As a wee little child at my grandpa’s knee, I remember my grandmother churning out a few dozen chocolate chip cookies while Papa and I watched The Creature From the Black Lagoon. From that point on, I was – and still am – a huge fan of horror.

The Universal Studios monsters are a touchstone. Their lasting legacy has affected almost every horror movie in the last five decades, most notably Dracula – handsome, with piercing eyes, flowing black cape, and aristocratic manner. To me, Bela Lugosi is Dracula just as Lon Chaney Jr. will always be The Wolf Man.

This new offering from Universal Studios is a prize for fans such as myself, and even for those just discovering these gems via DVD collections. Beginning with a “fearword” from the legendary Forrest J. Ackerman of Famous Monsters of Filmland, it showcases the headliners including The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, and The Invisible Man. Each monster receives the star treatment beginning with a color repro of the movie posters and an article about the film production, and page after glorious page of black and white photos (oh, to have those framed and hanging on my wall!) At the end is an essay about the stars, or the movie, from such notables as Bela G. Lugosi, Sarah Karloff, John Landis, and the great-grandson of Lon Chaney. The final article is by Rick Baker, in remembrance of the Abbott and Costello comedies.

A perfect addition to any collection -- for fans and even those with a passing interest -- this beautiful coffee-table book is not to be missed.
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Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Del Rey (September 26, 2006)
ISBN: 0345486854
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