Monster Mash: The Creepy, Kooky Monster Craze In America 1957-1972

by Mark Voger, Basil Gogos (Illustrator), Jim Warren (Illustrator)

Time-trip back to the frightening era of 1957-1972, when monsters stomped into the American mainstream! Once Frankenstein and fiends infiltrated TV in 1957, an avalanche of monster magazines, toys, games, trading cards, and comic books crashed up

Genres: Horror, History, Nonfiction, Pop Culture

192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 7, 2015

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book about the monster trend that lasted from the 50's until the 70's. I always felt like I just missed it, by accident of birth. It discusses toys, movies, and television. Most everything you need to know about Dark Shadows, The Munsters, and the Addams Family. The Horror Hosts, and and so much more. Lots of great pictures and interviews.

My only quibble would be that it's a little light on the comic books.

[Norm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful look back at the movies, TV shows, books, magazines, super 8 films, models and more of the many fun things that made monster kids happy in the 1960's and 70's. Looking through this book brings back a flood of happy memories, mixed occasionally with regret for the things we didn't (or couldn't) keep. No matter, this book is lots fun, sort of like flipping through an issue of your favorite monster magazine, but even better, since this book covers so many topics (although only briefly) and comes in a beautiful, glossy (and durable) hardcover.

I'd love to see a "companion" volume to this one, covering the old paperbacks, such as the ones published by Ballantine and Bantam, in the 60's.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic social history of the pop culture of monsters during the sixties covering every form of media from TV and films to print and music to merchandise. A wealth of information on any topic imaginable, jam-packed with photographs and illustrations. The book's graphic layout is in a magazine style with a high focus on images yet the text is very meaty and there are many interviews with all sorts of people from actors to editors. Presented in a chronological format starting with the first TV showings of old 30s/40s monster films in 1957 but also topically such as sections on monster music, Addams Family, TV movie hosts, Aurora and other model kits, comics, etc. I found the book absolutely fascinating both for the text and the trip down memory lane looking at the pictures. I didn't actually grow up in this era but experienced it during the mid-seventies onwards via re-runs and afterschool monster movies. Picking up all sorts of toys, books, comics, etc at garage sales and flea markets. An extremely well put together volume and like any book from TwoMorrows also high quality deserving a place on a collector's bookshelf.

[Terry Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of this colorful walk down monster memory lane is perfection - for truly what we get is a "monster mash" of recollections, photographs, facts, and interviews. Brevity is the watchword here - most sections run no more than four pages, so if you are not interested in the Aurora monster model kits (and if you aren't, why are you reading this kind of book?), you can turn the page and get lost in behind-the-scenes stories on The Addams Family or The Munsters as related by the stars. Castle 8 mm films, local horror hosts, Don Post masks, Famous Monsters of Filmland ... it's all here. A special recognition goes to the layout and design of the book (also by author Voger) which is some of the finest work I've seen in this kind of book.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you grew up in the late 60s/early 70s, reading mags like "Famous Monsters of Filmland" and watching "Creature Feature" on TV, you'll likely enjoy this nostalgic look back at the movies, toys, music, magazines, etc. you loved back then,

[Sean Kottke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The material culture of my childhood, in convenient book form. 'Nuff said :)

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

A review of the monster craze in popular culture in the 60's. If you lived it, you'll love this book for nostalgic reasons. Lots of photos.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the Shock Theater package of old horror movies from the 1930s and 1940s was released to TV stations in the late 1950s, it began a golden age of monsterdom among us kids who grew up in that era (late 50s through early 70s). Not only did we have the movies on TV, but we had FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND and other monster magazines, toys, model kits, comic books, board games, television shows (THE TWILIGHT ZONE, OUTER LIMITS, THE MUNSTERS, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, DARK SHADOWS), monster bubble bath (Soakies) -- monster everything! I guess my one complain was that there was no mention of the board game Green Ghost in this book. But what the hell -- this was a fun read, a great virtual trip through my childhood (and no, I still have not outgrown the old monsters and never intend to) -- a love letter to all things monster. With excellent photos, to boot!

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew from other sources that Universal sparked something when it released its classic monster movies (and many less classic) to TV in the late 1950s. I didn't quite realize how big a spark that was, inspiring knockoffs, magazines, TV shows (Addams Family, Munsters, Dark Shadows), comic books and soooo much merchandising (later giving us such treats as Count Chocula).
The appeal of this book is the massive amount of illustration and lots of interviews, from Dark Shadows cast members to the guy who designed the Munsters' car (allegedly getting a lot of unacknowledged help from another customizer).
This would be more fun if I'd been in America early enough to get in on the monster craze, but it's still fun without that.

[Philip Haagensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was fun. Inclusive of most if not all of the genre represented in the '60's into the early '70's, "Monster Mash" focuses on the monster craze at the time. It's a nostalgic accounting of those monster days, punctuated with relevant interviews and anecdotes shedding lots of insight into each subject.

Lots of photos liberally included, if you grew up in those times and remember the days of Aurora monster model kits, The Munsters and Addams Family, and Famous Monsters of Filmland, this is your groove.

[Lew · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a nostalgic trip this was for me. I grew up in the Philadelphia area and I went through the Monster craze during the mid-sixties. I loved watching the Universal Monsters films and the newer Hammer Monster films. I read Famous Monsters of Filmland, Castle of Frankenstein, Creepy and others. I made several of the Aurora Monster Models including the limited produced Guillotine. I was more a fan of The Addams Family than The Munsters.
Thank You, Mark for a trip through my childhood monster years.

[I.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic collection of memorabilia and articles about the monster craze and its offshoots. Loads of info about the people and products that seemed to be everywhere. If there is anything to nitpick over it’s that it would have nice to have a short bit about the mini revival that happened later (Elvira) or maybe a touch more info about the movies themselves. But neither is a deal breaker as this book is awesome.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I don’t agree with his end date of 1972 for the monster craze, and this book certainly doesn’t cover any topic comprehensively, this was a fun read. I grew up during the second half of the monster craze so it was fun reliving things I remember. And it was also fun reading about things that came out before I was old enough to enjoy them.

[MagicDave · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a "Monster kid" of the 50s, I really enjoyed reading this book which is a nostalgic look back on a fun time in America, during the late 50s into the early 70s, when, because of television and drive in theaters, Monsters ruled the world!

[Mark NP · Rating 5 out of 5]

A love letter from a Jersey monster movie fanatic to the national creepy, kooky monster craze in America from 1957 to 1972. Great interviews, collection photos, and nostalgic remembrances from a time before my time. It helps put everything I'm familiar with from my own coming-of-age in context.

[Jacob Shelton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed to find that the real monster was not me all along.

[Eric]

Full review: https://supermonsternovels.com/2019/0...

[Michael Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very bad book. It showed all the old cards, models and mags that I used to have and either gave away, sold or lost. Really had lots of fun data about these items and about the growth of the horror craze that started when Universal released its old movies to TV. Many sci-fi and horror movies had centered on atomic issues and aliens but soon expanded into the old stand-bys when TV reintroduced Drac - Frank - Wolfie - and others to a new generation.

Many of the leading actors and directors or writers are profiled. The first TV movie host is shown and how this genre grew over the years. The Monsters of Hollywood magazines are also highlighted. A great quick read and easy highlight reference.

[John Kilgallon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yep, those were the days of my youth. Black and white TV Monster Matinee Movies, Munsters, Addams Family and Aurora Monster Models!

[Robert Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun fun fun!