The Incredibly Strange Features of Ray Dennis Steckler

by Christopher Wayne Curry

Overview

American filmmaker Ray Dennis Steckler may forever be remembered for his cult classic The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies!!? but his career path is even more fascinating than his strange signature film. Between 1962 and 1986, Steckler wrote, directed, edited and occasionally acted in nine more underground feature films. After his live oddities roadshows helped propel the director to even greater cult infamy, Steckler turned his camera towards the adult film world. Between 1970 and 1984, Steckler directed no fewer than three dozen of these explicit genre pieces.

This book covers Steckler's nearly 50 movies, including several lost, incomplete or experimental films. Each entry includes a full list of cast and crew credits, along with a plot synopsis, plenty of images and behind-the-scenes anecdotes. Transcriptions of the author's interviews with Steckler's ex-wife Carolyn Brandt, his daughter Laura H. Steckler, actor Ron Jason and stuntman and actor Gary Kent are included along with an homage chapter and an overview of the director's collectable memorabilia.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476647685
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	02/10/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	263
File size:	23 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Freelance writer Christopher Wayne Curry lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Freelance writer and musician Christopher Wayne Curry lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
Part One: The Films of Ray Dennis Steckler
Wild Guitar (1962)
Goof on the Loose (1963)
The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became ­Mixed-Up Zombies!!? (1963)
The Thrill Killers (1964)
Rat Pfink a Boo Boo (1966)
The Lemon Grove Kids Meet the Monsters (1967)
Body Fever (1969)
Sinthia: The Devil’s Doll (1970)
Blood Shack (1971)
The Hollywood Strangler Meets the Skid Row Slasher (1979)
Las Vegas Serial Killer (1986)
Part Two: The Adult Films of Ray Dennis Steckler
Introduction
The Films
Part Three: Unfinished Films, Unreleased Films and Compilations
Part Four: Homage and Memorabilia
Part Five: The Interviews
High Hopes to Hard Knocks: Carolyn Brandt on Living and Working with Ray Dennis Steckler
Growing Up Steckler: A Conversation with Laura H. Steckler
Gary Kent: The Danger God Speaks
Have Talent, Will Travel: A Conversation wwith Cult Movie Star Ron Jason
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Curry offers a loving, insightful, and sometimes critical look at Steckler’s 11 completed films, interweaving plot summaries with information about cast and crew, production details, and outrageous anecdotes.....includes a list of collectible memorabilia and newly conducted interviews with Steckler’s family and former crew....Curry combines extensive research with deft writing to reveal the life of a Z-movie director through his unconventional oeuvre. Aimed at cinephiles, the book celebrates an underdog who made movies in Hollywood’s shadow.”—Library Journal; “An amazing amount of detail...Curry deserves commendation for telling the whole story, proving a writer can show reverence without being disingenuous. ...fascinating and fun”—Flick Attack; “When it comes to his knowledge of Steckler, author Chris Wayne Curry is no joke.”—Andrew Furtado, Severin Films; “A thorough, entertaining book on Ray Dennis Steckler’s incredible career…Curry’s book is a treasure. Through the pages, we witness a smaller but no less entertaining Hollywood of the 1960s.”—Plan 9 Crunch; “Your time will be rewarded by Curry’s eye-reddening scholarship...Credit should be given to Curry for this groundbreaking, ephemera-loaded reference.”—Videoscope; “Excellent”—Little Shoppe of Horrors

From the Publisher