Little Shoppe of Horrors #20 - Scream and Scream Again: The Uncensored History of Amicus Productions by Philip Nutman
Wow. Can you imagine waiting 23 years to see your labor of love realized? Constantly wondering if it would ever see the light of day. All this hard work you've put into it and then finding out it may never be seen or appreciated? I can only imagine that these are all thoughts and feelings that author Philip Nutman was experiencing while pouring his heart and soul into his "uncensored history of Amicus Productions".
Let's start with a little history of the author of the "book", as he still refers to it (and rightly so). Philip Nutman started his research and interviews for this book back in 1985. He has had the pleasure and opportunity to talk to and interview several of the key players that had a major or even minor role in the machine that made up the Amicus Empire. Everyone from Amicus producers/heads Milton Subotsky, Max J. Rosenberg, directors Freddie Francis and Roy Ward Baker, screenwriter Christopher Wicking, production designer Tony Curtis, film editor Peter Tanner and production manager Theresa Bolland. He has had an extensive career in and out of the horror genre. His credits include his own novel - Wet Work - and several well-known comic books, which include The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Halloween, The Omen: Save The Chosen, and Clive Barker’s Hellraiser. He also has written extensively for Fangoria, which everyone knows is the Famous Monsters of Filmland for the splatter generation.
On to the work we're reviewing here. Scream and Scream Again is truly a labor of love. You can tell from the Introduction until the very last page creeps up on you. It is honest, at times both unbiased and biased, and full of information that I'm sure many fans and followers of Amicus have been curious about over the years.
Each film is dealt with in quite a bit of detail. Nutman fills the pages with everything from interviews with the directors and actors to behind-the-scenes tidbits to how the film was received when it hit the screen. He does not treat the films like a fanboy carelessly trying to defend everything his favorite studio made like you would think might happen. He unapologetically tells you how he feels and how the film was looked at by the mass media at the time.
The background history of Amicus and its founders leans most heavily towards information compiled from hours and hours of interviews with Milton Subotsky, so at times it feels a little slanted towards his point of view. Apparently, Max Rosenberg had limited interest in getting his side of the story out and wasn't quite as accommodating as Subotsky was. It's also interesting to read directing regular Freddie Francis describe and share his opinion on many of the films, from his love for The Skull to his deep hatred of The Deadly Bees.
The pages are filled with wonderful visual aids to bring the films and background story to life. There are great production and filming pictures, rare poster and promotional art, and never before seen shots of the directors, actors, and producers who made these classic films possible.
This really is a must-have for any fan of British or classic horror. It truly is an exhaustive and thorough history of everything Amicus. It tells the story - from start to finish and even the aftermath - of the "other" British horror house of the 60's and 70's. Lastly, a great big thanks needs to go out to everyone who works for Little Shoppe of Horrors for putting out an extra issue this year and dedicating an entire publication to one of the most overlooked production companies in history. Find out how you can get your copy by going to www.littleshoppeofhorrors.com. (If you would like a copy signed by Nutman, drop him an e-mail at PhilipNutman@gmail.com).
Little Shoppe of Horrors - Scream and Scream Again: The Uncensored History of Amicus Productions Review
