'Universal Studios Monsters: A Legacy of Horror' by Michael Mallory

Horror movies' most memorable monsters can all be found in one place in Michael Mallory's magnificently mastered volume, brimming with Universal Studios' Hollywood horror icons.

Universal Studios was Hollywood's number-one studio for horror pictures worldwide spanning the 1920s through the 1950s, and the original monsters and pictures are still unforgettable today. Moviegoers were frightened by creatures like Dracula and Frankenstein's monster, as well as the beast from "The Creature from the Black Lagoon." Mallory explores these enduring characters and more in his book, "Universal Studios Monsters: A Legacy of Horror." Mallory offers behind-the-scenes observations and biographies on of some of the most notable personalities in Hollywood horror, like Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, and Boris Karloff. This landmark volume also chronicles the mythology behind the films. Through interviews, surviving actors and studio employees provide insight into the films and their creators. Extravagant illustrations include movie production stills, promotional film posters, and rare behind-the-scenes shots. Brilliant photographs from on set, including images of actors socializing with each other, set construction, and stars in make-up application are sure to thrill any horror fan.

Updated in 2021, a milestone year for horror's most iconic films Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man, this tome delivers new information on what the future holds for horror fans' favorite monsters. Award-winning fiction author Michael Mallory celebrates landmark horror movies in what is essentially a one-volume library on the horror film, cinema's most enduring genre.

It's interesting to see what influence the films of yesterday have on movies, television, and moviegoers of today. The legacy continues, bringing horror into the context of our modern culture, though entry ticket prices are a bit more than a nickel a piece. Some horror icons, at least, like Dracula, will always stand the test of time.

If you like this volume, check out "The Monster Show: a Cultural History of Horror" by David J. Skal, which delves deeper into how real life horrors and those in the fictional world collide and illustrates a thought-provoking inquiry into an obsession with the macabre. Both books are memorials for Marvin E. Hicks, my father, who shared his love of old black-and-white horror movies with me.