The Lady from the Black Lagoon
Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick
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The Lady from the Black Lagoon
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Narrated by:
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Mallory O'Meara
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Written by:
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Mallory O'Meara
About this listen
2019 SCIBA Book Award Winner for Biography
A Hugo and Locus Award Finalist
Winner of the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award
The Los Angeles Times Best Seller
A Thrillist Best Book of the Year
A Book Riot Best Book of 2019
One of Booklist’s 10 Best Art Books of the Year
The Lady from the Black Lagoon uncovers the life and work of Milicent Patrick - one of Disney’s first female animators and the only woman in history to create one of Hollywood’s classic movie monsters.
As a teenager, Mallory O’Meara was thrilled to discover that one of her favorite movies, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, featured a monster designed by a woman, Milicent Patrick. But for someone who should have been hailed as a pioneer in the genre, there was little information available. For, as O’Meara soon discovered, Patrick’s contribution had been claimed by a jealous male colleague, her career had been cut short, and she soon after had disappeared from film history. No one even knew if she was still alive.
As a young woman working in the horror film industry, O’Meara set out to right the wrong and in the process discovered the full, fascinating story of an ambitious, artistic woman ahead of her time. Patrick’s contribution to special effects proved to be just the latest chapter in a remarkable, unconventional life, from her youth growing up in the shadow of Hearst Castle, to her career as one of Disney’s first female animators. And at last, O’Meara discovered what really had happened to Patrick after The Creature’s success and where she went.
A true-life detective story and a celebration of a forgotten feminist trailblazer, Mallory O’Meara’s The Lady from the Black Lagoon establishes Patrick in her rightful place in film history while calling out a Hollywood culture where little has changed since.
Don't miss Mallory O'Meara's upcoming novel, Girly Drinks!
©2019 Mallory O'Meara (P)2019 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited.What the critics say
2019 SCIBA Book Award Winner for Biography
A Hugo and Locus Award finalist
Winner of the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award
The Los Angeles Times best seller
A Thrillist Best Book of the Year
A Book Riot Best Book of 2019
One of Booklist’s 10 Best Art Books of the Year
What listeners say about The Lady from the Black Lagoon
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Elizabeth
- 2023-05-14
absolutely amazing
this book was fantastic and so interesting, 5/5
if you like movie monsters or BTS of classic Hollywood i definitely recommend
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- akatanaka
- 2022-05-01
An engrossing story of a talented artist maliciously erased from film history
This is a fascinating and moving story of the artist who designed some of the most beloved and iconic monsters of the movies, notably THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, whose career was ruined by a man who was intimidated by their ability, and because the designer was a woman.
Kudos to the author whose odyssey to uncover the life of this forgotten and gracious woman, whose name is associated with the legendary Hearst Castle estate and Walt Disney’s FANTASIA, reads like an unfolding forensic mystery.
What emerges is a riveting and heart-breaking story that is a compelling listen, and ultimately inspiring.
A couple of minor caveats: The numerous references to the all-too-true and ongoing discrimination of women in the male-dominated film industry and in our society in general, (which definitely needs to change!), but whose continuous repetition throughout the book became mildly tedious and interfered occasionally with the flow of the narrative. Stating clearly the issue of sexism towards women once, and then letting the details of the story itself unfold to prove the point would’ve been a less disruptive approach.
I found the author’s own current experiences as a working film producer brought added relevance to the story.
And being very sensitive to audiobook voice quality, I personally found the author’s voice had a slightly irritating edge to it, but aside from that, I thought she read her book very effectively by bringing emotions to her written words through her voice, and feel that authors reading their own work is a special bonus. Highly recommended!
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