a very good book. from the very beginning you're wondering what exactly is going on and what's the deal with the other guests of mountolive's mansion. it was also made into a movie which follows the books plot almost exactly, rare these days. if you can find this at a used bookstore or something, i highly recomend it.

Jimmy Sangster walks us through his life from his beginning aspirations to work in film, all the way through to his work on television shows and movies.

Along the way he has intesresting stories to tell us about his co-workers, stars, and the industry itself. Noteables are Bette Davis, his marriages, and of course those that worked with him on Hammer Film productions.

A must read for Hammer Film fans. It isn't a long read as it took me just one sitting to complete it, but it was definitely worthwhile!

Jimmy Sangster has given Hammer fans some of the very best scripts to enjoy. Now he gives us his view on the history of the Studio that Dripped Blood (sorry for the cheese) as well as his own experiences writing in the UK as well as for American television. A truly fascinating view of the screenwriters world. Highly engaging and informative. Thanks Jimmy!

James Reed owns a large Malibu beach property where he rents the main house and lives in the guest cottage. A mysterious group of foreigners rent the house, and events lead Reed to investigate old German banking families and underworld ties. Reed keeps delving deeper and takes the reader on a wonderful adventure.

One gets the impression that the publishers of this book were solely reliant on the prospect of a few thousand die-hard fans going ga-ga and drooling over the opportunity to hear one of Hammer's great stalwarts reminisce about the studio's halcyon days. For it is certain that much of this book couldn't entertain anyone other than a starry-eyed follower of the House of Horror, one who hangs on any and every word uttered by one of the studio's greats. Much of the commentary is simply mind-numbing in its banality. Sangster's style is casual and colloquial, which becomes very irritating at points. One chapter begins, "This is my favourite film of all time. No. Let me rephrase that. It is the favourite one of MY films. There are many other films I have enjoyed more, but this is the favourite film that I have made." The book frequently sinks to this level of redundancy and dullness. On another occasion, he comments to the effect that a particular film is the greatest Hammer ever made, only to say at the end of the chapter something like, "Not the greatest, but nothing to be ashamed of." Comments about other people are often trite, and evidence that Sangster was stuck for words (typical would be comments like, "Terence Fisher. Nice guy. Very nice guy."). Did anyone bother to edit this book? On the other hand, if it had been edited down to what was useful, necessary or interesting, it would surely have been a very slim volume.

Another problem with the book is that it is patently obvious that Sangster has considerably less regard for Hammer's gothic horrors (and, after all, that is what most of the fans want to hear about) compared to his enthusiasm for the psychological thrillers. His disinterest in, say, the Dracula and Frankenstein series shows.

There are a few morsels to be savoured among an otherwise mediocre offering. There are some interesting stills, and many of the incidents and details Sangster recalls are fascinating. However, they are too few and far between to save a tediously pedestrian work.