Famous Monsters Speak!

What a treat this must have been for the monster kids!!!  

"Famous Monster Speak" was an album released in 1963.  Advertised, appropriately enough, in the back of Famous Monsters magazine and other Warren publications this record delivered on its promise:  Allowing the listener to hear Frankenstein's Monster and Dracula talk!  

The album consisted of two stories - one on each side of the record - featuring each monster as the narrator.  Both stories are creatively framed by their own establishing plots.  For Frankenstein's Monster, a summit of scientists has gathered to listen to a "primitive recording device" which features the creature recounting his creation from his own perspective and his struggles against creator.  Meanwhile, Dracula's story is told when he summons a reporter to his lair to type up an expose' on his life as an immortal vampire.

I particularly enjoy the artwork for the album with iconic images of both the Monster and Dracula.  Inexplicably, the Wolf Man, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the Mummy also share the spotlight despite not actually appearing on the record itself at all.  

Overall, this is good listen if you enjoy the old radio dramas.  The voice acting is spot-on.  Gabriel Dell supplied the voices of both the Monster and Dracula.  His portrayal of the Monster appropriately alternates between menacing and tragic, while his Dracula maintains a consistently sinister tone (and without imitating Lugosi!).  The sound effects also help to set a great atmosphere for both the framing narratives and the monsters telling their stories.  

Side 1 - Frankenstein

Side 2 - Dracula 

I'm always on the look out for a copy of this record as I scour the shelves and racks of flea markets flipping through vinyls.  Maybe one day I'll luck out and actually track one down. 

Morphing Famous Monsters

Whoever came up with this is brilliant.  I'm at a loss for words...  This is just pure awesome.

The Art of Basil Gogos

Basil Gogos is a celebrated artist best known for his cover artwork for classic issues of "Famous Monsters of Filmland".  His signature style features saturated colors and dramatic lighting, resulting in striking and unforgettable images.

Basil Gogos

Monster Magazine Ads

During the late 50's and up into the early 70's, it must have been a great time to be a fan of monsters!

At this time a subculture centered around the science fiction and horror genres captured the imagination of adolescents across the United States.  While it is difficult to pinpoint what exactly set off such rabid fandom, two contributing factors have their place at the epicenter:  "Shock Theater" and "Famous Monsters of Filmland".

"Shock Theater" was a package of over 50 classic Universal horror films distributed to television networks for syndication in 1957.  Airing during the late night hours on the weekends, local television would broadcast movies such as Dracula and Frankenstein.  Such programs were typically presented by flamboyantly spooky "horror hosts" such as Vampira and Zacherly.  Later film packages that further stoked the flames included "Son of Shock" and "Creature Features".

Coinciding with this resurgence in the interest in horror movies and the like was Forrest J. Ackerman's fan magazine "Famous Monsters of Filmland".  First printed in 1958, this publication consisted of articles about the "sci-fi" (Ackerman is credited with creating this term) and horror films old and new.  Interviews with filmmakers and special effects wizards gave many their first exposure to what goes on "behind the scenes" of their film fantasies.  The magazine was also unique in its devotion to its readership.  Famous Monsters would regularly feature fan-made artwork, movies, costumes, and other creations.

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I'd better stop myself here to keep from writing an in-depth history lesson on the Monster Kid phenomenon  (although I think I'd like to do just that some time in the future), and revert back to the original topic I set out to present...

Seeking to further capitalize on this craze for all things monster, companies rushed to flood the market with monster and horror-related merchandise including masks, model kits, vinyl records, and other products. Primarily designed to appeal to juveniles, the back pages of these magazines such as "Famous Monsters" were filled with advertisements seeking to deprive young monster lovers of their hard-earned paper route and allowance money.