Review Fix chats with Beasts! Bedlam! And Babes! Author Richard J. Shmelter, who discusses the inspiration behind the book.
About the Book:
Welcome to this literary drive-in theater, a true labor of love that presents over one hundred drive-in flicks from the late 1950’s through the early 1980’s. Alright folks, let us set the tone for this adventure. Dusk is falling over the area, and the neon lights of the drive-in and concession stand are calling out like beacons and ready for business. It is now time to fill in the name of your favorite drive-in, no matter the time period. SEE, NOW WASN’T THAT FUN!!! Nothing like a bit of individuality to add a personal touch to this experience. Now, it is time to sit back and enjoy this collection of crazed maniacs, freaky monsters, bad ass bikers, and sexy women. And now my fellow drive-in fanatics, it is time to showcase the films.
About the Author:
Richard J. Shmelter is a writer/researcher, and podcast host, from Sagamore Hills, Ohio. His specializes in sports history, American crime history, with emphasis on the Prohibition era, and Hollywood history. He is a member of the North American branch of the International Association of Crime Writers, the American Crime Writers League, and the Pro Football Researchers Association. Beasts, Bedlam and Babes is Mr. Shmelter’s ninth solo book project, and he has also helped out on three other books pertaining to professional football history.
Review Fix: What inspired this book?
Richard J. Shmelter: The passion for low-budget, B-Movies began for me in my pre-teen and early teenage years watching the films on television with horror hosts providing them on their shows. It was a time when it seemed that every city in America had a local late night horror host on local stations. It was exciting to stay up and watch the antics of the horror host and the films. Years later, it was off to the drive-ins for, you guessed it, more celluloid gems about beasts, bedlam and babes. Those memories stuck with me, and once I got into writing, I always had the idea to do a project on either horror movie hosts or B-Movies. While talking with a friend of mine about the “good old days” of a local drive-in, the idea struck me hard, and then the thought started rolling, and the result is the project showcased on your page.
Review Fix: What was the process like?
Shmelter: I began by first coming up with the title. I wanted to make up a creative title focusing on the major topics I wanted to cover. Also, I wanted to have words beginning with the letter B to allow for B-Movies. With the title secured, I set out to find the movies I wanted to write about. It started off with just the movies I remembered, and then those led to countless others, and before I knew it, I had over 500 films. Well, I knew I could not cover that amount, at least not in one edition. I then narrowed the count to a manageable 125, and tried to have a well-balanced serving of monsters (beasts), bikers (bedlam) and sexy, bikini-clad women (babes). Now in reality, at times, the women did not even have the bikinis on!!!! I also wanted to focus on a certain time frame, which in my opinion, was the golden age of the drive-in experience (late 1950’s to early 1980’s). The reasoning behind the time frame was when television took over the public’s entertainment attention in the 1950’s, and the film world was worried about not having seats filled in theaters like they were prior to television. Studios then focused their attention on the teenage population that were looking to find a little “alone time” with dates. That is why so many of the films in the late 1950’s was geared toward teenagers. Automobiles allowed couples to be alone, and they became four-wheeled “passion pits.” Yes, it seemed that much of the films seen at the drive-in were missed due to other “activities.” It seemed that by the early 1980’s with the arrival of VCR’s, people were once again staying home to watch movies through rentals. The drive-ins in turn then took a major loss, and many closed.
Review Fix: Why drive-in films?
Shmelter: I believed that the experience of going to the drive-ins were fun, and I looked to transfer that to the pages of this book. The films at the drive-in, for the most part, were produced on a low budget, with actors and actresses’ unknown at the time that were able to be hired for little pay. These films were springboards to better roles for many of the performers, with some even being elevated to Academy Award honors years later. The plots were simple, action-packed, and not all that long, usually between an hour or hour-and-a-half. As stated early in the answer to this question, drive-ins were fun, and the movies were never to be taken seriously by the motion picture industry. For that reason, each entry in my book is designed to deliver a satirical look at each film. In other words, just sit back and enjoy the experience. I never tell how the films end because I want people to be entertained enough with the entry that they go out a watch the film.
Review Fix: What did you learn from this process?
Shmelter: How surprised I was to find an incredible amount of films within in the B-Movie fraternity. Also, the huge amount of interest in these films, all thanks to them getting a renewed opportunity to be viewed on YouTube and other streaming services.
Review Fix: Find out anything you weren’t expecting?
Shmelter: Yes in regards to the actual writing process. This was the first time in my writing career that I was able to just bust loose and allow my satirical side to be showcased, and I loved it!!!
Review Fix: Who will enjoy this one the most?
Shmelter: Hopefully every one!!! However, in reality, I hope anyone that enjoys B-Movies will gravitate to this book. Also, like myself, anyone that wants to relive the drive-in experience, or the experience of watching these “gems” on late night TV with your favorite horror host serving as the guide.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Shmelter: I am already working on a volume 2 of Beasts Bedlam and Babes in addition to more projects on sports history and Hollywood history. I am also setting up two new podcasts, and hope to do some speaking engagements in person or via Zoom meetings for college film study classes.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Shmelter: I just hope that this book is enjoyed by readers everywhere, and as much as I enjoyed writing, and talking, about these films.
Review Fix: Where can people find out more?
Shmelter: Beasts, Bedlam and Babes is available throughout the world in major book stores, and if it is not in stock, they can order it. Also, like so many, just go to Amazon and click on the link provided below:
Leave a Reply