Forry and Famous Monsters - Ray Ferry Edition

[roheimiana]

At least there's the UMA.  Kudos to admins.

Thank Heavens we have a governing authority here who recites General Patton's "Blood and Guts" speech in the shower every morning... I think this helps to keep our more dangerous passions in check. Let's just hope that Terry continues to shower regularly!

[Wich2]

"I remember something similar (some grand public good) being said about the potential of TV."

Long before that, early folks like D.W. Griffith & Lillian Gish thought that Motion Pictures would bring world brotherhood.

Still waiting...

[CreepysFan]

 Ok I just checked out the CHFB site concerning the FM comments (Bobby, pass the aspirins please).  Thought about joining that site too, but not impressed with the way they tear each other down.  Glad the UMA is user friendly, and everyone here has respect for one another.

[Gasport]

Yes, i checked out the CHFB discussion too...It would appear the Israel-Palestine conflict stands a better chance of being settled  before their Forry-Ferry dispute ever does. There's only one Famous Monsters, and no matter what you call the others that followed they are simply not it. If i start a newspaper tomorrow and call it the New York Times, i wouldn't expect anyone to confuse mine with the real deal, either.

[neonnoodle]

There's only one Famous Monsters, and no matter what you call the others that followed they are simply not it.

Abso-totally!  The FEELING of the original mag...the way it was put together, by the people who put it together...it had a special mojo, thoroughly unique.  I don't know.  It always just affected me this way, I guess.

[CreepysFan]

 Totally agree.  It may have the same title, it may even copy the style, but it can never become the original.  The Warren FM will forever stand apart from the newer versions.

[grebaz]

Having worked on the ORIGINAL FM, I can only say that times were different back in the 60s. Nothing can recapture the innocence of youth. That being said, I still enjoy seeing a new cover with the FAMOUS MONSTERS logo on it and I'm 57.  Speaking of which, I LOVED those unseen FM covers that were created for #s 70-79 and 192-199.  BTW, I still have a copy of the original memo Jim Warren sent to all employees explaining why the numbering was changed.

Greg Bazaz

[Mike Scott]

I still have a copy of the original memo Jim Warren sent to all employees explaining why the numbering was changed.

So, were you really fired?

[grebaz]

It's a small world isn't it.  Yes, indeed Jim Warren did fire me, though that memo was signed MANY years after the fact. Short version, in 1970, after a year working on the Graveyard Examiner, my ego got a little too big for the boss to put up with. I was almost 19, heading off to college anyway so it was back to the real world.  The longer version of the story is detailed in SCARY MONSTERS magazine #7 in case anyone is interested.

[Mike Scott]

The longer version of the story is detailed in SCARY MONSTERS magazine #7

I'll have to dig that out and reread it. I'd completely forgotten about it.

[Scatter]

Ok I just checked out the CHFB site concerning the FM comments (Bobby, pass the aspirins please).  Thought about joining that site too, but not impressed with the way they tear each other down.  Glad the UMA is user friendly, and everyone here has respect for one another.

Yup,the nastiness kept me from going there. Don't need that negativity spoiling something that has always brought me such good memories. And good memories are what this is all about. When our interest ceases to be a source of joy (so it can rather be used as a club to beat others over the head in some pathetic attempt at appearing superior) something is seriously amiss.

[Scheisseler]

What I've found most disappointing about the CHFB site -- and one of the reasons I've stopped posting there -- is their willingness to mollycoddle Ferry and his defenders. I saw it happening again just today in their discussion about Ferry's new FREAKY magazine (which is apparently made up of scans of old PD comics that he lifted from the internet). There's quite a lot of bad news about this guy that's part of the public record, and yet the reaction from the CHFB admins is that it's all somehow a matter of opinion, and that he deserves our respect. Sorry, but respect is EARNED, and he's failed at just about every chance. What makes this all the more funny/sad is that the "Fang Gang"    has no problems whatsoever taking shots at the CHFB on the Filmland Classics boards -- and I'm sure that's only become more frequent ever since the board went private. UMA, by comparison, is a breath of fresh air.

[Wich2]

Dear Scheisseler & gang-

"Ferry... There's quite a lot of bad news about this guy that's part of the public record"

I absolutely agree, and that's generally where I stand on the issue. BUT-

"and yet the reaction from the CHFB admins is that it's all somehow a matter of opinion"

- to be fair to them, I don't think that's what they're trying to do. I think they're just hoping to tamp down a bit of the flaming, toxic, oozing "ForryFerry War" that has done so much to harm fandom for so many years.

I would find the same, old, "Ferry is God, no, Ferry is Satan/Forry was God, no, Forry was Satan" thing amusing, if it weren't so sad. It's the same old silly idea that "the answer to one Extreme, is to counter it with another Extreme" thinking that helps make the world the mess that it is.

I admire and respect Forry's memory, and owe him a personal Monster Kid debt; but that doesn't mean that I gloss over his - "complexities"? - as a Human Being. And beyond that, even most of his honest friends will admit that he had one heck of an ego.

So what we had here, was a generally social guy with a great ego, up against what appears to be a generally anti-social guy and his great ego.

Quite apart from who was more "right" and who was more "wrong", that was probably destined never to work out!

Great weekend,
-Craig W.

[Mike Scott]

Ferry is Satan/Forry was God

Ya know, I think you got somethin' there! 

[Scheisseler]

to be fair to them, I don't think that's what they're trying to do. I think they're just hoping to tamp down a bit of the flaming, toxic, oozing "ForryFerry War" that has done so much to harm fandom for so many years.

I could see this if it weren't for the tendency to try to shut down any negative comments whatsoever. The discussion about FREAKY, for example, was brought to a halt when one of the admins warned that those criticizing the magazine could be held legally responsible if it was determined that their comments hurt Ferry's business. I mean, come on -- you can't even have an opinion anymore? Are they going to shut down the section of the board that discusses current films, too, because someone might state that Saw V is crap?

Now maybe the ulterior motive is to get people to stop discussing Ferry AT ALL -- that I could get behind.