Cheap Tricks and Class Acts: Special Effects, Makeup and Stunts from the Films of the Fantastic Fifties [Hardcover]

John J. J. Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1995 | ISBN-10: 0786400935 | ISBN-13: 978-0786400935

In the 1950s Hollywood unleashed a wave of monsters; everything from demon aliens and dinosaurs to blobs and bloated bugs infested theaters and drive-ins. Lost worlds were discovered, unnatural terrors shook the screen, gigantism ran rampant. Moviegoers were left with one question: How did they do that? This work uncovers the cheap and challenging behind-the-scenes production secrets of the fantastic films of the 1950s. Special technical effects, visual effects, menacing makeup, stunts, fantastic sets and film locations are all covered in detail along with the many men and women who shared in these occasionally brilliant and usually outrageous efforts. Also included is a lengthy checklist of the prominent makeup, stunt, prop and effects artists of the era, with a listing of their fantastic film credits.

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About the Author

John "J.J." Johnson is the co-author of Fantastic Cinema Subject Guide (1996). He lives in Keizer, Oregon. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 404 pages
• Publisher: Mcfarland & Co Inc Pub (December 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786400935
• ISBN-13: 978-0786400935
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,811,092 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars it was all analog, May 10, 2006

By 

W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cheap Tricks and Class Acts: Special Effects, Makeup and Stunts from the Films of the Fantastic Fifties (Hardcover)

The book was written in the 70s, and from today's perspective, makes fascinating reading. Johnson writes of a time when special effects were totally analog. The movies he cites are mostly from the 50s and 60s, with a natural bias towards science fiction. For it was those which entailed the greatest need for special effects.

In the entire book, there is nary a mention of computers. It all had to be done by hand! Like hanging miniature models by near-invisible wires, to move them around on the screen. Today, such things would invariably be done in a computer.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Near-total Loss!, January 9, 2000

By 

Rory Coker (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cheap Tricks and Class Acts: Special Effects, Makeup and Stunts from the Films of the Fantastic Fifties (Hardcover)

McFarland has published many books on science-fiction films, and many of them are excellent, but this isn't one. Virtually the entire book consists of quotes from secondary sources, and because of the book's illogical organization, almost every quote is repeated twice! There is at least one place where a quoted paragraph is immediately followed by a paraphrase of exactly the same material... cut and paste didn't work. The bottom line of the matter is that the author really doesn't know what he is talking about. For example a section (pp. 297- 301) discusses how the models in THIS ISLAND EARTH were hung from trollys and moved past a stationary camera, while the model in FORBIDDEN PLANET was stationary, and the camera panned past on an "endless" screw. But this is illustrated by a photo (p. 300) showing the ISLAND EARTH saucer stationary and the camera panning past on an "endless" screw! I found literally nothing of value or interest in the book and it is totally unreliable as a reference.