"This is not a book!" Ahhh... a true artifact of the pre-home video 1970s -- the photo novel (or, in this case, "Photostory." I guess Bantam Books had the "Fotonovel" trademark sewn up). Yep,
fumetti-styled comic adapations of television shows and movies in handy paperback format so fans could kick back, play their soundtrack LPs, and re-experience their favorite flicks, all in the comfort of their own homes.
Here are the front and back covers of Berkley Books' "Photostory" of the
Battlestar Galactica pilot film, with illustrated with "more than 700 exciting live-action scenes!"
I don't have this one (
CORRECTION: I do now. My wife just bought me a copy off Etsy.), but I do have the first half-dozen or so of the
Star Trek "Fotonovels" that Bantam Books published around the same time, which really kicked off this particular vein of sci-fi tie-in. These things were really popular for a few years there at the end of the 70s, but faded fast once VHS home video players came along.
Now that DOES bring back good memories. I had a few of the Star Trek fotonovels (and loved 'em) but was pleasantly stunned when I saw the Battlestar Galactica one buried amongst a rack of bestsellers in a motorway service station. Made my year (1979, I think)
ReplyDeleteGreat book. Still have this along with a few other photo novels of the era, including Close Encounters, Wrath of Khan, etc.
ReplyDeleteI remember the 'Wrath of Khan' being a bit of a let-down as the pics were all black and white. I seem to remember there was a colour Star Trek TMP one though or have I imagined it? Love to get my hands on one. Was there an Alien photonovel too? Or did I imagine that as well?
DeleteYou're not imagining it: I had the ALIEN "photostory", and it may still be in a box somewhere (although I think it's one that got destroyed in a roof leak years ago when much of my stuff was in storage.)
DeleteThe big difference (no pun intended) was that ALIEN was done in a large (like 10" x 12") trade-paperback size rather than pocket-book format. I was amazed when I got it for Christmas that year from my parents - considering the designers and scripter hadn't censored any of the bad language or gore. (Bear in mind that I was about 9.)
I had all ten of the STAR TREK Fotonovels, and also two for the remade INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and NIGHTWING. My sister had the WRATH OF KHAN one, and was also quite disappointed. (Not only was it black-and-white, but her copy had several pages out of sequence!)
Thanks for the info, Don. I've been doing some googling on this and it appears there was a large format one for 'Outland' too.
DeleteDid anyone have the Star Trek TMP one? I've just noticed a battered looking copy for sale on ebay, but would love to get my hands on a good condition one. That's assuming it's a full-colour photonovel (or 'fotonovel' as the Trek ones appeared to be called)
This, the Buck Rogers one, ST:TMP, and the television episodes REALLY filled a void just before VCRs became common.
ReplyDeleteWHAT a cool idea it was.
I had this as a child, and "read" it so many times that it had to be held together by tape.
ReplyDeleteI've still got a (mint) copy of the ALIEN photonovel.
Weird -- I just bought this from our local used bookstore, The Green Hand Bookshop in Portland, Maine last weekend -- I had one when they first came out and the copy I got was in mint condition -- I loved the Fotonovel concept -- great stuff!
ReplyDeleteI keep meaning to get down to Portland and check out The Green Hand. I met the owner a couple years ago at a book fair, and she seemed really cool.
DeleteMy wife just bought me this book as an early holiday gift. I have a great wife.
I love this - especially the shot of the Cylon attack, which shows the insult the SFX guys sneaked into the background!
ReplyDelete(I also have the photonovel for the Star Trek Original Series Episode A Piece of the Action)
OK- Rog
ReplyDeleteYou can't get away with this.
I had some of the photonovels for Star Trek but not this one.
What insult?
I love some of the subtle stuff theSFX people stuck in. What was this particular one?
I own and cherish this book too. The lights of Caprica City spell out 'Fuck off' in a fly-over shot. which you can clearly read in the lovely analog print transfer...
DeleteI got the Battlestar Galactica "Photostory" back in 1979, just after seeing the movie in Sensurround. I also had the ones for Close Encounters, the '78 Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Buck Rogers, Star Trek The Motion Picture and several from Star Trek TOS. If I remember correctly, they actually did one of these for The Blair Witch Project, probably mainly for novelty value, but I guess it failed to revive the trend.
ReplyDeleteI had this book for a long time, until my father threw it out recently. It was in pretty good condition. I was very disappointed when I found out.
ReplyDeleteMan, I remember being in the third grade when his book was available. A kid at school had it, I asked where he got it from and proceeded to cajole my parents into taking me to the book store to get it. The same afternoon I got this book, I also got all the BSG action figures at the K-Mart next door to the book shop. 1979 was certainly a great time to be a kid - Star Wars was still hot and the sequel was on its way, there was BSG and also Buck Rogers as well as The Black Hole, all in that same year, too. Great memories!
ReplyDelete