Living Legend
Few authors trend on great territory of literature. Richard Matheson is one of those few.
Even New England horror-meister Stephen King owes much debt to this particular writer. It’s a kind of acknowledgement that doesn’t come cheap.
Of course, I’m long overdue in turning a phrase or two about this guy in one of my blogs for the Oshkosh Northwestern.
You’ve seen his name before. But you don’t remember it. I think it’s high time you should start memorizing it.
While you’re at it, I suggest you take a pen and notepad and start writing all this down. I don’t say this too lightly. You’ll find that lots of other authors would say the same thing. I don’t exaggerate. You see? Stop pulling my typewriter away. I’m not that nuts yet.
Matheson is an American fantasist and screenplay writer who’s done tons of books and stories, many of them recognizable titles. You’ll kick yourself after seeing this.
He’s done a very influential book called “I am Legend” which gives a nice twist to several genres. About the last human who lives in a world populated by vampires. It’s no less than brilliant.
It’s been made into two different movies. One of them starred Vincent Price. The other Charleston Heston.
Another familiar work is called “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” in the Twilight Zone series. Y’know? The one with William Shatner. The days when he could at least act way out of a paper bag. Sounds familiar now? You may start kicking yourself repeatedly.
By the 1970s, Matheson has already made himself a name for both readers and fellow writers. His craft is neatly sharpened by now. He knows how to build suspense in his works. If you doubt my word, read on. Don’t forget to kick yourself after you’re done reading.
He’s written the first two TV movies of The Night Stalker starring the recently deceased Darren McGavin. He’s done the screenplay for Duel with another great actor Dennis Weaver who has joined RIP fame.
Many of his stories take an ordinary person who must fight against some pretty terrific odds. If getting out to stop a plane-wrecking gremlin at twenty-thousand feet isn’t pulse-pounding stuff, I don’t know what the hell is.
Other classic novels-turned-films include What Dreams May Come, Stir of Echoes, and Hell House. All the films written by good ol’ Matheson himself. He’s like the king of fantasy and horror. His language is very crisp and short… one of the very few short-story masters. He can write anything, anywhere. He makes me wish I’ve writen some of this stuff. I think any author shares this envy.
Richard Matheson strikes up a mind-boggling list that stems from the 1950s to this very day. He’s probably invented the very word prolific. Right now, he is like Zeus sitting cross-legged on top of a Mount Olympus of literary books.
He’s seems to write with such ease. His words ride into a furious storm, yet beautiful, haunting beauty.
Some folks have made several tantalizing homage to the old foggie. If you’ve ever seen a photo of him, he looks like a cross between Father Christmas and the Wizard of Oz. During the second season of X-Files, Chris Carter created a fictional senator in Washington D.C. named “Richard Matheson” in the episode “Little Green Men.”
So why does no one know his name? Poor lack of distribution in his books? Any author can tell you the same story. Matheson keeps a low profile and yet comes up with larger-than-life stuff.
I’m sure you’ve heard of him now. Go to the nearest bookstore and try to dig out a book of his. You won’t regret it.
You may stop kicking yourself after you’re done.
Even New England horror-meister Stephen King owes much debt to this particular writer. It’s a kind of acknowledgement that doesn’t come cheap.
Of course, I’m long overdue in turning a phrase or two about this guy in one of my blogs for the Oshkosh Northwestern.
You’ve seen his name before. But you don’t remember it. I think it’s high time you should start memorizing it.
While you’re at it, I suggest you take a pen and notepad and start writing all this down. I don’t say this too lightly. You’ll find that lots of other authors would say the same thing. I don’t exaggerate. You see? Stop pulling my typewriter away. I’m not that nuts yet.
Matheson is an American fantasist and screenplay writer who’s done tons of books and stories, many of them recognizable titles. You’ll kick yourself after seeing this.
He’s done a very influential book called “I am Legend” which gives a nice twist to several genres. About the last human who lives in a world populated by vampires. It’s no less than brilliant.
It’s been made into two different movies. One of them starred Vincent Price. The other Charleston Heston.
Another familiar work is called “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” in the Twilight Zone series. Y’know? The one with William Shatner. The days when he could at least act way out of a paper bag. Sounds familiar now? You may start kicking yourself repeatedly.
By the 1970s, Matheson has already made himself a name for both readers and fellow writers. His craft is neatly sharpened by now. He knows how to build suspense in his works. If you doubt my word, read on. Don’t forget to kick yourself after you’re done reading.
He’s written the first two TV movies of The Night Stalker starring the recently deceased Darren McGavin. He’s done the screenplay for Duel with another great actor Dennis Weaver who has joined RIP fame.
Many of his stories take an ordinary person who must fight against some pretty terrific odds. If getting out to stop a plane-wrecking gremlin at twenty-thousand feet isn’t pulse-pounding stuff, I don’t know what the hell is.
Other classic novels-turned-films include What Dreams May Come, Stir of Echoes, and Hell House. All the films written by good ol’ Matheson himself. He’s like the king of fantasy and horror. His language is very crisp and short… one of the very few short-story masters. He can write anything, anywhere. He makes me wish I’ve writen some of this stuff. I think any author shares this envy.
Richard Matheson strikes up a mind-boggling list that stems from the 1950s to this very day. He’s probably invented the very word prolific. Right now, he is like Zeus sitting cross-legged on top of a Mount Olympus of literary books.
He’s seems to write with such ease. His words ride into a furious storm, yet beautiful, haunting beauty.
Some folks have made several tantalizing homage to the old foggie. If you’ve ever seen a photo of him, he looks like a cross between Father Christmas and the Wizard of Oz. During the second season of X-Files, Chris Carter created a fictional senator in Washington D.C. named “Richard Matheson” in the episode “Little Green Men.”
So why does no one know his name? Poor lack of distribution in his books? Any author can tell you the same story. Matheson keeps a low profile and yet comes up with larger-than-life stuff.
I’m sure you’ve heard of him now. Go to the nearest bookstore and try to dig out a book of his. You won’t regret it.
You may stop kicking yourself after you’re done.
posted by K.M. Paters at 9:55 PM
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