2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The quintessential piece for any Sci-Fi/Bradbury fan., May 29, 2004
It never ceases to amaze me how much effort Gauntlet Press places in the
creation of their publications. Last week I received Ray Bradbury's "It came
From Outer Space". Honestly, I'm speechless. I know, I generally always
give books a good rating BUT - frankly, this book is breathtaking. This is a
necessary include for any Sci-Fi or Bradbury collection. WOW!
Lets start from the top shall we? First, the cover is simply stunning.
While I wish the back of the cover were really the front of the cover, I
believe that the way the cover is done it
gives the book an edge. Bradbury does the front artwork, and the back has a
poster picture, which gives the title of the book. Never the less the cover
alone is incredible and made me drool.
What is in this book, you ask? Quite literally everything you ever wanted to
know about "It Came From Outer Space". A book of this style has never
before been published. Within this tome you will find exclusive material
such as the controversy behind "It Came From Outer Space", Correspondences
both to and from Ray Bradbury, Screen treatments, never
before published short stories, original ads and more. The lettered edition
of this book includes an additional section, which includes and introduction
by Jonathan Eller, a letter from Mathilde Moser to Ray Bradbury and, the
unfinished screenplay entitled "Face of the Deep".
One of the things about this book that really just touched me was when
Bradbury discusses how he met up with Spielberg after watching "Close
Encounters of the Third Kind" and found out that "It Came From Outer Space"
was the inspiration behind the Spielberg hit. Simply beautiful!
In my opinion, this book is a powerful and personal journey through the
highlights of Bradbury. You can feel the emotions that Bradbury must have
experienced in his emergent period, and it just empowers your soul. This
book shows you a boy with a love for a genre and the fortitude to embark
upon his dream, making it his life.
I strongly urge you purchase this book if you have any ounce of sense in
you. This is most definitely the quintessential piece for any Sci-Fi/Bradbury fan.
5 Stars without a doubt!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
The story of a 1950s classic, May 7, 2007
Released in 1953, It Came From Outer Space is notable for being one of the first 3-D movies ever made. Shot from a Harry Essex screenplay based on a story by Ray Bradbury, the movie was a classic of Cold war paranoia and anxiety. Although thought of fondly by movie buffs (Steven Spielberg is a great fan), the film has been the subject of much controversy over the years, specifically over the extent of Bradbury's contributions to the finished product.
Although Bradbury did not write the final screenplay, he did write four treatments, to which he retained the rights. These four previously unpublished treatments have now been gathered together by Donn Albright (editor of the 2001 Gauntlet edition of Bradbury's DARK CARNIVAL) in IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, an interesting, beautifully packaged study of the evolution and development of the classic film.
Containing the original Bradbury typed pages of outlines and treatments which the author wrote for the film, the book also includes a wealth of bonus material, such as informative essays and introductions from Bradbury scholars Jon Eller and Bill Touponce, reviews, letters, photos, promotional material, and reviews. Of special note to Bradbury mavens is the inclusion of the never before seen short stories "A Matter of Taste," the short story that contains the seeds of the plot of the movie, and "Troll Charge," a collaboration between Bradbury and screenwriter Harry Essex.
IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE is truly a wonderful book, a perfect present for you or the Bradbury aficionado in your life. Obviously a labor of love for editor Albright and publisher Barry Hoffman, it's an impressive artifact, a book anyone would be proud to own. Unfortunately, beauty is costly; as this oversized tome will set you back $125. Hopefully, a less expensive trade edition is planned for those who can't shell out that kind of dinero.
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