A Werewolf Remembers
The Testament of Lawrence Stewart Talbot
reviewed by Michael Copner
Anyone reading the Mondo Cult Online site is likely to be a member of the Monster Boom generation—and they know it. Furthermore, these film elite will be aware that Frank Dello Stritto is among the greatest Monster Boomers, and it is Frank who coined he term, recognizing the concept.
A few of us were introduced to Frank by way of his early essay in a 1970s vampire themed issue of Mark Frank’s film fanzine Photon. In more recent times, he’s been an important contributor to Cult Movies and Monster Bash magazines.
As a spin-off of Frank’s insightful writing ventures, he founded Cult Movies Press, a publishing house devoted to books of horror film history, all highly acclaimed by fans of the genre. In June of 2017, Cult Movies released a highly awaited first-horror novel authored by Frank. A Werewolf Remembers is written in part, as the life telling diaries of Lawrence Talbot, printed verbatim. Interspersed with these are editorial commentaries authored by Frank. He has done exactly what Universal accomplished by merging their various series of monsters: Wolfman, Dracula, Frankenstein and lots of mad doctors, a few hunchbacks and femmes diabolical.
Frank widens the horizons of filmic myth to allow true-life personalities to enter the narrative. At one point, Larry Talbot is privileged to meet magician Aleister Crowley.
The mention of Crowley, The Beast 666 and self-proclaimed “most evil man alive”, meeting and conversing with Talbot (one of several unwitting beasts in this novel) has had some commentators howling with laughs. Yet, like everything in Frank’s scenario, the material is introduced with irony and sincerity, not as a comedic throw-away. The German Nazi Party is similarly brought into the proceedings quite logically.
This handsomely printed hardback is illustrated by photos suggested by their context. Some are common and some are exceedingly rare and delightful. The book is among Frank’s most probing and thoughtful works. His fans will enjoy the skill which allows his shift from film study to horror fiction,
though some may ask: “Is it such a clear-cut shift or only a new phasing into a different subjective investigation?”
Read the Companion Piece: Mike Copner's Interview with Frank Dello Stritto ...
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