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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A towering achievement!, July 1, 1999
This review is from: Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film (Paperback)
It's scary to think 16 long years have gone by since this landmark was published. Michael Weldon's book -still the crown jewel of B movie books- remains a colossal work for the same reasons it towered over ALL competitors back in '83: he's crazy enough, and loves these movies enough, to do the job RIGHT. When the world of genre and grindhouse movies was more reliant on oral history than on a few sketchy reference works, he scaled an Everest of obscure trash art to reclaim the form away from the snickering contempt of the Medved Bros (who, till then, had made the most impact in this specialized publishing subgenre with their GOLDEN TURKEY books), giving it back to people who, for good or ill, were similarly exposed to these amazing movies at a very young age and were impacted forever by them. The followup VIDEO GUIDE is equally essential, but just can't engender that same powerful affection those of us who bought this baby hot off the presses in 83 feel for this one. And contrary to what you might read, the black + white graphics are stunning and work PERFECTLY here. Most of the pix are old AP wire photos related to various outrageous studio promo campaigns that you won't find in any other film book. Tremendous artifacts of a time we won't see again. Buy this book and wallow again in the intense dopey pleasure of being a 14-year-old movie nut who's especially susceptible to lurid advertising!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Amazing Colossal Film Guide, April 27, 2000
This review is from: Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film (Paperback)
This mind-boggling encyclopedia grew out of Michael Weldon's handmade, xeroxed "Psychotronic" zine in the early '80s, a weekly program guide to low-grade and forgotten movies airing on TV in New York. The term 'psychotronic,' lifted from the 1980 B-movie "The Psychotronic Man," is used by Weldon to describe not only the world of odd horror and sci-fi flicks, but cult and exploitation films of all kinds. From the flying saucer movies of the 1950's to the James Bond series to the glut of disaster epics from the 1970's, they're all covered with obsessive consistency. Before this wonderful resource came along, it was nearly impossible for the average viewer to find any serious information on a majority of these films. At the time, these movies were scoffed at by critics and ignored in reputable film guides. For better or worse, their legacy has been preserved in Weldon's book. It was published in 1983, prior to the cable TV boom and the rise of video cassette rentals, so most of Weldon's info came from the original movie press kits, old newspaper ads and articles, and by watching the films themselves on late-night movie marathons on TV. The individual entries are brief but informative, detailing the directors, writers, and producers involved, notable cast members and cameos, the year of release, the studio that released it, and any other titles the movie was released under. Entertaining trivia and production notes are often included along with a succinct plot description. The book is filled with an indispensable array of archival press photos, vintage movie ads, and B&W stills, and a handy index that helps you locate the entries with your favorite people (be they Bela Lugosi, Roger Corman, or even Nancy Sinatra). More than a decade later, Weldon returned with the equally-impressive "Psychotronic Video Guide to Film," addressing the new independent and straight-to-video markets, as well as any films that came out since 1983 or were left out of this one. Whether you're a casual viewer or a dedicated film buff, this fantastic book is strongly recommended.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
We're all here because we're not all there, December 9, 2002
By A Customer
I am the first to confess that not everyone spends their time wondering if they might like to watch Untamed Women tonight, or have an Ed Wood film festival, but I am one of them. Call me crazy (ahem!), but I like really bad old movies, especially the ones that try to scare/pander you. Perhaps I yearn for the time when showing a bit of cleavage was considered racy. So I nose around the discount rack looking for such gems as Mermaids of Tiburon or The Earth Dies Screaming. I come across a copy of Demonoid. Should I buy it or not? Comes the rescue the Psychotronic guide which safely guides me through these murky dark waters. It and its companion Video guide are essential for those who share my idea of fun, with reviews of 6000 screen gems, such as Curse at Cactus Creek and Robot Monster. Perhaps my only objection is that the guide makes no pretense at being authoritative. For example, When a Stranger Calls is reivewed (favorably), but its sequel, When a Stranger Calls back, does not appear at all (and is arguably the better movie). There is also a smattering of "legitimate" film, such as Pursuit of the Graf Spee, and Polyester. No matter, all the films reviewed are, at the least, quirky, and there is a pretty good chance, at any rate, that the film you seek is reviewed. If not, you will have great fun just looking for it. My only grief is that the concordance is limited to an index. After all, what more important thing could there be than a filmography of Barbara Steele, the geratest actress that ever lived? These things aside, I recommend this without hesitation. There are other books listing gore/sleeze/exploitation films, but you will find none better.
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