CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN: JUNGLE QUEENS, KING ALIENS, PLANET OF THE APES & MORE

Castle of Frankenstein, courtesy of Scary Monsters Magazine, strikes back with an issue that overflows with varied visions from renowned and rare sources.

For #38's kickoff, the prolific Baron Von Neck reviews the sinister submissions, Arnold; The Body Shop; Curse of the Stone Hand; Cannibal Girls; Sugar Skull Girls; The Evil Eye (aka The Girl Who Knew Too Much); The Invisible Menace; Grabbers; Maggots; The Manipulator; The Monster of Camp Sunshine; Kiss Daddy Goodbye; The Sins of the Fleshapoids; Soultaker; and that once-lost but now-found, zombie curiosity, The Dead One. 

Readers are also treated to Dave Allen's labor of love, The Primevals; Marcus Boas' memories as a Castle of Frankenstein artist; a scientific probing of Planet of the Apes (with Linda Harrison as this issue's "Slaymate of the Month"); The Grim Reaper on film; unmade Hammer flicks; Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman, as if told by J.D. Salinger; steamy, jungle queens; Lou Russo's monsterized, girlie comic strip; Mike Bogue's time-tripping assessments of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and The Flash; Stephen King's extraterrestrial tales; and the hearty horrors of Epix's From. 

The new Castle of Frankenstein has a bit of everything for everybody, and it can be obtained at

https://www.mymoviemonsters.com/store.php/mymoviemonsters/pd10706153/castle_of_frankenstein_magazine_38__preorder_coming_fall_2023

PLANET OF THE APES '68: A CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES TRIBUTE

Classic Monsters of the Movies celebrates one of the most thought-provoking science-fiction pictures ever made: director Franklin J. Schaffner's Planet of the Apes 1968. 

Writers/researchers Nige Burton and Jamie Jones cover all bases of 20th Century Fox's talking-apes blockbuster in this deluxe volume, which ranges from Pierre Boulle's Monkey Planet to legendary actor Charlton Heston's pledge to spearhead the startling story to the big screen. 

Not only is director Schaffner saluted, but script adaptors Michael Wilson and Rod Serling. Apes composer Jerry Goldsmith is highlighted as well, who gave the world one of the greatest, Bartok-inspired scores imaginable, as are producers Mort Abrahams and Arthur P. Jacobs, who executed the the anomalous adventure with dystopic grace. 

In addition to the auspicious and essential Heston, who played time-traveling astronaut, George Taylor, the authors list bios on the superb supporting stars and players, many of whom were cloaked by John Chambers' uncanny, chimpanzee/orangutan/gorilla makeups: Roddy McDowall (Cornelius); Kim Hunter (Zira); Maurice Evans (Zaius); Lou Wagner (Lucius); Buck Kartalian (Julius); James Daley (Honorius); James Whitmore (The Council President); Robert Gunner (Langdon); Jeff Burton (Dodge); and uber-beauty Linda Harrison (Nova). 

Planet of the Apes 1968 has always been a favorite of mine and will always remain so. I'm thankful that Burton and Jones chose to essay this timeless parable and hope that they devote "ultimate editions" on its companion chapters in the near future. 

Order this historic, simian salute at 

https://www.classic-monsters.com/shop/product/planet-of-the-apes-1968-ultimate-guide-magazine/

PIN-UP OF THE MONTH: LINDA HARRISON AS NOVA (BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES)