Grindhouse: The Sleaze-filled Saga of an Exploitation Double Feature

Customer Reviews:

Explotation Goodness.......2007-09-14

This book is an excellent companion piece to the two movies that were part of the in theater double feature collectively known as Grindhouse.

The book treats us to plenty of pictures of not just the lovely ladies, of which there are many, but of everything from the movie. Included is the script for Planet Terror along with plenty of commentary about the filmaking process and the support network of both Robert and Quentin.
Unlike other film related books this one is not a fluff piece, there is a lot of material between the covers and this book is definately worth reading more than once.

Awesome.......2007-08-24

It's everything I expected and more! Loads of pictures and information. Even QT's AMI playlist. I love it XD

What a Ride.......2007-06-27

Talking about the movie, the girl riding on the hood of the challenger was quite a stunt and I have to admit that it was original and very edgy.
The girls in this movie were well cast and Cherry is hot.I can't wait to buy the DVD, hurry up and release it!

Not sleazy at all.......2007-05-25

Great transaction! No SLEAZY here! The book is great. The shipping was super fast. Thanks a whole bunch!

Grindhouse: The Sleaze-filled Saga of an Exploitation Double Feature.......2007-05-18

fantastic book with interviews, heaps of behind the scenes info and photos, screenplay for Planet terror and the trailers a very comprehensive book for any movie lover

White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s

Average customer rating:

Very slow and tiring read
"Matter of Fact"
What a trip! And I wasn't even born yet when most of it happened!
Somewhat interesting, ultimately disappointing
Sight Unseen, Sound Unheard

White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s
Joe Boyd
Manufacturer: Serpent's Tail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s - The Joe Boyd Story
Sweet Warrior
Darker Than the Deepest Sea: The Search for Nick Drake
Laurel Canyon: The Inside Story of Rock-and-Roll's Legendary Neighborhood
Hotel California: The True-Life Adventures of Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Mitchell, Taylor, Browne, Ronstadt, Geffen, the Eagles, and Their Many Friends

ASIN: 1852429100

Book Description

"This is the best book about music I've read in years, and a gripping piece of social history."-Brian Eno

When Muddy Waters came to London at the start of the 1960s, a kid from Boston called Joe Boyd was his tour manager; when Dylan went electric at the Newport Festival, Joe Boyd was plugging in his guitar; when the summer of love got going, Joe Boyd was running UFO, the coolest club in London; when a bunch of club regulars called Pink Floyd recorded their first single, Joe Boyd was the producer; when a young songwriter named Nick Drake wanted to give his demo tape to someone, he chose Joe Boyd.

More than any previous sixties music autobiography, Joe Boyd's White Bicycles offers the real story of what it was like to be there at the time. As well as the sixties heavy-hitters, this book also offers wonderfully vivid portraits of a whole host of other musicians: everyone from the great jazzman Coleman Hawkins to the folk diva Sandy Denny, Lonnie Johnson to Eric Clapton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Fairport Convention.

Record and film producer Joe Boyd was born in Boston in 1942 and graduated from Harvard in 1964. He went on to produce Pink Floyd, Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, R.E.M., and many others. He produced the documentary Jimi Hendrix and the film Scandal. In 1980 he started Hannibal Records and ran it for twenty years. He lives in London.

Customer Reviews:

Very slow and tiring read.......2007-08-31

This has got to be the most boring book about the music business I've ever read. I really tried to make myself believe it was going to be a true page turner, but it wasn't. The only reason I continued to turn the page is because, well... I'd paid for the book! I'm not the biggest fan of folk music, but I do like it and I love the blues, but this book made me dislike both genres (while I was reading, mind you). Mr. Boyd had such a long and fulfilling career in the music business, but the way he told the story was just plain boring. I've read many biographies on this business and have read some real bizarre stuff, but this book was quite tame. Don't get me wrong, I was GLAD that it was tame. I was quite impressed with Mr. Boyd's self-control and his professionalism. He sounds like a total "stand-up guy." But boy, does he tell a boring story. I usually pass my books on to friends so that they we can converse on the book, it's characters, the author, and so on. I must admit, when I FINALLY finished this book, I promptly threw it in the trash. I will give Mr. Boyd one other thing, I was so happy that he made mention of all the blues greats that have graced stages and auditoriums worldwide. That in itself was very much worth this book purchase, but that's about it.

"Matter of Fact".......2007-08-20

Woody Allen made a film called "Zelig" about a little guy who found his way into all the significant events of the 20th Century.

Well, record producer Joe Boyd's life in the 60's was kind of like that. He was all over the place, at the Newport Festivals (both jazz and folk), touring with bluesmen through Europe, and finally at the epicenter of both the British psychedelic and English Folk Rock scenes.

With all that material to draw from, you would think that this book would be a regular psychedelic sundae, vibrating like a day-glo art poster. Nope. It's just a recounting of Joe's ups and downs in the music business. There are nice reminiscences about Sandy Denny and Nick Drake, and Joe drops some little known facts about his resume, such as his involvement in the Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood "Powerhouse" recordings, and his production of Pink Floyd's "Arnold Layne"--plus his notable failures, such as missing out on opportunities to sign Procol Harum, or to profit from the Abba catalogue.

But, Joe is primarily known for his involvement with Folk-Rock, and he doesn't really pour forth with details, here. What about "Liege and Lief", generally called the greatest British folk-rock album of all time? What about Vashti Bunyan, a cult artist in her own right? She gets about one paragraph. And what about Linda (Peters) Thompson? Joe lets it drop that he was in an intimate relationship with her, yet she merits only a sentence or two.

This book isn't badly written, but it doesn't really give you a great picture of the music. It could have been much better. People who are curious about the time would be better served checking out the music. I guess a CD sampler of Joe's productions, also called "White Bicycles", is available. Otherwise, there is the great "Nuggets II" box set, which I recommend without reservation.

What a trip! And I wasn't even born yet when most of it happened!.......2007-08-10

As a musician and general music junkie, I'd rate this as a must have. Joe Boyd is just as important to learn from as those blues and jazz bands he resurrected in the last 50s and early 60s. I also sensed the sadness and reverence he had towards Nick Drake, the sad honesty about Sandy Denny, as well as rejoicing in the still flourishing career of Richard Thompson, all of which are influences of mine.

I wonder if he has ever been to the Philadelphia Folk Festival.

Somewhat interesting, ultimately disappointing.......2007-07-22

As previous reviewers said, I "couldn't NOT read this book" and "devour" it with the special anticipation of having seen the words 'Produced by Joe Boyd' on so many of my cherished album covers. However, though it contains a few new facts about the artists and some insight regarding the music business only an insider would know, the book was a disappointment. As earlier reviewers here have stated, it's too short - with not enough information about the actual sessions and music-making itself. The text also seems to be missing something - perhaps over-edited? Perhaps shortened for some reason at the last minute? And some of the potentially fascinating little stories he relates are left dangling in space. The subtitle of the book is 'Making Music in the 1960s', but there's very little of that in the narrative. I wanted to find out what is was like to observe luminaries such as Nick Drake at work in the studio. I wanted to be a fly on the wall at a Fairport Convention session with Sandy Denny & Richard Thompson. What made the Incredible String Band tick? How did these artists get their signature SOUNDS? I was looking for a window on Joe Boyd's working world; What we get are mildly interesting and too-quick glances of the surface of '60s-'70s music.

Sight Unseen, Sound Unheard.......2007-07-17

In the mid to late 60s, there were so many unheralded masterpieces, even the recording companies couldn't keep up with them. Most were relegated to
the old school, family-owned record store. Illinois Speed Press, The United States of America and Joe Boyd and the Field Hippies were a few of them. Some of their members went on to nominal fame in other groups, but they mostly languished in the bargain bins. If this is the same Joe Boyd,
and his way with prose is as adroit as his way with music, you are in
for an incredibly interesting ride. I haven't read the book yet, but I
haven't been moved to make a purchase of anything sight unseen or sound
unheard since I read an article in Hit Parader about CSN three months before their debut album was released in 1969.

Average customer rating:

Film: A Critical Introduction
A Superior, Well-Developed, Introductory Text . . .
Fabulous introduction!
As Reference & Textbook for "Intro to Film"

Film: A Critical Introduction
Maria T. Pramaggiore , and Tom Wallis
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Arts & Photography | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

A Short Guide to Writing about Film (Short Guides Series)
Teach Yourself Film Studies
Another Opening, Another Show: An Introduction to the Theatre
Do the Right Thing
Making Media: Foundations of Sound and Image Production

ASIN: 0205433480

Customer Reviews:

Film: A Critical Introduction.......2007-09-12

Great book for a humanities class! I recommend it.
Great into to Cinema! Delivery quick and good condition.

A Superior, Well-Developed, Introductory Text . . ........2007-01-29

Whether you are a student or professor, there are a wide range of introductory film texts from which to choose -- it can be a bit overwhelming and a mistake is costly! This is especially true if you are the professor who is selecting an expensive text for your students (and they are all expensive) . . . you want provide them with a text worthy of the expense AND you do not want to invest additional hours photocopying material from other texts to compensate for less-than-fantastic chapters.

With this in mind, allow me to say that Pramaggoire and Wallis' text is the best I have ever encountered . . . bar none. I have used this text for over a year now, and the response has been extremely positive. It may initially seem irrelevant, but this text is extraordinary aesthetically appealing. Why is this important? Because we are talking about professors and students who have an interest in a VISUAL art. This text presents large, lush examples to compliment the text: not all texts invest this effort or expense. Moreover, the selected examples are spot-on . . . they are not randomly chosen BUT are the quintessential example of any given technique.

What makes this text great is both the organization (which others have mentioned) and the accessibility. Let's say you are not taking a formal class in film, you would have no problem reading this text solo. It is that understandable . . . and, let's face it, if an author cannot clearly explain an idea to a lay-person then he/she really do not know the subject. Pramaggoire and Wallis KNOW their subject.

And while there are several "well-written" texts on the market, not all incorporate contemporary examples. While Orson Wells and Ingmar Bergman are key to understanding film, one cannot successful base an introductory text on "The Greats." It simply does not engage the new student. Luckily, this text includes essential examples from film history as well as contemporary examples (like "Super Size Me," "Waking Life," "The Piano" and "Requiem for a Dream"). I am especially fond of the short analysis of Harron's "American Psycho" (an oft overlooked, cinematic masterpiece).

One final reason to select this text: while other writers are rehashing old critical approaches to film, Pramaggoire and Wallis select the most relevant and contemporary ones. They instruct readers on how to view a film in the context of race, gender, sexuality, class, and national identity: all of which are crucial to understanding film! Likewise, they address "film authorship" which is equally as valuable. The text is never bogged-down by jargon (many are) . . . nor is it heavy-handed in its approach. Unlike most texts, this one wants to be understood.

You will find texts with DVD-ROMs, texts with "writing" supplements, texts with online-course access, and other "bells and whistles" . . . but this text does not NEED any of that. (It seems the others are trying to compensate for their short-comings by including "bonus" material . . . but it just becomes MESSY!). I plan to continue using this text as a tool for teaching film . . . it is, BY FAR, the best on the market. It is "smart," beautiful, and completely accessible. Whether you are a professor seeking a new text or a lay-person looking to enhance your knowledge of film, you cannot go wrong with this work. Trust me, it is worth the price!!

Fabulous introduction!.......2006-01-19

This is not only the best introduction to film studies that I've found, it's also a model of how a textbook should be organized and written. After an opening chapter on plot structure and thematic analysis, it goes in-depth into the elements of film form, with chapters on narrative form, mise en scene, cinematography, editing, and sound. The final section includes chapters on documentary and avant-garde film, writing about film, social context, ideology, stardom, genre, film authorship, and the economics of the film industry. Everything is covered very in-depth and in detail, with lots of excellent examples and photos. There is also a helpful film glossary in back. The writing is model of clarity and organization. This textbook is notable for the way that writing instruction is integrated into the text. Each chapter concludes with brief essay which exemplifies the concepts and terms used in the chapter, and includes margin notes which discuss the formal and rhetorical features of a college essay, including organization, research, thesis statement, and so on. There is also a concise chapter devoted entirely to writing about film, including the different kinds of essays typically assigned by professors. Students who read carefully will be well prepared to write film analysis papers for their college classes. Since this is an introductory text, it doesn't try to give complete coverage to film history and film theory, although these topics are introduced. Film history and theory really need to be covered in separate books and classes, as the authors recognize.

As Reference & Textbook for "Intro to Film".......2005-08-26

As a current user of Giannetti's "Understanding Movies", I find this new text to be a breath of fresh air. First impressions: the initial page prior to the content is a splash-page still from Visconti's "The Leopard", a film that perhaps has seen recent resurgence of interest in the film community. Overall, the text tries to convey the thesis of "Film as Art & Cultural Phenomenon" with thorough examples & concise explanations. Also appreciated is the brief desc of "persistence of vision & the phi phenomenon" & other more operational/technical aspects of film, filming & projection equipment.

The book features examples of what could be student film analysis papers. It also goes about analyzing the road to writing essays with an adequate thesis statement.

The book's highlight is the Chapter on "Writing about Film", which will likely help students in their film journal writing & paper thesis formulation. There won't be an intro book to tell the entire "story" of film, but Prammagiore & Wallis's book provides a commendable "structure" with film stills that ties closely to their text.

If you're looking for a summary of general film history in intro film studies, I don't think you'll find it here. Still a highly recommended book for students of film.

Leni: The Life and Work of Leni Riefenstahl

Average customer rating:

Good Intro to Leni
Brilliant But Petty and Cruel -- Oh, Wait, That's The Author!
Double standard
Good book but, a little too long
Leni survives all

Leni: The Life and Work of Leni Riefenstahl
Steven Bach
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Entertainers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Movie Directors | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Leni Riefenstahl: A Life
OLYMPIA -The LENI RIEFENSTAHL Archival Collection
The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl
Triumph of the Will
Einstein: His Life and Universe

ASIN: 0375404007
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Book Description

The definitive biography of Leni Riefenstahl, the woman best known as “Hitler’s filmmaker,” one of the most fascinating and controversial personalities of the twentieth century. It is the story of huge talent and huger ambition, one that probes the sometimes blurred borders dividing art and beauty from truth and humanity.

Two of Riefenstahl’s films, Olympia and Triumph of the Will, are universally regarded as the greatest and most innovative documentaries ever made, but they are also insidious glorifications of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. Now, in this masterful new biography, Steven Bach reveals the truths and lies behind this gifted woman’s lifelong self-vindication as an apolitical artist who claimed she knew nothing of the Holocaust and denied her complicity with the criminal regime she both used and sanctified.

The facts and her actions, many unknown until now, bear chilling witness: her passionate enthusiasm for Hitler from her first reading of Mein Kampf; her involvements with Nazi leaders Joseph Goebbels, Martin Bormann, Albert Speer, and Julius Streicher, who advanced her career, and with Hitler, who personally helped finance it; her role as silent eyewitness to wartime atrocities against Jews; and her use of slave labor in the form of concentration camp Gypsies destined for Auschwitz. We see her after the war trying to sell footage to Hollywood under an alias, manipulating a sham “discovery” of the Nuba tribes of Sudan into a career comeback, fighting to disinherit her closest living relatives, and—to the end—unable to express remorse for the millions murdered by the Nazi regime made mythic by her work.

Relying on new sources—including interviews with her colleagues and intimate friends, as well as on previously unknown recordings of Riefenstahl herself—Bach gives us an exceptional work of historical investigation that untangles the past and is also an objective but unsparing appraisal of a woman of spectacular gifts corrupted by ruthless personal ambition.

Customer Reviews:

Good Intro to Leni .......2007-08-29

After reading Jurgen Trimborn's admirable but somewhat inaccessible biography of Riefenstahl, I sought out this book in hopes that it would be friendlier to a Riefenstahl novice such as me. It certainly is an easier read and a much better starting place.

Steven Bach, of Final Cut fame, writes from the standpoint of a motion picture enthusiast. He also has a POV where Riefenstahl's Nazi associations are concerned and he doesn't hide it. For Bach Riefenstahl is the living version of Klaus Mann's Mephisto, a careerist willing to do anything and associate with anyone to advance her "art." He also makes the case (clearly building on Trimborn's work, among others) that Riefenstahl not only had no problem with anything Hitler did or said, she likely agreed with most if not all of it.

Bach's style is that of a gossipy Hollywood bio, which is fine by me, but he's no fan magazine hack. He knows the power of the snide observation and, best of all, how damning Leni's own words were. At times Riefenstahl comes across as downright delusional about her artistic abilities and men's lust for her. To hear her tell it no man so much as entered the same zipcode as Leni Riefenstahl without falling madly in love with her.

Some may have disagreements about Bach's assessment of Riefenstahl's artistic contributions. I've only seen clips of her work so my own opinion is somewhat limited. Bach does make a good case the Riefenstahl either stole the ideas of others or took credit for their work. Bach doesn't buy the argument that the art is more important than the character or actions of the artist. He also doesn't buy that Riefenstahl was much of an artist.

This is no love letter to Leni. It is an entertaining read. Gossipy, slightly bitchy (as one reviewer here has aptly noted), and full of telling details and quotes, this is a easy entry into the myths and controversy that make up Leni Riefenstahl.

Brilliant But Petty and Cruel -- Oh, Wait, That's The Author! .......2007-08-26

Not since Albert Goldman's ELVIS has a dense, full length biography of a sexy, glamorous larger than life legend been written with such sadistic relish, such delicious malicious bitchery and pure venomous guile.

There's no question that Leni Riefenstahl, the stunningly beautiful German woman who made hypnotic propaganda films for the Nazis, was guilty of moral cowardice and hypocrisy, if not during the war, then certainly afterwards. She persisted to the end of her life in wanting to have it both ways -- saying in effect "I didn't know," and at the same time "I was too scared to stop Hitler -- too scared that I would be next." She claimed to have legions of Jewish friends before the war, but she never tried to help them when things got bad, even though she had lots of Nazi influence and power. And she always seemed weirdly out of touch with the human results of Hitler's evil deeds.

The problem is, Steve Bach doesn't know when to quit. He sneers at Leni Riefenstahl not just for the big things -- not strangling Hitler with her bare hands, the way he seems to imagine he would have done -- but for the little things too. The book is full of catty little remarks like, "Leni was always conscious of her hypnotic effect on men" or "Leni didn't mind having handsome, powerful men buy her presents" or "Leni's fearless mountain climbing only made her feminine allure more overpowering to the distinguished male cinema artists who indulged her every creative whim."

It's hard to tell whether Bach hates Leni for being heartless and callous or for being beautiful, talented -- and very knowingly seductive.

There is a much more serious issue here than the hissy ALL ABOUT EVE style bitchery of a jaded Hollywood insider. Bach insists on judging a German film maker by a far more rigorous standard than he would ever apply to the film industry in Hollywood today -- or seventy years ago, for that matter. When Leni goes to Hollywood he brags that the left-leaning Hollywood of 1938 treated the lovely German visitor with scorn -- but how did they treat Margaret Mitchell when she came to town the very next year? Bach has nothing to say about why those same "leftists" failed to prevent the making of a racist epic like GONE WITH THE WIND.

If Leni Riefenstahl shares any part of the guilt for Auschwitz -- and I agree that she does -- then David O. Selznick is equally responsible for the murder of Emmitt Till, the bombings in Birmingham, and all the other hate crimes perpetrated in the Jim Crow south. Bach is in a big hurry to compare Leni to the Stalinist film maker Eisenstein -- arguing in a feeble and half-hearted way that Eisenstein "probably" rebelled at what he was doing. But why not compare Leni Riefenstahl to D.W. Griffiths, or Margaret Mitchell, or David Selznick? All of them dealt in racial hate. They looked the other way while helpless people were tortured and murdered, too. But mentioning America's poisonous history of racial hate would reflect badly on Bach's own milieu. Bach's beloved Hollywood elite never questioned the racial status quo in the Jim Crow south -- at least, not until long after blacks had begun risking their lives to bring the horror of their situation to national attention.

What's really going on here is not genuine, humanistic outrage, but elitist hypocrisy. Bach hates Leni Riefenstahl because he knows that, for all their tiresome liberal cant, just about everyone in Hollywood (and the book world, and the world of leftist Manhattan politics) has the same rat-like survival instincts that Leni had. None of the liberals who demonstrate their courage by hating her guts now ever had to look Hitler in the eye. But they know who would have blinked first. And they know themselves too well to ever show mercy to someone just like them.

Double standard.......2007-08-22

Most of the facts and "facts" in this book cannot be disputed. Only one comment - there were many other people who "cooperated" with the Nazis, but who escape any oprobrium, Richard Strauss name comes to mind. In 1938 he composed "Festliches Praeludium" for the occassion of NSDAP Parteitag, he was the president of Reichsmusikkammer, directly working for Goebbels, he never lifted a finger to help his Jewish friends, etc. etc. Maybe Richard Strauss could be another topic for Steven Bach to delve into.

Good book but, a little too long.......2007-08-11

This was a very good book but, I think Bach gives us too much detail on Leni's life after WWII. I thought the book could have ended much sooner than it did. After all, did we really have to hear about Leni's search for a particular tribe in Africa? It would have suited me fine to hear about her various means of defending herself from various charges as a result of her association with Hitler and the Nazis. I don't see what benefit the inclusion of the African tribe info was to the reader. Still an interesting read.

Leni survives all.......2007-06-14

The author tries and fails to give an evenhanded account of this much reviled woman's life. All this proves once again that the winners write the history. In the meantime he does portray a fascinating and beautiful woman as the opportunist she was without detracting from her worth as a great artist. All in all the best effort so far reflecting an eventful life.

The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film (Star Wars)

Average customer rating:

Wait, you mean there's stuff I didn't already know?!
Wonderful
A wonderful piece to celebrate this film's 30th anniversary!!
Exhaustively complete, excellently thorough
The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film

The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film (Star Wars)
J.W. Rinzler
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Model Shop
Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections: The Spacecraft and Vehicles of the Entire Star Wars Saga
The Star Wars Vault: Thirty Years of Treasures from the Lucasfilm Archives, With Removable Memorabilia and Two Audio CDs
The Winston Effect: The Art & History of Stan Winston Studio
Blade Runner (Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition)

ASIN: 0345494768
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Book Description

After the 1973 success of American Graffiti, filmmaker George Lucas made the fateful decision to pursue a longtime dream project: a space fantasy movie unlike any ever produced. Lucas envisioned a swashbuckling SF saga inspired by the Flash Gordon serials classic American westerns, the epic cinema of Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa, and mythological heroes. Its original title: The Star Wars. The rest is history, and how it was made is a story as entertaining and exciting as the movie that has enthralled millions for thirty years–a story that has never been told as it was meant to be. Until now.

Using his unprecedented access to the Lucasfilm Archives and its trove of never-before-published “lost” interviews, photos, production notes, factoids, and anecdotes, Star Wars scholar J. W. Rinzler hurtles readers back in time for a one-of-a-kind behind-the-scenes look at the nearly decade-long quest of George Lucas and his key collaborators to make the “little” movie that became a phenomenon. For the first time, it’s all here:

• the evolution of the now-classic story and characters–including “Annikin Starkiller” and “a huge green-skinned monster with no nose and large gills” named Han Solo
• excerpts from George Lucas’s numerous, ever-morphing script drafts
• the birth of Industrial Light & Magic, the special-effects company that revolutionized Hollywood filmmaking
• the studio-hopping and budget battles that nearly scuttled the entire project
• the director’s early casting saga, which might have led to a film spoken mostly in Japanese–including the intensive auditions that won the cast members their roles and made them legends
• the grueling, nearly catastrophic location shoot in Tunisia and the subsequent breakneck dash at Elstree Studios in London
• the who’s who of young film rebels who pitched in to help–including Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Brian DePalma

But perhaps most exciting, and rarest of all, are the interviews conducted before and during production and immediately after the release of Star Wars–in which George Lucas, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Sir Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, composer John Williams, effects masters Dennis Muren, Richard Edlund, and John Dykstra, Phil Tippett, Rick Baker, legendary production designer John Barry, and a host of others share their fascinating tales from the trenches and candid opinions of the film that would ultimately change their lives.

No matter how you view the spectrum of this thirty-year phenomenon, The Making of Star Wars stands as a crucial document–rich in fascination and revelation–of a genuine cinematic and cultural touchstone.

Customer Reviews:

Wait, you mean there's stuff I didn't already know?!.......2007-09-30

The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film (Star Wars)

I was four years old when the original "Star Wars" was released, and like so many kids of that generation, that film and its two sequels defined an enormous part of my childhood. Even though I didn't know it at the time, it introduced me to the "best bits" of classical mythology, while being a visual catalyst for my imagination (and years of subsequent role-play, particularly in Upstate New York, where re-enacting ice planet Hoth after "Empire" came out was all too easy...).

As I grew older (I hesitate to use the phrase "grew up," as I'm not sure it's happened yet), I came to appreciate more than just the adventure and dynamic visuals that "Star Wars" represented; it was my "gateway drug" into wanting to learn more about how movies were made. I remember all of the TV specials of that era that pulled back the curtain on the filmmaking process, particularly with regard to the original "Star Wars" trilogy, and I couldn't get enough information. That hunger became the same kind of obsession that's typically associated with "Star Wars" fans, and I absorbed every scrap of detail I could find, from Ralph McQuarrie's concept art, to model photos, to script pages, and even before the Internet made it only a matter of a few clicks to access such information, there was a wealth of it, when it came to "Star Wars."

Fast forward to 2007; "Star Wars" is 30 years old, a whole separate trilogy has come and gone, and my own children are budding "Star Wars" fans for their own reasons. I figured I knew pretty much all there was to know about this film. I darn well should have, for as much time as I had spent (and continue to spend) over the years actively seeking out new details about it. Then came this book; I didn't know anything.

This is dense, dense reading, covering every minute detail about every aspect of production of the original "Star Wars," from drafting the script, to getting it taken seriously by Hollywood, to assembling the team that would revolutionize filmmaking as we came to know it. This is a wonderful thing. I find myself poring over every word, every image, every caption and footnote, just as I did as a child who was learning about film for the first time. It is an amazing tribute, an insanely detailed reference volume, and most incredible of all, a unique representation of a film that has been covered in so many ways by so many authors, that finding anything new to talk about seemed impossible.

The aspect of this book I personally find most exciting is that all of the interviews that comprise it are taken from the period immediately surrounding the production and release of the original film. There is none of the revisionist hindsight pertaining to the film that has come about as a result of the films that came after; every word spoken by the people involved is "of the moment," and as such, is refreshingly candid about what was going on while the film was in the throes of its conception and execution.

The hardcover volume is worth the extra cost, because of its additional supplemental material, not found in the softcover edition. There are 45 pages of storyboard reproductions, as well as Lucas' first-ever references to the larger world beyond what was shown in the original film, in the form of interview excerpts taken in 1977, which involve Lucas describing character and environmental background information. As author J.W. Rinzler explains in the opening to the section, "Many of these ideas...[have since been] modified to a greater or lesser degree. They are presented here...[as] an idea of how he first began [the process of expanding the "Star Wars" universe]." Given the amount of tweaking that the backstory has undergone in the decades following "Star Wars," the inclusion of Lucas' first impressions of it in this volume are incredibly valuable to anyone who, like me, has wondered if the second trilogy of films was truly borne from his original ideas, or was more a product of his later experiences.

This book is exactly what its title promises: the definitive history behind the original film. And for someone who has spent most of his life feeling like there was nothing new under the suns (not a typo) when it came to the story of how "Star Wars" was made, that's saying something.

Wonderful.......2007-09-22

I think I've been waiting 30 years for this book. It is excellent and packed with really cool behind the scene photos and notes. It is exactly as it should be given the lack of "marketing" tools of movies back in the late 70's. It has a lot of information and will add nicely to any Star Wars collection for years to come.

A wonderful piece to celebrate this film's 30th anniversary!!.......2007-08-24

Before this book came out, the greatest making of book in star wars lore was Once Upon A Galaxy. Now it has a partner!!! This book is amazing; truly a magnificent look at what it took to get this film on the screen. Not only do you get hundreds of never before seen and priceless photos, the sheer amount of text is incredibly impressive. This was very hard work to put together. There isnt much more I can add about this book. So.......go buy it; and Happy 30th Star Wars!!!

Exhaustively complete, excellently thorough.......2007-08-23

This book goes into more detail than anyone but a die-hard fan would want to know, in all honesty; but as it's one of the greatest movies ever filmed, Star Wars has more than its fair share of die-hards. The book is thoroughly researched and excellently presented and covers every aspect of the film's genesis from the very first words scribbled on George Lucas' yellow legal pads to the opening day. This book is, as the title states, the definitive story behind the making of Star Wars. Again, fascinating for the die-hard, but may be a bit detailed for the casual fan.

The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film .......2007-08-13

For all those you loved the first Star Wars experience this book is a must have. The hard copy has many extra pages and it worth the additional price. The pictures and details included makes this a fun, informative and exciting book to read and re-read.

Bambi vs. Godzilla: On the Nature, Purpose, and Practice of the Movie Business

Average customer rating:

Vintage Mamet with a twist
War Stories A Plenty
Disappointed
David Mamet on the movie business? Please?!
Great Beach Book

Bambi vs. Godzilla: On the Nature, Purpose, and Practice of the Movie Business
David Mamet
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Industry | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Screenwriting | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Wicked Son: Anti-Semitism, Self-hatred, and the Jews (Jewish Encounters)
The Devil's Guide to Hollywood: The Screenwriter as God!
On Directing Film
A Killer Life: How an Independent Film Producer Survives Deals and Disasters in Hollywood and Beyond
Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity

ASIN: 0375422536
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

In Bambi vs. Godzilla, David Mamet, the award-winning playwright and screenwriter, gives us an exhilaratingly subversive inside look at Hollywood from the perspective of a filmmaker who has always played the game his own way.

Who really reads the scripts at the film studios? How is a screenplay like a personals ad? Whose opinion matters when revising a screenplay? Why are there so many producers listed in movie credits? And what the hell do those producers do, anyway? Refreshingly unafraid to offend, Mamet provides hilarious, surprising, and bracingly forthright answers to these and other questions about virtually every aspect of filmmaking, from concept to script to screen.

He covers topics ranging from “How Scripts Got So Bad” to the oxymoron of “Manners in Hollywood.” He takes us step-by-step through some of his favorite movie stunts and directorial tricks, and demonstrates that it is craft and crew, not stars and producers, that make great films. He tells us who his favorite actors and what his favorite movies are, who he thinks is the most perfect actor to grace the screen, and who he thinks should never have appeared there.

Demigods and sacred cows of the movie business–beware! But for the rest of us, Mamet speaking truth to Hollywood makes for searingly enjoyable reading.

Customer Reviews:

Vintage Mamet with a twist.......2007-09-09

This is vintage Mamet; sharp, insightful, renegade, taking potshots at sacred cows. Unlike earlier collections like 'Writing in Restaurants' there is a new ingredient running through most pieces- a knifetip of something angry and bitter.
That's made more noticeable by a chapter that starts with a genial, witty quote from 'Richard Weisz'... Richard Weisz being one of Mamet's alter egos. The world -and specifically that world- needs all the Mamet it can get.

War Stories A Plenty.......2007-07-29

As the title suggests, this is not a book that glorifies the movie business. Through stories from the trenches Mamet paints a vivid and realistic picture of what it's like trying to negotiate the turbulent rapids of Hollywood. I was a little afraid of this book at first, because I really thought the author, whom I respect very much, was going to trash the business, that I love so very much. But I was pleasantly surprised that he was able to present a balanced picture. Yes, there are some people that he hates (actors be ware), but you can tell that he has a true love for the business. Mamet also uses his humor to offset some of the more acidic anecdotes. All in all, a good book. A quick read. And his insights are very unique.

Disappointed.......2007-07-24

I love David Mamet's plays. He's an excellent writer. So I was enthusiastic about getting the chance to read his personal views of Hollywood. And while I agree with him that the studio machinery is all about profits and very little about art or craft - when was it ever different? - I was ultimately disappointed by his book. There were times when I just didn't know what he was talking about. I think his writing here is often inaccessible. I may not be the most erudite reader, but Mamet left me cold. I just couldn't get into the style of his writing. I felt distanced rather than drawn in. When I read a book like this, I want to devour it, not pick at its little pieces. You may feel differently, that's fine. The book didn't pull me in the way I'd hoped it would.

David Mamet on the movie business? Please?!.......2007-06-01

This book was so wonderful, I took it out from the library, read it, and then had to buy it. I never do that. It's a book you'll want to read over and over, have other people read (at least certain essays) and refer to the filmography repeatedly. Mamet is so amazingly astute about everything, but particularly about things relating to theater and the movie business. If you are a movie buff at all, read this book.

Great Beach Book.......2007-05-28

A bit of Hollywood background, some insightful comments on current culture, essays of a sort and one can pick up and put down but comforted that it remains there to continue to read. I read it on spring break in the South of France as did two other family members. Three generations enjoyed it on the terrace overlooking the Mediterranean.

Art of Technique, The: An Aesthetic Approach to Film and Video Production

Average customer rating:

A first-rate primer for the aspiring filmmaker
An Excellent Overview
good intro for the novice filmmaker
Stick to "Film Art" by Bordwell/Thomspon
Best introduction to filmmaking I've found

Art of Technique, The: An Aesthetic Approach to Film and Video Production
John S. Douglass , and Glenn P. Harnden
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Theory | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Arts & Photography | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Story Sense: A Screenwriter's Guide for Film and Television
Practical DV Filmmaking, Second Edition
Writing for Visual Media, Second Edition
The Elements of Cinema
Six Walks in the Fictional Woods

ASIN: 0205142486

Book Description

This book provides readers with a teaching tool not currently available. It fills a gap in the literature by going beyond simple discussions of hardware usage, basic technical knowledge, and descriptions of technique to in-depth discussions of how this knowledge can be applied in a coherent approach to production.

Customer Reviews:

A first-rate primer for the aspiring filmmaker.......2002-01-21

"The Art of Technique: An Aesthetic Approach to Film and Video Production," is more of a primer than it is a critique of cinema. Yes, there is a big difference between this volume by John S. Douglass and Gleen P. Harnden and "Film Art: An Introduction" by David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson. The latter utilizes literally hundreds of frames from both classic and relatively unknown films to demonstrate cinematic techniques. "The Art of Technique" does the same thing with student models. Whether this has to do with the cost of using copyrighted images and/or transforming them into individual frames for use in a book, this is a major difference between the two textbooks. When Douglass and Harnden discuss something, like Ingmar Bergman's use of Extreme Close-ups (ECU) in "Scenes from a Marriage," they can only talk about the extraordinary intimacy it gave the production, without offering visual evidence to support their claim. However, the authors do use their "homemade" examples to good use at time; for example, when exploring the concept of framing they provide examples of "bad" shots (filled with distracting clutter) before showing better choices for the cinematographer.

"The Art of Technique" is divided into two main sections. After an introductory chapter on "Interpretation and Treatment," there are six chapters focusing on the various ways a film can tell a story, essentially pre-production considerations. There is a nice little section detailing the basic types of stories Hollywood tells over and over again ("Jack the Giant Killer," "Fish Out of Water," etc.). Clearly the emphasis here is more on production than criticism, which makes the orientation of this textbook more towards the filmmaker than the movie audience. This first section ends with a look at Mise en Scene and questions of design. In terms of concepts covered, separate from the issue of how those concepts are presented in the textbook, the authors provided a comprehensive, well-organized presentation.

The second half of the book covers "Techniques for Interpretation," which starts with a consideration of the trinity of how the camera, editing and lighting can be used for interpretation. Again, everything is here; I could not find a concept or technique that was an obviously glaring omission. The book concludes with a pair of chapters on Symbols and Significance, which get into the impact film can have on an audience. You might expect to find a glossary at the back of the book, but instead we have a pair of appendixes on Electricity and Measuring Light, which only serves to reaffirm that this book is geared towards the novice filmmaker. If you are looking for a textbook that because you are a budding film critic, then this is not going to be your first choice. I can even make the argument that by not saturating their textbook with frames from dozens of films, Douglass and Harden do their readers a favor, because instead of borrowing shots and techniques from the acknowledged masters of the art form, they are being asked to reinvent the wheel. Do not knock this, because that is basically how we think Orson Welles made "Citizen Kane."

An Excellent Overview.......2002-01-15

This book explores many aspects of filmmaking in a logical, easy-to-follow manner. A great find, albeit a bit pricy. I used it as my text for teaching a video class as it offers some aesthetic considerations for why techniques may or may not be used in a given situation. This approach helps to minimize the technique-euphoria beginners tend to have with techniques which are new to them (ala George Lucas in the new Star Wars...)

good intro for the novice filmmaker.......2000-04-21

this book works very well as an introduction to the creative use of techniques for filmmaking. it is quite clear and concise and is not bogged down by too much technical details or dicussions on film theory. a good starting point.

Stick to "Film Art" by Bordwell/Thomspon.......2000-04-17

I was shocked when I looked over this book. I had always relied on "Film Art" which is the standanrd intro to film but I wanted to branch out. I found this book to be a superficial approach to cinema, no probbing analysis or challenge to interpretaion of technique or narrative. Save your money and stick to the classics. No one seems to use this book in higher education film studies- ask your professor to suggest a book.

Best introduction to filmmaking I've found.......2000-02-16

I teach filmmaking, and needed a book that covers all the basics in a few meaty and meaningful pages. This is it. Most books on filmmaking technique either wax philosophical on the author's pet theories or get lost in gee-wiz-you-can-do-this-neat-trick-with-the-camera mania. There's little of either here; instead, you'll find a focused, highly readable series of lessons on what really matters most--how to communicate a meaningful message on film or video. Unlike some VERY annoying books that give examples of lighting and other techniques via badly drawn line-art, this book shows every technique with actual stills from video shoots so you can see how lighting, framing, lens use, etc. actually change the appearance and impact of a scene.

There are also numerous references to excellent classic and modern films with quite specific suggestions for examining the techniques that make those films work so well. Perhaps most important of all, the authors never lose sight of the fact that filmmaking is about interpreting and creating a reality that evokes a meaningful and powerful experience for the audience.

So if you want a book listing all the oh-so-tacky transitions and effects that your new NLE will do, or a thousand-page treatise on the history of film, THIS AIN'T IT. But if you want a book that will help you quickly learn to put cameras, lighting, and editing in the service of your creativity--buy this one first.

Ron Jeremy: The Hardest (Working) Man in Showbiz
Average customer rating:

A fun and insightful read

awful

Ron,you are a loser.You will always be a loser.

A true reflection of Ron Jeremy

Very good, if you don't mind a little sex

Ron Jeremy: The Hardest (Working) Man in Showbiz
Ron Jeremy
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Entertainers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Pornography | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Genre Films | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Lights, Camera, Sex!

The Big Book of Porn: A Penetrating Look at the World of Dirty MoviesQuirk Books

How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale

Kiss and Tell

The Other Hollywood : The Uncensored Oral History of the Porn Film Industry

ASIN: 006084082X
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

Ron Jeremy is the porn industry's "everyman." Blessed with a large member and average looks, he's starred in over 1700 films, directed 250 of them, and over the last 20 years has become porn's biggest ambassador into the mainstream. He has appeared in 60 mainstream films, was a consultant on Boogie Nights and 9 1/2 Weeks, has appeared in 14 music videos, was on the VH1's Surreal Life, starred in the critically acclaimed Pornstar (a movie about his life), and Being Ron Jeremy (a take–off on Being John Malkovich, co–starring Andy Dick). And that's just the tip of the iceberg...

Ron Jeremy is a born storyteller (funny, considering he doesn't do a lot of talking in his films) and lucky for us, he has stories on every major Hollywood celebrity. If you want to know where all the bodies are buried, he's the guy who can not only show you the grave, but can tell you the back–story on the tombstone. Ron Jeremy will be a great and entertaining read, not just on the history of porn, but on its emergence into the mainstream, and the man everyone wanted to know while it was all happening.

Customer Reviews:

A fun and insightful read.......2007-09-20

Its nice to see the other side of porn and hear the behind the scenes stories. Ron is obviously a legend, and a great story teller as well. He has many stories to tell. Like I said, a fun read. A great biography of a great person mislabeled for his role in pornography. I recommend it!

awful.......2007-09-20

Don't waste your money on this book. It is horribly written. he thinks he is funny, when he isn't. It's crude!
Jenna Jameson's book is ten times better

Ron,you are a loser.You will always be a loser........2007-09-09

Let's stop and think about this "man" for a moment.There have actually been Ron Jeremy clauses written in the contracts for porn starlets stating that they would never have to sleep with him.He is that replusive and disgusting.It's one thing to be fat,balding and have a ton of back hair,but it's another thing to look like you do not bathe.Try using shampoo and maybe trimming that nasty stache that still contains yesterday's breakfast in it.

This is one thing that makes a person a loser.

We have heard time and time again that Ronnie has a big donger.Fine.I'm sure elephants also have big wangs too,but I don't know too many women who would want to sleep with one.Side note;the elephant would be more attractive than Ron,it also wouldn't be able to tell stupid jokes.It probabally wouldn't smell as bad either.

This is something else that makes a person a loser.

Ron constantly justifies everything about his life.Never does he stop to question his integrity,or lack there of.You've slept with and used thousands of women.You take money in exchange for degrading these women over and over.Heads up Ron;most women (at least the ones who haven't already been screwed up psychologicaly) don't like taking a blast of DNA in the face.You may have a masters degree,but you have no common sense.

In the book XXX Portraits 30 Stars revealed,he stated the following in his biography."When I die,I know people will say good things about me. They will say,"He never lied to nobody."Right,except for the Extends Male Enhancment Capsules that you endorsed on the 4 a.m. infomercials.

Again,this is a path that is traveled by the loser.

I have corresponded with and have a friendship with a former adult star who sat next to him at the AVN awards.She told me that the only reason he still has a steady career with the industry,is becuase he is with the Italian Mafia.

Makes perfect sense to me,because anyone;be it man or woman,
heterosexual or homosexual,would rather watch Jenna Jameson or any attractive woman having sex with someone like Peter North as opposed to the nasueating Jeremy.

Everybody reading this review,make an "L" with your left hand place it on your forehead and repeat after me:"LOSER!"

Just like Asia Carrera,Ron is a trained pianist and veeerrrry intelligent with his master's degree.There is a famous saying;Acts of greatness take 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.

In another words;you can have have all the degrees in the world and be a genius.But unless you actually put that into action;then it's completely worthless.I guess they didn't teach that a Hedgehog High.No,they taught "Take the easy way out,keep making excuses for yourself and make money at the expense of others."

You COULD have helped disabled kids.You COULD have been a talented professional musician.You COULD have been a loyal husband and a great father.You COULD have been a valuble and respected member of society.

But you chose not to.You chose a lifetime of meaningless sex with women who resent you and laugh at you behind your back.

Hugh Hefner doesn't get it.Larry Flint doesn't get it.You don't get it either.

That's why you are and always will be a loser.

A true reflection of Ron Jeremy.......2007-08-20

Ron Jeremy's memoir characterizes his life perfectly. Ron Jeremy is an actor, an adult film superstar, a comedian, and an all-around hard working man. He's been in nearly 2000 films and directed well over 100 himself. He travels the country for appearances year-round. He loves adult conventions and he occasionally performs on the comedy circuit. He's always willing to pose with a fan, always willing to mock himself for a good laugh, and likes to enjoy good food and drink.

It's only natural that Jeremy's memoir is a string of laugh-out-loud funny anecdotes, organized into chapters by subject matter and chronology. Jeremy's had a few struggles with the law (and seen friends have much worse ones with vice squads), but overall, he's a jolly man who loves life, and his memoir reflects that. He doesn't get overly introspective or take an academic look at his life and career, and that's exactly what Jeremy's fans should expect from him. This memoir is Ron Jeremy through-and-through: vulgar with charm, rampantly self-promoting, and celebratory of life. Sure, he name drops, but he usually constrains that to footnotes, and boy did I chuckle at some of those footnotes. He includes plenty of pictures with celebrities, and plenty of pictures of himself in absolutely ridiculous costumes and settings.

The behind-the-scenes tales are too numerous to recount. The food buffet at Plato's Retreat is cited as the cause of Jeremy's body health downfall (nevermind the swinging). He reveals the origins of the chicken soup myth, one that started on an early set when someone asked how he could produce so much output. He credited his grandmother's chicken soup, and the legend lives on today on modern sets. He also talks candidly about discovering his autofellatio skills. Every time he did it on camera was sure to be the last, but the right amount of goading and money could convince him to do it again.

Any porn history buff won't want to miss Ron's version of the controversial careers of Linda Lovelace and Traci Lords. He's got some great stories straight from Linda's first husband, and later discusses Linda's own disagreements with the antiporn feminists who cast her as their pet cause.

If you need one more reason to pick this up, I leave you with this: Who wouldn't want to read a book with the photo caption, "Here I am as Mussolini in an XXX World War II parody?"

Very good, if you don't mind a little sex.......2007-06-26

What else would you expect from a Ron Jeremy book? His life story is very good and an interesting read, even if you're not a "fan". He does get into his sexual life (graphically) but if you can stomach that, it's actually a great read and dare I say, heartwarming. Recommended even for soccer moms!

Just for comparison, the Richard Pryor book was WAY dirtier than this one and he was just a comedian!

Average customer rating:

Excellent as a Historical Text Book
Not very good...
A very useful beginners guide to American film.
Movie spoiler

American Cinema/American Culture
John Belton
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Industry | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Arts & Photography | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Study Guide to Accompany American Cinema/American Culture
Study Guide for American Cinema
A Short Guide to Writing about Film (Short Guides Series)
Freeing Shakespeare's Voice: The Actor's Guide to Talking the Text
Anatomy of Film

ASIN: 0072886277

Book Description

Ideal for Introduction to American Cinema courses, American Film History courses, and Introductory Film Appreciation courses focused on American Film, this text offers a cultural examination of the American movie-making industry, with particular attention paid to the economic and aesthetic institution of Hollywood.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent as a Historical Text Book.......2007-03-24

So, I expected this book to be a bit more fun. Unfortunately, the fun element is missing. However, in fairness, the book serves as a thorough textbook for the history of American Cinema and its techniques and various genres. I did enjoy reading about the early studio system and the vast amount of control this oligopoly held. There were some very good critiques and studies of specific films, and a bit about specific actors and actresses. Even a bit about directors. Though packed with information, the book just lacks an entertainment value that it could and should have pulled off based on the subject matter.

The different genres studied include:

Westerns
War Movies
Silent Films
Film Noire
Screwball Comedies

As well as an overall dissertation on Classical Hollywood Style and its various techniques.

Not very good..........2005-03-05

I got this book for a class on the history of cinema. Unfortunately, as the title implies, it only deals with American Cinema. If this is a book for school, check out the class to see if foreign films and film history will be discussed. This book is, again, as the title implies--one-sided. Most of the movies it discusses, gives away crucial plot-points and endings. Some movies that I've been dying to see were ruined in just one or two sentences. This book is also very puffed-up and biased (I don't know any other way of explaining it). Many times throughout the book, Belton seems like James Lipton of "Inside the Actor's Studio", and goes on and on about the greatness of Hollywood, actors, director's, and films with nothing negative to say. It's not at all critical of anything and the author frequently inserts his own interpretation of films into the general text, which I found a little pompous. The book does offer up some interesting facts about the early history and the birth of cinema, but there's something about the way this book was written that makes it hard to stay interested. I think the chapters about film genres exaggerate the importance of some of them, and neglects other genres completely, ie. Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Sci-fi, Animation, Epics, etc. Again, question the instructor and/or look at the class syllabus before siging up if this is the only book for this class. I don't believe this is a comprehensive and unbiased view of cinema and it's history.

A very useful beginners guide to American film........2003-01-08

Years ago I took an intro-level film class at a community college. This was the text for the class. It was accompanied (at least in my class) by a PBS video series that combined film clips with interviews and historical information. Going into the class I had little more than a passing interest in film and film history. But after taking that class, my passion for film has grown exponentially with each year. But back to the book, I really liked this book and highlighted my way from the front cover to the back cover. There are of course limitations to this book. Firstly, it deals only with American films. Secondly, this book barely breaks the 300-page mark - hardly a comprehensive volume. You aren't going to get any information on John Cassavetes here or anything. Now if you have a chance to use this book in conjunction with the PBS films, I think you'll do much better (in fact I think the vids even give a nod to Cassavetes), but even then please note that this material is for an INTRO-level film class, and won't be much good for someone who already knows a fair amount about American film. But with that in mind, the book still has a lot to offer someone looking to introduce themselves to film history.

The first third of the book starts with the birth of film, moves quickly on to the Hollywood studio system, and walks us through the basics of film style (camerawork, lighting, editing, etc.). The second third covers the basics of film genre; there is a chapter about film noir, one on comedies, one on war films, and one on westerns. This second section was particularly useful to me. I could read each chapter, jot down a list of promising titles, hit my local video store, and I was good to go. The third section covers American film after World War II. In this section things seem a little compressed. 110 pages for 50 years of film? A lot is lost on the cutting room floor. But there's lots to dig into all the same. There's a chapter on Hollywood during the McCarthy years (yikes!), one on film's evolution during the emergence of television, a chapter on 1960s counterculture films, one on the film school directors of the 1970s and 1980s, and finally a pretty weak chapter on film in the 1990s. Oh yeah, and at the end of the book there's a handy glossary (in case you're ever stuck on what point-of-view editing is) and a pretty thorough index.

Again, not a book for someone who already has a good feel for film history. But definitely a great resource for someone new to film studies, or for someone who has trouble finding a movie at Blockbuster on Fridays. It did a great job getting me excited about movies, and I imagine its done the same for others.... A good companion to this text (or possibly an all-out replacement of it) is Scorsese's VHS/DVD, "A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies."

Movie spoiler.......2002-10-08

This would be a great book to read if you have no intention of watching the films discussed within, or if you've already seen them. On quite a few films, it tells the whole plot, in detail, from opening to end credits.

I also don't like the prose of the author, as he excessively uses sentences "in quotations". The writing structure is very formulaic and boring. The "5 paragraph essay" format is good for high school students learning to write, but imagine an entire book written that way. I can only read it for 15 minutes before losing interest.

The book does, however, provide plenty of examples from a variety of films.

This book is a companion piece to the PBS series by the same name. The series is much more interesting. Don't bother with the book. A much better film text is "Film: An Introduction", by William Phillips, ISBN: 0312258968.

Film Art: An Introduction with Tutorial CD-ROM
Average customer rating:

Excellent!

Film Art: An Introduction with Tutorial CD-ROM
David Bordwell , and Kristin Thompson
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Arts & Photography | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

A Short Guide to Writing about Film (Short Guides Series)

On Directing Film

Film History: An Introduction

Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film & Television

Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings

ASIN: 0073310271

Book Description

Film is an art form with a language and an aesthetic all its own. Since 1979, David Bordwell's and Kristin Thompson's Film Art has been the best-selling and widely respected introduction to the analysis of cinema. While it continues to provide the best introduction to the fundamentals of serious film study, the eighth edition has been revised be more classroom friendly by introducing film techniques earlier in the text, followed by the chapters on Film Genres. Supported by a text-specific Tutorial CD-ROM with video clips, Film Art is automatically packaged with this outstanding student learning tool.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!.......2007-09-29

I purchased this book for a college course I'm taking. The book came promptly and in excellent condition. Would definitely recommend...

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books