Paul Blaisdell, Monster Maker - by Randy Palmer (Paperback)

About the Book

Paul Blaisdell was the man behind the monsters in such movies as The She Creature, Invasion of the Saucer Men, Not of This Earth, It! Terror from Beyond Space and many others. Working in primarily low-budget films, Blaisdell was forced to rely on greasepaint, guts and, most importantly, an unbounded imagination for his creations. From his inauspicious beginning through The Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow (1959), the construction of Blaisdell's monsters and the making of the movies in which they appeared are fully detailed here. Blaisdell's work in the early monster magazines of the 1960s is also covered.

Book Synopsis

Paul Blaisdell was the man behind the monsters in such movies as The She Creature, Invasion of the Saucer Men, Not of This Earth, It! Terror from Beyond Space and many others. Working in primarily low-budget films, Blaisdell was forced to rely on greasepaint, guts and, most importantly, an unbounded imagination for his creations.

From his inauspicious beginning through The Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow (1959), the construction of Blaisdell's monsters and the making of the movies in which they appeared are fully detailed here. Blaisdell's work in the early monster magazines of the 1960s is also covered.

Review Quotes

"an enjoyable read"-Choice; "[Blaisdell's monsters are] capable of making us laugh and scream at the same time...interesting"-San Francisco Examiner Magazine; "affectionate and informative...technical information is wonderful...crisply reproduced photos, drawings and half-tones"-Filmfax; "a book dedicated to the rich imagination and ingenious talents of one of Hollywood's most creative fringe dwellers"-International Theatre Information; "fascinating"-Classic Images; "wonderful...recommend[ed]"-bare-bones; "recommend[ed]"-Famous Monsters of Filmland; "a tremendous resource"-Fangoria; "thoroughly readable and informative...highly recommended"-Cult Movies; "of keen interest to anyone who enjoys the heyday of teenaged drive-in theater monster movies"-Midnight Marquee; "scrupulous detail...this book is a treat"-Shivers; "the definitive book"-Little Shoppe of Horrors; "comprehensive...required reading"-Crimson Celluloid.

About the Author

The late Randy Palmer has written for Fangoria, Cinefantastique and other genre magazines. He lived in Greensboro, North Carolina.