Film Alchemy: The Independent Cinema of Ted V. Mikels Review

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Film Alchemy: The Independent Cinema of Ted V. Mikels ReviewAnyone interested in an anectdote filled look at the world of low budget independent film making in the 1960s and 70s needs to get this book.
Author Curry relies amost entirely on Ted V. Mikels to tell his film-making tales which means we have Ted V. Mikels' word that it is all true.. and it probably is (but a little more research and a few more sources would have been even better). Ted is open and direct, names names and exposes his life behind the camera with some sense of perspective, integrity and gentlemaness. I know this is true because I've interviewed Mikels for articles of my own in the past. (my articles and interviews receive acknowledgment in the book and are used both directly and as background).
Don't look here for an honest assessment of Mikels films or the value his productions may or may not have given to the world of cinema. Press book type plot synopsis and cast and crew credits are used rather than the authors. So be prepared, this book pretty much embraces Ted V. Mikels as an important, generous, warm hearted, sometimes mis-understood survivor of independent filmmaking.
This is not a fan-boy kind of book, however. It may be too generous and appreciative of its subject, but it is not fawning. I wish a disgruntled ex-employee, dissapointed ex-girlfriend or someone would have been found to say something negative about Ted (even though it would be difficult to find someone like that.).
Even so, you don't have to agree with the premise that Ted V. Mikels is an under-appreciated, valuable low budget movie making pioneer eccentric to be fascinated with the hundreds of stories that are told about the making of movies from the 1950's through the present. There's a need for this kind of anectdotal history of the cinema, and it's a great idea that we preserve the thoughts and words of a guy whose been in the trenches for 50 years, obsessed with making movies.
The book is perhaps a bit pricey, but McFarland is a smaller publisher and has been given us unique books for years. If you are interested in the subject, it's an informative, completely engrossing and entertaining book. Plenty of black and white stills appear throughout the book. Buy it.
Film Alchemy: The Independent Cinema of Ted V. Mikels OverviewAmerican filmmaker Ted V. Mikels holds a unique position as one of the most unconventional directors of exploitation cinema. Famous for his eccentric home life (he once lived with a harem in a castle with secret passageways) and promotional gimmicks (he was known for having nurses and ambulances on hand to assist "scared-to-death"moviegoers), Mikels is now considered a pioneering master of low-budget movie making. This unique work examines each of Mikels' 19 major film or video productions, beginning with his first feature film Strike Me Deadly (1959) and continuing through his latest work-in-progress, Demon Bloodlust. Each entry includes a full list of cast and crew credits, along with a plot synopsis and, frequently, behind-the-scenes anecdotes. Also included are a complete filmography, an overview of Ted V. Mikels memorabilia, and a transcript of the author's personal interview with Mikels.

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