My author's copies of my new book VIDEODROME arrived today from Millipede Press, and I'm very pleased.
I was expecting a book of a certain size and heft because this "Studies in the Horror Film" series has its basis in the "BFI Modern Classics" book series, so I was welcomely surprised when I unwrapped the first copy. VIDEODROME measures 6" x 8.5" and weighs a full pound, so it has the feel of something substantial, a book in its own right rather than a slim softcover postscript or sidebar to the main event (that is, the movie in question). The paper quality is exceptional and, detail of details, it even smells good. If the Bava book was 32 years in the making, this one covers a 27 year gestation period (admittedly, with a lot of off-time between 1983 and 2007), so seeing the job finally done properly gives me a feeling of nearly equal satisfaction.
I'm also delighted by this book because, although I've been working as a critic in print for over 30 years, I haven't had too many film books published outside my own imprint. So it's a pleasure to see my film-related writing published by someone else, and to see the job done so well. Furthermore, although I have contributed to many books in my time, VIDEODROME is, by my count, the tenth book to carry my name as author or co-author -- so it marks my advent into the double-digit phase of my book career.
1. YOUR MOVIE GUIDE TO MOVIE CLASSICS VIDEO TAPES AND DISCS by the Editors of Video Times (Tim Lucas and Alex Gordon, 1985)
2. YOUR MOVIE GUIDE TO SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY VIDEO TAPES AND DISCS by the Editors of Video Times (Tim Lucas, 1985)
3. YOUR MOVIE GUIDE TO HORROR VIDEO TAPES AND DISCS by the Editors of Video Times (Tim Lucas, 1985)
4. YOUR MOVIE GUIDE TO MYSTERY/SUSPENSE VIDEO TAPES AND DISCS by the Editors of Video Times (Tim Lucas, 1985)
5. THE VIDEO WATCHDOG BOOK (1992)
6. OBSESSION: THE FILMS OF JESS FRANCO by Lucas Balbo, Peter Blumenstock and Christian Kessler, with special material by Tim Lucas (1993)
7. THROAT SPROCKETS, a novel (1994; four different editions: US trade paper, UK hardcover and trade paper, French mass-market paper in translation as SALLES OBSCURES)
8. THE BOOK OF RENFIELD: A GOSPEL OF DRACULA, a novel (2005)
9. MARIO BAVA: ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK (2007)
10. VIDEODROME ("Studies in the Horror Film," 2008)
Our vendor's copies of VIDEODROME are not yet in stock, but we are expecting them soon... so, as they say in the realm of video, stay tuned.