Book Description
The primal image of the black-caped vampire Dracula has become an indelible fixture of the modern imagination. It's recognition factor rivals, in its own perverse way, the familiarity of Santa Claus. Most of us can recite without prompting the salient characteristics of the vampire: sleeping by day in its coffin, rising at dusk to feed on the blood of the living; the ability to shapeshift into a bat, wolf, or mist; a mortal vulnerability to a wooden stake through the heart or a shaft of sunlight. In this critically acclaimed excursion through the life of a cultural icon, David Skal maps out the archetypal vampire's relentless trajectory from Victorian literary oddity to movie idol to cultural commidity, digging through the populist veneer to reveal what the prince of darkness says about us all.
Customer Reviews:
More than you ever wanted to know about Dracula..........2005-09-16
I first heard of David Skal from the Universal Classic Monster series of DVD's. David was on the accompanying documentary and did the audio commentary for Tod Browning's 1931 classic, Dracula. If you own the set and have run the documentary and, particularly, the commentary, then you've already experienced about three chapters of this book. What remains is a rich mine of details about every aspect of Dracula, the book, movies, and culture. And what a lot there is.
David's writing, like his speech, is precise, educated, and loaded with literary allusions. While no dilettante, I consider myself well read and was still left with the occasional "what the hell is talking about?" moment. The language is rich and occasionally reminds me of the mental images drawn by Anne Rice at the height of her powers. However, David is no snob and is not merely parading his impressive intellect - it's just that he knows so darn much about the subject.
And if I had any criticism of the book that would be it - David seems driven to exhaustively document every possible aspect of Dracula's existence. The detailed (and seemingly never ending) battles between Florence Stoker and the makers of "Nosferatu" is described in such detail that I wanted to scream "OKAY!! We get it! Nosferatu was a Dracula rip off and Flo didn't like it!!" But eventually the tale moves on and sets the stage for intricate negotiations between the Stoker estate and Universal. In retrospect (and considering how handsomely the studio profited) it's interesting to see that Universal bought almost unlimited use of the vampire for the paltry sum of $25,000.00 and is still making oodles of money hand over fist today. David covers all aspects of vampire lore from Byron's "The Giaour" (1813) to Mel Brooks' "Dracula, Dead and Loving It" (1995). And everything in between. Trust me, if it can be construed to be in any way connected with Dracula, it's in this book.
If you have any interest in gothic culture, or the movies that spawned it, this is a must have. Reading it is like enjoying an evening of conversation with a much beloved, if slightly eccentric, old friend, preferably over brandy in front of a glowing fireplace on a cold, cold night.
"I want no souls. Life is all I want." .......2005-08-28
Down deep, we all agree with the fly-eating Renfield. That's why we can't get his Master out of our system. David J. Skal's book Hollywood Gothic explains a lot of the reasons why.
Hollywood Gothic is like David Skal's Screams of Reason: Mad Science and Modern Culture. Hollywood Gothic and Screams of Reason both take horror motifs we know mostly from movies and trace them back to literature, where they originated.
Screams of Reason looks at the mad scientist figure in fiction, from central European vivisectionists like Dr. Frankenstein to postwar American A-bomb scientists. Hollywood Gothic is more narrow - - it covers Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, the plays adapted from it, and then the movies inspired by it - - F.W. Murnau's silent film Nosferatu, then the Universal and Hammer horror films.
Skal goes into detail about Bela Lugosi's career as Dracula on stage and film. He also digs up a lot of interesting information about the Spanish-language Dracula made simultaneously with the Bela Lugosi movie by producer Paul Kohner and cinematographer George Robinson - - who was responsible for the look of later Universal horror films like Dracula's Daughter and House of Dracula.
Kohner fell in love with and married the real star of the Spanish-language Dracula, Lupita Tovar as Eva - - the Mina Harker character - - and who could blame him. Skal calls her a "truly ingenuous ingenue." In Mexico she could barely go out in public without being mobbed.
Except for Bela Lugosi himself, almost everything about Kohner's Spanish version is better than Browning's. (That's my opinion from watching the movies, not just reading Hollywood Gothic.) Skal quotes people who worked on Tod Browning's Dracula that Browning was barely paying attention to the movie he was making.
For instance, when Dracula welcomes Jonathan Harker to his castle from the top of the staircase, in the English version a huge spider web is off to the side behind Dracula, but in the Spanish version Dracula is framed in the center of the web. We see Dracula rise from his coffin in the Spanish version where Browning just shows him suddenly standing there. (Seeing Christopher Lee rise from his coffin, or be destroyed in it, was always a high point of the Hammer movies for me.) Every night Kohner's director George Melford looked at the film Browning's crew shot during the day and improved on it for their version.
But there was (and is) something in the idea of the vampire that makes readers and audiences forgive hack storytelling.
If you haven't seen them already, you should watch the films before reading Hollywood Gothic. The Universal Legacy Collection of Dracula contains the Lugosi film, the Spanish-language version, Dracula's Daughter, and Son of Dracula. (There's more, but those are the best. Universal's release of the Legacy Collections of Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolf Man are the only good thing to come from the marketing of the movie Van Helsing.)
Hollywood Gothic has a lot of illustrations, many of which are theatrical and film ephemera from Skal's personal collection. (Yesterday I saw The Aristocrats - - Penn Gillette's documentary about the world's filthiest joke - - and one of the comedians was wearing a T-shirt with Dracula's face from the cover of the first Modern Library edition of the novel. SIDE NOTE: See The Aristocrats - - it's about how to tell a story and keep an audience hooked as much as it is about the history of blue humor.)
Reading Hollywood Gothic made me finally read Bram Stoker's novel. Because I've seen so many movies that tell the story I never read the book. While the writing style isn't great, at least it moves along, and you're introduced to Dracula right away.
I read over half of the 600-page novel The Historian - - apparently foredoomed to be a bestseller and a blockbuster movie - - and the character Dracula still hadn't made an appearance. I skimmed to the end and read the climax, but I was disappointed. When you build Dracula up as such a powerful being, it's hard to destroy him in a way that doesn't seem anticlimactic. (That's one of the reasons Kim Newman has given for why he started writing his Anno Dracula series - - if Dracula is such a terrible force, how could he be tracked down and killed so easily by an insane Dutch doctor and three upper-class twits who belong in the Drones Club with Bertie Wooster?)
And why do characters in The Historian struggle to find copies of Bram Stoker's novel at university libraries? It's been out in paperback all over the world since the early 1900s. Go to any W.H. Smith.
Filmmakers who've told the Dracula story understand something novelists sometimes don't - - Dracula shouldn't be just a menace offstage, he's the protagonist of the story. Dracula is the hero. He's the one we want to see - - and be. That's why our mothers were displeased when they caught us watching monster movies on TV when we were kids. Mom knew what we were thinking. The reason Stoker's novel works at all is because we're introduced to Dracula at the beginning, when Harker comes to Translyvania. What makes the novel disappointing is that we hardly see Dracula again after that.
But Skal reminds us that "La sangre es la vida." Dracula isn't going anywhere.
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION: Check out Vampires: Los Muertos (see my review), the sequel to John Carpenter's Vampires, and an underrated movie. To me, it's a vampire movie that shows the monster as a Third World victim of globalist Van Helsings. (A rich white American woman can get the medicine she needs to stay alive (un-undead), while the brown vampire, stolen from her peasant family by a rich landowner, has only one way to get the sangre she needs. (I also like vampire movies that show how vampires might experience time differently than mortals - - Queen of the Damned also does this in an interesting way.) There's a scene of slow-motion slaughter in Los Muertos that the monstrous child in me responded to. Los Muertos also has the most sexist line I've every heard in a vampire movie, but you still identify with the female master vampire.
Fascinating History of Dracula's Path to the Silver Screen........2005-05-06
In "Hollywood Gothic" David Skal tells the story of "Dracula" that came after the classic of gothic horror was published in 1897. It's a fascinating, fact-filled tale of colorful personalities, legal battles, Hollywood politics, and a culture still captivated by the King of Literary Vampires. The book's seven chapters begin with author Bram Stoker, end with the Count's recent incarnations on stage and screen, and include the most insightful analysis of "Dracula"'s origins that I have read in the course of my minor obsession with the novel.
Chapter 1 explores "Dracula"'s literary and theatrical predecessors before moving on to discussion of the intellectual and sexual climate into which the book was published in 1897, the life and elusive character of its author Bram Stoker, and how the novel was received in its own day. David Skal does an impressive job of pulling together the relevant details, from diverse perspectives, of the novel's birth.
Chapter 2 details the legal battle waged by the Bram Stoker's widow, Mrs. Florence Stoker, to suppress the first cinematic adaptation of her husband's novel, 1922's "Nosferatu", the unauthorized German production directed by F.W. Murnau, now recognized as a masterpiece of silent cinema. Chapter 3 sees Mrs, Stoker finally authorize an adaptation to British dramatist Hamilton Deane, whose wordy, plodding "Dracula" play nevertheless achieved great financial success, attracting the attention of American theatrical producer Horace Liveright. Liveright enlisted journalist John Balderston to rewrite the play for Broadway and make it a smash hit on this side of the Atlantic.
Chapter 4 moves to Hollywood for the protracted negotiations over "Dracula"'s film rights. "Dracula"'s path through the early 20th century was mined with legal battles, and it is a credit to author David Skal that he is able to make interminable and constantly mutating negotiations into absorbing drama. Chapter 5 follows the winding road to the production of the first Hollywood "Dracula", the 1931 film starring Bela Lugosi, which, although made cheaply and lazily, was the first horror talkie and a financial life preserver for Universal Studios. Happily, Skal has dedicated Chapter 6 to the superior Spanish language version of "Dracula" that was filmed simultaneously, on the same sets, as the English version of the 1931 film, but with a different producer, director, cinematographer, and cast.
Chapter 7 tells us what became of the principle person's associated with the two 1931 films. Then it follows the legacy of "Dracula" from the 1930s forward, through its incarnations in film, plays, musicals, ballets, and other performances. Appendix A is a list of notable stage performances of "Dracula", 1897-2003. Appendix B is a list of about 200 films, 1921-2004, which feature the "Dracula" character or name. Thankfully, there is an index.
In outlining the contents of "Hollywood Gothic", I may have made the book seem dry. But the story of "Dracula"'s continuing life in film and on stage is as lively as the novel that inspired it -and it is written a good deal better. David Skal's tireless research and engaging style never fail to impress. "Hollywood Gothic" is an absorbing literary and cinematic history that "Dracula" fans shouldn't miss.
Nice Revision to an Already Great Book.......2005-01-05
David J. Skal is as readable as ever is this newly revised edition of the definitive Hollywood Gothic as he covers the history of Dracula from his creation by Bram Stoker to the various and multiple version on screen and stage. The thrust of the story is, of course, on the novel and the iconic Bela Lugosi movie, with an additional nice, but smaller, chunk on Nosferatu. The author is particularly effective in combining, in an interesting fashion, the creative, financial, and legal elements. His analysis is always clear and interesting and will definitely send the reader on a viewing frenzy. Vampire movies seem always to be streaming forth from Hollywood and Dracula is and always will be the most tempting of the bunch. This book brings this fascination to life, as it were. A very good job.
Nifty little book about the granddaddy of vampires.......2004-10-08
I read this book years ago. It's good to see it's coming back into print.
Skal charts the history of Stoker's book, beginning with early drafts extant, following the tangled film history, including the legal battles over Murnau's "Nosferatu", Universal Studio's struggle to get the rights for the Lugosi pic, and everything that happened after.
It won't change your life, but its fascinating stuff. Skal's style is quick, clean, and to the point. This book is a lot of fun, giving insights into publishing, film, theater, and the audience reaction to and participation in all of those mediums. A must for all vampire buffs, film students, and those who are curious about the inner workings of popular culture.
Book Description
Most people think that they are watching the original Phantom of the Opera on home video or in revival houses. The existing print of the film is actually a silent version of a 1929 dubbed sound reissue, which is missing at least 35 minutes of development scenes, opera scenes, titles and some of the best atmospheric photography and set designs in motion picture history. The present unmasking scene is pale compared to the original. In this comprehensive history of this landmark horror film, author Phil Riley presents the complete, complex production of this amazing film. The 320 page book includes: the complete shooting script, the complete press book, rare behind the scenes photos, and recreations of lost scenes. Contributions by Mary Philbin ("Christine"), cinematographer Charles van Enger, Ray Bradbury, Ron Chaney and more!
Customer Reviews:
Phantom of the Opera (Hollywood Archives Series).......2005-09-01
Being a film buff, and the latest Phantom of the Opera now my favorite flick, I wanted to garner some history of the various film adaptations and this was very interesting.
Excellent book, horrifying editing.......2004-01-13
Shame on the editor of this book! The incredible research that went into this book is belittled by the fact that it is not very well written. Spelling and grammatical errors abound in this otherwise-excellent volume. This is the only book I own from this series; I sincerely hope that these problems were absent in other titles.
Other than that, I can say that this is the definitive book about Chaney's Phantom. Facts in this book are repeated in the "ultimate edition" 2-disc DVD, which includes the best-they-could-do of the 1925 original, which eluded the original authors of this book.
Regardless of my own personal pickiness, if you are a fan of silent films and/or Chaney's Phantom, please get this book. It's a wonderfully immersive read.
WHY ISN'T THIS BOOK AT NO. 1 in the Phantom Category????.......2003-09-23
I had thought Riley's work on MagicImage's THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN was the be-all end all coverage of a classic film until I'd picked this up. And just like the other reviews have stated, this is comprehensive and *THE* book on the original Phantom whether for casual interest or serious study. It's like compiling EVERY single article that you've seen or heard of on the film into this one rather large compendium. Forget Famous Monsters (Devil rest its soul) . This ... is serious and you will walk away with a new appreciation for the craft that was involved in creating this and other old films. Yes, the pressbook is here, scripts, interviews and other insights to this film that would otherwise be lost. There's a ton of stills that are quite rare and just as rarely seen. The pressbook is just incredible, being a total movie-promo snapshot of times gone by. It was cool to see, albeit small, a shot of Chaney and his wife (!) showing up at the premiere. There are scene comparisons betweeen the releases via text and pictures (the unmasking scene) as well as visual reconstruction of scenes deleted from the movie premier that none will ever see in moving form (likely) EVER again, but here, we see them sequentially by way of actual stills, adding some understanding as to why the reissue is oftimes a confusing flick. Another really welcome part was the overview of Chaney's changing makeup throughout the film to accomadate the drama. This is the first time I think I've ever seen a commentary (AND with photos) on what I'd noticed while watching the film, at least one this thorough. But here, stills illustrate the changing nose, forehead, cheekbones, and totally puts into perspective Chaney's mastery of the medium that he'd worked in and what he was trying to convey with these changes. If you want in-depth, this is it. If you are a Chaney Phantom geek, this is it. Pick it up, and don't think about it too long, since this will likely go out of print and be a pain to find, much like the BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN edition. If you're serious about Chaney, also check out LON OF 1000 FACES, by Forrest J Ackerman, which is a rerelease of the title, that just came out (9/03). It provides a VISUAL/PHOTOGRAPHIC overview of Chaney's films that would be a good companion to Riley's or any other Chaney book. That one draws from Ackerman's massive stills collection, ...
Simply Excellent........2003-08-04
This is THE MOST comprehensive book to date on the 1925 film, 'The Phantom of the Opera'. It has countless articles, interviews, facts, newspaper clippings, screencaps, photographs, etc. Amazing. 'Nuff said.
The definitive book on the silent film.......2001-03-14
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925) is one of the most famous silent films ever made, and this book follows the making of the film from beginning to end. Riley starts with the story of the Paris Opera house, Gaston LeRoux, and the novel. Then he follows the complicated production, with problems over Lon Chaney's participation, many rewrites, previews, and re-edited versions. When sound films came along, it was re-cut and opera sequences were added. This book has reprinted the entire pressbook, the original script, plus sections of the different script versions. Riley interviewed heroine Mary Philbin and several of the technical crew-members for this book. If you are a fan of Lon Chaney Sr., you will want this book.
Book Description
Everything you ever needed or wanted to know about the world of Angel is brought together in this indispensable volume including:
Best episodes
Hyperion hotel facts
What's On in Pylea
Guest Appearances
Dream Sequences
Favourite Quotes
Love Lives and Betrayals
Defining Moments
and many more …
Customer Reviews:
Great Book!.......2004-05-30
This is an excellent guide to seasons 1-4 of Angel. It has very interesting unknown facts. The one that I was most surprised about was that Charisma Carpenter was almost raped back when she was a cheerleader for the Chargers. But with a gun to her and her friends heads she refused to back down. For a more detailed description of this event buy the book.
I also love how it had quotes from each episode. Usually the funniest ones.
Go out and buy this now!
Excellent Angel episode guide.......2003-07-07
Keith Topping is the best writer of tv episode guides in the business, and this book is another winner. What keeps Keith's guides at the top of the pile is his sense of humour and his infectious admiration for the shows he writes about. His Buffy guide, 'Slayer', is the best episode guide I've read about the show, and this book stands right alongside it as far as detail, opinion and humour go.
If you want a dry, humourless bunch of lists and facts about Angel, give this book a miss. However, if you want a well written and opinionated book with so much detail that you'll re-read it again and again, then this is the book for you. If you are an avid viewer of Angel, you'll be going back to this book frequently.
Unique and interesting........2003-01-30
Unlike other episode guides, this book doesn't give the useless details showwing every action a character makes. For a Buffy and Angel fan such as me you probably seen every episode and season so you know what's going to happen. This book however does give you unique headings such as Logic Let Me Introduce You To This Window which features all the plot flaws, goofs and stunt double that look nothing like the actor. It also includes Dudes and Babes which takes a look at the cute guys and girls shown. The Charisma Show relives the funny and cool bits that Cordelia does. LA Speak gives quotes on the street talk seen on teh show. Designer Label highlights the fashion mistakes so when you watch the episode again you cna take a moment to laugh. It catches all the juicy details missing from regular guides and has a unique style.
I recommend this book and Slayer ( Buffy version) because of it's uniqueness and is a simply must for any fan.
Has A Lot Of Bite!.......2002-05-09
This guide to the TV series "Angel" is a british book by british author Keith Topping(who also did one for Buffy too called "Slayer"), and it's a good, well put together book. You will definitley have a great time with it. It is kinda funny to read it because it's british, but that's what also makes it really interesting. A british perspective on things. The book has descriptions of all the episodes for the show's first two seasons. Along with each episode, comes a number of categories with it.... which has some of the best of the nasty dialogue. It has critiques and notes from critics including the author. It also features "L.A. Speak", featuring slang used in the series. "Logic, Let Me Throw You Out This Window" is about all of the mistakes and goof ups in the show. There is even a section dealing with fashion and describes what characters were wearing and if they were good or not. Plus, there is just some dialogue. Topping really outdoes himself getting into the specifics of the mistakes, or just little details in the background or in the forefront. This guy really has a keen eye!. What would've made this book better was if there were some pictures. Nope. Not here. That is the only drawback to this exceptional book. Topping is a fan. He writes as a fan. He can be overy critical for some episodes, but isn't that a way die hard fans should be?. A great, fun read with really cool tidbits. Fans should really enjoy this!.
Book Description
The apocalypse is coming to LA in the final season of Angel and Keith Topping's comprehensive guide to Season Five of this popular show discusses each of the episodes in categories, considers the links and cross-references between Angel and Buffy and reveals recurrent themes and coverage of Angel on the Internet.
Average customer rating:
- Mickey Spillane Meets Topper
- Full of Excitement
- Very, Very Good!
- A Really Great Angel Novel!
- Murder in black and white
|
Hollywood Noir (Angel)
Jeff Mariotte
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
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ASIN: 0743406974 |
Book Description
Even if it takes an eternity, he will make amends....
Hard-boiled Horror
At a Hollywood construction site, a decayed corpse is the harbinger of a supernatural evil, while at Angel Investigations, Doyle's latest vision leads him to a puzzling address. He, Angel, and Cordelia start tracking down the real McCoy: a cigarette girl named Betty McCoy. But they're not the only ones to do so. There's a new PI in town -- Mike Slade -- who dresses and acts as though entrenched in the era when lounge singers, swing dancing, and martinis first made the Hollywood night scene. The golden age of the silver screen. Tinseltown.
Still, Mike's agenda is thoroughly modern -- he has a long-standing bone to pick with local officials. Now Angel and his team find that their research leads them directly to Slade, and some files that are strictly L.A. confidential. But what do a cigarette girl, a water commissioner, and a slew of disappearing demons have in common?
Download Description
At a Hollywood construction site, the discovery of a decayed corpse is the harbinger of a supernatural evil...while at Angel Investigations, Doyle's latest vision leads him, Angel and Cordelia to track down a cigarette girl named Betty McCoy. But they're not the only ones to do so -- there's a new PI in town: Mike Slade, who dresses and acts as though entrenched in the golden age of Tinseltown. Angel and his troops find that their research leads them directly to Slade, and some files that are strictly L.A. confidential... but what do a cigarette girl, a Water Commissioner, and a slew of disappearing demons have in common?
Customer Reviews:
Mickey Spillane Meets Topper.......2004-08-01
This time Doyle's vision of provides a name and address, and little else. Unfortunately the address is to a cemetery, and Betty McCoy has been dead for 40 years. But even as Angel investigates this mystery a building is being torn down across town. Freed from a hidden grave the spirit of Mike Slade returns to complete his last case. Suddenly Angel isn't the only dead private investigator in the town of Los Angeles.
While Angel and Cordelia pursue a thin trail of clues that seem to lead nowhere, Slade begins his hunt for Harold Wechsler, the man who ordered his death while the detective was trying to help Betty McCoy. Slade's style is shoot first, shoot second, and then ask questions. Soon there is a trail of injured across the landscape that neither Angel or Kate Lockley can ignore. Nothing seems to add up as Kate tries to track down a man who has been dead for 40 years for a murder that happened this week. And Angel tries to figure out what the Powers That Be want this time.
This turns out to be a delightful tale that mixes old noir detection with modern plots and counterplots in the demon world. Each fact has to be teased out of the story, and it is only slowly that the real crimes take form for the reader. This is one of the few times where an Angel story really is a detective story, and Jeff Mariotte manages to deliver it without the descent into corniness that lurk behind a plot straight out of 60's noir.
This is one of the older Angel novels, and one that has become hard to track down, but one that is worth reading just for the fun of it. The characters are played straight this time, without the quippery that floods later Angel stories. As such, the novel manages to touch a chord in the reader without indulging in the extreme emotional turmoil of later seasons. If you get a chance, take the time to read it.
Full of Excitement.......2003-04-27
This book brought old school detective movies into the City of Angels. As a building is being demolished, the crew finds a dead body that has been there for over 30 years. As the body is found the detective Mike Slade come back to life. He is trying to solve the murder that he was killed for so many years ago. Also at the same time Doyle has a vision having to do with the same case. This book is very good. It will have you at the edge of your seat.
Very, Very Good!.......2002-06-25
This is one book I would have liked to go on. The nostalgic touch was excellent. What a wonderful imagination Mr Mariotte has. One of the best in the series so far. All fans of the show will enjoy this novel. I highly recommend.
A Really Great Angel Novel!.......2001-08-04
This Angel book was one of a different kind. It all started at a construction site of an old building where a dead body has been found dating back to around 1961. Then Doyle has a vision about [...] and when Angel goes to investigate, he finds that [...]. Meanwhile, a new PI back in town and he acts like he came from the 1960s: dressed in a baggy suit and a fedora and talks like a member of the Rat Pack. This is a great detective book and I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good Angel book.
Murder in black and white.......2001-01-20
This is an unusual entry in the Angel series. Although set in the first half of the first season it has all the feel of the Hollywood in 1961. The reader can imagine that they are watching an episode of Mannix or 77 Sunset Strip. Angel's new client is buried in a local cemetery. A long dead PI is hot on the heels of his killer. Kate is looking for a cop killer and Angel lands in jail. It is a well written detective story heavy with atmosphere. The only objection I have with this novel is that I would have liked to have more Angel. He often takes a back seat to the dead PI. Fans of hard boiled detective stories will enjoy this book as much as Buffy fans.
Book Description
The bars of West Hollywood, California, have always played host to a fair share of life-sucking monsters, but until now that's been mostly metaphoric. After three prime cuts of gay male beef turn up filleted and drained of blood, Sheriff Clive Anderson, Coroner Becky O'Brien and City Manager Pamela Burman are forced to the realization that something possibly not human has taken up residence in Boys' Town- something with more than the usual taste for male flesh. Fortunately, Becky's college pal Chris Driscoll is something of an expert on serial killers, but when she calls him in for a consult, she is startled to find that he hasn't aged a day in 10 years. When she accidentally stumbles over him napping in his coffin, he lets her in on his little secret: "Yep, I'm a vampire!"
He also informs her that the serial killer is a rogue vampire and that she and Sheriff Anderson are going to need to think about some unorthodox crime-fighting techniques. Exciting and very, very funny, Bite Club is a rollicking black comedy in which the crime-fighting community and the undead community create an uneasy alliance to stop a monster!
Hal Bodner is a businessperson living in West Hollywood, California. This is his first novel.
Customer Reviews:
I loved this book.......2006-12-10
Grat story - FABULOUS characters. I ADORE Troy & want to go shopping or to the movies with him. Your old college buddy turns out to be a vampire - but then helps solve a serial murder case. I heard there IS another novel about Chris & Troy due out 2008.
Exactly what I was looking for..........2006-03-16
I agree with others that loved the book, but I can't believe there is not a sequel. It was well written and very interesting characters and the plot was fun and erotic...Woof!
An Incredible Journey From Start to Finish.......2006-02-24
Picking up this book I was only looking for something that would keep my mind during some boring hours, I never thought I would love this book as much as I did. The mystery and humor bind together leaving a Story I laughed till I cried. Each character seemed to have a story behind them and Hal Bodner gave real life as their lives intertwined together. A must read for those who love a good laugh.
Made for tv style writing.......2006-01-14
There doesn't really appear to be a main character, but with out giving too much of the book away, it appears to be Becky an overweight constantly munching coronor of West Hollywood. The story is about rouge vampire named Rex that goes overboard on his killing rampage of gay men, deriving pleasure from torturing his victims before draining them of their blood. Becky calls on a college collegue, Chris, that she had a crush on, and his lover, Troy, to get some advice. They come to West Hollywood and get involved in trying to get Rex. The story brings in a variety of characters including a werewolfe and a ghoul.
There are no real original thoughts here, but it is a sometimes cute light-hearted read. There are pleanty of quips and one-liners. I would recommend this as a fun read.
Entertaining and not too gory ..........2005-12-23
I am just about finished the book. Reading it has been a pleasure as it has funny and absurd plot twists and the characters are outrageous. I was afraid it would be too bloody for me but reading the other reviews convinced me it was a funny vampire story. I found myself reading it far too long into the night and giggling at it while reading in my bed. I would like to read more novels like this, it is very entertaining and lighthearted in its own strange way. Death is all cleaned up and not horrible. The characters are memorable and eccentric. A+ and recommend to all.
Average customer rating:
- In the mist of vampires. . . . ..
- excellent sophmore release
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Hollywood Vampires: Sex, Blood & Rock 'n Roll
Matt R. Jones
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Erotic
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Vampires
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
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Action & Adventure
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
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Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
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General
| Mystery & Thrillers
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ASIN: 1418419389 |
Book Description
Unholy War was just the beginning.
Return to the Electric Wonderland with a collection of the further adventures of the unorthodox Hollywood Vampires. Containing fan-favorites such as the brooding, bloody "A Finer World," the wacky and wild "Who's Been Driving My Cadillac?" and the hard-rocking "Six-String Alchemy," Sex, Blood, & Rock `n Roll runs the gamut of the Hollywood Vampires universe, from 1960's Georgia to present-day Los Angeles, from the stage to the bedroom, from the familiar to the nightmarish. Included with the eight stories from the Vampires' website are four tales written exclusively for this collection. Read the charming tale of a rambunctious rat finding his family in "Mama's Boy," then run in unholy terror from the out-of-control "Thing In Stacey's Garage." Chill out by grabbing a Scratch soda from "The Gas Station That Time Forgot," but don't step into the ominous bathroom unless you want to miss out on "Michelle's Tale," which casts light on an unanswered question from Unholy War. So! turn it up to 11 and prepare to rip and tear with the new breed of vampire, ready to conquer the new millennium with a fanged grin and a gleefully bad attitude.
If you like action, we've got action. If you like drama, there's plenty. If you like sex, it's here. If you like comedy, you're in luck! You want something else? It's right here! The Hollywood Vampires ain't your mommy and daddy's vampires, and they play a whole different game than other immortals. They are not the undead. They are not walking corpses. They are alive, alive in ways that most of us will never understand. They are not evil, nor are they good. They are as human as you or I, and sometimes they understand what it is to be human more than most. Something that is often forgotten is that there is more to immortality than drinking blood and being miserable. Eternal life is a gift that humanity has been searching for since its inception, and these vampires know that . . . and they have no intentions of squandering that precious gift, because immortality rocks.
Sex, Blood, & Rock `n Roll is the second book in the Hollywood Vampires series, which is redefining the rules of the vampire genre, unleashing onto the world modern characters and adventures steeped in action, adventure, rock 'n roll, comedy, and anything else handy. The Hollywood Vampires tales are intended not only for vampire fans, but anybody that simply likes a good, solid story and compelling, unorthodox characters. If you get a kick out of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Lost Boys, you'll feel right at home with the Hollywood Vampires.
Customer Reviews:
In the mist of vampires. . . . .. .......2007-01-01
Mr. Jones saying that "these aren't your mommy and daddy's vampires" is an understatement. I've known Mr. Jones before the raw genius of Hollywood vampires. And I'm here to tell you that his books are worth buying. Ever wonder what it's like to be immortal? Men and women have pondered this questions since the dawn of man. And since that dawn there has been vampires like Tommy and Stacy from the book. Blood sex and rock n' roll, is an ongoing answer to that question. It's also an answer to our selves. In other words live life don't just be a bystander on the wayside. This book has some of the most entertaining stories from Matt yet. I would also like to point out the awesome artwork by one Nathan Smith, offical artist of the Hollywood Vampires. Nathans's artwork is unique and in my opinion can't be duplicated. It's as thoughtful, refreshing, and one of a kind, as it gets.(Just like the author of the book, and his work in side.) So trust me, pick up this book. You'll be glad you did.
GavatronX9
a.k.a (In the first book in the "thank you" section known as chuck)
excellent sophmore release.......2004-06-15
I've been a big fan of Matt's for a long time, ever since I read his first book. His brand of vampire entertainment is witty and fresh, and this book continues with characters introduced in his first book.
Sex Blood and Rock 'n' Roll is a collection of 12 stories centering around the "lesser" main characters of Unholy War. Stacey, Donita, Katherine, Stephen, Wade, Dorian, and Tommy all take center stage in 11 of the 12 stories, and the last story brings closure to Unholy War with a brand new character. Add an intro to each story that explains the inspiration behind each of these stories, and you've got one entertaining read in your hands.
Overall, an awesome book. Very well worth the time it took to read it. Go check out Mr. Jones' website at hollywoodvampires.net, and keep up with the ever expanding universe.
Average customer rating:
- Behind the curtain of Hollywood.........
- Great
- twentyfirst century mayhem
- WHOA MAMA!!
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Hollywood Vampires: Unholy War
Matt R. Jones
Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Vampires
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
Look Inside Horror Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0759656371 |
Book Description
Hollywood Vampires: Unholy War is an unorthodox take on the familiar genre of vampire fiction, mixing action, drama, and romance, along with a very healthy dose of humor, to create a new and exciting universe of immortal adventure for readers.
Customer Reviews:
Behind the curtain of Hollywood................2007-01-01
In the beginings of Matt's idea's of Hollywood Vampire's, him and I used to sit on the tailgate of my pick-up and talk about the differant things that would happen in this universe. This book is super, pure, raw, witty, writing genius. Simply put. It's not your book about a whole bunch of vampires feeling sorry for themselves or being way egotisacal. This story(among others that matt has out now, check him out at Hollywoodvampires.net)is painted with vivid colorful charitars that any man woman or child in all of us would love to hang out with and have as a true friend. This book is fast paced and makes you want to keep on readin to find out "What's next?" Now combine this with the artwork of Nathan Smith, an artist who has no equal, and you don't just have a mere vampire book, my friend you hold a Legend!
GavatronX9
Great.......2002-03-24
Matt R. Jones shall one day be a name associated with great authors. This is his inaugral outing, and it is a stellar performance. It is full of many colorful characters, and the story is a wonderfully nontraditional vampire story. The action is exciting, the love engrossing, the energy high. Definately one of the greatest books I have purchased this year. I can't wait till Matt's next book, as I shall await it with baited breath.
twentyfirst century mayhem.......2001-11-13
Eloquent yet unrefined Matt weaves a whole new world of vampires lust for life in a big city. While not horrific or graphic he leads the reader to truly believe they to could Become as he draws the readers every sense into the story. This was a very difficult book to put down I would reccomend anyone that enjoys horror to drama to even fantasy to get a copy to read over and over....
WHOA MAMA!!.......2001-11-04
I don't even KNOW where to begin! these aren't your mom and dad's vampires! the author matt jones takes the whole vampire genre into a new "demon"sion altogether!
- 1st - with stark characters that could have easily walked out of either: a seedy bar off the hollywood strip or out of a comic book, the story slices from cover to cover.. if you buy any vampire book this year buy this one!
- 2nd - the cover is one of the more stylistically done pieces for cover art i've seen in a long time.
could this be a book that finally spans the gap between two genre's? comic books and novels coming together as one and not being super cheesy?
mr. jones my hat's off to you.
Customer Reviews:
Doing research on MONSTERS? Start here........2003-02-19
Douglas knows his horrors (he's also Carlos Clarens, author of "An Illustrated History of Horror and Science Fiction Films")-- and this book lays out in detail the backgrounds and histories of the legends and myths concerning vampires, zombies, werewolves, mummies, and "creatures" such as Frankenstein's monster and the Golem. It's a bit florid in places (understandably) but chock-full of detail and surprising info on how our boogie men came to be. Hard to find, but worth tracking down if you're doing a paper on such things (try also books by David J. Skal in that case). Enjoyable and informative, especially for the young.
Books:
- How Not to Write a Screenplay: 101 Common Mistakes Most Screenwriters Make
- How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work: Seven Languages for Transformation
- How to Win Friends & Influence People
- In an Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing
- Introduction to Computing Systems: From bits & gates to C & beyond
- Jazz: A History of America's Music
- Jim Cramer's Mad Money: Watch TV, Get Rich
- JUNIOR
- Keeping It Real (Quantum Gravity, Book 1)
- Living Room Wars: Rethinking Media Audiences for a Postmodern World
Books Index
Books Home
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