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Scream Queens: Heroines of the Horrors
343 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1978
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 18, 2013
Just loved this book. "Scream Queens" features chapters on just
about every actress who ever screamed in the movies. Beck has
written informative mini-biographies on some really wonderful
actresses. From old favourites like Brigitte Helm, Mary Philbin,
Fay Wray, Joan Crawford, Mae Clarke, there is also a huge chapter
on Barbara Steele to rather interesting ones ie Diana Dors, Patty
McCormack, Hazel Court, Acquanetta and Vampira - there is an
excellent overall view on their careers with special emphasis on
their horror roles. The book is dedicated to Barry Brown, an up
and coming actor and enthusiastic film historian, who, unfortunately
took his own life before the book was published. He did an
excellent chapter on Katharine Victor, an actress I was unfamiliar
with but after reading his chapter, I felt I knew her. Also of
interest is the opening chapters, one on early woman director
Alice Guy Blanche and another on the history of the Fort Lee,
New Jersey, studios. The New Jersey Pallisades offered the perfect location for
westerns and Pearl White serials and were just a trolley ride
from Broadway, so actors could find employment on their "off
season"!!
Two complaints. 1. - There were too many extensive interview
quotations, especially in the Mary Philbin and Brigitte Helm
chapters. In the Helm chapter there is a 6 column interview from
1932 where an over enthusiastic reporter compares Helm to Eleanora
Duse and dismisses Louise Brooks as a flash in the pan!! In the
Philbin chapter there is a two column review from 1923 on "Temple of Venus" which I thought wasn't particularly relevant to her career
much less her horror cycle.
2. I know it is nitpicking but there are a few glaring omissions.
Zita Johann was a terrific sream queen in "The Mummy" (1932), as
was Helen Chandler in "Dracula" (1931). I thought also that Gloria
Stuart was a major omission and whose roles in "The Old Dark
House"(1932), "The Invisible Man" (1933) and "The Secret of the
Blue Room" (1933) should have given her a chapter at the expense
of people like Hope Summers whose main film role was as a supporting
player (very supporting) in "Rosemary's Baby" and Helena Carter
with a main role in "Invaders From Mars" (1953) but with little else
on her acting resume.
Those complaints aside it is an excellent book and the thing I like
about books like this written in older times (1978) is the fact that
the stars, their friends and families were usually still alive to tell
what it was really like to live in those great days of the silver
screen.
about every actress who ever screamed in the movies. Beck has
written informative mini-biographies on some really wonderful
actresses. From old favourites like Brigitte Helm, Mary Philbin,
Fay Wray, Joan Crawford, Mae Clarke, there is also a huge chapter
on Barbara Steele to rather interesting ones ie Diana Dors, Patty
McCormack, Hazel Court, Acquanetta and Vampira - there is an
excellent overall view on their careers with special emphasis on
their horror roles. The book is dedicated to Barry Brown, an up
and coming actor and enthusiastic film historian, who, unfortunately
took his own life before the book was published. He did an
excellent chapter on Katharine Victor, an actress I was unfamiliar
with but after reading his chapter, I felt I knew her. Also of
interest is the opening chapters, one on early woman director
Alice Guy Blanche and another on the history of the Fort Lee,
New Jersey, studios. The New Jersey Pallisades offered the perfect location for
westerns and Pearl White serials and were just a trolley ride
from Broadway, so actors could find employment on their "off
season"!!
Two complaints. 1. - There were too many extensive interview
quotations, especially in the Mary Philbin and Brigitte Helm
chapters. In the Helm chapter there is a 6 column interview from
1932 where an over enthusiastic reporter compares Helm to Eleanora
Duse and dismisses Louise Brooks as a flash in the pan!! In the
Philbin chapter there is a two column review from 1923 on "Temple of Venus" which I thought wasn't particularly relevant to her career
much less her horror cycle.
2. I know it is nitpicking but there are a few glaring omissions.
Zita Johann was a terrific sream queen in "The Mummy" (1932), as
was Helen Chandler in "Dracula" (1931). I thought also that Gloria
Stuart was a major omission and whose roles in "The Old Dark
House"(1932), "The Invisible Man" (1933) and "The Secret of the
Blue Room" (1933) should have given her a chapter at the expense
of people like Hope Summers whose main film role was as a supporting
player (very supporting) in "Rosemary's Baby" and Helena Carter
with a main role in "Invaders From Mars" (1953) but with little else
on her acting resume.
Those complaints aside it is an excellent book and the thing I like
about books like this written in older times (1978) is the fact that
the stars, their friends and families were usually still alive to tell
what it was really like to live in those great days of the silver
screen.
April 21, 2024
Here you exactly get what the title promises: the scream queens of horror films. Known and unknown actresses like Brigitte Holm (Metropolis), Fay Wray, Bette Davis, Vampira, Barbara Steele and many more... with their highlight performances and many great movie stills and posters. Absolutely fascinating and intriguing portraits. Highly recommended to every horror movie fan!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews