This new edition of the authoritative guide to the golden years of science fiction builds even further upon the exhaustive critiques, reviews, and anecdotes that it has boasted since its first appearance. This '21st Century Edition' features several new entries on films previously excluded from the text, and also revisits, revises, and expands upon every film that was included in the previous editions. Entries are now organized in alphabetical order regardless of the film's year of release, and the work includes a single comprehensive index, allowing readers to easily locate a given film. The book is filled with witty, in-depth critiques of science fiction classics and cult hits released between 1950 and 1962, from ""Abbott"" and Costello Go to Mars"" to ""X the Unknown"", with hundreds of films in between. Readers both returning and new will appreciate the meticulously detailed critiques, which allow science fiction fans to relive, or experience for the first time, an era when the price of a bargain matinee allowed filmgoers to scare themselves silly with zombified teenagers, freakishly tall aliens, and all the other weird things that kept dropping in from outer space. In addition to detailed plot synopses and production data, good and bad reviews from the period are cited, and analysis of how a film stands up over time is provided. There are seven appendices, including a list of films in order of release, an in-depth look at the films of the Bowery Boys, and a discussion of notable science fiction posters of the period.
Industry Reviews
"this detailed chronicle from a devoted sf buff is recommended for film studies students and dedicated aficionados of the genre...highly recommended"-Library Journal; "very well indexed and cross referenced...recommended"-Choice; "handsomely produced new edition is the premier reference for this subject...all of the essays are newly revised...highly recommended"-Booklist; "this long-overdue revision of the magisterial original offers lengthy, richly informative, and extensively revised essays on hundreds of films, packing the entries into one hefty volume...this opinionated but clear-eyed and authoritative labor of love will not only draw scuttling hordes of researchers but also turn even casual browsers into rabid fans"-School Library Journal; "while its traditional encyclopedic information is commonly found, the research and appraisal of each film highlights spectacular information about each film and others of its kind"-ARBA; "an outstanding expert...a very useful reference book that totally sticks out from other movie surveys"-popcultureshelf.com; "still the standard work on the science fiction film of the fifties"-Literra; "you could get so wrapped up as to lose all sense of time...a behemoth...unequivocally essential for the bookshelf of every cult-film fanatic"-Bookgasm; "you could get so wrapped up as to loose all sense of time...behemoth...unequivocally essential for the bookshelf of every cult-film fanatic"-Flick Attack; "there isn't another resource book on this topic that can match what Warren and his researcher Bill Thomas have accomplished. It's manna for genre obsessives and scholars. The Index is fantastic. Poring through it underscores how much valuable scholarship is found in the pages of the two volumes"-Plan 9 Crunch; "the definitive look at sci-fi films of the 50s"-Examiner; "fascinating...worth every penny"-Critical Mass; "knows his movie history"-Video Watchdog; "one of those reference books that has everything, especially for fans of the genre and the period. Statistical information, reviews and assessments, memories from those who worked on the films, further background information, and box office success all combine to make each entry an interesting, informative and entertaining read. This latest volume solidifies the book's continued status as the definitive look at sci-fi films of the 50s"-Rogue Cinema; "one-of-a-kind"-Midwest Book Review; "Warren writes with vigor and an enormous understanding of these films...he loves this stuff"-Filmfax; "the wait is finally over: Bill Warren's magnum opus on classic fantastic cinema is back in print, this time emblazoned with a gorgeous cover by monster maven and comic-book artist Kerry (Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave) Gammill. Truly a labor of love...exhaustive remembrance of things past.... This big, heavy lavishly produced book is filled with lively, fun-to-read information about each film"-Fangoria; "you will turn to this book again and again as your knowledge and appreciation of the films grow"-Fielding's Review; "marvelous tome...amazing...a fantastic book"-The Thunder Child; "indispensable and immensely entertaining"-VideoScope; "invaluable...essential"-Reference Reviews; "a lush production on heavy coated paper for better photo reproduction-clearly the publisher presumes (or knows) that there are a lot of fans out there for this sort of fare"-Communication Booknotes Quarterly; "captures much of the flavor of the many films it chronicles"-Science Fiction Studies; "more than a simple reference book...will provide years (if not decades) of informative entertainment"-totalscifionline.com; "knows his movie history"-Video Watchdog; "Bill Warren has crafted the definitive-and I do mean definitive-study of 1950's science-fiction films, stunning in its scope and detail. But 'study' is perhaps misleading, for it is in equal measure a frolic, a celebration, a compulsively readable wallow of laugh-out-loud film-geek joy. Warren proves to be the nonpareil authority (there isn't even a close runner-up), his knowledge vast, his love of the subject shining through on every page. Both a scholarly volume and a fan's love letter, Keep Watching the Skies is the author's big-hearted gift to those of us who share his obsession. It is, simply put, indispensable"-Frank Darabont, director of The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist; "Weighing in at more than one thousand pages, the book that was declared definitive when it first came out in 1982 is now bigger and more detailed than ever. No one knows more about this fruitful period of science-fiction films than Bill Warren, and this magnum opus will doubtless be browsed, consulted, and cited for many years to come"-Leonard Maltin.com; "a fantastic reference tool...the only book the fan of classic Sci-Fi Films will ever need"-www.mania.com; "the quality and infectious enthusiasm of the writing help spark a reexamination of the genre's formative years. Over time, and despite sturdy library binding, many fans of the book found themselves with scuffed-up volumes literally falling apart at the seams, the spines frayed like tassels. Copies had literally been read to death"-DVD Talk; "fascinating"-The Washington Post; "a legendary labour of love...probably the biggest work on SF films ever published...warm, nostalgic, incredibly detailed...indispensable"-Interzone; "the definitive look at 1950s SF movies, filled with exciting insights into their making and fascinating film facts"-Starlog; "the ultimate examination of Fifties SF films, written by their ultimate fan...everything you'd ever want to know about marvels"-Cemetary Dance; "massively-researched...the absolutely, irrevocably final word on its subject...the best study of SF cinema of any era...will become...one of the few enduring classics of film studies...intense...any serious fan of SF cinema must have this book"-RetroVision; "[an] essential encyclopedia of marvelous mid-century mutations"-The Intelligencer Record; "a monumental piece of work"-Film Review; "excellent" -Monsters from the Vault; "entertaining...lively, well-informed account...useful"-VOYA; "essential...marvelous"-San Francisco Examiner Magazine; "the reference work of science fiction films released between 1950 and 1962...excellent"-Cornerstone Magazine; "exhaustive...penetrating"-Science Fiction Studies.
