The Best of Famous Monsters of Filmland, Vol. #1 [Paperback]

Ray Ferry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000

A special compilation edition featuring some of the best features from the last six years of Famous Monsters magazine. This deluxe square-bound edition features 112 pages of great articles anbd interviews plus over 125 brilliant black and white monster photos compiled from the last 30 issues of FM--never reprinted before and now all together in one great special issue for those who may have missed them the first time. Many updates and new photos have been added to make this a super-special collector's edition.

FM magazine never reprints articles in its regular issues, so this special edition is your chance to enjoy many great features now long out of print, like:

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE WOLF MAN; AN IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW WITH BEN CHAPMAN: the "reel" Creature from the Black Lagoon; THE POWERS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE VAMPIRE!, THE LON CHANEY SR. STORY!; BELA LUGOSI; BORIS KARLOFF; VINCENT PRICE; "SCHLOCK THEATER" CLASSICS, FORTY GREAT MOMENTS IN HORROR! and much more.

This special reprint collection of all-time favorites is certain to become a beast seller! 112 pages of terrorific fun for every classic horror fiend from the world's first and fearmost filmonster magazine!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A fang-tastic collection of great features from the pages of several now-out of print issues..." -- The Graveyard Examiner

About the Author

RAY FERRY, Editor/Publisher of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND Magazine, is one of the leading authorities and aficionados of what he terms "the films of Classic Horrorwood." He began his love affair with the genre in 1960 as an 8-year-old charter reader of a popular 1960s era pulp magazine titled Famous Monsters of Filmland, which was the "bible" of the monster craze of the time, influencing the careers of a whole generation of then adolescent readers. Today Ferry is the editor and publisher of that very same magazine that so influenced him in his youth.

Having worked for some 20 years as a professional photographer before applying his energies to FM, Ferry has a unique appreciation of and respect for the craftsmanship of the horror classics. Since reviving the magazine from the realm of the literary "undead" in 1993, Ferry has devoted his efforts to introducing the era of the classic fright films to a new generation who have been weaned on a diet of blood and gore in modern films. An outspoken voice concerning graphic violence in film and its desensitizing effect on young minds, Ferry's retro-horror approach has resulted in reestablishing Famous Monsters of Filmland, as the leading publication of its kind. By merging the magazine's original 1960s flavor with a 1990s edge, he has bridged the gap of several generations and created an entertaining and educational forum, with both adult and child readers sharing the innocent fun of the Halloween spirit all year long.

Ferry has worked with and featured in his magazine many diverse talents in the fantasy film genre with whom he shares a love of the classics including author Ray Bradbury, Academy Award winning Animator Ray Harryhausen (both of whom were among the most influential personalities of his youth); legendary comics Phyllis Diller (MAD MONSTER PARTY), Mel Brooks (YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN; renowned performers Gloria Stuart (THE OLD DARK HOUSE), Adam West (TV's Batman), Frank Gorshin (Batman TV's Riddler), Gary Owens, Cassandra Peterson (TV's ELVIRA), Rock legend Alice Cooper, Al Lewis (THE MUNSTERS), TV's "Incredible Hulk," Lou Ferrigno and world renowned mentalist and occult authority The Amazing Kreskin, among others.

Ferry believes the old horror films will never be equaled. His credo is "there's no ghoul like an old ghoul."

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Filmland Classics (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970009844
• ISBN-13: 978-0970009845
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,517,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poor imitation, January 25, 2004

By 

n0s4a2 (Burbank, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best of Famous Monsters of Filmland, Vol. #1 (Paperback)

I thought this was going to be the BEST of the Famous Monsters I read as a kid, but none of that classic material was included, and the imagination of former publisher James Warren and editor Forrest J Ackerman is sorely missed. This is just a re-hash of the few issues of the magazine published without them. The writing is a weak imitation of Ackerman's lively style, ripping off patented puns like "You Axed for It" and "Beast Wishes". Even the cover is a 5th rate copy of a painting from the original magazine. I hear the current publisher of this volume lost a lawsuit for stealing Ackerman's nom de plume, "Dr. Acula". The Famous Monsters of the '50s and '60s was a cool phenomenon once, but the '90s incarnation is a pointless anachronism, since only nostalgic baby-boomers like myself are interested, and there are so many superior efforts dealing with the subject on the market now. Famous Monsters without Forry Ackerman is like a Beatles reunion without John, Paul, George, or Ringo.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars High priced T.P. !!, October 12, 2007

By 

Daddyo - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best of Famous Monsters of Filmland, Vol. #1 (Paperback)

As the prior reviewer indicated this item is living proof that everything that Ray Ferry touches seems to contract a case of irritable bowel syndrome hence my suggestion that this product would probably make great TP. To add insult to injury..Amazon is now " offering " this garbage for $100. despite the fact that I received it as a free incentive when I made the mistake of subscribing ( only one time ) to the " new " FM. Anyone who knows the true story of FM knows that this is NOT THE TRUE FM which was edited by 4E Ackerman in the '50s & 60s & was revived recently. Ray Ferry snatched the rights to FM from old 4E & 4E won the court case but the legal fees required him to sell his world famous Ackermansion. Outside of the fact that this one hundred dollar magazine has no redeeming features or value whatsoever...a true FM fan will insure that Ferry finally get his just deserts by not purchasing this printed TP.....

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice Packaging of Recycled Material, July 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Best of Famous Monsters of Filmland, Vol. #1 (Paperback)

For horror fans who have to have all issues for their collections, this one will pass as a "good" one to have, but it ain't great. Regular FMOF subscribers already have seen most, if not all, of what's between the pages. I could live without it.