I Was a Teenage Movie Maker

In 1953, a nine-year-old boy watched a prehistoric film called Beast From 20,000 Fathoms featuring the special effect magic of Ray Harryhausen. Enthralled by the movie but unsatisfied with what was available for at-home movie consumption, he decided to make his own science fiction thriller from dinosaurs to superheroes. This volume takes a firsthand look at the movie-making career of Don Glut. Beginning with his first movie, Diplodocus At Large, at age nine, it explores Glut’s various attempts and the increasingly creative processes he used to bring his vision to life. Through the course of the work, Glut discusses his filmmaking experiences at the University of Southern California; the inspiration he received (and gave) through fanzines such as Famous Monsters of Filmland and Castle of Frankenstein; and the interest which his movies still generate. Films discussed include The Earth Before Man, Spy Smasher vs. the Purple Monster, Dinosaur Valley Girls, and Frankenstein Meets Dracula. A chronological filmography lists each of Glut’s 41 films with notes regarding cast and a brief synopsis.

Donald F. Glut is a prolific book and article writer, and movie producer-director. Among his many works are Dinosaurs: The Encyclopedia (1997) and its Supplement 1 (1999), Supplement 2 (2002), Supplement 3 (2003), Supplement 4 (2006), Jurassic Classics (2001) and Carbon Dates (1999). He lives in Burbank, California.

Don Glut
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 229
Bibliographic Info: 59 photos, filmography, notes, index
Copyright Date: 2007
pISBN: 978-0-7864-3041-3
Imprint: McFarland

Foreword by Bill Warren      1

1. Prehistoric Beginnings      5

2. Frankenstein Lives Again      19

3. Make-ups and (at Last) Stop Motion      34

4. Beasts in Black Leather      47

5. My Science Projects      55

6. Last Rumble      66

7. Gorilla in the Gym      83

8. Hollywood Screenings      94

9. Superhero Origins      101

10. How I Spent My (1963) Summer Vacation      112

11. Accepted—and Almost Crippled      126

12. Leaving Home      140

13. At Last, USC Film School      146

14. Trouble in Paradise      156

15. Surviving Film School      167

16. Underground Superheroes      179

17. Final Fade Out      187

18. Not Yet “The End”      192

Filmography      203

Index      213

“after you read it, you’ll probably want to rush right out and make a movie of your own”—Mad Scientist.