Paperback Newsreel (January edition)

The big news this month: Two classic horror movie novelizations that fetch very high prices among collectors are back in print!

The rare and incredibly pricey CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON novelization (Dragon, 1954) by Vargo Statten [a.k.a. John Russell Fearn], originally published only in England as a hardcover that could set you back $1,500 to $3,000 these days, has returned in softcover and hardcover thanks to Bad Moon Books, and at much more affordable prices. This new edition contains the original novel plus stills from the movie, new cover art by Bob Eggleton and a new introduction by David Schow. Bad Moon also has limited edition hardcovers signed by Julie Adams and Ricou Browning, while Dark Delicasies is selling copies signed by Adams and Schow in advance of their book signing event on Saturday, February 11th at 2:00 pm.

Dean Owen's novelization of BRIDES OF DRACULA (Monarch, 1960), based on Peter Bryan's early draft of the screenplay and also pretty scarce, has returned to print in softcover and hardcover editions from Bear Manor Media as the first volume in a series of 1950s and '60s horror novelization reprints edited by noted film historian and author Philip J Riley. You can order the softcover directly from Bear Manor. The hardcover is only available through Cover Out and supplies are limited.

John Pinkney's Thirst (Circus, 1979) -- based on his screenplay for the Australian thriller starring Chantal Contouri, David Hemmings and Henry Silva -- is another extremely rare novelization that has returned from the dead recently, albeit as a Kindle-only exclusive. It can be ordered here for only $2.99!

Meanwhile, over at Centipede Press there are still a few copies available of their new limited edition hardcover movie tie-in of Robert Marasco's novel Burnt Offerings, signed by co-screenwriter William F. Nolan (who contributed a new afterword) and artist J.K. Potter (new half title and full title artwork). Print run: 150 copies. Head over to Centipede Press for more details.

The latest issue of Justin Marriott's wonderful 'zine The Paperback Fanatic (#21) just arrived, and the first thing that caught our eye was "Fit to be Tied," a new column dedicated to novelizations. For the maiden voyage, writer Graham Andrews covers Five Weeks in a Balloon by Gardner F. Fox (Pyramid, 1962), which he mislabels a "tie-in" when it's actually a novelization (A "movie tie-in" would've been the Jules Verne novel reprinted to promote the movie); otherwise, he knows his stuff, and we're looking forward to future installments. The issue also contains an obituary for John Burke (1922-2011), the prolific sci-fi author who penned novelizations ranging from The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Look Back in Anger to Moon Zero Two, Dr. Terror's House of Horrors and the two Hammer Horror Omnibus collections. Issues of The Paperback Fanatic sell out almost instantly, so order now!

And finally, if you haven’t seen it yet and can still find a copy at your local newsstand or bookseller (if you even have a local newsstand or bookseller anymore), the latest Film Comment (Vol. 47, #6) features a good historical overview of novelizations by journalist Grady Hendrix. It's the November/December issue pictured above, and the article is titled “Pulp Fiction: In Appreciation of Movie Novelizations”
(pp.44-49). Check it out.

Compiled by

Darrin Venticinque, Michael Gingold, Chris Poggiali