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837 reviews for:
The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick
Mallory O'Meara
4.11 AVERAGE
837 reviews for:
The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick
Mallory O'Meara
4.11 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
This book has really changed my life. Mallory has done a great job sharing the story of her heroin. I can't imagine how Milicent managed to be a beautiful woman on the inside and out while going through all the things she did. Everyone needs to read this as soon as they can.
I quite enjoyed this chatty investigation into the life of Milicent Patrick, the unsung female artist who created the original designs for the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and then who was lost to the mists of history for various reasons (men.) Mallory O'Meara doesn't pretend to keep her distance from her subject at all, and makes her journey to find out more about Milicent Patrick's life a part of the story, sharing her own experiences as a woman and as a woman working in a creative field. I appreciated the insights into what it was like to be female in early Hollywood, working both in front of the camera and behind, as well as the the glimpses into different ways that Milicent Patrick might have felt about the slights and injustices she experienced, since there's no record of any outrage over being shoved aside and buried despite her contributions. Despite this central drama, I mostly appreciated the portrait of a full and fulfilling life. Milicent Patrick may not be a household name, but she seemed uplifted by her art and well-loved by her friends and community. There's no better legacy.
If it were possible, I'd give The Lady from the Black Lagoon a 4.5. O'Meara tells a fascinating long-lost story with panache, and it was hard to put down this biography of Milicent Patrick, animator, model, actress, and creator of the iconic Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Patrick's story is gripping, but what really sold me on this book is the way O'Meara tells it. While the book is a profile of Patrick, it's also a memoir of O'Meara's own experiences in the movie business. Many of Patrick's experiences resonate with O'Meara's, and the latter's excitement and sense of adventure as she digs up the truth about Patrick are infectious.
A few quibbles: I'm not fond of books which poke fun at political figures (even if I share the sentiments of the author, as I do in this case) because the jokes/barbs eventually go stale. A couple of those in this book add nothing to the book and will age it prematurely. I also think some of the foul language sprinkled through the text mars O'Meara's storytelling rather than enhances it. I do not need to hear about how skilled and lauded female artist from the early 20th century was an MF nor does it impress me in any positive way. Just, no. And I think she could have conveyed being weirded out by the Mormons while being more sensitive in her language use.
But these are tiny things. This book is fantastic. I hope it makes a bunch of the end of year "best of" lists.
Patrick's story is gripping, but what really sold me on this book is the way O'Meara tells it. While the book is a profile of Patrick, it's also a memoir of O'Meara's own experiences in the movie business. Many of Patrick's experiences resonate with O'Meara's, and the latter's excitement and sense of adventure as she digs up the truth about Patrick are infectious.
A few quibbles: I'm not fond of books which poke fun at political figures (even if I share the sentiments of the author, as I do in this case) because the jokes/barbs eventually go stale. A couple of those in this book add nothing to the book and will age it prematurely. I also think some of the foul language sprinkled through the text mars O'Meara's storytelling rather than enhances it. I do not need to hear about how skilled and lauded female artist from the early 20th century was an MF nor does it impress me in any positive way. Just, no. And I think she could have conveyed being weirded out by the Mormons while being more sensitive in her language use.
But these are tiny things. This book is fantastic. I hope it makes a bunch of the end of year "best of" lists.
A wonderful history of monster movies and the reclamation of Milicent Patrick’s legacy as a designer and artist. The author gives Ms. Patrick her due as a pioneer in special effects, as well as providing historical and contemporary context regarding the paucity and poor treatment of women in the film industry. Ms. Patrick was a badass in many respects, and one wonders what her life may have been like if her career had not been stolen away by a jealous boss. Ms. O’Meara has done the world a good turn by revealing the life and talents of Ms. Patrick, whose contributions to film reverberate today.
Merged review:
Fantastic. This is a wonderful history melded with commentary about the challenges of women working in the film industry.
Merged review:
Fantastic. This is a wonderful history melded with commentary about the challenges of women working in the film industry.
funny
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
One word to describe this book: badass. I had no idea who Milicent Patrick was before I read this book -- but it turns out she was incredibly important to Hollywood and monster movies. The real strength of this book is Mallory O'Meara's passion about finding Milicent Patrick's lost legacy. She's funny, real, and writes accessibly. This was a joy to read.
An interesting and readable account of the author's research into the life of a woman she admires. I don't have a particular interest in horror movies (I'm reading this for award voting completeness) but O'Meara manages to cover a range of topics over the course of the book, and I found all of them worth reading about. The very informal style may make this a bit of a marmite book - I appreciated the author's passion and refusal to hold back on topics like sexual harassment, and some of the footnotes amused me, but ultimately the way it was written wasn't for me.
Very interesting and sadly relevant even after all this time. Written in a super funny and accessible way that makes you feel like it's coming from a friend. Wish it wasn't over so soon!