July 4, 2004
Dear Friends,
First, a happy Fourth of July to all. I want to thank everybody for your interest in monstershow.net and my inaugural newsletter. This one is obviously a bit late getting out, and I apologize, but I promise to have a monthly missive from a "monstrous" point of view from here on out.
The new, completely revised and updated edition of HOLLYWOOD GOTHIC is out in October (link at main site. and I will be presenting tie-in lectures at the University of Victoria as well as the City of Salem, Mass. in October.
But perhaps the most interesting news this month is that I am now serving as a creative advisor to the soon-to-be-launched Horror Channel, scheduled to launch in October. I very much look forward to working with the Channel closely on all manner of projects--stay tuned for more details. The channel's web site: http//www.horrorchannel.com
Re my original Universal Classic Monsters DVD special-edition documentaries and commentaries are now being reissued by Universal Studios Home Video. The "Legacy" collections of DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN, and THE WOLF MAN including originals as well as sequels, are now In October, we can look forward to "Legacy" collections of CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON and THE INVISIBLE MAN with new sequel commentaries.
Finally, I've received several curious e-mails about Amazon.com's inclusion of a video and DVD of Edward Albee's play ALL OVER when they list titles of my DVD appearances. And yes, given all the other DVD work I've done far more recently, I wish they would pop up too (and I'm sure they eventually will, in time. The search engine function connected to my site is just kicking in). The short answer is, I have an extremely brief cameo appearance as a reporter who gets whacked over the head by patrician mourners William Prince, Myra Carter and Anne Shropshire at the very end of the first act. (People who really hate my books might enjoy this). This was my reward for being publicity director at the amazing Hartford Stage Company, which produced the revival and the original
Bill Prince, of course,was a great character actor who appeared memorably in William Castle's MACABRE and the original version of THE STEPFORD WIVES, so it was a special delight to share a scene, however briefly. This was all back in 1977, mind you, so I cringe at the sight of myself now. Dorian Gray in reverse, I guess! But, if you have an interest in the plays of Albee, Pinter and Beckett, you may really enjoy this; the performances and direction, of their kind, are impeccable. Others may find it a hard slog. For David Skal completists (oh, God--do such things exist?), I guess you have no choice, and are probably damned forever.
In any event, the Amazon links at my site are updated weekly and are, however strangely, presently far ahead of Amazon itself. Use them as your default.
Next month, I will begin including recommendation of various under-rated, under-promoted books and videos that may be of interest to my web visitors.
I'm gratified at the large number of hits the site has received. Please continue to send feedback.
Yours in monsters,
David
