Human Monsters: The Definitive Edition

by Michael H. Price

Price and Turner provide another addition to the Forgotten Horrors series with this look at the not-so-forgotten horror film classics of the 1930s-1950s. Karloff’s treasures such as The Old Dark House, The Mask of Fu Manchu, The Black Cat, The Black Room and The Walking Dead are included. Bela Lugosi’s entertaining films such as Mark of the Vampire, Human Monster, The Boogie Man Will Get You, and Black Friday are exhumed for readers' examination. Lionel Atwill, Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney, Frederic March, John Barrymore also have films included in this companion to the Forgotten Horrors series. The authors also cover some less well-known films, which, although more obscure are not forgotten. Films such as The Ancient Mariner, The Charlatan, Cross Country Cruise, Show Them No Mercy and The Spider’s Web are a few examples. Horror film lovers will not want to miss this worthy addition to the world of Forgotten Horrors.

334 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2004

About the author

In 1987, writer-guitarist Josh Alan Friedman sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads (the Crossroads of the World--Broadway & 42nd Street) and moved to Texas. Hed just written Tales of Times Square, a cult classic. An Expanded Edition with new chapters was recently released, while the still-unfinished movie of Tales has played 35 film festivals.

Joshs latest book is Black Cracker, the story of his tumultuous childhood as the only white boy at Long Island's last segregated school. In 2008: Tell the Truth Until They Bleed: Coming Clean in the Dirty World of Blues and Rock 'n' Roll. Before that: When Sex Was Dirty; I, Goldstein: My Screwed Life (with Al Goldstein); Now Dig This: The Unspeakable Writings of Terry Southern (co-editor).

Josh also set off satirical fires and lawsuits as writer-half of the Friedman Bros, the most feared cartooning duo of the late '70s and '80s. Two anthologies remain in print, featuring the art of Josh's brother, Drew Friedman: Warts and All and Any Similarity to Persons Living Or Dead Is Purely Coincidental.

On the music front, as Josh Alan, he barnstormed the state of Texas for 20 years, rocking whole arenas with his Guild D-40. Copping three Dallas Observer Music Awards for Best Acoustic Act, he released four albums: Famous & Poor, The Worst!, Blacks 'n' Jews (the title of which became a documentary on Joshs life) and Josh Alan Band."