What do you think?
Rate this book
Lost, Lonely & Vicious: Postcards from the Great Trash Films
For anyone who's ever been a teenager, sent a postcard, lived through the fifties, or watched a movie ... this is the ultimate postcard collection. Here are 31 ready-to-send reproductions of the wildest posters from some of the worst films ever made - they must be seen to be believed. Or perhaps you remember ... 'Girls in Prison', 'Blonde Ice', 'Juvenile Jungle', 'The Party Crashers', Dragstrip Riot, 'No Time to Be Young' and 'Lost, Lonely and Vicious'.
From 'Alimony' to 'Untamed Youth', this collection of large-format tear-out postcards will appeal to every sort of sordid sensibility. These poster-cards are colourful, funny. lurid, and revealing of the society that made then - and of the people who send them.
From 'Alimony' to 'Untamed Youth', this collection of large-format tear-out postcards will appeal to every sort of sordid sensibility. These poster-cards are colourful, funny. lurid, and revealing of the society that made then - and of the people who send them.
64 pages, Paperback
First published October 22, 1988
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 4, 2018
I am an absolute sucker for old cinema posters, particularly those relating to 'B' movies because not only was the artwork appealing but the advertising teases were also of the lurid headline type. And when a friend of mine spotted this book he knew it was made for me and he very kindly purchased it for me. And I am delighted that he did!
Most of the actors in these movies are now long forgotten, with one or two exceptions (see later in review), for who will have heard of such as Brett Halsey, Lori Nelson, Yvonne Lime, Cleo Moore, Fay Spain and Gary Clarke? They undoubtedly had their moments in these 'B' movies but then slowly disappeared from public notice, certainly from the movie-goers public notice. But there were those fortunate ones who went on to greater things from these early offerings.
Robert Vaughan was one who progressed. He was 'introduced' in 'No Time To Be Young' (1957), which was 'The Story of Today's Lost Generation', and he also starred in 'Teenage Caveman'(1958) when he is featured, loin-cloth clad, on the poster using a bow and arrow in an attempt to stop a marauding prehistoric monster. This image prompted one critic to proclaim, 'Less limp with the wrist, Bobby!' but it didn't affect his future success in the hit series 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' Incidentally, also in 'No Time To Be Young' was a certain Roger Smith who went on to star in the television series '77 Sunset Strip', which I remember fondly - the opening credits '77 Sunset Strip, la la ...!'
Mamie van Doren was another who went on to become something of a star after she appeared in 'Running Wild' (1955) in which, as Irma Bean, she was one of those girls who were 'Teen-Age ... Tough ... and Tempted By Easy Money'. She also starred as Penny Lowe in 'Untamed Youth' when
she was billed as 'The Girl Built Like a Platinum Powerhouse'! Also in 'Running Wild' was the famous character actor Keenan Wynn, who featured in dozens and dozens of films between 1942 and 1986, and Bill Haley and His Comets played their hit record 'Razzle-Dazzle', just one year after wowing audiences with 'Rock Around The Clock' in 'The Blackboard Jungle'.
Connie Stevens, before her starring role as "Cricket" Blake in the television series 'Hawaiian Eye' (I loved it as a youngster), took top billing in 'The Party Crashers' (1958), which also starred 25-year-old Mark Damon, who went on to a successful acting and producing career thereafter, and 1930s' star Frances Farmer, who tried to make a comeback which didn't quite take off.
And another who went on to television stardom was Vince Edwards who for the poster of 'Island Women', 'The Whole Ripped-Bare Story of the Beach Babes of the Caribbean', was shown grappling in his swimming trunks with a nubile swimming-costume clad young lady; of course he later exchanged his swimming trunks for the white tunic of Ben Casey in 153 episodes of the hit TV series.
Tom Drake, after co-starring with Judy Garland in 'Meet Me in St Louis' in 1944, turned up in 'Betrayed Women' (1955) when he found himself dragged into a swamp as a hostage by the women of 'The Female Devil's Island'. He probably didn't mind at all and it didn't hinder his progress in around 40 films and appearances in numerous television series such as 'Perry Mason', 'Lassie', 'The Streets of San Francisco' and others - although I couldn't find 'Betrayed Women' on his filmography! And another who had been a big hit in an earlier successful movie was Fay Wray who was the object of 'King Kong's' affections way back in 1933 and who was involved in 'Murder ... At 120 Miles Per Hour', along with Connie Stevens, in 'Dragstrip Riot' (1958).
Lex Barker, who along with Johnny Weissmuller, was one of my favourite Tarzan actors when I was a boy, took top billing in 'Female Fiends' when those females, Carole Mathews, Lisa Gastoni and Nora Swinburne, were billed with 'Their Motive GREED! Their Method MURDER!' And one of my all-time favourite tough guys, William Bendix, was 'Torn From The Front Pages' in 'Boys' Prison', 'The Story of The Teen-Age Terror'. Interestingly Bendix did not begin his acting career until he was 30 and did not make his first acknowledged film until 1942 (he appeared unbilled as a truck driver watching a pinball game in the 1940 'They Drive by Night') before going on to make many films through to 1964. Another of my heroes, Hoagy Carmichael, also featured in the film singing a Christmas song to the teenage terrors!
As for the book's title film, 'Lost, Lonely and Vicious', it was billed as 'A Dramatic Sensation With The Brightest Stars Of Tomorrow'. They were Ken Clayton, Barbara Wilson, Lilyan Chauvin and Richard Gilden and the film was about boys and girls clawing their way to the top in Hollywood ... sadly our young stars of the day seemed to have faded without a trace after this 'confidential exposé' was released.
The posters in the book are great pieces of period art and the bye-lines are even better - and often hilarious - so 'Lost, Lonely & Vicious' is a winner all round for me - although I appreciate it may not be everybody's 'tasse de thé'!
Most of the actors in these movies are now long forgotten, with one or two exceptions (see later in review), for who will have heard of such as Brett Halsey, Lori Nelson, Yvonne Lime, Cleo Moore, Fay Spain and Gary Clarke? They undoubtedly had their moments in these 'B' movies but then slowly disappeared from public notice, certainly from the movie-goers public notice. But there were those fortunate ones who went on to greater things from these early offerings.
Robert Vaughan was one who progressed. He was 'introduced' in 'No Time To Be Young' (1957), which was 'The Story of Today's Lost Generation', and he also starred in 'Teenage Caveman'(1958) when he is featured, loin-cloth clad, on the poster using a bow and arrow in an attempt to stop a marauding prehistoric monster. This image prompted one critic to proclaim, 'Less limp with the wrist, Bobby!' but it didn't affect his future success in the hit series 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' Incidentally, also in 'No Time To Be Young' was a certain Roger Smith who went on to star in the television series '77 Sunset Strip', which I remember fondly - the opening credits '77 Sunset Strip, la la ...!'
Mamie van Doren was another who went on to become something of a star after she appeared in 'Running Wild' (1955) in which, as Irma Bean, she was one of those girls who were 'Teen-Age ... Tough ... and Tempted By Easy Money'. She also starred as Penny Lowe in 'Untamed Youth' when
she was billed as 'The Girl Built Like a Platinum Powerhouse'! Also in 'Running Wild' was the famous character actor Keenan Wynn, who featured in dozens and dozens of films between 1942 and 1986, and Bill Haley and His Comets played their hit record 'Razzle-Dazzle', just one year after wowing audiences with 'Rock Around The Clock' in 'The Blackboard Jungle'.
Connie Stevens, before her starring role as "Cricket" Blake in the television series 'Hawaiian Eye' (I loved it as a youngster), took top billing in 'The Party Crashers' (1958), which also starred 25-year-old Mark Damon, who went on to a successful acting and producing career thereafter, and 1930s' star Frances Farmer, who tried to make a comeback which didn't quite take off.
And another who went on to television stardom was Vince Edwards who for the poster of 'Island Women', 'The Whole Ripped-Bare Story of the Beach Babes of the Caribbean', was shown grappling in his swimming trunks with a nubile swimming-costume clad young lady; of course he later exchanged his swimming trunks for the white tunic of Ben Casey in 153 episodes of the hit TV series.
Tom Drake, after co-starring with Judy Garland in 'Meet Me in St Louis' in 1944, turned up in 'Betrayed Women' (1955) when he found himself dragged into a swamp as a hostage by the women of 'The Female Devil's Island'. He probably didn't mind at all and it didn't hinder his progress in around 40 films and appearances in numerous television series such as 'Perry Mason', 'Lassie', 'The Streets of San Francisco' and others - although I couldn't find 'Betrayed Women' on his filmography! And another who had been a big hit in an earlier successful movie was Fay Wray who was the object of 'King Kong's' affections way back in 1933 and who was involved in 'Murder ... At 120 Miles Per Hour', along with Connie Stevens, in 'Dragstrip Riot' (1958).
Lex Barker, who along with Johnny Weissmuller, was one of my favourite Tarzan actors when I was a boy, took top billing in 'Female Fiends' when those females, Carole Mathews, Lisa Gastoni and Nora Swinburne, were billed with 'Their Motive GREED! Their Method MURDER!' And one of my all-time favourite tough guys, William Bendix, was 'Torn From The Front Pages' in 'Boys' Prison', 'The Story of The Teen-Age Terror'. Interestingly Bendix did not begin his acting career until he was 30 and did not make his first acknowledged film until 1942 (he appeared unbilled as a truck driver watching a pinball game in the 1940 'They Drive by Night') before going on to make many films through to 1964. Another of my heroes, Hoagy Carmichael, also featured in the film singing a Christmas song to the teenage terrors!
As for the book's title film, 'Lost, Lonely and Vicious', it was billed as 'A Dramatic Sensation With The Brightest Stars Of Tomorrow'. They were Ken Clayton, Barbara Wilson, Lilyan Chauvin and Richard Gilden and the film was about boys and girls clawing their way to the top in Hollywood ... sadly our young stars of the day seemed to have faded without a trace after this 'confidential exposé' was released.
The posters in the book are great pieces of period art and the bye-lines are even better - and often hilarious - so 'Lost, Lonely & Vicious' is a winner all round for me - although I appreciate it may not be everybody's 'tasse de thé'!
June 23, 2019
Great Trash Films - or just misunderstood?
'Man Crazy' (Bold! Blunt! Brutal!)
'Teenage Doll' (Too young to be careful ...too tough to care ... now it's too late to say 'NO' ...)
'Island Women' ( The Whole Ripped-Bare Story of the Beach Babes of the Caribbean!)
'The Party Crashers' (Who are the Delinquents - Kids or their "RESPECTABLE" Parents?)
'Dragstrip Crazy' (Car Crazy! ... Speed Crazy! ...Boy Crazy! ...)
'Betrayed Women' (What happens behind the barrack walls of the FEMALE DEVIL'S ISLAND?)
'Girls on the Loose' (Girl Gangs that Stop at Nothing!)
'Captive Women' (Women of the Caves 1000 Years from Now!)
'Boys Prison' (The Story of the Teen-Age Terror!)
'I Was a Teenage Frankenstein' (Body of a Boy! Mind of a Monster! Soul of an Unearthly Thing!)
'Girls in Prison' (What Happens to Women without Men!!)
'Girls in the Night' (The Rooftop is their Lovers Lane ... the Sidewalk their Finishing School!)
Just a few of the highlights from 31 exploitation posters and lobby cards, with comments by Michael Barson, featured in this neat little postcard book collection with more ! exclamation points ! you could possibly imagine!
Ideal to post out to people if you are lost, lonely or just downright vicious!
'Man Crazy' (Bold! Blunt! Brutal!)
'Teenage Doll' (Too young to be careful ...too tough to care ... now it's too late to say 'NO' ...)
'Island Women' ( The Whole Ripped-Bare Story of the Beach Babes of the Caribbean!)
'The Party Crashers' (Who are the Delinquents - Kids or their "RESPECTABLE" Parents?)
'Dragstrip Crazy' (Car Crazy! ... Speed Crazy! ...Boy Crazy! ...)
'Betrayed Women' (What happens behind the barrack walls of the FEMALE DEVIL'S ISLAND?)
'Girls on the Loose' (Girl Gangs that Stop at Nothing!)
'Captive Women' (Women of the Caves 1000 Years from Now!)
'Boys Prison' (The Story of the Teen-Age Terror!)
'I Was a Teenage Frankenstein' (Body of a Boy! Mind of a Monster! Soul of an Unearthly Thing!)
'Girls in Prison' (What Happens to Women without Men!!)
'Girls in the Night' (The Rooftop is their Lovers Lane ... the Sidewalk their Finishing School!)
Just a few of the highlights from 31 exploitation posters and lobby cards, with comments by Michael Barson, featured in this neat little postcard book collection with more ! exclamation points ! you could possibly imagine!
Ideal to post out to people if you are lost, lonely or just downright vicious!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews