdell's monsters and the making of the movies in which they appeared are fully detailed here. Blaisdell's work in the early monster magazines of the 1960s is also covered. 9781476613352\\The sound of chainsaws revving on "haunted" Halloween trails has evoked untold screams since Tobe Hooper's 1974 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre hit the cinemas. Since that first take-no-prisoners horror movie, Hooper's reputation as a master of horror has been secured by his adaptations of Stephen King (Salem's Lot, 1978, and The Mangler, 1995), his blockbuster breakthrough Poltergeist (1982) and a variety of cult hits, from the underrated Lifeforce (1985) to the remake of Invaders from Mars (1986). This reference work is divided into five parts. Part I provides a history and overview of Tobe Hooper's career. Part II offers entries (with synopses, complete credits, critical reception and commentaries) on every feature film by year of release. Part III provides chronological information on Hooper's television movies and miniseries. Part IV offers entries on his episodes from horror television series. Part V is a critical essay and conclusion which places Hooper in horror film history and compares his work to all-time greats such as Romero, Craven and Carpenter. 9781476613697\\With a theatrical career spanning nearly 100 years, Gish saw motion pictures evolve from flickers to blockbusters. Usually playing someone needing to be rescued or protected, her trademark delicacy and vulnerability belied a strong and complex woman whose fatherless childhood taught her frugality, love for her mother and her sister, Dorothy, and a distrust of men. The author, who was her friend, chronicles the hardships, heartaches, and fierce determination that shaped her all her days. With rare photographs and intimate recollections of Lillian, Dorothy, and many other important figures. 9781476613987\\From the time he left office in 1853, President Millard Fillmore has become increasingly shrouded in mystery and stereotyped by anecdotes with slender connections to facts. The real Fillmore was not the weak and boring figurehead many Americans believe he was. This account of Fillmore's life is drawn largely from his family's personal papers, many of which have previously been suppressed or were unavailable or believed lost. It presents Fillmore as his own letters do, and as his friends, family members, and contemporaries saw him, as a distinguished and honorable man who was also a strong and effective president. This comprehensive work includes photographs, a genealogy of the Fillmore family, a chronology, a bibliography, and an index. 9781476614083\\Years before Jamestown was settled, European adventurers and explorers landed on the shores of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts in search of fame, fortune, and souls to convert to Christianity. Unbeknownst to them all, the "New World" they had found was actually a very old one, as the history of the native people spanned 10,000 years or more. This work is a compilation of old and new essa

About this title

About the Author

The late Randy Palmer has written for Fangoria, Cinefantastique and other genre magazines. He lived in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Review

"[Blaisdell's monsters are] capable of making us laugh and scream at the same time! ...interesting" -- San Francisco Examiner Magazine

"a book dedicated to the rich imagination and ingenious talents of one of Hollywood's most creative fringe dwellers" -- International Theatre Informations

"a tremendous resource" -- Fangoria

"affectionate and informative...technical information is wonderful...crisply reproduced photos, drawings and half-tones" -- Filmfax

"an enjoyable read" -- Choice

"fascinating" -- Classic Images

"of keen interest to anyone who enjoys the heyday of teenaged drive-in theater monster movies" -- Midnight Marquee

"scrupulous detail...generously illustrated...this book is a treat" -- Shivers

About this edition

• Publisher: McFarland Publishing
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0786402709
• ISBN 13: 9780786402700
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 298