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Pressbooks (Horror, Sci Fi, Fantasy)

King of Jungleland (1936) Movie Pressbook

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Wikipedia lists this as the first Republic serial made. Also, "Darkest Africa contained the first use of the flying special effects that Republic would go on to use in future serials, such as the acclaimed Adventures of Captain Marvel. This serial also showcased examples of the studio's model work that would be one of the factors in its future reputation and success. The destruction of the lost city in the final chapter is particularly highlighted by Cline as a "picturesque example." It was re-released to television and renamed Batmen of Africa to capitalize on the Adam West Batman craze. Hey, it's got Ray "Crash" Corrigan playing Bonga the ape: that works for me.

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Spy Smasher (1942) Movie Pressbook

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Here's the colorful pressbook for Republic Pictures' 12-chapter serial, Spy Smasher, which may be the best serial ever done. When originally shown, waiting for each cliffhanger ending to be resolved in the next episode was like waiting through the mid-season, after-season, before-season, and when-the-hell-is-the-season-starting for Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead to continue.

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Queen of the Amazons (1947) Movie Pressbook

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The stunning cover on this pressbook for Queen of the Amazons compelled me to get it. I won it in an auction on emovieposter.com a while back, and it went for less than I thought it should (lucky me!). The large size format of 17 by 22 inches is also eye-catching. That "Queen of the Amazing Sex" tagline on page 3 is pretty daring even if the actual costume filmed isn't as much as the one in the poster art.

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Road to the Stars (1957) Movie Pressbook

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If you were wondering how Stanley Kubrick and his production team could have imagined some of those brilliant special effects in 2001 A Space Odyssey, wonder no more. Der Weg Zu Den Sternen showed a space station wheel years before 2001, and some scenes could be twins between both movies, according to sources cited in the Wikipedia article on this movie. This pocket-sized pressbook caught my attention with its stylized graphics.

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The Atomic Submarine (1959)
Movie Pressbook

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With nefarious and icky one-eyed aliens, the Navy's new strategic weaponry of atomic powered submarines, and a budget take on alien encounters, pacifism versus fighting, and somewhat passable underwater staging, The Atomic Submarine launched before Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea's Seaview and the underwater warship Atragon. And I built the Revell atomic sub model, too!

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The Atomic Submarine (1959)
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The Bad Seed (1956) Movie Pressbook

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A big 28 page pressbook for a little girl. But what a little girl. The Bad Seed seemed pretty daring for the 1950s: making a kid a serial killer (and the daughter of a serial killer to imply  a genetic bond). Of course the movie twists around the ending from the novel to appease the Motion Picture Production Code (and also to make it more sellable to the adult theater audience). There's an interesting filler article on page 24 that states Alfred Hitchcock wanted a walk-on part in the movie. Sounds like a smart piece of promotion more than the truth, but check it out.

Bad seed pressbook

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First Man Into Space (1959) Movie Herald

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Who knows the effects of the deadly gamma rays? The mysteries of space provided a fertile ground for destructive rays and destructive aliens in the 1950s and 1960s as well as for heroic and conflicted comic book heroes. The Fantastic Four would blast into space and be enveloped by cosmic rays in 1961, Bruce Banner would be mutated into the Incredible Hulk in 1962 by gamma rays, and space rays would have a positive influence on DC's Negative Man in 1963. But First Man into Space in 1959 blasted off first to ignite the radiation mania in popular culture.

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Herald for first man into space movie

More Stuff in the Closet
Marvel-Con 1976 Program
The Monster Times Issue 5
Monster Game Board to Die For
Mexican Lobby Card: Chamber of Horrors (1966)