They Fought In The Creature Features

These men and women saved the planet from aliens, behemoths, monsters, zombies, and other bloated, stumbling threats--in the movies, at least--and now they tell their stories. Julie Adams, John Agar, Richard Anderson, John Archer, Jeanne Bates, Billy Benedict, Turhan Bey, Lloyd Bridges, Ricou Browning, Robert Cornthwaite, Louise Currie, Richard Denning, Anne Francis, Mark Goddard, June Lockhart, Eugene Lourie, Jeff Morrow, Lori Nelson, Rex Reason, William Schallert, Don Taylor, George Wallace and Jane Wyatt give behind-the-scenes insights into such classic movies as Creature from the Black Lagoon, Forbidden Planet, Destination Moon and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. They also discuss the impact monster-fighting had on their careers and what they are now doing. Some interviews were previously published in different form in fan magazines.

This whopping big McFarland Classic brings together 43 interviews with horror and science fiction movie writers, producers, directors and the men and women who saved the planet from aliens, behemoths, robots, zombies, and other sinister, stumbling threats--in the movies, at least. The interviewees reminisce about some of their great (and not so great!) films and tell their stories. This classic volume represents the union of two previous volumes: 1994's Attack of the Monster Movie Makers ("anecdotes are frank and revealing"--Video Watchdog); and 1995's They Fought in the Creature Features ("a fun book for all SF film enthusiasts"--Interzone). Together at last, this combined collection of interviews offers a candid and delightful perspective on the movies that still make audiences howl and squeal (though fear has long been replaced with sweet nostalgia).

Universal Studios created the first cinematic universe of monsters--Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy and others became household names during the 1930s and 1940s. During the 1950s, more modern monsters were created for the Atomic Age, including one-eyed globs from outer space, mutants from the planet Metaluna, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the 100-foot high horror known as Tarantula. This over-the-top history is the definitive retrospective on Universal's horror and science fiction movies of 1951-1955. Standing as a sequel to Tom Weaver, Michael Brunas and John Brunas's Universal Horrors (Second Edition, 2007), it covers eight films: The Strange Door, The Black Castle, It Came from Outer Space, Creature from the Black Lagoon, This Island Earth, Revenge of the Creature, Cult of the Cobra and Tarantula. Each receives a richly detailed critical analysis, day-by-day production history, interviews with filmmakers, release information, an essay on the score, and many photographs, including rare behind-the-scenes shots.

In the mid-1950s, to combat declining theater attendance, film distributors began releasing pre-packaged genre double-bills--including many horror and science fiction double features. Though many of these films were low-budget and low-end, others, such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Horror of Dracula and The Fly, became bona fide classics. Beginning with Universal-International's 1955 pairing of Revenge of the Creature and Cult of the Cobra, 147 officially sanctioned horror and sci-fi double-bills were released over a 20-year period. This book presents these double features year-by-year, and includes production details, historical notes, and critical commentary for each film.

For over 20 years, the name John Agar on a marquee meant action to moviegoers - from World War II land, sea and air battles, to the frontier west, to the new frontier of 1950s science fiction, where he stood fast against some of the era's most memorable movie monsters. Agar's rise to fame was meteoric: During World War II, the $83-a-month buck sergeant met and later married "America's Sweetheart" Shirley Temple, and was soon offered a screen test and dramatic instruction by Hollywood mega-mogul David O. Selznick. He co-starred in his very first film, director John Ford's magnificent Fort Apache (1948), and parlayed that impressive debut role into a two-decade string of heroic leads. Steady work was the important thing to Agar, who easily alternated between A-pictures (Ford classics, Sands of Iwo Jima, more), drive-in favorites (Revenge of the Creature, Tarantula) and low-low-budget exploitation items. A gracious, gentle man, Agar tells the bittersweet tale of his journey through life in this tribute volume, which also includes additional interview material and photos not only from his films but also his private life. This is John's story.

He was the final addition to Universal's "royal family" of movie monsters: the Creature from the Black Lagoon. With his scaly armor, razor claws and a face only a mother octopus could love, this Amazon denizen was perhaps the most fearsome beast in the history of Hollywood's Studio of Horrors. But he also possessed a sympathetic quality which elevated him fathoms above the many aquatic monsters who swam in his wake. Everything you ever wanted to know about the Gill Man and his mid-1950s film career (Creature from the Black Lagoon, Revenge of the Creature, The Creature Walks Among Us) is collected in this book, packed to the gills with hour-by-hour production histories, cast bios, analyses, explorations of the music, script-to-screen comparisons, in-depth interviews and an ocean of fin-tastic photos.

"I would venture a guess that if someone were to go to a place such as Syracuse, Little Rock, San Antonio, Key West, Pocatello, Des Moines, or Spokane and dig around for two years as I did here, that person would come up with as much material as I have about Sedona. The following incidents and encounters are a broad representation of UFO/ET encounters by area residents and visitors. My opinion is that many of these incidents resulted in the abduction of the individuals involved. I have talked at length with most of these people. It's difficult to put into words the sincerity and concern that was reflected in their voices and faces about what they had experienced. When a mature man or woman breaks down emotionally over a UFO experience they are reliving in an interview, this is to me strong evidence that the person is not lying or simply making up a story. I feel fortunate to have shared in their experiences, and I share in turn these experiences here with you."

Bela Lugosi won immediate fame for his portrayal of the immortal count in the 1931 film Dracula. After a decade of trying vainly to broaden his range and secure parts to challenge his acting abilities, Lugosi resigned himself to a career as the world's most recognizable vampire. His last years were spent as a forgotten and rather tragic figure. When he died in 1956, Lugosi could not have known that vindication of his talent would come—his face would adorn theaters, his image would appear on greeting cards and postage stamps, his film memorabilia would sell for more than he earned in his entire career, and his Hungarian accent would be instantly recognized by millions of people. Martin Landau's Oscar-winning role as Lugosi in the 1994 film Ed Wood added an ironic twist to a career that had ended in oblivion. In 1974, devoted Lugosi fan Arthur Lennig published a highly regarded biography of the unsung actor. More than twice the length of the original and completely rewritten, The Immortal Count provides deeper insights into Lugosi's films and personality. Drawing upon personal interviews, studio memos, shooting scripts, research in Romania and Hungary, and his own recollections, Lennig has written the definitive account of Lugosi's tragic life.