THE GHASTLY ONE - The 42nd Street Netherworld of Director Andy Milligan

A no-holds-barred, beautifully written biography of perhaps the most underground (and maybe most depraved) filmmaker of all time, written by veteran biographer Jimmy McDonough – and presented by Nicolas Winding Refn and FAB Press in a completely re-designed paperback edition.

An appalling pocket of cinematic history, delightfully explored and obsessively researched. Andy Milligan is one scary man... this feel-bad book makes me feel good by asking the all-important question, “Can a genius be untalented, too?”  ––  John Waters (who has repeatedly named THE GHASTLY ONE as one of his favorite books)

“Brilliantly researched, powerfully written, and suffused with a deep humanity, this is exploitation as art and art as exploitation. Magnificent and strangely moving.”  ––  Bob Mehr, author of Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements

One of the most acclaimed film director biographies ever published. The Ghastly One: The 42nd Street Netherworld of Director Andy Milligan is back in print in paperback, following the run-away Sold Out success of its large format slipcased limited edition.

Andy Milligan, perhaps the most compelling lone wolf in cinema history, gets his due in this definitive work. A dressmaker, actor and puppeteer, Milligan cranked out explosive titles like Bloodthirsty Butchers, The Body Beneath, and The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here! on threadbare budgets. Biographer and journalist Jimmy McDonough’s book serves as a history of not only the shadowy New York City sexploitation business, but also of the Caffe Cino – a tiny storefront café many consider to be the beginning of Off-Off Broadway theatre in America. Starring a cast of unforgettable, elusive characters, the gripping narrative turns grimly personal, and it’s told with unflinching honesty. Hilarious at times, deeply unsettling, and ultimately heartbreaking, THE GHASTLY ONE will haunt you long after the last page is turned.

The text has been carried over in full from the original FAB/NWR hardcover, but this edition has been completely re-designed, with an all-new layout, in portable 246mm x 189mm (10 x 7 inch) paperback format.

“A showbiz bio as cantankerous, big-hearted, and unstuck in time as its subject. The Ghastly One celebrates the transcendence and grace that’s sometimes hidden in the most disposable grade-Z cultural schlock. I read it in one sitting and so will you.”  ––  Patton Oswalt

“You can’t put it down! The question now is…what will the nice people be doing while you’re reading THE GHASTLY ONE?”  ––  Lux Interior, The Cramps

About the Author

Jimmy McDonough is a biographer and journalist. He has also written biographies of Neil Young, Tammy Wynette and Russ Meyer. Time magazine declared his Milligan biography The Ghastly One “a masterpiece” and John Waters repeatedly names it one of his all-time favorites. McDonough has also authored profiles on Jimmy Scott, Gary Stewart, Hubert Selby, Jr. and Link Wray. Jimmy's recent books include Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green. Jimmy is Editor-In-Chief of Nicolas Winding Refn's acclaimed website byNWR.com.

Technical Details

Trimmed Page Size: 246mm x 189mm

Binding: Paperback

Extent: 256 pages, including 190 colour and b/w illustrations

ISBN: 978-1-913051-15-0