Saturday, March 2, 2013

The book that started Monster Cafe Saltillo!

I remember it vividly...It was circa 1978.  My school Northwoods elementary was having a bookfest.  I didn't collect many books back then.  Dad was an avid reader but I just was not.  Those times were glorius times for me living with Dad.  He finally had custody from the wicked witch of the west and I was in heaven. Anyways a book intrigued me.  I may have talked about it before on this blog but I was thinking about it again....Not to mention that every blogger this side of the U.S. has commented on it...Well here is my turn...
Movie Monsters by Alan Ormsby...Now I had never even seen a Universal Monster movie at that point except an excerpt from House of Frankenstein a few years earlier.  But nonetheless I bought it.  I think it was probably 35 cents or something back then.  The book gave a brief overview of all the Monsters...
Then it gave a howto guide on how to be a monster yourself.  How to use home appliances and things around the house to turn yourself into a monster.

I used to love pretending I was Dracula.  King of the Monsters.  HAD NEVER even seen Dracula yet though.  But somehow I knew...
This crappy Winnie the Pooh box was my coffin that I would rise up in....Apparantly My version of Dracula liked a little honey....And a little pooh...Wait...That is gross...




The above pic is Brown Bag Frankenstein.  Awesome!  To turn a simple brown bag into frankenstein's head.

Painting it...Putting yarn on it for hair.

How to reinforce it so the bag didn't tear...

At the end you looked like your own version of Frankenstein.

At the very end of the book it shows you how to do a Monster show.  I LOVE this book!  It was very instrumental in my love for the monsters and spawning the seed for me to open my cafe.  I was sad.  I wanted the book to be in the cafe.  But I didn't have my copy...

Wouldn't you know it....A customer photocopied me one and binded it and gave it to me!  Why he chose THIS book is beyond me...But there it was.  I have it on my shelf now.  It is not as good as the original of course because it is just xeroxed pages but hey...It sure did transport me like it did way back when in starting a new love for the monsters.

This would probably one book I would take with me to a deserted island.


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18 comments:

  1. UnknownMarch 3, 2013 at 2:41 AM

    I remember this book and with you now talking about it here I will have to keep my eyes out for a copy in my travels now.

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    1. Hobgoblin238March 3, 2013 at 4:09 PM

      Yeah just having a copy of it is not like the real thing.

      Delete
  2. Buzz ChuckMarch 3, 2013 at 6:31 PM

    I love the toy box story!

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  3. YankeejetsfanMarch 3, 2013 at 6:44 PM

    I remember the books Universal used to release for kids about the monsters with pictures from the movies. You had one for Dracula, one for Frankenstein and one for the Wolf man. I loved those books.

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    1. Hobgoblin238March 4, 2013 at 3:34 PM

      Yes! The Crestwood monster books. Also on my list one day!

      Delete
  4. MichaelMarch 3, 2013 at 6:51 PM

    What a great memory !!

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  5. Sam GMarch 4, 2013 at 5:58 PM

    My friend and I made the Frankenstein monster make up and it came out pretty darn good. I have very fond memories of this book.

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    1. Hobgoblin238March 5, 2013 at 12:34 PM

      I should do it today although I think the brown bag would have trouble fitting over my noggin!

      Delete
  6. bliss_infinteMarch 5, 2013 at 8:56 AM

    OMG, totally had that book when I was a kid. I tried to put the end of book play on with my 5th grade class!

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    1. Hobgoblin238March 5, 2013 at 12:35 PM

      Would have loved to be in the audience to see that!

      Delete
  7. Brian BMarch 7, 2013 at 9:41 AM

    I too had this book as a kid and have thought of it often when I reflect back to elementary school. Thanks for posting this.

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    1. Hobgoblin238March 7, 2013 at 1:56 PM

      I always think of the time back then. Such a great experience for us as kids growing up in that time in whatever part of the U.S. We all seem to have that collective process..

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  8. DougMarch 30, 2013 at 9:26 PM

    Awesome, I remember this book, too.

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    1. Hobgoblin238March 31, 2013 at 10:13 PM

      I have a copy. Would love the real thing someday.

      Delete
  9. KDNovember 10, 2015 at 10:44 AM

    there are several copies on amazon

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