It's been almost 40 years since the passing of maverick author and director Edward D. Wood, Jr., on December 10, 1978. Fate was seemingly cruel to Eddie, denying him and his work any meaningful recognition during his lifetime, but in the years since his death, a sizable cult-following has emerged. That cult initially focused on Eddie as the "worst director of all time" and his piece-de-resistance Plan 9 from Outer Space as the "worst movie of all time." While the study of Eddie's films, novels and short stories has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent decades, our knowledge of the man himself has remained stagnant. Over the years a mythology around Eddie's military service during the Second World War has been built up and repeated without critical examination. For the first time ever, The Unknown War of Edward D. Wood, Jr. uses official records to provide a factual account of Eddie's critical years in the U.S. Marine Corps (1942-1946). These records reveal to us an Eddie that has remained completely hidden from view until now. Everything you think you know about Eddie and his part in the Second World War will undergo a radical transformation as you read this book. It is not for the faint-hearted! Our understanding of not only Eddie's service in the military, but also our understanding of him as an all-too-human human being, will from this point forward never be the same. Read on and, as Eddie himself would have said, be shocked by the true and startling facts of the military service of Edward D. Wood, Jr.

This reference helps readers navigate the perilous odyssey those of an LGBTQ orientation had to face in an age less enlightened than our own, when an attraction to members of the same gender could lead to horrendous abuse. Just as American society has changed dramatically from decade to decade, so has queer cinema. Taking us from a time when LGBTQ characters were often represented as either caricatures or figures of farce, this lively yet authoritative reference explores the sea change ushered in by such stars as Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich in the 1930s and '40s, androgynous figures such as Montgomery Clift, James Dean, and Marlon Brando in the '50s, and closeted gay men such as Rock Hudson and Liberace, whose double lives were exposed by the scourge of AIDS. Included are alphabetically arranged entries on stars, directors, films, themes, and other topics related to queer cinema in America, including films and persons from outside the U.S. who nonetheless figured prominently in America popular culture. Entries cite works for further reading, sidebars provide snippets of interesting trivia, a timeline highlights key events, and a selected, general, end-of-work bibliography cites the most important major works on the topic.

The Life and Art of Edward D Wood This is an updated edition of the biography of cult American film maker Ed Wood which formed the basis of the film Ed Wood' starring Johnny Depp, Bill Murray and Patricia Arquette. It examines one of Hollywood's most iconoclastic, tragic figures: director, screenwriter, pornographer and hellraiser as well as master of outrageous kitsch, absurd supernatural horror and campy suspense. A hilarious and heart-breaking portrayal of a brave eccentric and sometimes insane film maker.'

Robot Monster Diaries is an amazing book about the 1953 sci-fi classic B-movie, Robot Monster, featuring exclusive interviews with original cast members Claudia Barrett, Gregory Moffett and Pamela Paulson (her very first!) Also, exclusive content from Bob Burns, Trustin Howard, Steve de Souza, Mark Viniello, Bob Furmanek, Dave Nichols, Chuck Cirino, Eric Kurland, Dr. Robert J. Kiss, Jack Theakston, Wade Williams, Greg Kintz, Tom Woodruff, Jr., Christopher R. Mihm and more. Read about: - The stars in front of the camera - Behind the scenes happenings - An expert explanation of the original 3-D process - A complete list of early theatrical and TV showings - Bubble man Nat Fisher - Robot Monster MTV Special - An examination of the camera rig - The fate and history of Ro-Man's helmet - Ro-Man re-enactors - Ro-Man on YouTube And more! Nearly 100 photographs cap off this historical look at what has been called the worst film ever made. Calculate that!

Filmmaker Ed Wood was controversial and critically maligned, even labeled "the worst director of all time," yet he achieved cult status and remains of great interest today. This book frames Wood's work, such as the cross-dressing themed Glen or Glenda? and the haphazard Bride of the Monster, as reflections of the culture of their era. Wood invariably worked with infinitesimal budgets, shooting at breakneck speed, incorporating plot twists that defied all logic. Yet there was a tangible if unfocused thematic thrust to Wood's films, which meditate fitfully on gender, religion and society, revealing a "holy trinity" of fixations--sex, death and resurrection. Wood's infamous Plan 9 From Outer Space encapsulates the fixations and flaws that were his hallmarks, and with 22 other films, is explored here. A filmography and 47 photographs are included.

In 1950, when he commissioned the first edition of The Armed Forces Officer, Secretary of Defense George C. Marshall told its author, S.L.A. Marshall, that "American military officers, of whatever service, should share common ground ethically and morally." In this new edition, the authors methodically explore that common ground, reflecting on the basics of the Profession of Arms, and the officer's special place and distinctive obligations within that profession and especially to the Constitution.