Monsters, Movies and Me - True Tales of My Journey Into Cult Horror Films (ebook)

Monsters, Movies and Me - True Tales of My Journey Into Cult Horror Films

by Frank Dietz

Foreword by Kirk R. Thatcher

Fighting zombies and mosquitoes with Adam West. Hurling rubber squid demons at a Canadian metal-banger. Incurring the wrath of Jerry Lewis. Gagging on spaghetti sauce in a ghoul costume. Getting naked with a strange woman on a film set. Losing a knife fight with James Hong. Animating flying horses, gorillas, and dancing penguins. Re-writing Pamela Anderson. Walking the undead through the streets of downtown Pasadena. Battling the Thing from another world. All these stories, and many more, are included in Frank Dietz’s memoir of a kid who dreamed of making monsters… and ended up starring in some of the most notorious horror films in cult cinema history. Frank relates often hilarious memories of making movies like ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE, BLACK ROSES and ROCK N’ ROLL NIGHTMARE. His journey is filled with equal parts disappointment and triumph, as an actor, screenwriter, animator, and producer in the wild world of Hollywood moviemaking.

 Nominated for the 2025 Rondo Award!

"At the age of seven, Frank Dietz experienced one of the defining moments of his childhood after stumbling upon ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN. The film cemented his fascination with horror/sci-fi films and ultimately led to work as an actor, writer, director, and animator. This entertaining 358-page memoir takes us through Dietz’s “Monster Kid” youth, until John Fasano recruited him for a role in the low-budget Canadian fright flick ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE, followed by ROCK N’ ROLL NIGHTMARE, BLACK ROSES and THE JITTERS. Dietz vividly recalls the fun and craziness of these late-‘80s, straight-to-VHS efforts — from heinous motel accommodations to shooting awkward sex scenes. Juggling filmmaking anecdotes and fanboy passion (e.g., meeting idols like Adam West, Anne Francis, Kevin McCarthy, and even inadvertently pissing off Jerry Lewis), Dietz details a life filled with unexpected pivots, such as being an extra/stand-in on the Martin Short comedy CLIFFORD, screenwriting Pam Anderson’s NAKED SOULS, having scripts butchered behind his back, rewriting a pair of Ted Nicolaou children’s films, and even working on several Disney animated features. Overflowing with enthusiasm and humor, it’s an engaging look at how Dietz turned his love of movies — combined with loads of talent and hard work — into a lifelong profession."
- Shock Cinema