How To Make A Monster [DVD] [1958]

HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER (1958) features Robert H. Harris as a makeup artist who specializes in creating movie monsters. When the new studio executives decide the "monster craze" is over and unceremoniously fire him, he hypnotizes two young actors, makes them up as movie monsters (the Teenage Werewolf and Teenage Frankenstein), and sends them off on a mission of revenge. This is a fun picture, with lots of in-jokes about American-International. In one scene, a director filming "Werewolf Meets Frankenstein" tells his stars, "This is the big scene of the picture. The audience has been waiting for this... it's a fight to the death, it's a battle of the monsters. And it must be the high spot of the picture. It's got to be the greatest fight we've ever had on the screen. And I've got to get it in one take."

MONSTER features restored color footage for the film's final reel, a gimmick used by AIP from time to time, and the climax is especially impressive. Picture and sound quality are excellent, and each of the discs in the series features nifty animated menus with each film's theme music and snatches of dialog. A special delight are the theatrical trailers for the nine films in the series; the trailers are filled with the kind of hyperbole you just don't hear at the movies any more: "Terror stalks – with the stealthy steps of DEATH!" and "The screen's new high in NAKED SCREAMING TERROR!" As an extra bonus, each DVD includes postcard-sized replicas of the theatrical posters for each of the nine films in the series.

The Arkoff series continues with additional releases throughout the year. These movies are irresistible to monster lovers, and highly recommended.

Robert H. Harris is a makeup artist who specializes in creating movie monsters. When the new studio executives decide the "monster craze" is over and unceremoniously fire him, he hypnotizes two young actors, makes them up as movie monsters, and sends them off on a mission of revenge. This is a fun picture, with lots of in-jokes about American-International. In one scene, a director filming WEREWOLF MEETS FRANKENSTEIN tells his stars, "This is the big scene of the picture. The audience has been waiting for this... it's a fight to the death, it's a battle of the monsters. And it must be the high spot of the picture. It's got to be the greatest fight we've ever had on the screen. And I've got to get it in one take."

The color footage in MONSTER, which I'd never seen before, is especially impressive. Picture and sound quality are excellent. And the disc includes no less than nine "coming attraction" trailers for other films in the series. The trailers are a delight, filled with the kind of hyperbole you just don't hear at the movies any more: "Terror stalks – with the stealthy steps of DEATH!" and "The screen's new high in NAKED SCREAMING TERROR!" Highly recommended.