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Pressbooks (Horror, Sci Fi, Fantasy)

Tron (1982) Pressbook

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A Disney pressbook is always a tutorial on what movie promotion was all about in the decades before the internet and social media news. Disney, especially, went all out for tie-ins. This Tron pressbook is no exception when it comes to those tie-ins and promotions. There is also an interesting vibe in the articles regarding computer imagery: it’s so 1980s. ” The computer plays a major role in Tron, and, indeed, is playing a greater and greater role in our everyday lives. The use of the computer by the average person, while not yet commonplace, is growing phenomenally, and you should capitalize on this new interest…” For those of you who grew up during the birth of the home computer age, this pressbook provides a lot of nostalgia too.

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The Wicker Man (1973) Pressbook

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A truly terrifying movie in so many ways. And, of course, there’s Britt Ekland’s slappy nude dance, too. Instead of trying to remake an already excellent movie, the Nicolas Cage Wicker Man should have gone for a sequel instead. Who wouldn’t want to see Lord Summerisle burn bright when the harvest fails again the following year? Download The Wicker Man Pressbook (Comic Reader Version). See more pressbooks From Zombos’ Closet.

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Chandu the Magician (1932) Pressbook

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This fragile 16 x 21.5 inches, 12 pages, pressbook for Chandu the Magician, starring Bela Lugosi as the sinister villain, is very impressive. Unfortunately, the pulpy paper has taken a beating. I was surprised when the dealer and collector I purchased this from sent the pressbook folded sharply to a quarter of its size, which caused further damage to the interior pages. I expected saner handling, especially from a fellow collector. Oh well, at least I have it. Here’s the Return of Chandu pressbook portfolio that was also impressive, and the Mexican lobby card.

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The Witching Hour (1934) Pressbook

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A clairvoyant gambler hypnotizes someone who later murders somebody else. Cue the crime and mystery drama. Early pressbooks were often printed on newsprint paper, so they don’t hold up too well and brown with age. But that gives them a certain charm, don’t you think? What’s also charming are the promotional ideas for The Witching Hour. For instance, take this one: “In every town there are large clocks displayed, on the sidewalk or in windows, which are daily consulted by large numbers of persons for the correct time. For example, there is usually such a clock in a telegraph office or jeweler’s window…” Then there’s the ambulating street clock that chimes as it goes. Ah, the good old days–of promotion, that is.

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The Invisible Boy (1957) Pressbook

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After Forbidden Planet, MGM needed another film to make use of Robby the Robot to help balance their books. That’s where The Invisible Boy comes into the picture. It’s an odd mix of science fiction and kid-fare, so the script is very 1950s. But delve a little deeper and you’ll find one of the screens more interesting and foreboding narratives about artificial intelligence and menacing technology. Robby is actually from the future (a nod to Forbidden Planet), but it takes Timmie, the lonely and misunderstood boy whose parents are eggheads times ten, to reassemble the robot after the supercomputer gives him the smarts. Unbeknownst to the boy, his newfound robotic playmate is under the control of the supercomputer, and that bit of technology has sinister plans for mankind. The Invisible Boy may be dated by its 1950s manners and mores, but deep down, there’s a prescient message for all us Timmies.

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Buck Rogers (1939) Pressbook

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The Buck Rogers serial launched a million imaginations, along with Flash Gordon. Buck Rogers (Buster Crabbe) and his sidekick Buddy (Jackie Moran) awake 500 years in the future. They soon find the world of the future is not a happy place and jump into action fighting Killer Kane (Anthony Warde). All this will be familiar to fans of the 1979 television series starring Gil Gerard (well, except for Buddy, who was replaced by Twiki (Felix Silla), the diminutive robot). But Buster Crabbe, who played Flash Gordon, was the first Buck, and this serial is a lot of retro fun. 

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The Ghost That Walks Alone (1944) Pressbook

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Here's another ghost-inspired crime comedy (cromedy?) from Columbia Pictures. Some pages are out of order but this 8 page pressbook is complete. The 1940s saw a lot of movies using a ghostly theme in storyline or title or both. This one seems to use it mainly in the title, sadly.

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Whispering Ghosts (1942) Pressbook

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Quite a bit of promotional push in this pressbook for Whispering Ghosts with Milton Berle and Willie Best. Best also starred with Bob Hope in The Ghost Breakers. Best's movie output was prolific, but according to Wikipedia "is sometimes reviled because he was often called upon to play stereotypically lazy, illiterate, and/or simple-minded characters in films. Of the 124 films he appeared in, he received screen credit in at least 77, an unusual feat for an African-American bit player."

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