Book Description
Text by W. Haden Blackman
All new
full color illustrations by Ian Fullwood
From the beat-up landspeeders that whisk travelers between desert towns on Tatooine to Jabba the Hutt’s luxurious sail barge and the elegant Naboo Royal Starship, the vehicles and vessels in the Star Wars universe have captivated millions of delighted fans.
In light of the ever-expanding saga, the
New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels features completely updated entries that cover more than 150 ships, along with brand new,
full-color illustrations by dazzling artist Ian Fullwood. This new volume encompasses craft from all five movies, the bestselling novels of the New Jedi Order, comics, TV specials, and games. Inside you will find:
• Detailed profiles and vital statistics for each vessel, including data covering the vehicle’s construction, size, maximum speed, and its role in Star Wars history
• A revealing Layman’s Guide to Technology, covering common terms applied to each class of vehicle
• An outline of engine technologies that drive the craft across the Star Wars galaxy, and of the unique weapons they boast
• Schematics for each vehicle, providing the reader with instant visual reference
Discover the modifications Han Solo and Chewbacca made on the Millennium Falcon to make it one of the fastest vessels in the galaxy; the secrets of the Imperial All Terrain Armored Transport Walker, possibly the most formidable military vehicle ever assembled; the reasons the Tribubble Bongo Sub is the chosen way to navigate the watery depths of Naboo; and the unique and lethal properties of the Yuuzhan Vong’s living starship, the Coralskipper.
Skiffs, cargo haulers, shuttles, podracers, gunships, sandcrawlers– if it flies, glides, drives, or speeds in the Star Wars galaxy, you’ll find it in The New Essential Guide to Vehicle and Vessels!
Ballantine Books/Science Fiction
Visit the official Star Wars Web site at www.starwars.com
Visit our Web site at www.delreydigital.com
Customer Reviews:
Very, very nice book with awsome pictures.......2007-06-11
"Must have" for Star Wars fans, especially does who are into spacecrafts and modelling.
just what i ordered.......2007-03-11
Deliverd quickly and in exactly the same shape it was sold to me as. Perfect.
A Solid Reference.......2007-03-01
This book is a well deserved updated edition. The huge colorful illustrations, the comparisons of speed, weapons, manueverability, the history of design and purpose... all make for a well composed reference book.
My only complaint is that several of the older designs were relegated to the back of the book, with less impressive pictures and information, and a few vehicles of less importance were left out all together. So while this is a good reference for any Star Wars fan, it is not what I would call a complete reference. Still, a positive addition to any collection and useful when trying to make sure that the SW authors got their facts straight.
Not the best reference. .......2007-01-26
This book isn't comprehensive enough to be really valuable to a Star Wars fan. It's interesting, but the vast majority of the entries are things that you don't really want or need to know or see.
I want to be able to see what a Katana fleet Dreadnaught looks like, or find out about a Carrack-class cruiser, but no. The only valuable entries were specific people's personal ships, like the Lady Luck or the Wild Kaarde. Everything else was vague, and sometimes just wrong.
Also, some of the positioning and angling of pictures was just plain bad.
Something for every Star Wars fan!.......2007-01-15
I bought this book for my son, who is a HUGE Star Wars fan. He pours over this book, and is fascinated with the stories that accompany the pictures of SW vehicles. This book has been a huge hit with all the fans in our house, including my husband! A great book with great pictures!
Book Description
There’s more to the arms, artillery, and exotic equipment of the Star Wars galaxy than Jedi lightsabers and blasters. Species such as the tree-dwelling Wookiees, the amphibious Gungans, and the deadly Yuuzhan Vong have yielded a staggering array of unique weapons and devices. And as the Star Wars mythos continues to grow–in prequels and video games, on screen, in print, and beyond–these remarkable technical creations also multiply and evolve.
The
New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology is the fully updated and greatly expanded reference resource that organizes and explains every key class, make, and model of Star Wars munitions–from the smallest personal sidearms to the most devastating interplanetary superweapons–along with a host of other high-tech paraphernalia. This exhaustive compendium includes:
• New in this edition: a fascinating look at the historical significance of Star Wars weaponry and the major technological turning points– including the Clone Wars, the creation of the first Death Star,
and the Yuuzhan Vong invasion
• A roster of the major manufacturers who created the most powerful armaments for the Old and New Republics, the Empire, the Sith, the Rebel Alliance, and all of the exotic governments that populate the Star Wars galaxy
• In-depth descriptions of more than 100 weapons and more than 100 additional devices used for defense, communication, survival, security, and more–including detailed schematics of key technology featured in all five films
From the Geonosian sonic blaster to the Wookiee bowcaster; from the imperial energy grenade to the Yuuzhan Vong fire spitter; from dart shooters and laser cannons to Sun Crushers and World Devastators, find the facts about Star Wars firepower–and much more–in The
New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology.
Customer Reviews:
Star Wars for Children?.......2007-09-10
This book is good. There are plenty of pictures, sourcing for items and where the surface in the universe, even a fairly decent description of most of them. But it didn't have the technical specifications that you would expect from a Star Wars Manual. It was lacking in a lot of fine details, and seemed ti have been made just to gloss over everything and make it look good. Ok, but not great.
They Don't make them like they used too.......2007-08-29
Nice Diagrams, a few VERY good light saber comparison pages, nice description of companies that make the weaponry but mostly underwhelming with little information or obvious information on the actually weapons as well as very poor renders of the few that were rendered. I never got the original of this book but I did have the original Essential guide to vehicle's and vessels and it was MUCH better with no render only black and white artist sketches as well as more interesting diagrams.
A job well done........2007-06-15
I was extremely pleased with what I got when I purchased this guide. It gives a detailed description of the anatomy, history, and use of every item in Star Wars. This guide is broken into sections. These are ranged weapons, melee weapons, starship and planetary weapons, superweapons, defenses and armor, security, and other equitment. The ranged weapons section covers everything from the simple dart shooter to the lethal disruptor rifle. Melee is similar, and it gives many descriptions of Yuuzhan Vong melee weapons(ugh). Starship and planetary weapons section covers many things, and the superweapons section is a very interesting section. I value this guide over the Vehicles and Vessels guide. Its setup is more structured and organized. In the beginning of this guide you can find a Major Manufacterers guide. Ian Fullwood has done an excellent job illistrating this guide. You can see everything. I strongly reccomend this guide to anyone who likes Star Wars, and it really helped me get into Star Wars. A must-have.
Nice!.......2006-11-21
Tis book expands on the weapons/technology used in the Star Wars universe, not just what's seen in the movies but also what appears in the books. The artwork/pictures in the book have been updated, they have a more realistic look to them.
Book Description
Digital Filmmaking 101 reveals the secrets of making professional-quality ditial moviemaking on ultra-low budgets.
Customer Reviews:
Digital Filmmaking 101.......2007-06-01
Has lots of information and tips on "how-to-" do many things. But I wouldn't try to make a movie of it. It just didn't hit me.
Where is the digital?.......2007-04-05
I bought this book thinking it would help in a film project utilizing a good camera and a few volunteers. Unfortunately it does not even have much to say about the possibilities of digital filmmaking, but rather gives a disorganized (how about some editing?) depiction of their experience in making two films. I am not sure they even used the digital format.... The true focus is how to produce a film with little budget, and little experience. Not a bad topic, but not what I was expecting from the title. Three stars for the appendix, the chapter on working with the crew, and budget.
Excellent book.......2007-03-09
A well written, humorous book, includes lots of helpful hints, and several templates that help with the production process.
Informed, clear, cogent information and advice.......2007-01-12
This is the most informative, clearly written, cogent source of information on this subject I have read. Although you need rudimentary knowledge to practice what the authors preach, they provide intermediary and advanced tips and strategies that more than make this book worth the price of admission. Don't miss it!
Jeffrey M. Freedman
Screenwriter
'Vivaldi'
[....]
Great read. Recommended 4 anyone starting out........2006-12-14
Easy to follow, and worth every cent paid for it.
Book Description
What makes Japanese animation Japanese? What are the top, not-to-be-missed films? Who's got the anime goods? What's it all mean anyway? Answering just about every question a fan (or curious parent) has, Anime Essentials is an easy-to-read and fun-to-look-at overview of the pop culture phenomenon sweeping America. It discusses the major players, where to get your anime fix, otaku (devoted fan) etiquette, how to run an anime club (and get pre-release screenings!), how to "talk" anime to outsiders, and lots more of interest both to veterans and newcomers.
One of the New York Public Libary's 2001 Books for the the Teen Age List.
"Overall, this book opens its welcoming arms wide to newcomers, so that more people can enjoy anime's story qualities, human element and cinematic, artistic effects. A valuable book!" --
Protocultue Addicts
"For the anime beginner, this is a great place to start." --
Dreamwatch
Customer Reviews:
The ESSENTIALL book for anyone wanting to "get their toe wet" in anime!.......2006-12-16
I have been an anime fan now for about 6 or 7 years, and like most here in the U.S., I got my anime roots through undam Wing (I am still a HUGE Gundam fan). Anyway, I saw features about this book in some magazines I read, so I went to my local comic book store to buy it. It showed me EVERYTHING I needed to at least get a basic understanding of the themes and different variations of anime. Now, I enjoy all styles of anime and am even beginning to build a small collection. I would also recommend at least checking out "What's Japanese in Japanese Animation". I know I sure will.
Limited but useful in it's area.......2005-12-01
This book is much better at talking about anime fan culture than anime itself. If you're interested in knowing more about the films, there are better resources such as "Anime Explosion", "Samurai from Outer Space" or, for the more academically inclined, "Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke"
Anime Essentials.......2005-08-23
This is an excellent book about the Anime genre. It describes not only the history of anime but the various styles and elements that make anime unique.
The author includes recomendations in the different anime styles and makes parental recomendations as well.
Elements of Japanese culture are woven into the descriptions making this an all around good read and reference book.
There is also a video animation called "Otaku no Video" which complements this book and has a similar cover.
If you want to learn more about anime or are a fan pick both of these titles!
An excellent starting place.......2005-03-15
I'm too old to have discovered Japanese manga and anime in my youth, but I've made up for that the past few years. Being interested in Japanese culture and literature generally, I had some understanding of why anime is the way it is, and why it's so much different from American or European graphic art, but reading this well-written book, I found there was a great deal I had missed. Poitras writes from the fan's point of view, so he knows what questions he should be addressing -- everything from the "big eye" mania, to the difference between hentai and mainstream manga, to the nervousness among the U.S. morals police about "foreign" art, to actually setting up and publicizing a fan group, plus the ins and outs of model kits, imported publications, and so on. There's also an excellent rundown of recommended anime titles and series, which I've photocopied as a checklist. This book doesn't tell you everything you need to know, but it's a good place to start.
CHING-CHONG A THON!.......2004-12-05
I love anime! Drawing Japanese pictures is awesome. I don't have many friends, so drawing pictures keeps me entertained. This book was great for me because it had lots of Japanese pictures in it. People call me a nerd for drawing Japanese pictures and listening to country music, but I don't care!
Book Description
This one-of-a-kind collection of poster art commemorates an era in cinema that produced films like Silence of the Lambs, Goodfellas, Pulp Fiction, Pretty Woman, Fargo, and Schindler's List. Featuring scores of full-color reproductions, this is a book that will thrill movie buffs and poster collectors alike.
Customer Reviews:
comes up a winner.......2006-10-15
For 10 years, I have sought another chance to glimpse a European poster I had seen for Casino on a trip to the continent when the picture was current. This book offers me that.
For that alone, it gets 4 stars. It's not the book's fault that the 90s offered a bunch of rehashes of the posters for Eraser and The Peacemaker. And scores of big faces with guns. Plus, the ascendance of computer design. Zzzzz.
Still, that Casino poster is a haunting and lovely image. One of cinema's finest.
Book Description
From the same brain trust that brought you The Rock Snob*s Dictionary, the hilarious, bestselling guide to insiderist rock arcana, comes The Film Snob*s Dictionary, an informative and subversively funny A-to-Z reference guide to all that is held sacred by Film Snobs, those perverse creatures of the repertory cinema. No longer must you suffer silently as some clerk in a “Tod Browning’s Freaks” T-shirt bombards you with baffling allusions to “wire-fu” pictures, “Todd-AO process,” and “Sam Raimi.” By helping to close the knowledge gap between average moviegoers and incorrigible Snobs, the dictionary lets you in on hidden gems that film geeks have been hoarding (such as Douglas Sirk and Guy Maddin movies) while exposing the trash that Snobs inexplicably laud (e.g., most chop-socky films and Mexican wrestling pictures). Delightfully illustrated and handily organized in alphabetical order for quick reference, The Film Snob*s Dictionary is your fail-safe companion in the video store, the cineplex, or wherever insufferable Film Snobs congregate.
Customer Reviews:
stuck in a self satisfied snicker.......2006-12-19
Let's stop the snob right here. ENOUGH. I just want to enjoy art without all the pretense of being a so-called insider. The authors are nobodies. They want to be belong to some exclusive club they are not part of. The authors don't appreciate film, they merely compile meaningless trivia, and we are suppossed to feel honored to be part of their insipid pursuit. Sadly, it is compulisvely readable, but I had a dirty hollow feeling afterward. Porn for geeks.
Unlikely to appear on the Book Snob*s list of great sequels.......2006-05-06
While the Rock Snob book was both an interesting encyclopedia and a witty critique of a sub-culture, this just seems like the employees' manual from a slightly above-average video store. It doesn't seem to get the cineastes, the gorehounds, or the fan-boys in it's scope. It just seems a MEDITATION ON the slightly off-beat with a nod toward the classic.
It's probably this year's gift of choice for people you don't want to drop $30 on a Criterion DVD for. But they won't find it amusing.
The funniest book of the year........2006-05-01
It's funny 'cause it's true. Tom Servo owns two copies in case one gets lost. If you were born before 1970, I need only say, This Was Written By Two Guys From Spy Magazine. What are you waiting for? Also includes helpful tips on matters such as distinguishing Sydney Pollack from Sidney Lumet, which used to be a problem for me, but no more!
Snobs Unite!.......2006-04-24
A fun, fun, fun flip-through for the cinephillically addicted.
Lives up to its name! No, not offputtingly snobbish. Just in its deep knowledge. Not some glossy rag posing as film experts with obvious familiar trivia.
This is the film book with cred!
Mad apparatus.......2006-04-19
A true snob, of course, will crack the spine with an eager eye for chinks in the armor. But quit hatin' and start congratulatin' -- this Dictionary is too well-crafted, funny, and steeped in film culture to be dismissed.
Its real significance, though, is the new breed of snob that it represents -- one that can name-drop Cahiers du Cinema and then laugh at its own pretense; one that's at ease with Wire Fu and Bergman both; one that's comfortable enough with its gut reaction to say "Dude, Tarkovsky's kinda boring." Which means you'll get a heavy dose of the canon, along with some serious arcana about the marginalized weirdness that'll wind up in the canon, one day, if these guys have their way.
Amazon.com
For many first-time screenwriters, the most daunting aspect of getting underway is learning the proper format. Paul Argentini lends a helping hand with Elements of Style for Screenwriters. It's a good nuts-and-bolts introduction to the terminology of filmmaking and a step-by-step guide to making sure your opus is properly formatted. Argentini starts with a short sample screenplay as a concrete example, peppered with annotations as simple as "use plain Arabic numbers" and as complex as "(continuing) not needed here--LUDVINNIA (O.S.) and LUDVINNIA are separate elements." Don't worry, when it's all laid out on the script it makes a lot of sense. Most of the book is set up as a glossary of film terms, though Argentini does not stop at mere definitions, also filling the book with practical advice. He explains that a "talking heads" scene refers to one that is all dialogue and no action and points out that it will doom your script. The second portion of the book--considerably smaller--lays out the elements of style for playwriting in a similar sample and glossary fashion. Argentini also helpfully explains the broader differences between writing for the stage and writing for the screen (in a nutshell, the playwright can get away with those talking-head scenes.) A good, practical manual that should take a lot of the fear out of diving into that first script. --Ali Davis
Book Description
How to design and format manuscripts to impress any film school professor, story editor, agent, producer or studio executive.
Customer Reviews:
The author can't write, and I am pretty sure has never had a screenplay produced.......2007-09-10
This book is so incoherently and terribly written that I only got through the 3rd page of the intorduction out of morbid fascination. Consider a sentence from the author's biography that illustrates, simultaneously, his lack of grammatical ability and credits:
"Awarded a Playwriting Fellowship by the Massachusetts Artists Foundation, he is a former Boston and Washington D.C. editor, reporter and photographer."
That is, by the way, the most specific sentence of his four-sentence bio, besides "He graduated from Boston University".
A few sentences from the introduction:
"There will be some repetitious information on these pages. But, there are no wrong examples to remember. The Elements of Style for Screenwriters was not written to teach screenwriting, or to give you an insight into the dramatic art, although it might come close and I beg your forgiveness."
I accidentally bent the cover, but I am sure Barnes and Noble will take it back out of shame.
As Essential to Screenwriters as Strunk & White is to All Writers.......2007-02-11
Yes, you'll use this book fewer times as you keep writing screenplays simply because you'll commit more of it to memory. Yes, you'll want one for your shelves, one for your briefcase, and one for your office. Yes, they'll all be well used. And yes, this will be as invaluable a tool to you as your best loved dictionary and thesaurus. I require it of all my screenwriting students who are discouraged from ever selling it back to the bookstore, especially if they plan to take an advanced class with me. I also recommend this to all my workshop participants.
Get this book, read it through cover to cover once, and then flip through the alphabetized screenwriting terms when you need to refresh yourself as you write your script. Good luck with your project!
Look at me! Look at my cap........2005-10-04
This book is basically an extensive glossary of screenwriting terms, and will help the beginning (and the experienced) screenwriter make sure that his or her screenplay is formatted correctly and that it uses the correct terms. The book is arranged alphabetically, so if you need to look up "Fade In" or "Margins," you can turn right to the correct pages.
The book lists a lot of terms, however, that you should never use in a spec script that you just want to show to producers and investors. Use this in conjuction with other screenwriting books to get a better idea of this.
The book is not always perfectly written either--and don't let its title fool you into thinking it has anything to do with Strunk and White--but it is helpful, and when I'm writing a screenplay, I use it often.
THE Screenplay Writer's Guide.......2005-05-07
If you're into writing screenplays, this is THE Essential Screenplay Writer's Guide. I used it to write a couple of screenplays for Triggerstreet.com. In all of the feedback I received, not one person knocked the style of my works.
Writing.......2005-01-22
Maybe I'm crazy, but I tend not to like writing reference books that are terribly written.
Product Description
In
CINEMA 4D R10 Essential Training, animation specialist Larry Mitchell teaches users how to get the most out of the new modeling, animation, rendering, and workflow features in this latest release. From understanding the interface to creating skin and hair textures to animating body parts and clothing, Larry covers all the key elements of CINEMA 4D R10. This training is appropriate for those new to the application as well as those upgrading from an earlier version. Exercise files accompany the tutorials.
Topics Include:
- Understanding the CINEMA 4D interface
- Modeling with primitives
- Working with Default, Automatic, and Tweak modes
- Modeling with NURBS
- Creating materials and textures
- Painting textures with BodyPaint
- Animating and switching cameras
- Controlling animations in the timeline
- Creating rigid body dynamics
Duration: 10.5 hoursOn 1 DVD-ROM
Customer Reviews:
CINEMA 4D R10 Essential Training review.......2007-09-03
Very comprehensive and loaded with good tips that wouldn't be found in the manual. The only thing I would fault it on is having to have the CD in the computer in order to watch the videos. It would be much more convenient to able to download them to the hard disk and call up a specific chapter when the need arises. But overall certainly worth the investment.
best DVD tutorial.......2007-03-25
For beginning to intermediate level this is the clearest and most helpful tutorial on C4D. It does not cover many advanced topics like the complexities of UV mapping or much on Mocca, but the basics are covered clearly and the lessons are short and informative.
Book Description
Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography explores the life and career of one of Hollywood's great dames. She was a leading film personality for more than fifty years, from her beginnings as a dancer in silent films of the 1920s, to her portrayals of working-class shop girls in the Depression thirties, to her Oscar-winning performances in classic films such as Mildred Pierce.
Crawford's legacy has become somewhat tarnished in the wake of her daughter Christina's unkind memoir, Mommie Dearest, which turned her into a national joke. Today, many picture Crawford only as a wire hanger-wielding shrew rather than the personification of Hollywood glamour.
This new biography of Crawford sets the record straight, going beyond the gossip to find the truth about the legendary actress. The authors knew Crawford well and conducted scores of interviews with her and many of her friends and co-stars, including Frank Capra, George Cukor, Nicholas Ray, and Sidney Greenstreet.
Far from a whitewash—Crawford was indeed a colorful and difficult character—Joan Crawford corrects the many misconceptions and myths that abound and tells the story of one of Hollywood's most influential stars, complete with on-set anecdotes and other movie lore. Through extensive interviews, in-depth analysis, and evaluation of her films and performances—both successes and failures—Lawrence J. Quirk and William Schoell present Crawford's story as both an appreciation and a reevaluation of her extraordinary life and career.
Customer Reviews:
"Essentially" useless.......2006-11-21
Given Joan Crawford's active love life, up-and-down stardom and the occasional classic movie, one would expect that a really good, entertaining biography could be written about her.
Well, this isn't it. Lawrence J. Quirk and William Schoell trip over their own feet, as they desperately try to convince the reading public that Crawford was some kind of Hollywood saint. "Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography" is less interested in Crawford's actual life, than in worshiping at her altar.
Crawford was born to an impoverished family, who rejected her at a young age when she was caught sleeping with her stepfather. She veered off into showbiz, becoming a notable starlet and marrying into Hollywood royalty. She also survived the transition from silent movies to talkies, which most stars didn't.
As as her marriages failed, she continued notching famous lovers (including Clark Gable) on her bedpost, as she rapidly ascended to megastardom. Even into old age, she continued making intriguing (and sometimes wretched) movies, and adopted four children to provide her with unconditional love.
Courtesy of her daughter Christina Crawford, there's still a lot of confusion about what kind of person Joan Crawford really was, especially since so many accounts differ. Was she really a mentally-ill harpy? Was she an essentially nice if needy person? Or was she an arrogant master of PR?
Sadly, "The Essential Biography" won't tell you. Quirk and Schoell dismiss all negative rumors about Crawford, because... well, because they're negative. Instead, Crawford is painted as a supersaint -- a perfect mother, the best actress ever, always classy, intelligent, and with high standards (but heaven forbid she be a snob). All her performances were flawless.
And if she ever did anything wrong... well, it was ALWAYS someone else's fault. If anyone criticized her, they are dismissed as has-beens and ingrates. If a director criticized her professionally, then he is basically called a hack. Other actors -- especially the legendary Bette Davis -- are thoroughly roasted, while Joan's own catty remarks and personal problems -- alcoholism, OCD, and sleeping with her stepdad -- are ignored.
In fact, it's completely impossible to find a moment of honesty in here. Schoell and Quirk are so hell-bent on painting Crawford as a sexual plaster saint that objectivity is thrown out the window. No new information is provided, except the authors' gushing recountings of long-ago interviews.
Fortunately the book is well-written, and has some lovely career photographs of some of Joan's best movies, as well as detailed plot descriptions of most of the better-known films, as well as the obscure ones (like "Our Dancing Daughters"). But after a hundred or so pages, the constant worship of Crawford becomes wearying.
"Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography" will be a good read for those who already think that Crawford can do no wrong. For the rest of us, it's just a 270-page recounting of two men's megacrushes. Nauseating.
Horrible Book.......2006-07-06
This is the worst biography ive ever had the misfortune of reading.It provides no real insight into Joans character and is loaded(too much ) with detailed plot summaries and key scenes of ALL HER MOVIES(over 70).A brief plot symnopsis and maybe a note of key scenes of her LANDMARK MOVIES instead of all her movies would of been appropiate.There's no sense of actually getting deeper into Joan Crawford as a person.All it was was she drank out her fith of vodlka(100th proof) and carried on a affair with so and so then a LOOONG summary of her next film.
Essential Filmography.......2006-02-21
If you are looking for an in-depth biography on Joan Crawford's life and that alone, this book is not for you. Rather than rehashing her life's story, as has been reported in several other books, the authors of this book made this more of a filmography - - dissecting Crawford's movies and the stages in her personal and professional lives when she made them.
I considered it fascinating reading - - starting with her early silent movie roles, as Lucille LeSueur, to her breakout role as Diana in Our Dancing Daughters, to her many shopgirl roles at MGM. During this period, the authors point out that Crawford herself was first living her "fairy tale" marriage to Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Her roles shifted slightly with the disintegration of that marriage, and her subsequent marriage to Franchot Tone, a more "serious" stage and film actor. MGM's reluctance to put her in serious roles, led her to the title of Box Office Poison and to the Warner's lot, where her "women's movies" coincided with the landmark of her fourth decade. As she aged, her films became more serious, more dramatic, more "female in trouble", until she fell into the horror movie cycle, a fate shared with Bette Davis.
For the most part, I thought this was a fascinating look at the incomparable Crawford. Nothing too earth shattering revealed here. Just a fresh, new look at her movies and the timing with which they were made.
A bonus for Crawford fans.
disgusting!.......2006-02-05
this book in my opinion is trash, i read a couple chapters and i had to wash my eyes, alot of un-truths here, the "author" claims that crawford walked in on bette davis perfoming fellatio on her husband franchot tone??? disgusting- avoid this lying filth!
Boring.......2005-12-14
I was very interested in the true life of Joan Crawford after seeing "Mommy Dearest". This book starts off well, but then quickly goes downhill. Describing in detail about each of her movies- such as who co-starred or what the idea of each movie was. I didn't order the book to get a movie review and that's about all it is.
Book Description
The Bond name is synonymous with high-tech gadgets, beautiful women, deadly spies and action-packed, death defying adventure. There's no one else like James Bond around. There have been nearly twenty films about him, there are more than sixty websites dedicated to him, andit's estimated that more than a quarter of the planet has seen at least one Bond film.
Now, fans can enter the world of 007 like never before, with this meticulously researched guide that examines all the top-secret details of the cinematic Bond missions. Officially endorsed by the Bond film producers, it features fascinating facts and behind-the-scenes stories as well as more than 250 rare production photos, cinema posters and product advertisements.
It's all here: the missions, the gadgets, the vehicles, the legendary villains, the exotic locales and the even more exotic Bond women. You can meet the directors, writers, stuntmen and technicians who have contributed to the success of the series and have stories of their own to tell. Additionally, there is a unique chapter devoted to the legacy of James Bond, with an overview of the thrillers and spoofs inspired by 007 over the years, as well as a fitting tribute to Mr. Bond's literary father, Ian Fleming.
Customer Reviews:
A Cursory Look at the Bond Films.......2006-12-01
This book, though attractive looking is substantially lacking in substance. It is very subjective in its approach. The inside photos and cover are good but the text should have been more informative from a filmmaking perspective.
Not THAT bad...but could have been better.......2006-09-17
I did want to get this book, simply because it does contain the BASICS to all the Bond movies up to THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. It covers plots, characters, women, gadgets, etc.
It's rather rote with the facts, and there are a few inconsistencies (Fleming himself was a tad guilty in that respect), so it's not a real big deal...the genre and the "legend" does (and will) live on.
I found the movie "tie-ins" products the most intriguing, as I remember buying some of those when they first came out (wish I still had them too). Heck, I practically grew up with James Bond.
While you might not agree with the author's point of view in some cases, you will still find this volume a good study in not only the basic facts & figures of each movie, but production tidbits, revenue returned on each movie, and the like.
ALthough I wouldn't pay the full retail price for this, when it's at a SALE price...it's a darn good bargain!
Excellent albeit incomplete.......2004-01-05
Everyone knows that there have been 5 actors to play Bond in the movies (Sean, George, Roger, Timothy, and Pierce), but quick!
1) How many different actors have played Ernst Blofeld?
2) In how many movies does the evil organization SPECTRE appear?
3) Which is the only Bond film in which the character of M does not appear?
4) Who was the oldest Bond girl?
5) And who was the only actress to play a Bond girl in two different Bond movies?
If Bond trivia like this interests you, then this book is for you. If not, you might be interested in it anyways just for the overview of cultural history it provides. I bought this book in order to brush up on my Bond history, and while I was impressed with the breadth of knowledge represented therein, I was also dissappointed by the fact that some Bond movies are glossed over in setences (Never Say Never Again) or ignored completely (Die Another Day). Granted the former was "merely" a remake of 1965's Thunderball, and the latter presumably too recent, but it would be nice to have a complete Bond reference that was up to date. That said, here's what I liked: all the Bond films (excepting only the above) are discussed methodically and in chronological order. After a short introduction to each film and how it fits into Bond history (years between each film, searches for new Bonds, etc), the plot for each film is summarized, which is followed by character summaries for each of Bond's women, allies, villians, vehicles, and gadgets. The 6-10 pages on each movice (complete with great photos) then concludes in each case with comments on the music, marketing and merchandising, and box office sucess (or lack thereof). Multiply that formula by 19 movies (exempting the two above, of course), and throw in an introduction, dedication to Cubby (Albert Broccoli, who produced every Bond movie until the Pierce Brosnan era - he died in 1996) and a conclusion that pays homage to Ian Fleming (finally!), those who have worked behind the scenes on several Bond movies (from directors to stunt men) and various spoofs, and presto, instant book! The reviews for each movie are succinct, sometimes a bit too much so, but at least the book does include mentioning many of Bond's infamous one-liners, and the authors are candid in their assesments of the various characters and actors who played them, never afraid to lambast one or the other (or sometimes saying that while the part was well acted, no one could do justice to this pathetic role, for example). Handy as a ready resource for trivia fans, this book also provides an excellent (albeit incomplete) overview of Bond movie history.
Answers to the opening questions:
1) 4, in 5 different movies: Anthony Dawson in From Russia With Love and Thunderball, Donald Pleasance in You Only Live Twice, Telly Savalas in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and Charles Gray in Diamonds Are Forever
2) 6 - the five mentioned in #1 plus Dr. No.
3) For Your Eyes Only
4) Honor Blackman filmed Pussy Galore in Goldfinger at the age of 37
5) Maud Adams played the title role in Octopussy and Andrea Anders in The Man With the Golden Gun - no wonder those Bond girls all look the same!
Excellent albeit incomplete.......2004-01-05
Everyone knows that there have been 5 actors to play Bond in the movies (Sean, George, Roger, Timothy, and Pierce), but quick!
1) How many different actors have played Ernst Blofeld?
2) In how many movies does the evil organization SPECTRE appear?
3) Which is the only Bond film in which the character of M does not appear?
4) Who was the oldest Bond girl?
5) And who was the only actress to play a Bond girl in two different Bond movies?
If Bond trivia like this interests you, then this book is for you. If not, you might be interested in it anyways just for the overview of cultural history it provides. I bought this book in order to brush up on my Bond history, and while I was impressed with the breadth of knowledge represented therein, I was also dissappointed by the fact that some Bond movies are glossed over in setences (Never Say Never Again) or ignored completely (Die Another Day). Granted the former was "merely" a remake of 1965's Thunderball, and the latter presumably too recent, but it would be nice to have a complete Bond reference that was up to date. That said, here's what I liked: all the Bond films (excepting only the above) are discussed methodically and in chronological order. After a short introduction to each film and how it fits into Bond history (years between each film, searches for new Bonds, etc), the plot for each film is summarized, which is followed by character summaries for each of Bond's women, allies, villians, vehicles, and gadgets. The 6-10 pages on each movice (complete with great photos) then concludes in each case with comments on the music, marketing and merchandising, and box office sucess (or lack thereof). Multiply that formula by 19 movies (exempting the two above, of course), and throw in an introduction, dedication to Cubby (Albert Broccoli, who produced every Bond movie until the Pierce Brosnan era - he died in 1996) and a conclusion that pays homage to Ian Fleming (finally!), those who have worked behind the scenes on several Bond movies (from directors to stunt men) and various spoofs, and presto, instant book! The reviews for each movie are succinct, sometimes a bit too much so, but at least the book does include mentioning many of Bond's infamous one-liners, and the authors are candid in their assesments of the various characters and actors who played them, never afraid to lambast one or the other (or sometimes saying that while the part was well acted, no one could do justice to this pathetic role, for example). Handy as a ready resource for trivia fans, this book also provides an excellent (albeit incomplete) overview of Bond movie history.
Answers to the opening questions:
1) 4, in 5 different movies: Anthony Dawson in From Russia With Love and Thunderball, Donald Pleasance in You Only Live Twice, Telly Savalas in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and Charles Gray in Diamonds Are Forever
2) 6 - the five mentioned in #1 plus Dr. No.
3) For Your Eyes Only
4) Honor Blackman filmed Pussy Galore in Goldfinger at the age of 37
5) Maud Adams played the title role in Octopussy and Andrea Anders in The Man With the Golden Gun - no wonder those Bond girls all look the same!
Essential for who?.......2003-04-29
This book is the "official authorized guide" to the world of 007. It's just a pity that the authors are obviously not real Bond fans. The book casually glides past Fleming;s novels and the Bonds themselves and instead does a film-by-film recap. This would be nice were it not for the fact that you often get the sense that the authors were trying to divide Bond fans into 2 distinct camps rather than prasing the series as a whole. My personal tastes were also insulted as brilliant movies like "man With The Golden Gun" and "A View To A Kill" are slammed, mocked, and scorned, while later on they gush and sing the praises of the dull villain Carver from "Tomorrow Never Dies", and stop just short of calling George Lazenby the best Bond ever. I couldn't help getting a sense that this book was written to be deliberatley provocative and irritating, and really that's not what you want in a book called "The Essential Bond".
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The New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology, Revised Edition (Star Wars)
The New Essential Guide to Characters (Star Wars)
The New Essential Guide to Droids (Star Wars)
The New Essential Guide to Alien Species (Star Wars)
The New Essential Chronology to Star Wars
