Vincent Price: The Art of Fear [Paperback]

Denis Meikle (Author), Roger Corman (Afterword)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2003

Vincent Price, whose name is virtually synonymous with the American horror film, was a major screen presence for more than four decades. His early films include such film noir classics as Laura and Leave Her to Heaven, but it was the release of House of Wax in 1953 that established the actor as the silky-voiced master of menace. The late 50s saw Price starring in William Castle’s extraordinary cycle of gimmick-driven films, including The Tingler, with cinema seats wired to simulate the movie monster’s electrical attacks. In the 60s, Price excelled in leading roles in Roger Corman’s The Fall of the House of Usher and The Pit and the Pendulum—mysterious, almost meditative films based on the work of Poe. Among his later career highlights are The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Theater of Blood, and Edward Scissorhands. Now, in this judicious, well-illustrated survey, Denis Meikle looks at both the highs and lows of an enduring film career.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“…delightful life/film treatment for Price and horror fans alike. The only work of its kind, this is highly recommended…” -- Library Journal

From the Publisher

Vincent Price, whose name is virtually synonymous with the American horror film, was a major screen presence for more than four decades. His early films include such film noir classics as Laura and Leave Her to Heaven, but it was the release of House of Wax in 1953 that established the actor as the silky–voiced master of menace. The late fifties saw Price starring in William Castle’s extraordinary cycle of gimmick–driven films, including The Tingler, with cinema seats wired to simulate the movie monster’s electrical attacks. In the sixties, Price excelled in leading roles in Roger Corman’s The Fall of the House of Usher and The Pit and the Pendulum—mysterious, almost meditative films based on the work of Poe. Among his later career highlights are The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Theater of Blood, and Edward Scissorhands. Now, in this judicious, well–illustrated survey, Denis Meikle looks at both the highs and lows of an enduring film career.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Reynolds & Hearn (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1903111536
• ISBN-13: 978-1903111536
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,089,322 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Notes of a Longtime Price Fan, February 10, 2005

By 

Kevin Killian (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vincent Price: The Art of Fear (Paperback)

True fans of Vincent Price don't really care whether or not we're watching something badly made like SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN or some auteur-approved masterpiece like TOMB OF LIGEIA. As long as Vincent Price is in it, hamming it up and acting all others right off the screen we are in hog heaven. It's a strange, fervid fraternity and way back when someone started calling us The Price Club and the name just stuck.

Denis Meikle has given us a book that clears up some of the myths surrounding Price's career, but he seems determined to create a new one, based somewhat on Victoria's great book. His thesis is that the McCarthy hearings and the "graylist" of which Price was the victim made him scared that he would never work again, so that afterwards, from the mid 1950s on, he consented to appear in any piece of schlock if the "price was right." Again and again he evinces this theory to explain, for example, why VP appeared as "Egghead" on TV's BATMAN. Price himself often stated that he wanted money to but more modern art with, but Meikle discounts this simple explanation.

I am the proud owner of a signed copy of Price's awesome book THE ART IN MY LIFE and I think that he indeed loved art and that he wasn't just "running scared" from the HUAC police.

But everyone deserves a forum for their views and Meikle makes a good case for his.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you love Vincent Price you will love this great book, March 30, 2004

By 

Jack Burgess (Tampa, Fl USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vincent Price: The Art of Fear (Paperback)

When I was a kid way, way back in the late sixties to the early
seventies I never failed to catch a great Price film on the late night Creature Features. This book is hard to put down.
Dennis Meikle does'nt white wash the Master of Menace, nor present him in any unfavorable light. All of Price's successes
and failings are told here in a very respectful manner. As a
matter of fact there were some parts of Price's life I did'nt want to know. This is the story of a great actor the likes of whom we will never ever see again. Well illustrated. A really
excellent book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long live Vincent Price!, September 22, 2003

By 

Curtis G Bower (Cuyahoga Falls, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vincent Price: The Art of Fear (Paperback)

I just finished reading this excellent book on Vincent Price. It concentrates just on his work in the horror film genre which is primarly what he is remembered for. Denis Meikle follows Vincent's career chronologically film by film, giving details of the production as well as what was going on in Price's life at the time. While this is not an exhaustive work on this wonderful actor, it makes a great companion piece to his daughter's book "Vincent Price: A Daughter's Biography" which covers his personal life and Lucy Chase Williams' excellent "The Complete Films of Vincent Price" which covers all his film output. All together, these tell the story of one of the last true renaissance men. Recommended.