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Richard Matheson

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Richard Matheson has been called "one of the most important writers of the 20th century" by Ray Bradbury, and his work has inspired many other notable authors. Stephen King cites Matheson as "the author who influenced me most as a writer," and Dean Koontz says, "We're all a lot richer to have Richard Matheson among us." But it's the impact that his work has had on the popular consciousness that gives weight to Bradbury's praise. Even if you've never heard of him, you've almost certainly seen some of his work.
In addition to novels in the mystery, science fiction, horror, fantasy, and western genres, Matheson has been a prolific writer of film and television scripts. He wrote the script for some of the most memorable episodes of The Twilight Zone, including "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" (you remember -- William Shatner sees a gremlin on the wing of the plane . . .), "The Invaders," and "Little Girl Lost." He also wrote episodes of Have Gun, Will Travel, Night Gallery, and Star Trek (among them "The Enemy Within," in which Kirk is split into good and evil halves).
Several of Matheson's novels and stories have been made into films, including The Shrinking Man (filmed as "The Incredible Shrinking Man" in 1957), I Am Legend (filmed twice, once as "The Last Man on Earth" starring Vincent Price in 1964, and again as "The Omega Man" starring Charlton Heston in 1971), and Bid Time Return (filmed as "Somewhere in Time" starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour in 1980). Matheson also wrote the scripts for Stephen Spielberg's first feature film, Duel; the TV-movie The Night Stalker, which drew a record 75 million viewers on its first broadcast; and several of Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe films, including House of Usher (1960), The Pit and the Pendulum (1961), and The Raven (1963).
Over a career spanning five decades, Matheson has won numerable prestigious awards, including the World Fantasy Convention's Life Achievement Award, the Bram Stoker Award for Life Achievement, the Hugo Award, the Edgar Allan Poe Award, the Golden Spur Award, and the Writer's Guild Award. Born in New Jersey in 1926, Matheson has lived and worked in California since 1951.

My Interests

GAUNTLET PRESS TO PUBLISH TWO CLASSIC EDGAR ALLAN POE SCRIPTS THIS HALLOWEEN, BY “CINEMA’S GREATEST TERROR FILM SCREENWRITER” RICHARD MATHESON
(September 1, 2007 — Colorado Springs, CO) Visions of Death: Richard Matheson's Edgar Allan Poe Scripts, Volume One contains two screenplays by the world-renowned terror screenwriter Richard Matheson, based on two of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous short stories, "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Pit and the Pendulum."
These two classic fright films, directed by Hollywood legend Roger Corman and starring the screen’s master of the macabre, Vincent Price are now universally regarded as highpoints in the history of the horror film. In 2005, House of Usher was named one of only 425 films thus far, to be included in the prestigious National Film Registry, as chosen by the director of The Library of Congress, in Washington, D.C.
In his introduction, editor Lawrence French notes, “Gauntlet Press is very pleased to present film scholars, students, aspiring screenwriters, casual readers and all other interested parties the opportunity to savor two of Richard Matheson’s best Poe screenplays, only now seeing print, nearly 50 years after they were written.”
This deluxe Gauntlet Press volume includes not only Mr. Matheson’s complete shooting scripts, but also an informative introduction by Roger Corman, who recalls his fruitful collaboration with Mr. Matheson on both The House of Usher and The Pit and The Pendulum. Mr. Corman concludes by stating, “Richard Matheson is among the very best screenwriters I’ve been privileged to work with.”
Director Joe Dante adds a wry afterword, noting his own initial love of Mr. Matheson’s work began with his childhood viewing of The Incredible Shrinking Man, in New Jersey, and continued throughout the ensuing years, as Mr. Matheson turned out one thrilling horror film after another, culminating in Dante actually working with Matheson on the “It’s A Good Life” episode of Twilight Zone: The Movie.
During the sixties, Richard Matheson’s scripts were written primarily for the then dominant domestic horror film studio, American International Pictures, where he turned in literate screenplays for such movies as Master of the World; Burn, Witch, Burn; Tales of Terror; The Raven and The Comedy of Terrors (which featured Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone and Peter Lorre in a film for the first and only time). Mr. Matheson also went on to contribute several brilliant scripts to London’s leading purveyor of fright pictures, Hammer films, who had planned to film Matheson's classic novel, I Am Legend, but couldn't get Matheson's script past the then strict British censors. Matheson went on to write both Die! Die! My Darling with Tallulah Bankhead, and The Devil Rides Out with Christopher Lee for Hammer.
Visions of Death is a lavishly illustrated volume with over 50 stills from both House of Usher and The Pit and the Pendulum, including many rare behind the scenes photographs of Roger Corman, Vincent Price and various other cast and crew members taken during the shooting of the films. In addition, editor Lawrence French provides detailed production stories about the making of each movie, along with an exhaustive interview with Richard Matheson about his work writing the two film classics. Rounding out the volume are the original American International press notes for each film, which often hilariously overstate or wildly contradict the actual truth about how the movies were actually made.
Gauntlet Press will be offering Visions of Death in two editions:
A limited numbered edition, personally signed by Richard Matheson is offered at $50.00.
A very limited, lettered edition, which will be personally signed by Richard Matheson, as well as directors Roger Corman and Joe Dante. As a special treat, the signatures of all three artists have been carefully recorded on a sheet of American International Pictures letterhead. This edition is offered at $150.00.
To order any of these editions, please visit the Gauntlet Press order page at www.gauntletpress.com
To view the trailer online for The House of Usher go here: http://www.trailersfromhell.com/index.php?tid=16
To view the trailer online for The Pit and the Pendulum go here: http://www.trailersfromhell.com/index.php?tid=20

Books:

RICHARD MATHESON TITLES FOR 1/2 OFF!

For $50 you get:

Richard Matheson's Collected Stories, Volumes 1, 2, and 3
Richard Matheson's Twilight Zone Scripts, Volumes 1 and 2
Woman

Click on each book to learn more about them

This package is valued at $100!


To order click on the link above for Woman. Order the book, then Checkout. In the Comments section of the Order Form type "My Space Matheson Special: $50". Let Gauntlet Press know if you have any questions at [email protected] .