Review: A Strange Idea Of Entertainment, The Story of Director Tom McLoughlin

Everyone knows that Tom McLoughlin (Director, Jason Lives: Friday The 13th Part 6) is a talented filmmaker as he has directed over forty film and television projects throughout his illustrious career. But what many of our readers may not be aware of is that directing film is only one of his many talents.

Author Joe Maddrey initially contacted Tom in 2008 to interview him for a documentary on the history of American Horror films. Once the two met and began talking, it was apparent to Joe that Tom was more than just an aficionado of Horror films, but he had lived a very full life in the entertainment business as a whole. Over the course of ten interviews in 2008, Joe compiled enough fascinating information about a living legend of Hollywood that he decided to create a book of his conversations with Tom that would outline how the director and entertainer began his life in Hollywood and the eclectic and famous people he worked with even before going behind the lens to direct motion pictures. The book, titled A Strange Idea Of Entertainment, is fitting for a man that has spent his entire life indeed with a strange idea of entertainment.

Tom McLoughlin grew up on the back lot of MGM Studios, which immediately sparked his interest in films and reinforced his awe and admiration for Horror films. During his early childhood, at the age of seven, Tom began making 8mm movies in those very same back lots of MGM studios. His life is an interesting metamorphosis as each decade produced a different form of his talents whereas in the 1950s he was a fledgeling filmmaker but also a magician, he performed in a rock band in the 1960s as his group opened for a number of famous bands, he was a mime during the decade of the 1970s, and he was also an Emmy Award-nominated writer in television for his work with Dick Van Dyke. Of course, in the 1980s, Tom finally got his shot at feature filmmaking. His most famous movie is Jason Lives: Friday The 13th Part 6, but his other films, such as One Dark Night and Sometimes They Come Back are widely recognized as critical and fan successes. Today, Tom continues expressing his artistic talents by continuing to tour as the lead singer of the Rock band The Sloths.

Tom McLoughlin (left) talking to Ron Palillo during production of Jason Lives: Friday The 13th Part 6

Author Joe Maddrey's book is well written as it flows evenly from one story to the next. Tom McLoughlin's story is a very personal tale of one man's interesting show business career, but also a story of personal achievement that is very inspiring to those who aspire to do great things in the world and express their artistic talents no matter what the cost.

Much like Peter Bracke's book about the Friday The 13th franchise, Crystal Lake Memories, Joe Maddrey has created a nice even and intimate flow to his story about Tom and the contents of the book A Strange Idea Of Entertainment. If you have ever been interested in filmmaking, Hollywood, or what it is like to truly achieve personal goals in life, then I highly recommend getting a copy of this book to find out more about the man behind Jason Lives: Friday The 13th Part 6!