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Cinefantastique

Posted by Periodicals/Reference Librarian

From the official Cinefantastique website:

“During a decade when many mainstream critics were dismissing THE EXORICST as sadistic pornography, and when Forest J Ackerman was filling Famous Monsters with puny puns (e.g., “A Clockwork Lemon,” referring to a malfunctioning robot in FUTURE WORLD), publisher-editor Frederick S. Clarke created a little magazine with a big ambition: to cover the genre better than anybody, and to do it with all the seriousness of Cashier du Cinema, American Film, or Film Comment.”

For anyone fascinated by sci-fi, fantasty, or horror films riding on big dreams and a tiny budget, Cinefantastique is a goldmine. The writers do not simply dismiss their subjects as many critics are apt to do with genre films, nor do they shower their subjects with praise as in a fanzine. Cinefantastique was composed with both the genuine passion of a devoted fan and the thoughtful insight of a critic, resulting in an engaging editorial. Interviews, critiques, and in-depth explorations of special effects and prosthesis are complimented by film stills and behind-the-scenes shots on every page. There are also fantastic full-color spreads throughout, framed by well-designed layouts and text. Feature articles are prodigiously in-depth and as such have left behind invaluable sources for research and admiration relating to dozens of seminal genre films. There are very few advertisements and most are beautifully painted film posters regardless, making the magazine all the more enjoyable to read.

In 2000, Frederick Clarke, publisher since 1970, committed suicide. Mindfire Entertainment bought the magazine, renamed it “CFQ” and entirely remodeled its approach and aesthetic in an attempt to meet the demands of today’s consumer. In 2006 the last issue of CFQ was printed, and has been exclusively published online ever since.

In the periodicals section you will find 15 volumes of Cinefantastique beginning with the 4th volume, published in 1975, up until the final 2006 issue.

Cinefantastique, Volume 20, Number 05. May 1990.
She-Creature by Jackie and Paul Blaisdell

Cinefantastique, Volume 20, Number 05. May 1990.
Blaisdell’s Venusian

Cinefantastique, Volume 20, Number 05. May 1990.

Cinefantastique, Volume 6, Number 01. 1977.
Brian DePalma’s “Carrie”.

Cinefantastqieu, Volume 6, Number 02. 1977.
Stills from stop-motion films by Ray Harry Hausen.

Cinefantastique, Volume 07, Number 03. 1978.

Cinefantastique, Volume 07, Number 03. 1978.
Tom Burman’s Aliens.

Cinefantastique, Volume 08, Number 01. 1978.

Cinefantastique, Volume 09, Number 02. 1979.

Cinefantastique, Volume 10, Number 04. 1979.
Animation in “Superman” and “Xanadu”

Cinefantastique, Volume 11, Number 01. 1981.

Cinefantastique, Volume 11, Number 02. 1981.

Cinefantastique, Volume 11, Number 02. 1981.
“Altered States”

Cinefantastique, Volume 13, Number 01. 1982.
“Creepshow”

Cinefantastique, Volume 13, Number 01. 1982.
Left: Madeline Kahn. Right: Jerry Lee Lewis.

Cinefantastique, Volume 17, Number 01. 1987.
“Necropolis”

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Tags: 1970's, 1980's, 70's, 80's, alien, aliens, altered states, animate, animation, animations, b-movie, backstage, behind the scene, behind the scenes, blaisdell, brian depalma, camp, campy, carlo rambaldi, carnival of souls, carrie, cfx, character, characters, cinefantastique, cinema, computer animation, costume, costumes, creation, creature, creatures, creepshow, critique, critiques, depalma, dick smith, director, directors, editing, editorial, editorials, fantasy, Film, filmmaker, filmmaking, films, frederick clarke, frederick s clarke, genre, genre film, genres, george romero, gore, gory, green screen, harryhausen, herk harvey, horror, interview, interviews, jackie blaisdell, jerry lee lewis, key out, kurt vonnegut, low-budget, madeline kahn, magazine, make-up, media, mold, moldmaking, molds, monster, monsters, movie, movies, necropolis, nostalgia, nostalgic, paul blaisdell, periodical, periodicals, plaster, plastic, prosthesis, prosthetics, publication, raiders of the stone age, ray harryhausen, review, reviews, salem's lot, sci fi, science fiction, silicone, silicone mold, slapstick, special effects, stop-motion, stop-motion animation, superman, technology, the primevals, tim kincaid, tom burman, tycin films, venusian, vonnegut, xanadu, zine

Magazine Covers – 1980-1989 – Part 1 (“Mainstream Magazines”)

Mar 5

Posted by Periodicals/Reference Librarian

From 1982 we have”the world’s only consumer magazine about beer:” BEER. This is the Beauty (Barbara Eden with her shirt apparently completely unbuttoned) and the beer (that thing pictured in the upper right corner which Barbara made materialize) issue.

Beer 1982 December

The Mob moves in on Wayne Newton. Beverly Hills Diet: Can it kill you? Brazil gags Baez. And the fairy tale wedding (sans the longevity of ever after or happiness).

People 1981 August 3

Dick and Judy Blinn demonstrating what 1980 money looks like:

Money 1980 October. Oh, yeah, hhhott investments.

Some standard 1980 props from Time:

Time 1981 May 4

Time 1983 April 11.

Geo was a great magazine. We have a number of issues in our periodicals from 1979-1985. It was sort of like a more artsy National Geographic, but it is sadly no more.

Geo 1980 July

Next we have a selection of Atlantic magazines, many of which, at least in content and posturing, seem like they could have been published this year.

Atlantic 1987 August. Illustration by (graphic designer, illustrator, and type designer extraordinaire) Seymour Chwast.

Atlantic 1989 April. Illustration: Fred Otnes

Atlantic 1989 February.

Atlantic 1989 June. Illustration by Nicholas Gaetano.

Atlantic 1989 May. Illustration by Robert Grossman. 2012: Just switch China for Japan and Fu Manchu (or other such Chinese stereotype) for the sumo wrestler.

A selection of Omni magazine seems a fitting way to stagger your imagination, blow your mind, and be done with the mainstream 1980’s. Much like the 1980’s itself, and especially the end of the 80’s, which like the end of any decade tries too hard to descend and ascend and define, the graphics presented here are just a little too awkward and conceptually far-reaching for even 20+ of nostalgic inducing passing time to render endearing. But what do I know?