Ingrid Pitt, Queen Of Horror by Robert Michael “Bobb” Cotter (book review).

On one level, I would have thought that a book cover title that also included a sub-title’ The Complete Career’ about the late actress Ingrid Pitt, would have been covering more than her stage, film and TV work and indeed it does because it also covers her book and magazine writing. However, ‘Ingrid Pitt, Queen Of Horror’ by Robert Michael “Bobb” Cotter, released in 2010, shortly before she died, covers only this and less about her background, which is covered in depth in other books, so don’t expect everything. The biggest bonus is that it is rather complete on all of her material and even Pitt herself points out that Cotter found out detail that she didn’t know or remember. When this is combined with her own thoughts occasionally, then you do get a comprehensive examination of Ingrid Pitt’s working career.

I do think it’s a bit odd including films like ‘Dr. Zhivago’, where even Pitt admits that blink and you miss here, even though she had five minor parts in the film and only two pointed out and not by Cotter. For the Pitt buffs, it would have made more sense at the end of the synopsis for him to have pointed out where to look in the film for La Pitt or even highlight when she appears in the plot synopsis. Although one can’t fault Cotter’s plot accuracies, it does make this book look exceptionally padded.

What makes the book, however, is the photographs and there are many of them. Cotter says there is sufficient other sources showing Ingrid Pitt topless in other books and so has sought to include those that aren’t, as well as posters, book and magazine covers and such that hasn’t seen the light of day, some of which being supplied by the actress herself.

Ingrid Pitt still has a lot of fans out there and who will no doubt buy every book about her. Although I don’t normally raise the matter of price, this one is a little on the pricey side for what you get. I think had Cotter concentrated a little more on what Pitt brought to each film she was in rather than give complete synopsises he might have served the fans better.

GF Willmetts

November 2013

(pub: McFarland. 220 page illustrated and indexed hardback. Price: £34.50 (UK), $9.95 (US). ISBN: 978-0-7864-5888-2)

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