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Future Threads by John L. Flynn, Ph.D.
This book was actually a collection of feature articles about costume design in science fiction films that Flynn had written for several prominent film magazines in the early eighties. The first four chapters were devoted to Robert Fletcher, the costume designer for the first four "Star Trek" films, "The Last Starfighter" (1981), and "Shogun" (1980), and subsequent chapters featured the costume design from other science fiction films and television series. Apparently, Fletcher was impressed with Flynn's costume design that he invited John to join his team on "North and South" miniseries. Future Threads is regrettably out of print, but Amazon.com usually has a copy or two available for sale.


  • Cinematic Vampires: The Living Dead on Film and Television by John L. Flynn, Ph.D
    Cinematic Vampires began life as volume one in a four-volume study of the horror film, collectively titled Cinematic Nightmares. Flynn had intended that each volume would focus on a particular sub-genre of the horror film, with volume one dealing with the Vampire film, volume two the Frankenstein mythos, volume three Phantoms and Ghosts, and volume four Werewolves. McFarland & Company only wanted one book, and thus, Cinematic Vampires was published in 1992 to coincide with the debut of Francis Ford Coppola's "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and the first (of many) vampire crazes. The book was extremely popular, and sold well in the first couple of years, especially among film fans and horror aficionados. His material on Frankenstein, Phantoms and Werewolves was later incorporated into 75 Years of Universal Monsters and 50 Years of Hammer Horror. He also packaged his material on The Phantom of the Opera in a separate book, titled Phantoms of the Opera. Today, over ten years later, the book is considered a thoughtful, well researched pioneering study of the Vampire film, and is liberally quoted in contemporary articles and works. The book is available through McFarland and Company, $39.95, ISBN 0-89950-659-3.


    The Films of Arnold Schwarzenegger by John L. Flynn, Ph.D.
    In 1993, Arnold Schwarzenegger was the number one box office star in the world, and Flynn's book on the superstar was published by Citadel Press, a major New York publisher. It went onto become his best selling work to date. Less than two years later, the book was issued with additional material, and sold even more copies. At the time when the book came out, Wendy Leigh's Arnold: An Unauthorized Biography had painted a very unflattering portrait of the bodybuilding superstar as a womanizer and Nazi sympathizer, and Schwarzenegger had sued Leigh over her allegations. Flynn's book provided balance, showing Schwarzenegger as a superstar with a heart of gold. Critic John Mort in Booklist wrote: "Flynn offers an adulatory biographical sketch, and Schwarzenegger's attitude toward his work comes through in Flynn's commentary. The best Schwarzenegger films--such as the two Conan epics--tap deep, primitive myths of warriors and their quests, Flynn says. His portrait of what went on behind the scenes in John Milius' filming of 'Conan the Barbarian' is very good indeed. Details concerning the filming and reception of the two Terminator movies, 'Running Man,' and 'Total Recall' are also here. Schwarzenegger the man emerges...as a shrewd, archconservative capitalist. Fans of the films will enjoy this."

    Dissecting Aliens by John L. Flynn, Ph.D.
    In 1995, prior to the release of "Alien: Resurrection," Flynn wrote an interesting and informative study of the popularity of the Alien films. 20th Century-Fox opened its vaults so that John could read the original scripts and look at the background material for "Alien" (1979), "Aliens" (1986), and "Alien 3" (1993). He conducted interviews with most of the original casts, and compiled an exceptional work. The book was a huge success in England. Today, the book has been updated to include material from the Predator films, the two Alien-Predator crossovers, and other alien movies.
    War of the Worlds: From Wells to Spielberg by John L. Flynn, Ph.D.
    This funny, informative and well-documented work tells the complete story of the H. G. Wells novel and those movies, shows, radio dramas, comic books, and other adaptations with accompanying photos and illustrations, factoids, trivia, and interviews. Available for the first time, June 2005, the book is perfect bound,8.5x11, 200 pages, ISBN: 0-9769400-0-0, and retails for $12.00.


  • Phantoms of the Opera: The Face Behind the Mask by John L. Flynn, Ph.D
  • Gaston Leroux's famous novel The Phantom of the Opera has inspired forty-four different adaptations for the stage, television, and film. This informative and well-documented work tells the true story of the Opera Ghost, his appearances, his loves, and his tragic life. The revised and updated edition includes lots of new material from the Gerard Butler-Emmy Rossum Phantom as well as dozens of other productions that have come out in the last twelve years since the book was first published. Dr. Flynn's first edition is now a valued collector's item, but you can obtain this one for far less. Available for the first time, December 2005, the book is perfect bound,6x9, 224 pages, ISBN: 0-9769400-4-3, and retails for $12.95.

    Visions in Light and Shadow by John L. Flynn, Ph.D.
    For thirty years, John Flynn's science fiction writing has captured the hearts and imaginations of people around the world. Just about everyone seems to like his refreshingly unique fantastic adventures and the breathtaking worlds of his writing. John has been nominated for three Hugo awards, and his Hugo-nominated short story appears in this collection. Available now! The book is perfect bound, 6x9, 160 pages, ISBN: 0-932616-68-2, and retails for $10.00.

    The Jovian Dilemma by John L. Flynn, Ph.D.
    Life on the planet Jupiter? Former Senator Mitchell Ryan had always been told the violent, storm-tossed, impenetrable world was devoid of life. He had dismissed the rumors of a strange life form living in the energy rich atmosphere as mere fantasy. In a solar system gone mad with civil war, the last thing he needed was an “unknown” factor to complicate his mission to supply critical energy resources to Earth and its fracturing colonial empire. But when the vain, self-serving politician actually takes command of the embattled space station, Ryan begins to learn the unsettling truth about his new assignment. With equal parts of a political thriller and a first contact story, the author weaves a tale of suspense and awe that will keep you guessing until the final page. Available soon! The book is perfect bound, 6x9, 224 pages, ISBN: 0-9769400-5-1, and retails for $9.95.

    Future Prime: The Top Ten Science Fiction Films by John L. Flynn, Ph.D. and Bob Blackwood, Ph.D.
    Future Prime: The Top Ten Science Fiction Films (July 2006) by John L. Flynn, Ph.D. and Bob Blackwood, Ph.D. Science Fiction fans have spoken! Members of the World Science Fiction Society have chosen their top ten science fiction films. Some are familiar ones; some are surprising, while still others are quite controversial. The Film Doctors, John L. Flynn and Bob Blackwood, surveyed several thousand fans to compile a list of top favorites. Over the years, our popular culture has made celebrities out of film critics like Roger Ebert, Richard Roeper, Janet Maslin, Pauline Kael, and Leonard Maltin. We've endowed their "thumbs-up" acceptance or "thumbs-down" condemnation with the same sort of power that Caesars in the gladiatorial arena once had. But mainstream critics have proven time and again they just don't get the genre of science fiction. Only fans know what they like, and with this book, at last they have a voice! With 125 accompanying photos and illustrations, factoids, trivia, and interviews, you can forget every other list! This is the one that counts to science fiction fans. Available for the first time, July 2006, the book is perfect bound,6x9, 224 pages, ISBN: 0-9769400-7-8, and retails for $12.95.


    75 Years of Universal Monsters by John L. Flynn, Ph.D.
    75 Years of Famous Monsters (August 2006) by John L. Flynn, Ph.D. They were like Gods. Count Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Phantom of the Opera, the Bride of Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, and Invisible Man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon formed a modern-pay pantheon that ruled the mythical kingdom of Hollywood. They dwelled at Universal, their Olympian-like home in the hills of northern Los Angeles. Their stories were the stuff of legend in the most successful horror films ever made. For twenty-five years, from 1931 to 1956, these famous monsters of filmland headlined box office marquees around the world. This book is a loving tribute to the immortal gods and monsters that we celebrate on this seventy-fifth anniversary of the Golden Age of the horror film. Available for the first time, August 2006, the book is perfect bound,6x9, 208 pages, ISBN: 0-9769400-6-X, and retails for $12.95.


    50 Years of Hammer Horror by John L. Flynn, Ph.D.
    50 Years of Hammer Horror (January 2007) by John L. Flynn is the follow-up book to his popular 75 Years of Universal Monsters. Hammer Film Productions was the most successful independent film company in the world. Between 1935 and 1983, the company produced more than 250 motion pictures and television shows, and their signature productions headlined theater marquees all around the globe. Those productions included thrillers, comedies, historical dramas, and science fiction. The company was best known for its series of gothic horror films, now termed Hammer Horror, that were produced from the late Fifties to the middle Seventies. During those nineteen years, from 1957 to 1976, Hammer Films reigned supreme as the world's premier producer of horror movies, enjoying worldwide financial success and creative freedom. Chief among its box office successes were new incarnations of Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy, the Werewolf, the Phantom of the Opera, and many others. In fact, Hammer emerged as the successor to Universal Pictures' horror film legacy. Virtually, every creature-feature Universal had filmed in black-and-white monochrome, Hammer remade in glorious Eastman Technicolor. The book is perfect bound, 6x9, 216 pages, ISBN: 0-9769400-8-6, and retails for $12.95.

    101 Superheroes of the Silver Screen by John L. Flynn, Ph.D.
    101 Superheroes of the Silver Screen (July 2007) by John L. Flynn. Since the debut of Superman in 1938, superheroes have been a ubiquitous part of our popular culture. They have dominated American comic books for nearly 70 years, and their stories have crossed over into other media. They have been featured in daily comic strips, filled the pages of pulp magazines, figured in radio dramas, appeared on television, and headlined cinema marquees around the world. In many ways, their legendary tales of courage and derring-do form a modern mythology that has deep roots in our culture, our moral and spiritual beliefs, and our whole way of life. Myths are, after all, nothing more than narratives about heroic beings that are intended to explain some broader truth about the universe and our place in it. Superheroes represent our innermost desires and ideals. They show us how we wish to see ourselves. This book is a celebration of the 101 superheroes who have made the transition from page to screen and continue to reflect our bravery and the noblest part of human nature. The book is perfect bound, 6x9, 232 pages, and retails for $12.95.

    2001: Beyond the Infinite by John L. Flynn, Ph.D.
    2001: Beyond the Infinite (April 2008) by John L. Flynn is a celebration of the fortieth anniversary of one of the greatest films ever made. When 2001: A Space Odyssey opened on April 3, 1968, science fiction films were not very well regarded by critics; in fact, most considered them to be juvenile with little intellectual or artistic value. Except for a few clever efforts, like Forbidden Planet and Planet of the Apes, they were mostly low budget quickies that featured lurid monsters and cardboard rocketships. The New York film critics hated Stanley Kubrick's epic space adventure, in part, because he defied their expectations by producing a literate work of science fiction. Ironically, their reviews didn't stop moviegoers from lining up at the box office. A few understood what Kubrick was trying to do. Some just went for the spectacle, while many others dropped acid and waited for the light show to take them on the ultimate trip. Today, audiences have come to regard 2001 as a masterpiece not only for its technical achievements in special effects but also for its hopeful, possibly prophetic vision of the future. Three-time Hugo nominee John L. Flynn documents the production of the film, from Arthur Clarke's initial short story through Kubrick's final edit; looks at the motion picture's critical reception, and speculates on what the film was trying to say. He then concludes with interviews with several of the original cast members, including HAL-9000, and looks at the film's lasting legacy. A must read for science fiction fans and fans of the film. The paperback book retails for $8.95.

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    This site was last updated 01/24/08