OTTO BINDER: THE LIFE AND WORK OF A COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION VISIONARY

 

OTTO BINDER: THE LIFE AND WORK OF A COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION VISIONARY. Bill Schelly. North Atlantic Books; 2016. 

Otto Binder was a science fact, science fiction, and comic book writer -- one of the most prolific in the business -- who began by writing for the pulp magazines and then turned to comics when they paid more money. He wrote more stories about Captain Marvel and his friends and enemies than anyone else, and at DC Comics was instrumental in adding characters and interesting developments to the Superman mythos. Later on he wrote science articles, as well as books on investigations into UFOs. Binder's personal life was often beset with both financial and private problems, and he suffered one terrible family tragedy that nearly derailed him. This is a respectful, absorbing, well-written and researched biography that gives Binder his due while also giving an honest assessment of his work, both good and bad. This is far more than a "fan-boy's" tribute, but a fully-realized biographical and career study of an important figure in both science fiction and comic book circles. 

Verdict: Excellent Binder biography. ***1/2. 

I'LL BE DAMNED: HOW MY YOUNG AND RESTLESS LIFE LED ME TO AMERICA'S # 1 DAYTIME DRAMA

I'LL BE DAMNED: HOW MY YOUNG AND RESTLESS LIFE LED ME TO AMERICA'S # 1 DAYTIME DRAMA. Eric Braeden with Lindsay Harrison. New York: William Morrow; 2017. 

Years ago when I saw a movie called Colossus: The Forbin Project I thought to myself that the star, Eric Braeden, didn't really have that all-important big-screen presence. So it's perfectly understandable that Braeden -- born Hans Gudegast in Germany -- would have his greatest success on the small screen, playing the rather fascinating character of Victor Newman (and playing it quite well) on the CBS soap The Young and the Restless for decades. Braeden discusses his childhood at length, not shying away from his German background. He grew up to deplore anti-Semitism and prejudice of any kind (he is silent about LGBT issues, however). I'll Be Damned covers Braeden's recurring role on The Rat Pack, his frequent guest-starring roles, his long-term marriage to the love of his life, his love of sports, and his son -- and of course his experiences, good and bad, on Y&R. (It's hard to believe that he ever would have been seriously considered for the role of 007, however.) Reading the book, one suspects that Braden can be just as autocratic off-screen as he is onscreen as Victor Newman. Braeden is now 82-years-old and still going strong! Good for him!

Verdict: A good read about a very interesting fellow. ***. 

VAMPIRA: DARK GODDESS OF HORROR

VAMPIRA: DARK GODDESS OF HORROR. W. Scott Poole. Soft Skull Press; 2014. 

I've already noted that since books on major stars have been done ad nauseam, publishers began offering works on third-tier or even fringe "celebrities," often with some sort of hook to make the book of more interest. Maila Nurmi was a wannabee actress and sometime model whose greatest claim to fame was having a silent role as a ghoul in Ed Wood's not-so-classic Plan Nine from Outer Space. She had appeared for about a year as Vampira on a LA TV show as a hostess for schlock horror films, Author Poole admits this book is not a traditional biography; there simply isn't enough material to work with. Instead Poole puts Nurmi in perspective with the mores and attitudes of the period she lived in, especially in regards to the role of women. To his credit, Poole resists pretension for the most part, and the book is more interesting than you would at first imagine. Poole writes of how Cassandra Peterson, also known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, pretty much stole Vampira's act, and a legal battle ensued. Nurmi's first husband, actor-writer Dean Reisner, wrote screenplays for Dirty Harry, The Beguiled, Play Misty for Me, and other Clint Eastwood flicks, among others, and she hung out with Janes Dean for a time, although their connection is rather tenuous. Reviewing this book. one critic claims that "Vampira is up there with Vincent Price," which is, of course, ridiculous, as Price was a gifted actor with a long, long career and Nurmi was strictly camp-of-the-moment. 

Verdict: Well-written look at fringe celebrity who had a brief Hollywood flicker. ***. 

EATEN ALIVE AT A CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE FILMS OF TOBE HOOPER

EATEN ALIVE AT A CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE FILMS OF TOBE HOOPER. John Kenneth Muir. McFarland; 2002. 

In this entertaining look at the career of director Tobe Hooper [The Texas Chainsaw Massacre], Muir makes a case that he was under-rated and should have received the same accolades as, say, John Carpenter or Wes Craven. He examines how the untrue rumor that Poltergeist was directed not by Hooper but by producer Steven Spielberg was detrimental, as was the critical and financial failure of the under-rated Lifeforce. Muir, however, does not love every Hooper film and is unsparing in his criticism of certain pictures that turned out very badly. Muir is also not a mindless gore geek, arguing that the extreme graphic carnage of certain Hooper films, such as The Mangler, actually detracted from the films' effectiveness and enjoyment. Muir occasionally goes awry in trying too hard to find deep meaning in some of Hooper's films. Is Lifeforce really an allegory of sex in the age of AIDS? His lengthy and admittedly interesting analysis of Texas Chainsaw at times borders on the pretentious. Still, if Muir wants to see Chainsaw as some kind of profound masterpiece, that's his prerogative. Whatever your opinion of that particular film and of Hooper as a director, this book is well-written, well-researched, and very informative and readable.

Verdict: A must for Hooper and Texas Chainsaw Massacre fans. ***.