Description
Book Synopsis Spanning over a century of cinema and comprised of 127 films, this book analyzes the cinematic incarnations of the uncanniest place on earth--wax museums. Nothing is as it seems at a wax museum. It is a place of wonder, horror and mystery. Will the figures come to life at night, or are they very much dead with corpses hidden beneath their waxen shells? Is the genius hand that molded them secretly scarred by a terrible tragedy, longing for revenge? Or is it a sinner''s sanctum, harboring criminals with countless places to hide in plain sight?
This chronological analysis includes essential behind the scenes information in addition to authoritative research comparing the creation of real wax figures to the reel ones seen onscreen. Publicly accessible or hidden away in a maniac''s lair, wax museums have provided the perfect settings for films of all genres to thrillingly play out on the big screen since the dawn of cinema.
Table of ContentsPreface
Introduction
One. The Lost and the Found: 1899–1919
Two. Flights of Fancy: 1920–1929
Three. Setting the Stage: 1930–1939
Four. Crime Reigns: 1940–1949
Five. The Die Is Cast: 1950–1959
Six. The Horror of It All: 1960–1969
Seven. Off Track But on Target: 1970–1979
Eight. Sex and Horror Re-Vamped: 1980–1989
Nine. Edgy: 1990–1999
Ten. The Last Dance: 2000–2009
Eleven. Vicious Cycle: 2010–2019
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
