Screams of Reason: Mad Science in Modern Culture

by David J. Skal

Traces the history of the mad scientist character in novels, films, and popular culture, and describes how this figure reflects anxieties about scientific and technological change

Genres: Film, Horror, Nonfiction, Pop Culture, History, Cultural Studies, Literary Criticism

368 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1998

About the author

David J. Skal became fascinated with monsters at the height of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when indestructible monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolf Man provided a "nuclear security blanket" for a whole generation of youngsters.

Active as an editor and reporter on his high school newspaper, he was granted a journalism scholarship to Ohio University, Athens, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1974. His work as film critic, arts reporter, arts editor and assistant managing editor of the Ohio University Post, one of the country's leading college papers,led to his three-season appointment as publicity director of the University-operated Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod. Following his graduation, he served as a public affairs intern in the office of National Endowment for the Arts chairman Nancy Hanks, and went on to the position of Publicity Director at the Hartford Stage Company, where he oversaw all media relations while the regional company fund-raised, built and opened a major new facility in downtown Hartford. In 1978, he was staff writer for the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, with responsibility for the content of all printed materials. From 1979-1982 he was Publications Director of Theatre Communications Group, a national service organization in New York City. From 1982 to 1992 he was president and creative director of David J. Skal Associates, Inc. (later Visual Cortex Ltd.), a Manhattan-based, nationally oriented design and marketing consultancy with clients ranging from the Metroplitan Opera to regional theatre, dance and music organizations.

A published writer of short fiction since his early college years (he was one of the youngest students ever admitted to the celebrated Clarion Writers Workshop in fantasy and science fiction), he authored three well-received science fiction novels: SCAVENGERS (1980), WHEN WE WERE GOOD (1981) and ANTIBODIES (1987). His long-standing interest in Dracula and his extensive contacts in the theatre world led to his first nonfiction book, HOLLYWOOD GOTHIC: THE TANGLED WEB OF DRACULA FROM NOVEL TO STAGE TO SCREEN (1990), followed by THE MONSTER SHOW: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF HORROR (1993). Many other books followed, including V IS FOR VAMPIRE (1995); DARK CARNIVAL: THE SECRET WORLD OF TOD BROWNING (1995,with Elias Savada); the Norton Critical Edition of Bram Stoker's DRACULA (1996, co-edited with Nina Auerbach); SCREAMS OF REASON: MAD SCIENCE AND MODERN CULTURE(1997); and the monumental anthology VAMPIRES: ENCOUNTERS WITH THE UNDEAD (2001, the largest such illustrated/annotated compendium ever published.

Skal began his work as a documentary filmmaker writing and co-producing segments for the A&E Network's award-winning series "Biography," and contributed scripts chronicling the lives and careers of Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr. and Angela Lansbury (with whom he had worked during his theatre career). In 1999, he wrote, co-produced and co-directed a behind-the-scenes chronicle of the Academy Award-winning film GODS AND MONSTERS. The same year, he was tapped by Universal Studios Home Video for a series of twelve original DVD documentaries exploring the legacies of the studio's classic horror and science fiction films. His DVD work has continued with Disney Home Video's "Jules Verne and Walt Disney: Explorers of the Imagination" (2003) and the feature commentary for Warner Home Video's special-edition release of Tod Browning's FREAKS (2004).

His current projects include CITIZEN CLONE: THE MORPHING OF AMERICA (Faber and Faber, 2005)and CLAUDE RAINS: AN ACTOR'S VOICE, a biography based on the acclaimed character actor's never-published reminiscences, written in collaboration with the actor's daughter, Jessica Rains.

David Skal is a member of the Authors Guild. He lives and writes in Glendale, California.

Reviews

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

David Skal deals in exactly the sort of study that I usually relish reading: serious analysis of popular culture phenomena. This effort hits all the right notes, but is rather lacking. To begin with, there isn't a very focused topic: 'mad science' sits awkwardly along with subjects of a rather more unscientific nature: vampires, UFO's, etc. This too-broad use of the term feels a little forced, as if Skal stretched the definition so as to be able to discuss all his pet subjects in one go. Secondly, his choice of case studies is nicely representative, but not at all cohesive. He never extrapolates a specific finding - a bottom line- that explains any commonality between his analyses.
He does get the big picture right. His correlation of social trends with concurrent pieces of sci-fi pop art was fascinating and illuminating (anti-Communist themes in 1950's sci-fi, veiled references to AIDS in sci-fi of the '80's), and I wish he had spent a lot more time developing this theme. In general, however, these were secondary observations, rather than properly developed theses.

A bit superficial, a bit of letdown.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, the artwork of the cover lured me in and I wasn't disappointed about this science of screams. Frankenstein's Gate and how the monster changed over the years, Doctor Faustus, H.G. Wells, miracles for the masses (e.g. Metropolis), snap, crackle and scream, A-bombs, B-pictures and C-cups, alien chics, the doctor will eat you now, vile bodies and farewell to the flesh, entertaining the apocalypse. The book end with a good filmography what to watch next. Really liked all the theories the author developed and the great photos he inserted into his book. Really recommended!

[Bill FromPA · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Skal as a commentator on the horror / science fiction branch of popular culture. In this book he looks at the portrayal of science and scientists in science fiction and horror novels and films from Frankenstein in 1817 up through the films of David Cronenberg circa 1997, the year before the book was published. I’m not sure how much I agree with any of Skal’s conclusions, but I do enjoy thinking about the common themes he discovers across time and his contrasts of the works he discusses with current events from the time of their creation. Certainly the experiments of Drs Moreau and Jekyll take their inspiration from the currency of Darwin’s theory. It’s also interesting to consider whether the secret laboratories that proliferated in films of the early 1940’s, with mad scientists played by Karloff, Lugosi and Lionel Atwill, in some way reflected an awareness of actual secret experiments being undertaken for the war effort. Another parallel Skal makes is in the how the space aliens piloting UFOs eventually became overwhelmingly seen as small, hairless beings with oversized heads and eyes over the same time period that the debate over abortion became more prominent in the general culture. In looking at recurring themes across time, he notes how bodily dysfunction, especially mutilated or missing hands, are used to stigmatize mad scientists. Metropolis, Mad Love (with Peter Lorre) and Dr. Strangelove are fictional examples, though Skal also cites Stephen Hawking as a real-life incarnation of the disabled scientist able to formulate theories beyond the abilities or even comprehension of his contemporaries. The chapter on mad medical science (“The Doctor Will Eat You Now”, with reference to Dr. Hannibal Lecter) has many relevancies to the current health care debate. His opening sentence here is “While only a minority of Americans believe they have been abducted by UFOs, a much larger percentage suspect they may be under assault by HMOs.” However, this chapter, with its serious questioning as to the AIDS / HIV connection, may be the reason that this book has not been reprinted since its publication; I am not well versed in current AIDS research, but I suspect that in this case scientific progress has probably left Skal’s mad science reveries badly outdated.

If you are interested in Skal and his take on horror entertainment, I would recommend starting with The Monster Show, a most entertaining book for anyone who ever loved Chiller Theater or Famous Monsters of Filmland and who wants to explore the life and times of the monsters in a little more depth.

[Jade Lopert · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Screams of Reason, David J. Skal takes on the mythos of mad science in popular fiction, cinema, television and pop culture in general. It's an ambitious subject and one that he handles fairly well with mostly interesting results.
I will say that it is a very readable pop culture study that doesn't fail to educate and keep your interest.

The biggest problem really lies in the "everything and the kitchen sink" approach to what qualifies as mad science. I struggled quite a bit with all the parts that were about aliens and UFOs (which compromised a lot of parts I might add), because there isn't really any reason for why they're included. There's also a blurred line between mad scientist and depraved doctor characters in the vein of Hannibal Lector and Dr. Giggles. More than anything it starts to feel like in the middle of writing the author thought he didn't have enough subject matter to make 300 pages of reading and just started throwing in anything that related in the slightest way, no matter how faintly.

The only other issue I had was that certain things were repeated to the point of inanity. We totally get it that much mad science in pop culture is based on the Frankenstein mythos. We understand that mad scientists frequently have mangled hands as a metaphor. You don't need to remind us ten times in every section.

For all the criticisms, there are a lot of interesting facts and perspectives to pick up on here for a lover of horror and science fiction movies like I am. If not, there's not much here for you in all honesty.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been thinking about creating a course on the portrayal of scientists in popular culture of books, TV, and film and was looking for possible sources already covering the topic. David Annandale suggested this to me so I went out and found a copy. For a resource this is really useful. Though not covering the full breadth of what I was looking for, it certainly fits into some aspects.

Skal explores chapter by chapter the portrayal of doctors, scientists, and monsters in light of various eras and their dominating cultural influences. Covering far more than just 'mad scientists' Skal illuminates all the different scientist/doctor archetypes. Well, at least some of the more negative ones.

Each individual stands on its own well, but what is lacking with this is any overarching thesis to unify all the discussions that take place, all the different archetypes and eras. It covers a large swathe of depictions of scientists/doctors so also doesn't got into any particular in-depth analysis of many. So for a broad overview of the topic it is useful and an enjoyable read.

[Giddy Girlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was at the library a couple of weeks ago, and there was an old lady blocking my aisle, so I went down the next one and a book about circus freak shows caught my eye. The book next to it was this one, which was very intriguing.

It's a heavily researched book with a TON of great references. It's almost like a textbook - except you LOVE reading it. It breaks down the mad scientist role in movies, starting with Frankenstein, and has lots of many interesting little details -- from the monster's make-up to the set design -- that really interpret our "need" for the mad scientist perception.

It was a great read and I am really glad that I stumbled on it. Just from his reference sources, I have a list a mile long of movies to see and books to read. :)

[Fishface · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun read, but the author does not seem clear on what he wanted this book to be about. More than half the book is devoted to Victor Frankenstein, the dean of mad scientists, but then he goes spinning off into other movies that discuss what other fictional mad scientists created -- giant ants, Tor Johnson, a few ape-men -- without really discussing the scientists themselves. The various threads are not tied together very neatly, but no book about B-horror pictures can truly fail to entertain or inform.

[Jason Coffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating study of the mad scientist in pop culture, from Shelley's Frankenstein to the late 90s.