The Unknown War Of Edward D Wood Jr

It's been almost 40 years since the passing of maverick author and director Edward D. Wood, Jr., on December 10, 1978. Fate was seemingly cruel to Eddie, denying him and his work any meaningful recognition during his lifetime, but in the years since his death, a sizable cult-following has emerged. That cult initially focused on Eddie as the "worst director of all time" and his piece-de-resistance Plan 9 from Outer Space as the "worst movie of all time." While the study of Eddie's films, novels and short stories has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent decades, our knowledge of the man himself has remained stagnant. Over the years a mythology around Eddie's military service during the Second World War has been built up and repeated without critical examination. For the first time ever, The Unknown War of Edward D. Wood, Jr. uses official records to provide a factual account of Eddie's critical years in the U.S. Marine Corps (1942-1946). These records reveal to us an Eddie that has remained completely hidden from view until now. Everything you think you know about Eddie and his part in the Second World War will undergo a radical transformation as you read this book. It is not for the faint-hearted! Our understanding of not only Eddie's service in the military, but also our understanding of him as an all-too-human human being, will from this point forward never be the same. Read on and, as Eddie himself would have said, be shocked by the true and startling facts of the military service of Edward D. Wood, Jr.

Edward D. Wood, Jr. was a name forgotten in the history of Hollywood until the release of the 1994 Tim Burton biopic, Ed Wood, starring Johnny Depp as Ed, and Martin Landau as the horror icon Bela Lugosi, a role for which Landau received the Academy Award. Following service with the U.S. Marines during World War II, Ed followed his dream to Hollywood, hoping to achieve success as a movie director. Ed did realize his goal but his talents did not match his ambitions. Working with practically nonexistent budgets, he directed movies ignored in their day but have since become recognized as cult classics: Glen or Glenda, Bride of The Monster, Orgy of The Dead, and his most "infamous" production: Plan 9 From Outer Space. Barely skimping by on his movie earnings, Ed turned to writing a series of lurid paperbacks with such titles as "Black Lace Drag," "Let Me Die In Drag" and "Devil Girls." His professional decline continued when he worked for a skin magazine publisher in the late 60's, churning out copy and short fiction in prodigious amounts, an amazing accomplishment considering that by this point Ed Wood had become a serious alcoholic. Edited and with a foreword by Bob Blackburn, a close friend of Ed's widow Kathy, these later stories penned by Ed Wood have finally been collected in this exclusive volume.

The Life and Art of Edward D Wood This is an updated edition of the biography of cult American film maker Ed Wood which formed the basis of the film Ed Wood' starring Johnny Depp, Bill Murray and Patricia Arquette. It examines one of Hollywood's most iconoclastic, tragic figures: director, screenwriter, pornographer and hellraiser as well as master of outrageous kitsch, absurd supernatural horror and campy suspense. A hilarious and heart-breaking portrayal of a brave eccentric and sometimes insane film maker.'

This reference helps readers navigate the perilous odyssey those of an LGBTQ orientation had to face in an age less enlightened than our own, when an attraction to members of the same gender could lead to horrendous abuse. Just as American society has changed dramatically from decade to decade, so has queer cinema. Taking us from a time when LGBTQ characters were often represented as either caricatures or figures of farce, this lively yet authoritative reference explores the sea change ushered in by such stars as Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich in the 1930s and '40s, androgynous figures such as Montgomery Clift, James Dean, and Marlon Brando in the '50s, and closeted gay men such as Rock Hudson and Liberace, whose double lives were exposed by the scourge of AIDS. Included are alphabetically arranged entries on stars, directors, films, themes, and other topics related to queer cinema in America, including films and persons from outside the U.S. who nonetheless figured prominently in America popular culture. Entries cite works for further reading, sidebars provide snippets of interesting trivia, a timeline highlights key events, and a selected, general, end-of-work bibliography cites the most important major works on the topic.

“Before the Greatest Generation, there was the Forgotten Generation of World War I . . . wonderfully engaging” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). “Richard Rubin has done something that will never be possible for anyone to do again. His interviews with the last American World War I veterans—who have all since died—bring to vivid life a cataclysm that changed our world forever but that remains curiously forgotten here.” —Adam Hochschild, author of To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914–1918 In 2003, eighty-five years after the end of World War I, Richard Rubin set out to see if he could still find and talk to someone who had actually served in the American Expeditionary Forces during that colossal conflict. Ultimately he found dozens, aged 101 to 113, from Cape Cod to Carson City, who shared with him at the last possible moment their stories of America’s Great War. Nineteenth-century men and women living in the twenty-first century, they were self-reliant, humble, and stoic, never complaining, but still marveling at the immensity of the war they helped win, and the complexity of the world they helped create. Though America has largely forgotten their war, you will never forget them, or their stories. A decade in the making, The Last of the Doughboys is the most sweeping look at America’s First World War in a generation, a glorious reminder of the tremendously important role America played in the “war to end all wars,” as well as a moving meditation on character, grace, aging, and memory. “An outstanding and fascinating book. By tracking down the last surviving veterans of the First World War and interviewing them with sympathy and skill, Richard Rubin has produced a first-rate work of reporting.” —Ian Frazier, author of Travels in Siberia “I cannot remember a book about that huge and terrible war that I have enjoyed reading more in many years.” —Michael Korda, The Daily Beast

In a previously unpublished memoir/manual, the king of B horror movies exposes the ruthless realm of moviemaking and introduces the magic and mayhem of Hollywood

Take One. Action! Uncle John's Plunges into Hollywood uncovers Tinseltown's best-kept secrets--from murder mysteries Hollywood style to leading lady rivalries. Hooray for Hollywood! Uncle John takes on Tinseltown in this fascinating look at the movies and the people who make them. Come for the trials, tribulations, and trivia! Stay for the mysteries, magic, and mayhem! You’ll go behind the scenes for the sordid scandals, biggest bombs, greatest triumphs, and the unsung heroes who make it all come together. Featuring quotes, puzzles, quizzes, and Uncle John’s famous “running feet” facts at the bottom of every page, this book will give you a new appreciation for the Silver Screen (and you’ll know exactly what a gaffer and best boy do). What else is in here? Check out these previews! * Bad boys on location * The origin of Variety * The biggest cult movie of all time * The “Blond Bombshell Murder Mystery” * How Ray Harryhausen brought fantasies to life * Wretched reviews (for what are now considered great films) * The strange Pink Floyd and Wizard of Oz connection * The “Taglines of Terror” quiz * Bathrooms on the big screen * Unfortunate remakes * Haunted Hollywood And much, much more!