Creature Features

Affectionately named after the local early 1970s syndicated group of sci-fi/horror movies shown on KTTV in Los Angeles, the one-man enterprise run by Taylor White – who was then still a sophomore in high school – Creature Features was founded in 1977 as an answer to the merchandising demands of Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. T-Shirts, buttons and posters touting the newest catch-phrases of “May the Force Be with You” and “We are Not Alone” quickly lit a fuse of widespread interest with fans wanting to take home a memento from their favorite movie or TV show.

The successful cinematic returns of Star Trek and Superman soon followed, causing White’s humble boutique to expand into original movie posters, lobby cards, still photographs, books, magazines, CDs and more. Creature Features quickly became both a permanent fixture at numerous conventions throughout Southern California and a full-service mail order operation.

After a brief stint in comics under the name of Emerald City Comics & Collectibles in 1993, Creature Features officially opened its doors to the public in Burbank on Halloween, 1994 and helped usher in an explosion of interest in garage kits, the resurrection of classic Universal Monsters, the return of Famous Monsters of Filmland Magazine and the rabid fan base of Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. Customers visited from around the world to partake in the unique selection of model kits, toys, fanzines, rare soundtracks, import books, original artwork and more.

The store also hosted monthly events with guests such as filmmaker Peter Jackson, author Ray Bradbury, artist Bernie Wrightson, along with composers Danny Elfman, James Newton Howard & Basil Poledouris, among others.

In 1999, White left Creature Features to embark on a career as a soundtrack producer with his own label, Percepto Records, and turned the business over to fellow entrepreneurs Alan Skinner and Eric Rodriguez. The duo rejuvenated the store with fresh new products while successfully hosting popular signings of their own with actor Christopher Lee, author Clive Barker, Oscar-winning writer/director Bill Condon (Gods and Monsters, Dreamgirls) and many others.

In 2001, the winds of change caused the bittersweet closure of the Burbank store, which saw White quietly relocate the business to the charming solitude of Sierra Madre, California – home of the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers – where it remained an online fixture through eBay and a thriving presence at conventions like Comic-Con International in San Diego and Monsterpalooza in Burbank.

The last decade has seen Creature Features branch into new territory, hosting cast & crew reunion screenings in partnership with American Cinematheque and D23 with films like The Monster Squad, The Rocketeer, Hocus Pocus and Phantom of the Paradise.

In November 2013, Creature Features returned home to Burbank with its most ambitious effort to date: a 2,000+ square foot emporium and art gallery located on Magnolia Blvd., considered one of L.A.’s most thriving neighborhoods devoted to pop culture.

Now, every Sunday through Tuesday, White and his qualified staff of genre enthusiasts host screenings, book & CD signings, and art gallery exhibits devoted to Planet of the Apes, The Creature From the Black Lagoon, and the 50th anniversary of TV’s Outer Limits with guests like songwriter Paul Williams, director Richard Donner, actor Rutger Hauer, renowned Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump, composers Tyler Bates, Bruce Broughton, David Newman, John Debney, and many others.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Creature Features continues as both a treasure trove of genre collectibles and a haven at heart for all who love movie monsters and far-off worlds.