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Poverty Row Horrors!
Monogram, PRC and Republic Horror Films of the Forties
by Tom Weaver
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Book Presentation:
Poverty row horror films were usually inexpensively (some would say cheaply) produced with writing that ranged from bad to atrocious. Yet these movies with their all-star horror casts (Carradine, Lugosi, Karloff, et al.) and their ape men, mad monsters, devil bats and white zombies still have a loyal audience 50 years after their release. Essays contain full filmographic data on the 31 horror chillers made by the three studios from 1940 through 1946 and are arranged by year of release. Each entry includes the date of release, length, production credits, cast credits, interview quotes, and a plot synopsis with critical commentary. Filmographies for prominent horror actors and actresses, from John Abbott to George Zucco, are provided in the appendices.
About the Author:
Tom Weaver lives in Sleepy Hollow, New York, and has been interviewing moviemakers since the early 1980s. The New York Times called him one of the leading scholars in the horror field and USA Today has described him as the king of the monster hunters. Classic Images called him “the best interviewer we have today.” He is a frequent contributor to numerous film magazines and has been featured in the prestigious Best American Movie Writing. A frequent DVD audio commentator, he is the author of numerous reference and other nonfiction books about American popular culture.
Press Reviews:
• "One of the leading scholars in the horror field"—New York Times
• "The king of the monster hunters"—USA Today
• "One of our foremost fantasy film historians"— Sight & Sound
• "Valuable…recommend[ed]…delectable…funny…wonderful…fabulous fun…a winner"—Classic Images
• "Informed, entertaining style…extremely readable…considerable reference value"—ARBA
• "Utterly…comprehensive filmographies…fun reading"—Big Reel
• "Splendidly detailed accounts of some splendidly trashy films, expertly done"—Interzone
• "Fascinating stuff…. Tom Weaver is the king of film historians"—Starlog
• "A mind-boggling variety of horror films"—San Francisco Examiner Magazine
• "Detailed…the illustrations are well chosen"—Movie Collector’s World
• "We are all immensely lucky to have someone of his talent spending his time writing the kind of books we would probably never see otherwise"—Cult Movies & Video
• "Insightful and valuable…prose is hilarious and…accurate…definitely one to purchase"—Midnight Marquee
• "Digs deeply to undercover the wonder and intrigue of older films…impressively…thorough and eminently readable"—Fangoria
• "We recommend Tom Weaver’s at-once lively and scholarly tome"—New York Daily News
• "The undiluted bible on the subject…remarkably detailed"—Sun & Sentinel
• "Fantastic"—Blood Zone Media
• "Offers a fascinating film-by-film chronicle…low-budget studios"—VideoScope
• "[A] brilliantly researched book"—Film Review
• "The only serious treatment of this highly important, thoroughly enjoyable era in horror film history. …superb anecdotal information"—Monsters from the Vault
• "Fantastic"—Plan 9 Crunch
See the publisher website: McFarland & Co
> From the same author:
A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde (2019)
Interviews with 62 Filmmakers
by Tom Weaver
Subject: Genre > Science Fiction
The Creature Chronicles (2018)
Exploring the Black Lagoon Trilogy
by Tom Weaver, David Schecter and Steve Kronenberg
Subject: One Film > Creature from the Black Lagoon
Universal Terrors, 1951–1955 (2017)
Eight Classic Horror and Science Fiction Films
by Tom Weaver, David Schecter, Robert J. Kiss and Steve Kronenberg
Universal Horrors (2017)
The Studio's Classic Films, 1931–1946
by Tom Weaver, Michael Brunas and John Brunas
They Fought in the Creature Features (2014)
Interviews With 23 Classic Horror, Science Fiction and Serial Stars
by Tom Weaver
Earth Vs. The Sci-fi Filmmakers (2014)
Twenty Interviews
by Tom Weaver
Subject: Genre > Science Fiction
I Talked with a Zombie (2014)
Interviews With 23 Veterans of Horror and Sci-Fi Films and Television
by Tom Weaver
Science Fiction Confidential (2010)
Interviews with 23 Monster Stars and Filmmakers
by Tom Weaver
Subject: Genre > Science Fiction
Eye on Science Fiction (2007)
20 Interviews with Classic SF and Horror Filmmakers
by Tom Weaver
Subject: Genre > Science Fiction
Science Fiction Stars and Horror Heroes (2006)
Interviews with Actors, Directors, Producers and Writers of the 1940s through 1960s
by Tom Weaver
Subject: Genre > Science Fiction
Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers (2006)
Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls and Makeup
by Tom Weaver
It Came from Horrorwood (2004)
Interviews with Moviemakers in the SF and Horror Tradition
by Tom Weaver
> On a related topic:
The Screen Chills Companion, 1940–1946 (2025)
Films of the Golden Age of Hollywood Horror
Angels and Ministers of Grace Defend Us! (2022)
More Dark Alleys of Classic Horror Cinema
Fear Itself (2009)
Horror on Screen and in Reality During the Depression and World War II
Grand National, Producers Releasing Corporation, and Screen Guild/Lippert (2011)
Complete Filmographies With Studio Histories
by Ted Okuda
Assault of the Killer B's (2004)
Interviews with 20 Cult Film Actresses
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