David J. Skal is the author of many books on genre cinema. His works include The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror, Hollywood Gothic: The Tangled Web of Dracula from Novel to Stage to Screen, V Is for Vampire: The A-Z Guide to Everything Undead and Dark Carnival: The Secret World of Tod Browning: Hollywood's Master of the Macabre, among others. His profound work in bringing the history of horror to the present is rivaled by few. From Dracula and Frankenstein to The Wolf Man and The Creature From the Black Lagoon, he knows them all. In addition to his numerous books, he has also provided insightful commentaries on twelve classic science fiction and horror DVDs, which include Tod Browning's 'Freaks': The Sideshow Cinema and The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster. A native of Garfield Heights, Ohio, Skal wrote three science fiction novels, Scavengers (1980), When We Were Good (1981) and Antibodies (1987). He went from journalism to working in the theatre and even co-produced segments for A&E's Biography series. With an extensive body of work already to his credit, he is still going strong with his current projects. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Skal about some of his work and his thoughts on the classic horror films he grew up with. He was generous enough to share some of his knowledge with us here at the Midnight Palace! So, without further adieu, David. J. Skal.

MP: Your love for the classic horror genre started at an early age. What fascinated you the most about these characters & films?

DJS: They all survived death. I was a cold war baby and think the classic monsters provided me with a sort of nuclear security blanket during the duck-and-cover years.

MP: How did you make the transition from being a fan to actually writing books on the subject?

DJS: I worked in the theatre for many years, which led me to happen upon all the stage and film negotiation papers for "Dracula" in New York. I had published three novels, but always wanted to do a nonfiction book. And now I've done many.

MP: Do you view each of your books as a personal accomplishment, or as something meant to give a history lesson of cinema, or both?

DJS: Both, I hope.

MP: You wrote Dark Carnival: The Secret World of Tod Browning: Hollywood's Master of the Macabre. Browning's most notorious work is probably "Freaks" from 1932. If his intention was to expose the sideshow to the general public, I'd say he succeeded despite the negative aftermath. How important do you think that film was to him?

DJS: I think he had high expectations for "Freaks" but was seriously hampered by studio timidity and second-guessing. He never really mastered the art of talkies. "Freaks" was originally intended as a silent film with Lon Chaney.

MP: During the filming of Freaks, how was the cast treated on the MGM lot?

DJS: Badly. There were objections to the sideshow folk eating in the studio commissary and they had to have their lunch separately, outdoors and away from sight.

MP: Browning directed several films that dealt with carnivals or circuses. What was his fascination with circus performers?

DJS: He grew up working in carnivals and sideshows, and it seems to have influenced his whole view of the world.

MP: Speaking of "Freaks", you contributed to the bonus documentary on the "Freaks" DVD. How did that come about?

DJS: Warner Home Video just called me and asked. They had read "Dark Carnival."

MP: As Browning directed some of the greatest classic Hollywood horror films including "Dracula" and "Freaks", what was his general reputation in Hollywood?

DJS: He was one of the highest paid directors in Hollywood during the 1920s. But after the disaster of "Freaks" his career began its decline.

MP: Did the studios shun him because of his work with edgy themes?

DJS: They shunned him because his films stopped making money and he was no longer paired with a bankable superstar like Lon Chaney.

MP: What was Browning's experience working with Joan Crawford in "The Unknown"?

DJS: Crawford said he was sensitive and knowledgeable, but Browning hardly ever gave interviews and we really don't know his opinion of her. There was one story that I never could really verify that he wanted her to star in a 1930s version of "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" but couldn't get studio backing.

MP: Browning worked with Lon Chaney on many films. Did Browning consider Chaney one of the greatest actors of the period?

DJS: Again, Browning never talked much. But he certainly was aware of Chaney's star power. And Chaney was certainly his meal ticket for a number of years.

MP: There is a planned 2008 remake of the Lon Chaney, Jr. film "The Wolf Man". Do you think that remaking classics such as this is an injustice to the original?

DJS: I haven't heard about the film, but these remakes always tend to trade on the name value of the property and never capture the spirit of the originals.

MP: You are also the author of "The Monster Show", which follows the timeline of horror's progression through the ages. When you look at characters such at Count Orlok in "Nosferatu" in comparison to the modern monster, would you say that overdone effects are cheapening the thrill of a good old-fashioned scare?

DJS: The scariest things are what you can't explicitly see and just worry about. This is why radio drama works really well for horror stories. And tales told around a campfire.

MP: If you could pick one "monster" that you would consider the most influential of all time, on cinema or otherwise, which would it be?

DJS: The Frankenstein monster, hands down.

MP: What projects do you currently have in the works?

DJS: I'm currently finishing the estate-authorized biography of Claude Rains, teaching a vampire course at the University of Victoria, and developing a feature film version of "Dark Carnival."

*** I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to David J. Skal for taking time out of his schedule to speak with me. You can visit Mr. Skal's official website at www.monstershow.net ***