HE LOST HIS LUNCH FOR “MT”
Dear “Monster Times” staff,
As a student of film (particularly the horror-science fiction genre), I was thrilled to see “The Monster Times”. Needless to say, it was worth the lunch money I spent on it. It’s got more information and good reading in it than any two issues of “Famous Monsters in Filmland”.
I’ve been planning to write an article on Sci-fi of the ’50’s for quite a while, but you beat me to the punch with “Mushroom Monsters”. I was pleased to see that I am not the only one who recognizes the clear-cut characteristics that the ’50’s horror films displayed. I was also greatly pleased to find articles on two of the best films of the genre, King Kong and Things to come. They are, in my opinion, the two best films of the ’30’s. I think that the Nosferatu comic strip did not belong.
I think you should invite reader participation. Offer a test on horror film history each issue. Have a Q & A column where readers can answer other readers’ queries about certain films. Ask interested readers to submit lists of their ten favorite horror – sci-fi – fantasy films and publish a list of the most popular films.
Subjects I would like to see covered in future issues: Ray Harryhausen’s work, the Planet of the Apes trilogy, Rod Serling, Universal’s Monsters, Jack Arnold’s films, British, Italian and Japanese works in the field, special effects, composers and their music in the field, and actors like John Carradine, Claude Rains and Vincent Price.
One more question: How can I get to write for “Monster Times”?
A Fellow Aficionado,
P.S. I have a pretty good still collection.
The way you can write for us is this: send us a resume, samples of your writing, paragraphs describing several articles you want to write about … and include a list of the photos you have to illustrate them. It’s important that you include return postage, to ensure speedy reply.
We’re already working on most of the articles you suggest except for perhaps the Planet of the Apes “Trilogy,” which would have been better titled: The Dignity of the Apes; Beneath the Dignity of the Apes; and Escape from Beneath the Dignity of the Apes.
THEY HATE US!
Dear Sirs:
| welcome you to the monster magazine field. Your newspaper is generally good, and I like your format. Only because I am a horror and Sci-Fi movie buff can I dislike some of the things that are said in your articles. I noticed several mistakes in the paper concerning photo descriptions. On page one you have three photos, one of Max Steiner, another of Merian Cooper, and one which is supposed to be Willis O’Brien but is actually Don Post, creator of fine horror masks. On page eighteen in your description of the new book “The Ghouls” you have a picture of Karloff which you state is from the film “The Body Snatcher” but which is actually from the Karloff film “The Ghoul” which Boris made in England in 1933.
While Mr. Allan Asherman properly praised the classic “Things to Come,” Mr. David Izzo tried to put down the equally great classic above Lugosi’s triumph. Mr. C.M. Richards, in his nonsense-studded article on the films “The Golem,” also puts down another classic, calling “The Golem’ the first “Frankenstein,” therefore degrading Karloff’s classic. He has no evidence whatsoever to back up his “claim” that Mary Shelly was inspired by the Golem’s legend.
Hoping to see improvement, I am,
Yours truly,
William J. Meyer,
THE MONSTER TIMES tells it like it is, whenever possible. Many people in “Monsterdom” feel (and it is their right!) that Lugosi’s DRACULA was pure ham, and nowhere near the authenticity which the Hammer “remake” achieved. They deserve a “voice,” too! C.M. Richards is sorry you couldn’t be along with him when he took his class back to 1816 to witness the Mary Shelley “Golem” reading event. But it’s just as well. He’d probably have left you there. But you are right about the “O’Brien” photo. We’ll run a correct picture in a future Encyclopedia Filmfannica page about Willis O’Brien. OK?
STAR TREK WILL NOT DIE!
Dear Editor:
In reference to Chuck McNaughton’s article about “Star Trek” returning to the air with new shows, I would like to know if you could inform me of which network to write to about returning “Star Trek.” Any help in this matter will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Wayne Pesqueira
P.S.
Your magazine is greatest in Science Fiction since the Frankenstein Monster.
Thanx. NBC ran STAR TREK one and a half seasons too many. They murdered the integrity of the show about halfway thru the 2nd season. It may sound preposterous, but it’s possible that STAR TREK could well be picked up by one of the “rival” networks, ABC or CBS. As CBS seems about the most intelligent of the three, these days (you can guess this, because Vice-Prez Agnew wants to talk them to death for running shows like “The Selling of the Pentagon”), it’s not unbelievable that they might be willing to take “the thinking man’s Buck Rogers” into their stable of shows, some near season.
Send us so many letters, postcards, boosts, detractions, bomb threats, etc., that the Post Office will have to deliver our mail with a bulldozer. Address all correspondence to: THE MONSTER TIMES, Box 595, Old Chelsea Station, N.Y., 10011.