Book Review: ‘Famous Monster Movie Art of Basil Gogos’
Without a doubt, Basil Gogos is one of the most legendary names in horror art. His work is absolutely incredible and his style is instantly recognizable. There’s really no other way to say this, but the man is a genius.
The book kicks off with an intro from Rob Zombie and a foreword by Kerry Gammill. As expected, there’s a ton of information about Gogos and the various paintings that he has created throughout the years. If you’re not familiar with his non-monster related works, you’re in for a real treat. Gogos created several covers for, but not limited to, Westerns and various men’s adventure magazines. And yes, there’s no shortage of all the fantastic work that he created for Famous Monsters of Filmland.
All of the images in this book are high resolution. On the full page images, you can see every dab, swirl and brush stroke. His use of color is mind blowing. There’s no way to accurately describe it, you have to check it out for yourself. My favorite paintings are of Frankenstein’s monster, as portrayed by Boris Karloff.
I had the opportunity to meet Basil Gogos at a Famous Monsters of Filmland convention. Hands down, one of the nicest and most respectful people that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. His passion and charm are contagious. He thoroughly answered every single question that I asked. I had rehearsed them over and over as if I were auditioning for a role and was afraid I would choke up and forget everything.
If you share my passion for monsters and art, you have to add this book to your collection. Seriously, you have to. If you’re listening, thank you, Mr. Gogos. Every monster kid, old and new, holds a special place in their heart for you and your art.
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Tags: Dracula, Frankenstein, Rob Zombie, Universal Monsters
Categories: Art, Books