Another Whale Of A Weaver Book

Claws-Out Cats In A Sack at Universal

How to pick from so many film books taking the stage these days? Some choose based on genre. Where you've lifelong-loved Universal sci-fi and horror, then Tom Weaver and company's latest, Universal Terrors, 1951-1955 comes as natural choice. Reason aplenty to order is Weaver's imprinteur, for even if one cares less of subject matter, this writer is stylist enough to spin prose web for all us unwary flies, whatever past exposure to the eight chiller-thriller-dillers profiled here. "Profiled" may be too slight a term, for these are detail studies to put all past coverage in permanent shade. But Universal Terrors is more than recital of movie makings, for here is deep dug account of 50's process at a filmland address lots find a most magnetic, monsters plopped before cameras less fearsome than ego-fiends sucking blood off rivals in writing, make-up, music, acting, all of what earned paychecks and set studio hornets to one another's neck. Many if not most lived long enough to be interviewed by Tom Weaver, each articulate as to who done wrong to whom. For thrust of knife to backs where they belonged, Universal Terrors has no peer in print. Thirty-forty years was none too late for getting even, it seems, and these Uni vets down to a last had memories long and forgiveness short where knavery among co-workers was recalled.

Much of Universal Terrors is He said --- No, I say --- debate of dirty trix by hustle-artists busy sawing rungs behind as they climbed ruthlessly up. Was it for money, power, the satisfaction of screenplay credit on Tarantula? So much reminded me of vendettas kept, indeed harbored, by humbler of we civilians who suffered slights from mean boys or girls at work or school, except here were richer chips Uni vipers played at, at least it seemed so back when monsters meant money. Weaver and co-writer Robert J. Kiss wisely point out that keeping budgets slim allowed weirdies to cash out nicely. It wasn't for charity to us fans that Universal kept doing these things. Detail of all that is where Universal Terrors shines brightest. Imagine for purpose of this book that beloved pics (the eight plus copious reference to others) are Aurora models built by Weaver and team. No production piece goes missing, all adhere nicely, with behind-scenes so You Are There that I'd almost swear to working myself on The Strange Door, It Came From Outer Space, or one/other Creature feature. In event of reincarnation, let it be to soundstage of any of these eight, for thanks to Weaver work, I'll surely know my way around.