The New Mexico Museum of Space honors George Pal

http://www.alamogordonews.com/story/news/local/community/2015/10/06/new-mexico-museum-space-history/73415724/

Last weekend, the New Mexico Museum of Space inducted five visionary filmmakers into its Space Hall of Fame: George Melies, Fritz Lang, George Lucas, Walt Disney, and George Pal. All of these men helped popularize the idea of spaceflight and make it a reality or helped make science fiction a popular and profitable movie genre. I was honored to accept Mr. Pal's award on behalf of his family, and to read an essay by Mr. Pal himself. The keynote speaker was Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, whose own speech coincidentally dovetailed perfectly with Mr. Pal's.

My authorized biography of Mr. Pal is nearing completion. My research for it included interviewing over sixty of Pal's co-workers, family members, and fans in the movie industry. The Pal family has given me unparalleled support and access to Pal's papers and this will be the definitive work on his life and films.

Dr. Quest's Supersonic Jet Soars Again: Moebius Models's "Dragonfly" Model

The good folks at Moebius Models have outdone themselves again with yet another first-rate kit, which they seem to release faster than a "Jonny Quest" villain can holler "AIEEEEE!" In the beloved Hanna-Barbera series, the Dragonfly was Dr. Quest's supersonic jet in which he and the series' other heroes-- Race Bannon, Jonny, Hadji, and Bandit-- soared around the world, battling their foes and righting wrongs at every port of call. Moebius has done an outstanding job of reproducing the Dragonfly in styrene. Luckily, "Jonny Quest" has been the victim of a ridiculous reboot or "reimagining" (which very little "imagining" will factor into) and the wonderful, streamlined beauty of the Dragonfly hasn't been reinvented in some ridiculous 21st century way that kills its mid-century animated comic book-style charm. Moebius has captured that charm beautifully. 

I can only hope that they will follow this up with figure kits of Doug Wildey's Quests and their nefarious enemies: Dr. Zin, Turu the Terrible, the Lizard Men, et al. Thanks again, Moebius! 

David Pal's praise for my manuscript "George Pal: Man of Tomorrow"

David Pal, the eldest son of producer/director George Pal, has this to say about my authorized biography of his father, George Pal: Man of Tomorrow:

"Bravo, Justin. Your manuscript is wonderful. You have made a document that will be a treasure to my family, I am sure, forever. I believe there will never need to be another biography of my father based on the in-depth research that is present in your manuscript. It is a complete picture of his life and most importantly a liberation of facts into the light of the truth, which from my perspective has been much-needed.
  "All those names that I had forgotten and all the memories of my past with my father that have been rekindled– I have never previously felt that with other writing about him. You have captured aspects of him as a person that I have found very difficult to explain to others, particularly those who think they knew him. Thanks so much, Justin.
  "I will, from this point on, say to other researchers that all the facts regarding my father have already been addressed in toto in your book and there is nothing further that could be added."

For Sale: Ultra-Rare Unfilmed "A Clockwork Orange" Screenplay by Anthony Burgess Himself!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221817543837?ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

I'm selling an extremely rare reproduction of executive producer Si Litvinoff's personal copy of Anthony Burgess's unfilmed screenplay of "A Clockwork Orange." This is not Stanley Kubrick's screenplay that was shot, or Terry Southern's earlier script, but one by Burgess himself. It cleaves much closer to Burgess's novel and has a wildly different opening, among countless other differences. Two years ago, the Anthony Burgess Foundation told me that the only copies of this script that they know of are in their collection and in the Kubrick Archives. I sold Litvinoff's original copy of this script a while back and it is currently up for sale by a European bookseller for 15,000 Euros.

The exquisite corpses keep a-comin'

More exquisite corpse nonsense done in collaboration with Paul Komoda and others. 

R.I.P. Sharon Compton-- "The Haunted Palace's" portraitess

I am shocked and saddened to report the passing of my friend Sharon Compton, a veteran of many Roger Corman and Chuck Griffith movies. She was a lovely, sunny person and I had lunch with her (usually in the company of some other Corman vets) whenever I could. Her stories were never dull and she was always a pleasure to be around. I'm relieved that I was able to interview her about her work with Chuck for my second book, "Interviews Too Shocking to Print!"-- I made sure that Sharon got one of the first copies of it.

Sharon's first movie job was painting Vincent Price's portrait for Corman's H.P. Lovecraft adaptation "The Haunted Palace." Sharon lamented not having photographed the painting before it went up in flames in the film's finale. To this day, she has never been properly credited for the painting. She revealed to me that the painting has hidden beastly faces scattered throughout it, including a gargoyle-like one in Price's cravat and a piranha-like creature at the bottom of his waistcoat, the lowermost button its eye.

Sharon also worked on the spacesuits, among other things, for Curtis Harrington's "Queen of Blood," and in various capacities on Corman productions like "The Wild Angels," "The Trip," and "Battle Beyond the Stars."

Probably Sharon's most memorable role was in the obscure "Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype," in which she played Heckyl/Hype's (Oliver Reed) landlady, Mrs. Quivel, who Reed first seduces, then electrocutes. Sharon got to do some wacky histrionics during her big death scene, including darting her tongue wildly in and out. After a screening of the film, she told me, a young girl recognized her, walked up to Sharon, and started imitating her lizard-like tongue gyrations. Sharon took this as a compliment, as she should have.

I will miss Sharon very much.

Another Exquisite Corpse (with Paul Komoda and Norman Meyers)