The Devil's Candy: The Anatomy of a Hollywood Fiasco

Book Description

When Brian De Palma agreed to allow Julie Salamon unlimited access to the film production of Tom Wolfe's best-selling book The Bonfire of the Vanities, both director and journalist must have felt like they were on to something big. How could it lose? But instead Salamon got a front-row seat at the Hollywood disaster of the decade. She shadowed the film from its early stages through the last of the eviscerating reviews, and met everyone from the actors to the technicians to the studio executives. They'd all signed on for a blockbuster, but there was a sense of impending doom from the start-heart-of-gold characters replaced Wolfe's satiric creations; affable Tom Hanks was cast as the patrician heel; Melanie Griffith appeared mid-shoot with new, bigger breasts. This riveting insider's portrait provides a timeless account of an industry where art, talent, ego, and money combine and clash on a monumental scale.

Customer Reviews:

Great blow-by-blow account of movie making.......2007-01-16

First rate account of the making of Brian De Palma's Bonfire of the Vanities. Salamon, at the time a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, received what appears to have been total access to director De Palma, the actors, costume designers, cameramen, and practically everyone else involved in the making of the movie. The level of detail may be too much for someone looking for a quick account of what went wrong in the making of this film, but I found it all fascinating. The only other book I know of that provides a comparably detailed inside look at the making of a movie is Lillian Ross's Picture, which was an account of the making of John Huston's Red Badge of Courage in 1951. A fair amount has changed in movie making since this book was written. For instance, Salamon devotes considerable time to following the second unit director as he attempts to set up some difficult shots, one involving the landing of a Concorde jet at sunset. These days, I imagine most movie goers would assume such a shot was actually cgi. I read the Da Capo Press 2002 reprint. (Interesingly, the subtitle of the book changed from "The Bonfire of the Vanities Goes to Hollywood" to "The Anatomy of a Hollywood Fiasco." Probably an indication that this film had been largely forgotten by 2002.) The reprint edition has an afterword that briefly discusses the reception of the book -- Bruce Willis was livid -- and the impact of the film on the careers of De Palma and the other people who are the focus of the book. Unfortunately, the photos from the first edition are not reproduced and the quality of the printing is a little off. Whatever reproduction technique was used imparted a bit of waviness to many of the lines of text.

No better book to describe how a movie is produced.......2006-07-22

The Devil's Candy is the story of the making of The Bonfire of the Vanities. It is the best (and possible only) book in recent times to describe how a movie is made, in depth, from inception to casting to production to editing to screenings and focus groups through release and box office.

The subtitle, "The Anatomy of a Hollywood Fiasco" is misleading. This is not a book that analyses why a movie production went wrong. It is a journalistic look at how a movie is made, any movie, and this book uses the example of the Bonfire of the Vanities because that happened to be the production Julie Salamon was invited to observe from beginning to end. Tellingly, the original version of the book was subtitled instead "Bonfire of the Vanities Goes to Hollywood" and the new subtitle was obviously added for the paperback version to try to pump up sales.

Most of the other reviews have said this book is for industry insiders, but it isn't. For insiders, there is nothing new here. This book is for people on the outside who want to know how the movie industry works. And what we learn is that for all the glamour, movie production is mostly meetings and sitting around sets doing endless takes of scenes that eventually get cut.

Assuming you're interested in learning how Hollywood works, from the endless scouting of locations to who is responsible for carrying the director's thermos of coffee, you will be educated. This book, at more than 400 pages, goes into gory detail, from just about everyone's point of view, from the director to costume manager. It's written as you would expect from a journalist on the banking desk at the Wall Street Journal (before she became the movie critic) - straightforward, inclusive, and accurate, not the breathless style with plenty of italics and exclamation points characteristic of showbiz books. But it is also the weakness of the book. There is too much detail that isn't important, too much describing the color of every carpet in every room visited, what kind of shoes everyone wears, and who is holding De Palma's coffee thermos at at every moment, too many people's points of view to keep the narrative flowing.

Overall, if you're looking for a juicy, fast flowing story about Hollywood disaster, you will be entirely disappointed. However, if you want a textbook on how a movie gets made, want to learn how Hollywood really works, this is *the* book.

Students of the Industry Only.......2004-06-18

This is an exceptional documentary analysis of what goes on in the making of a film. The author, Julie Salamon, was given the opportunity to follow Brian De Palma for the total duration of a very difficult film project, Bonfire of the Vanities, the remake of the famous Tom Wolfe novel. It is an exceptional replay of everything that happened from original purchase of the rights to the novel, to the publicity and reviews of the famous movie, to the ultimate collapse at the box office. One only wonders how this book would have read had the movie been a success.

While I really enjoyed this book, I would not recommend this book to anyone that does not have an intense interest in Hollywood and the making of movies. Excessive time is spent poring over the roles of line producers, second unit directors and production assistants. The book gives you a great understanding not just of the stars but also what it takes to break into the business and what the career path can be. Particularly as it relates to De Palma's assistant looking for an assistant producer credit and the second unit director looking to break out and become a director of his own films. In addition, it does touch on the stars, both actors and director, and how their idiosyncrasies shape the movie and its making.

This is not a short book. So if you are looking for an exciting page turner, this is not for you. You will spend many pages following the tale of obtaining rights to shoot at certain locations, tales of screen tests of local judges, and boycotts and publicity by Bronx politicians.

Overall, this controversial book detailing separation of the haves and have-nots of the 80s becomes an even more controversial movie with screw-ups in producing of the movie and casting of the roles. But if you want to know what Hollywood is really like and not what just is on the screen, this is the book. You will learn why making movies is so personality driven. For the movie fans, Tom Hanks comes off as the incredible good guy he appears to be. Melanie Griffith and Bruce Willis are not so lucky. But maybe the most interesting personal portrayal is of De Palma. A creature of the 70's decade of the auteur, his portrayal is of a troubled genius that struggles with communication skills.

I strongly recommend this book if you have a detailed interest in the business of film. If not, take a pass as it will be too detailed.

Excellent Read for Hollywood Biz buffs.......2003-01-10

If you are like me and you like books on the business of Hollywood you will love this one. I do not like books by Hollywood "insiders". They tend to write the books for nothing more than to pump themselves up and trash actors/studios, however books by journalists tend to be more even handed. Hit and Run is probably the best book on Hollywood ever written, The Devil's Cany is now second. What makes this book great is that it explains what the jobs of certain people are. For instance I didn't know what a second unit director was till I read this. Not to mention that the story about the adaptation of Bonfire of the Vanities makes for a great tale.

Great read if you're curious about the movie business.......2002-04-18

Julie Salamon was lucky enough to get in at the beginning of what was anticipated to be a great film, and turned out to be one of the biggest critical and financial failures for Warner Bros. The book Bonfire of the Vanities was so popular and written in such a style that taking on the task of adapting it to film was a true challenge and doomed to fail. And fail it did. Salamon also gives a background of the steps it takes to get a picture made from buying the rights of the book to marketing the finished picture. She details the different roles of the movie set, answering the age-old question, "What does a grip do?". You gather a great understanding of how difficult it is to make a picture by studio standards and how the hierarchy on the set works. Fascinating insight from an outsider let into the circus of making a major motion picture. Brian De Palma must curse the day he agreed to let her chronicle the journey.
Also, I have to recommend reading Tom Wolfe's Bonfire of the Vanities. You can understand why he wanted no part of making the film adaptaton of his infamous book.

Average customer rating:

shows depths to many film classics
A One Man Show
comprehensive coverage of the basics
May get the part

Anatomy of Film
Bernard F. Dick
Manufacturer: Bedford/St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | 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:

ASIN: 0312415168

Book Description

Anatomy of Film is a brief, jargon-free introduction to film appreciation and analysis. Designed to be used in either English or Communication departments, Anatomy of Film helps students new to film develop a critical awareness of cinema without overwhelming them.

Customer Reviews:

shows depths to many film classics.......2006-06-09

The author's analysis of many film classics can give you an appreciation of the subtleties perhaps overlooked in a cursory viewing. His narrative is largely jargon-free, being aimed at a wide audience. While an experienced film viewer might not agree with all of his remarks, overall, the analysis seems quite reasonable and cogent.

Another reviewer criticised the author's use of "we" as being egotistical. That indicates a misunderstanding on the reviewer's part. The first person plural is conventionally used in many non-fiction texts. In part, to deliberately include and involve the reader. It is commonly preferred to "I", because it is the latter which is seen as more personal.

A One Man Show.......2006-03-27

Having studied Bernard F. Dick's "Anatomy of Film" for my Intro to Film class, I have to feel sorry for anyone who actually takes a film class taught by Prof. Dick. I can't recall the last time I read a book as hubristic, least of all an academic text. "AOF" is nothing more than the subject seen than one man's eyes: one man who thinks himself the infallible master of film. The book contains a mass of unfounded judgments such as "in every narrative worth studying, whether it's a work of fiction or a work of film, there is a subtext". There is an obvious condescension to the audience, words wasted to explain terms like "moving camera". Furthermore, constant use of the pronoun "we" implies that the readers inherently agree with Prof. Dick's bombastic views and gross generalizations. Too much reliance on the "classics" and big names fail under logical scrutiny and keep Dick from making any well-founded and original arugments. Overall, this text lacks any redeeming quality. It is poorly written, too basic and generalized, grossly omissive, and serves no purpose save to bolster Prof. Dick's massive ego. Avoid at all costs.

comprehensive coverage of the basics.......2006-02-04

The strength of this book is that it covers all main bases of film criticism except for film history, which does, however, enjoy a few passing references. Besides the usual chapters on the basic elements of film--the shot, scene, mise-en-scene, lighting, sound, and etc.--there are also chapters on film genres, film subtext, directors, film and literature, film theory, and a chapter of sample analyses of important films. There is an appendix with a couple of sample student essays, but there isn't really any writing instruction. That's left up to your class instructor. About half the size (same thickness, however) of most film introductions, with some but not a lot of black and white photos, this is convenient to read in bed or wherever. The organization seems rather weak in some respects: after a rather scattered introductory chapter, there is a chapter on graphics (credits and subtitles) and sound, which doesn't seem like a very logical start for a film textbook. After that, things fall into place. The field of film textbooks is quite crowded, and there are many other books that give more in-depth coverage of various aspects, but if you want a book that covers all the basics, this does the job.

May get the part.......2004-12-06

If you're looking for an "Intro to Film" text that's neither as cluttered nor pricey as several of the leading candidates, this just may fit the bill. No accompanying DVD's, website, glossy photos, test banks or manuals, but it touches on most of the matters relevant to such a course (including just barely enough history), and it not only addresses writing about film but provides some helpful examples. If it were one-third rather than two-thirds the price of its competitors, I'd have no trouble going to it again, especially in a course that emphasizes literature as much as film.

Foundations of the Neuron Doctrine (History of Neuroscience, No. 6)

Average customer rating:

Foundations of the Neuron Doctrine (History of Neuroscience, No. 6)
Gordon M. Shepherd
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Anatomy | Basic Science | Medicine | 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
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0195064917

Book Description

For a century, the neuron doctrine has been the basis for our concepts of nervous organization and brain function. Formulated in 1891 by Wilhelm Waldeyer, it stated that the cell theory applies to the nervous system. Santiago Ramon y Cajal, Spain's greatest scientist, was its main architect; his main tool was a capricious nerve cell stain discovered by Camillo Golgi. This book reviews the original papers on which the neuron doctrine was based, showing that the evidence came from a much wider base of contributions than is generally realized, including such diverse and brilliant personalities as Albrecht Kolliker, Sigmund Freud, Wilhelm His, August Forel, Fritdjof Nansen and Gustav Retzius. Furthermore, many questions about terminology of the parts of the neuron and about the organization of neurons into reflex pathways and networks were raised and debated, questions that remain relevant to this day. Electron microscopical studies in the 1950s appeared to confirm the classical doctrine, but subsequent studies have revealed complexities that were not anticipated. This book reviews these new studies against the background of the classical work, and suggests some new directions for revising our concept of the neuron as a basis for the functional organization of the nervous system.

Dreadful Pleasures: An Anatomy of Modern Horror

Average customer rating:

Best intro to the horror genre that I've read.

Dreadful Pleasures: An Anatomy of Modern Horror
James B. Twitchell
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Gothic | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Linguistics | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

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

ASIN: 0195050673

Book Description

Dreadful Pleasures takes a lively look at the stories that make our hair stand on end. James Twitchell examines the appeal of horror through the centuries--its persistence in our culture, its manifestations in art, literature, and cinema, and our need for the frisson it provides. From the cave paintings at Lascaux to the "slasher" movies of today, Twitchell traces our fascination with horror stories and explores why certain myths and images--vampires and transformational monsters like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde--have had special resonance in our culture, and why others have faded. Whether discussing the engravings of William Hogarth or The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Twitchell is consistently insightful and entertaining. Film buffs and scholars, literary critics and Gothic novel devotees will all welcome this study of the horror genre and the immense appeal it has had throughout the centuries.

Customer Reviews:

Best intro to the horror genre that I've read........1999-01-11

There's a lot of horror criticism and commentary floating around out there these days, but Twitchell's book is still one of the best I've read. In fact, I wish he'd update it since it's pretty old--I think it ends with the late seventies.

Not everyone will agree with his approach which is unapologetically Freudian. He sees horror as a morality tale, instructing readers and viewers (too book looks at both films and fiction) in what sexual behavior is appropirate. While this approach may put people off, I'd urge them to keep reading. Even where you may not agree with Twitchell, his arguments are very interesting and worth considering. What's more, this is a pretty readable book, and that's refreshing in these days of "culture studies" where academics can't seen to write books without spouting jargon like "poststructuralist feminist hegemonic non-essentialism."

The book focuses mostly on kinds of monsters--particularly: the vampire, the shape-shifter, and the dead-thing brought to life (i.e., the vampire, the werewolf, and Frankenstein's creature).

Average customer rating:

Not much of a classic

Separation of Writer and Book.

Solid as Stone

great look into character development

Excellent analysis and guidelines for screenplay writing

Anatomy of a Screenplay
Dan Decker
Manufacturer: Screenwriters Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Reference | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Screenwriting | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

The 3rd Act: Writing a Great Ending to Your Screenplay

Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know

The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script

ASIN: 096657320X

Book Description

With clear logic and accessible language, Anatomy of a Screenplay goes beyond the rigid-rule and subjecive approaches to screenwriting to show a flexible and accurate way of understanding a screenplay. Dan Decker's revolutionary theories of Character Structure, Drive Structure and Convergence are presented to the public for the first time in this book.

Customer Reviews:

Not much of a classic.......2007-02-20

This is a strange book. First of all, you have just a lot of things that every other screenwriting book in town says -but inventing new names for them. Yes, these news are old news.

Second, this book has the ability of making easy things hard. While other books on the subject tend to look for a plain, simple and easy method, Mr. Decker invents some really hard to follow ways. I don't doubt some people will find it useful. But I think they are too complicated for the novice, and too un-useful for the expert.

Third, it is poorly written. I think that this is a self-published book (as there is no publisher's data in any place) and very little care has been put in things as style correction, clarity of expression, readability and so on. This book could have been at least an easy read if an editor and a graphic designer had taken it on its hands. It looks like it has been done on a Word text processor. Maybe the author did't find a publisher? Or maybe he thought he did't need advice of this kind?

I save the good things for the last: I found two things interesting and somewhat new.

1.The Drive Structure. It is a method for structuring your script according to the main character's four fundamental needs. It's simple and useful.
2.Convergence. A method to make sure everything converges at the end of the movie. Hard to follow, but original and again, useful.
3.Also there are some nice considerations of what a scene should contain that act as a good resume of what you can find in other books.

I don't recommend you this book if you are a beginner or an expert. But maybe you are like me: I think a book is worth the money if at least it teaches a thing or two. And this one literally does that.

Separation of Writer and Book........2003-12-03

First, as this is a section for book reviews, I would rate this book 4 of 5 stars. This is the first book I've read that simply states that the character is the basis for great movies and not plot. It's the character's story, personality, and decisions. Creating the story through plot results in *thinking* you have a better story than you do. If this isn't evident in a first draft, it is very obvious in rewrites. Adding twists/turns/wrinkles to plot makes a movie seem forced. Adding dimension to characters makes the story seems real. Strong characters attract the talent that gets movies made.

'Anatomy of a Screenplay' is straightforward. It's not beautifully written (hence my 4-of-5 star book review). Though it teaches structure, it would be erroneous to read it as one way to write a movie. The book starts with the basics and moves on from there. If you're writing cookie-cutter scripts because of this book, you read it wrong... I would rate Dan Decker and his screenwriting organization 5 of 5 stars... No collection of books is going to teach someone enough to write a professional screenplay, play basketball, play jazz, or be a doctor. You need to learn...

If you are looking into screenwriting, I recommend this book. It may be more technical and dry than some other books. There is a lot of information, and the straightforward writing allows this information not to get cluttered in flowery language...

Solid as Stone.......2002-05-11

As a member of the film industry, I found the principles in Dan's book to be right on. They do not limit the screenwriter but give a firm "backbone" on which individual creativity can be expanded. Dan offers solid advice for filmmakers entering the business.

great look into character development.......1999-09-08

Dan Decker has written the only screenplay book I know of that deals with what makes a charactor. The needs and wants. He also deals with the roots of what makes a good story that people will want to see.

Excellent analysis and guidelines for screenplay writing.......1999-06-16

This book provides excellent screenplay analysis and guidelines for the writer to construct a marketable screenplay. I highly recommend it to all writers regardless of expertise.

Anatomy of a Guerrilla Film: The Making of RADIUS

Average customer rating:

Great Intro to From the Ground Up Filmmaking
At least it includes the Movie...
Great combination of text from book with film and video from disk.
Well written book on overcoming and anticipating the pains of filmmaking on the cheap
Great Book DVD Combo

Anatomy of a Guerrilla Film: The Making of RADIUS
Helmut Kobler
Manufacturer: Course Technology PTR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Computer Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

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

Computers & Internet | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1592009107

Book Description

Want to make a guerrilla film of your own? Learn how as first-time director Helmut Kobler takes you through the highs and lows of creating his ambitious film "RADIUS" on a meager budget. Kobler explains how he and his team accomplished each step of the filmmaking process -- from writing the script and financing it with credit cards to completing the final sound mix, marketing the film, and distributing it for others to see. Go behind the scenes as Kobler offers a frank account of what went right and what went wrong. This unique guide is a must-have for all aspiring guerrilla filmmakers.

Customer Reviews:

Great Intro to From the Ground Up Filmmaking.......2005-10-22

There are plenty of filmmaking books on the shelves these days, this is one of the most original, out-of-the-box books I've come across. What makes it unique is that the author has managed to write both a tale of do it yourself style filmmaking and a practical guide which moves beyond the "making of" stage to offer solid advice on Marketing and Distribution.

Kobler should be praised for his incredible energy if anything else. The filmmaker created his 30+ minute film, and then a double-disk DVD with hours of Film School videos for other beginning filmmakers. Then he self distributed the DVD on his own web site, and did press for it; getting it covered in MovieMaker magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and many other publications and web sites, and he also gathered positive marketing quotes from other well-known filmmaking professionals. Again, what makes this book impressive and different is that Kobler moves beyond the story telling mode and explains how he did all of this on the cheap, in practical and painstaking detail.

I also really appreciated the author's honesty about the whole process. For instance he tried to get a promotional quote for the DVD from Robert Rodriguez, and to do so, he produced an elaborate customized web site (there is a URL in the book so you can see it for yourself) and video just for Rodriguez, before asking the director for a quote. But, Rodriguez never responded. Its nice to see that with all his self made gusto this filmmaker is still willing to let his ego down and detail when things go wrong.

I think if you want a frankly written and fun tale of practical "from the ground up" filmmaking, this book is a great choice.

At least it includes the Movie... .......2005-09-27

I read this book today in a 2 hour sitting. I was aware of the movie from the days of "internet movie" hype, which the author admits was a motivation. The only thing he never addresses is "Why shoot 35mm for something that was hyped as screening on the internet?" So I was always suspicious of this movie because shooting 35mm to project at 320x240 (the best rate going a few years back) across modem lines seemed like overkill professionalism.

All the same, the book is a fast read and has a lot of information. I appreciate that the author owns up to NOT reading books he sugggests for further study. The retail price is a bit high, but for $26 on Amazon, you come out better than other books out there for strict practicality.

If anything, this book is an excellent case study for NOT hiring, and for trying to do as much within your resources as possible. He tells stories of extreme delays in post production that he admits would've been avoided had he actually made a true internet -resolution movie. Your renders and frame rate are that much faster.

So, this work is rooted in his experience making and promoting his movie, so there's a lot of stuff you can learn from his mistakes, and what he did right.

Alas, it always comes down to the movie. I've read some great insight from directors whose work I'm not into. Or I get shocked by the contradiction of written insight and filmic letdown. (Cronenberg is a great interview. All he said about Crash was so much better than the movie itself.) So the movie is what it is, but the book is worth the read at any stage of production you're in. Say what you will about the movie, but he started and finished his movie and sells it on DVD. If you are not yet doing these things, then read this to avoid hassles. And pay attention to how he slowly learned to do-it-himself by the time DVD authoring rolled around. Might as well start DIY from the get go. So you get the book and the movie on DVD for one price. Read the book first, take notes, consider it incase you dismiss everything out of hand due to disliking the movie. Enjoy- Anthony Torres http://www.BarrioBoys.com

Great combination of text from book with film and video from disk........2005-08-23

This book felt a little expensive at $40, but the DVD makes it worth it. Watch the film first, then read whatever production how-to chapters are interesting. The lessons stick because you've seen the film and can truly visualize what the author is talking about. There's also a couple of hours of making of videos, where you can see the crew making each scene of the movie. This is a great feature; the videos are interesting, and usually focus on some struggle that the filmmakers faced, like making costumes from off the shelf materials or shooting major scenes in a kitchen (that's one of the best videos). Combining the film and videos from the disk with the details of the text brings the how-to filmmaking material to life, and really helped me visualize how I might approach some projects I want to do.

Well written book on overcoming and anticipating the pains of filmmaking on the cheap.......2005-08-15

This book comes with a DVD that includes the full RADIUS film with extras including stuff that many DVDs leave out like examples of color correction techniques and FX shots at various stages and tests as well as some raw footage.

The film RADIUS is not perfect (which the director/author admits in the book) but for a low/no budget film it's great. It's tight, the acting is FAR above many of the films you see in this genre and on-line, the camera work is good and the sound (a failing of most low/no budget films) is great with a nice soundtrack.

I enjoyed the film and enjoyed watching it again after reading the book and taking note of some of the things they were able to accomplish not the least of which was even completing this film in the 100+ degrees of death valley. Plus you can see the scenes where things didn't go right and weren't able to accomplish their plan but still made it work.

Helmut Kobler made this film for around $60,000 which to me is a far cry from the guerrilla filmmakers out there that are making films for $2000 but it's a great AND inspiring read and with the DVD it makes it well worth the price of the book for any filmmaker to learn a few tricks and get some ideas and learn.

I would seriously recommend this to anyone interested in a good tale of low/no budget film making because not only is it an enjoyable film and book but there is LOTS to learn from this and you can't help but be inspired or at least learn from his mistakes.

Great Book DVD Combo.......2005-07-05

I got this book a couple of days ago and have gotten a ton out of it. I have bought a few filmmaking books before, but this is the first one that actually shows you a real film (on DVD), and then dissects it piece by piece. And it really does dissect it--the detail it goes into is great, and may be overwhelming or too much unless you are looking to do a film. But it is great for me!

By the way, I'm not new to the movie Radius. I bought the original 2 disk DVD when it came out last year, and thought it was great, especially for $60,000. I bought it because I read an ethusiastic review of it on the filmthreat web site. I think it's really oddd that a previous Amazon reviewer would say the movie is bad and give the book 1 star. That's really strange to me. I found RObert Rodgriguez' 10 Minute Film School very helpful too, but it hardly touches the usefulness of this book and movie for learining about filmmaking in the real world, in my opinion.

The World War II Combat Film: Anatomy of a Genre

Average customer rating:

Excellent
Over 1,000 films in total
War as a Genre

The World War II Combat Film: Anatomy of a Genre
Jeanine Basinger , and Jeremy Arnold
Manufacturer: Wesleyan University Press
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
ASIN: 0819566233

Book Description

One of America's most renowned film scholars, Jeanine Basinger, offers a revealing, perceptive and highly readable look at the combat film. Discussing over one thousand movies, Basinger covers in-depth the key examples of the genre and uses them to define the meaning of genre itself. From "Bataan" to "Battleground" to "The Dirty Dozen" to "Saving Private Ryan," the book traces the evolution of the combat genre, as its recurring characters, plots and events are used and reused over time. There is also a section outlining what happens when women replace men in combat and when the subject is treated as comedy. First published in 1986, this updated and expanded edition of the book contains a new introduction, a new chapter on "Saving Private Ryan" and an updated filmography. This is an essential text for anyone seriously interested in genre, movies, and with 38 photographs, as much a treat to look at as it is to read.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2004-11-06

Five stars are not enough. This work is quite thorough and entertaining. I now fancy myself somewhat of a military film guru thanks to the education from Jeremy Arnold and Jeanine Basinger.

Over 1,000 films in total.......2003-09-14

Knowledgeably written by Jeanine Basinger (Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies, Wesleyan University), The World War II Combat Film: Anatomy Of A Genre is a close and detailed study of an entire class of movies (over 1,000 films in total), pertaining to World War II. Originally published in 1986, The World War II Combat Film has now been completely updated and significantly expanded. Enhanced with a thorough filmography, The World War II Combat Film is especially recommended for military movie buffs and an invaluable addition to academic Cinematic Studies and Film History reference collections.

War as a Genre.......2003-07-16

This is a very good, readable book that not only traces the development of the WWII combat film, but also discusses how genres change over time.

Basinger takes the WWII combat film to see how genres work. She did this because, obviously, there were none made before December 7th 1941, so there are no "lost films" in this genre. Thus she sees how genre elements come together gradually (the prototype phase), snap into place as a perfect model (the archetype), are used by skillful directors for powerful films that transcend the norm (masterpiece) and then lose their effectiveness and are inverted or combined with other genres to try to attract an audience (decadence.)

She looks at combat films from the 1940s to the 1980s, so she doesn't talk about all films made in Hollywood in 1941-5. If a film doesn't have a lot of combat, she ignores it. However, she does discuss many films and besides showing how genres develop, she shows how the combat film changed. The focus on a platoon of average Joes (Guadacanal Diary) eventually gives way to a focus on an elite force (Where Eagles Dare, for instance).

Product Description

The 1932 horror film White Zombie starring Bela Lugosi has received controversial attention from film reviewers and scholarsbut it is unarguably a cult classic worthy of study. This book analyzes the film text from nearly every possible viewpoint, using both academic and popular film theories. Also supplied is an extensive intellectual history of the predecessor works to White Zombie, as well as information on the significance it carried for subsequent books and films, its theatrical release around the country, its modern cultural influence, and the attempts to restore the film to its original state. Other noteworthy features of this work include an in-depth biography of White Zombie director Victor Halperin, the first complete study of his life and career, and 244 images and photographs.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing!.......2007-07-16

Wow! All I can say is how much I really enjoy this book! This book by Mr. Rhodes gives such insight into the making of White Zombie that it is hard to believe so much can be found about one movie. Especially a movie such as White Zombie with its awesome press kit pictures and other amazing stills. I thought his first book on Lugosi was thoroughly researched...this one is just as good! Superbly done. Again and again Rhodes does not disappoint and should be a necessary book in anyone's book collection or any Lugosi completist's library.

The Zombies are Loose!.......2002-09-26

"Holy baloney, Batman! The Joker is Loose!" I don't know about the Joker, but all the Zombies are loose in this all-comprehensive memorial to 1932's cult classic "White Zombie". Everything you wanted to know(and a 120 things you could pass on..) about this minor gem are wrapped up in "White Zombie", written by Gary Don Rhodes. I found many an interesting passage, some remarkable photographs, and several pages that improved my sleeping problems in this weighty tome. All-in-all a must-have for the Bela Lugosi fan.

"There IS No Other Way".......2002-03-26

Gary Don Rhodes' take on "White Zombie" is keenly akin to those of Pauline Kael on "Citizen Kane" or George E. Turner on "King Kong": Each author's fascination with a focused topic yields a book of intense purpose and value beyond mere interest in one particular motion picture. Each of us has such a film in our picture-going experience, one overriding favorite that informs the way we regard all other movies, and such authors as Kael, Turner and Rhodes show us how a deeper understanding of that one film can enrich the viewing experience across-the-board.

Rhodes' scholarship (on practically any topic) is meticulous to the point of obsession. In "W.Z.: Anatomy of a Horror Film" he puts this fact-finding mania to compelling use, not only sharing the raw materials he has unearthed but also interpreting them to demonstrate how and why "White Zombie" -- an "unlikely classic," as George Turner and I once termed the film in an article for "American Cinematographer" -- has remained relevant over the long stretch.

Painstakingly researched and assembled, Rhodes' book was in preparation all during and beyond the mid-1990s period when George Turner (since deceased) and I were assembling our 20th anniversary edition of the more generalized book "Forgotten Horrors," on whose research Rhodes helped out considerably. George and I beefed up considerably our own book's chapter on "White Zombie," but we also left it to Gary Don Rhodes to get in the final say on that film's significance. Our trust has proved well placed, and the resulting volume is a fusion of style and substance worth cherishing.

Average customer rating:
The anatomy of cinematic humor: With an essay on the Marx Brothers (The Revisionist Press cinema series ; #2)
Thomas H Jordan
Manufacturer: Revisionist Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books | Dance | General | Reference | Theater
General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0877002096

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books