I Was a Monster Movie Maker: Conversations with 22 SF and Horror Filmmakers

Rating:
Summary: More excellent interviews...
Review: Genre interviewer extraordinaire, Tom Weaver, is back with his first book since the celebrated John Carradine: The Films. I Was A Monster Movie Maker collects 22 interviews with various genre personalities, the majority of whom may not immediately ring bells with even the most knowledgeable of genre fans. All of these interviews have appeared in abridged versions in various magazines; here they are printed in their entirety.

The range of interviewees range from the easily recognizable: Maureen O'Sullivan, Norman Lloyd, Phyllis Kirk, Dana Wynter, and John Kerr--to the downright scratch-your-head-and-ask-who? variety: Booth Colman (Dr. Zaius on the Planet Of The Apes television series, Karloff's Thriller), Nelson Gidding (screenwriter of The Haunting), Suzanna Leigh (The Deadly Bees, Lust For A Vampire), and Joan Weldon (Them!), among others. Filmographies are included for all performers.

Among the many treats to be found: O'Sullivan's days as Tarzan's Jane and the revelation of whether there was any romance with Johnny Weissmuller; Wynter's discussions on the 1956 Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, and Kevin McCarthy; Candace Hilligoss' very frank opinions concerning the Carnival Of Souls remake; the always interesting Norman Lloyd's remembrances, especially those of Hitchcock; Phil (Uncle Owen) Brown's recollections of his getting his role in Star Wars, meeting George Lucas, and anecdotes of Lon Chaney, Jr.; Paul Picerni and Phyllis Kirk (in what are clearly the best of interviews done with these two stars) share trips down memory lane, relating tales of making House Of Wax (Picerni's story of filming the guillotine scene is priceless), Andre' de Toth, and Vincent Price; Nelson Gidding's discussion on bringing The Haunting (original version) to the screen; and Ray (My Favorite Martian) Walston talks of working with Lugosi.

In too many interviews, the reader only gets a rapid-fire question and answer session, with no sense of any real interest being generated by either party. Weaver's strength, however, is his ability to get his subjects to really open up. The reader feels that there is a real conversation between two interested parties going on, rather than a rote asking/answering of questions. Perhaps it's his genuine interest in his subjects; perhaps it's his years of experience; perhaps it's his research and preparedness (he often knows more about his subjects' careers than the subjects themselves can remember!). Regardless of Weaver's secret, we get a depth, interest, and even excitement out of the subjects--not to mention the wealth of memories and anecdotes--that one seldom finds elsewhere.

Downsides to the book? I could find only two, and they are small, one (perhaps both) out of the hands of the author. First, that cover! Second, my usual complaint with books by McFarland: the price. Like all McFarland books, IWAMMM is nicely produced and certainly worth the price, but still more than likely out of the price range of many of the monster fans the book is written for.

I Was A Monster Movie Maker is typical first-rate, high quality product readers have come to expect from the author, and is the latest in a long line of his acclaimed interview books.