Book Description
Since the beginning of his existence, man has used imagination to create magical worlds that would transport him beyond the borders of reality. Art of Imagination is a trilogy consisting of the award winning Illustrated History series: Science Fiction of the 20th Century (Year 2000 Hugo Award Winner), Horror of the 20th Century (Bram Stoker Award nominee), and Fantasy of the 20th Century creating the ultimate collection. It was in the twentieth century that book, magazine, and poster artists reached new pinnacles of creativity in depicting the unknown. This collection of works by artists and designers of movie posters, books, and magazines provides a hearty feast for the eyes of the enchanted reader. These artisans and their works are the subject of this new must-have book for not only collectors of memorabilia, but for every person who has longed to step into his or her imaginary world, be it one of fantasy, flight, or fear -- if only for a moment.
Customer Reviews:
Lost for days..........2006-01-31
This book is amazing. You will find yourself peering at every full-color nook and cranny for days. There are so many historical, book, and film references, you'll find yourself taking endless notes for things to look up later.
If you consider yourself even the slightest of sci-fi/fantasy/horror fans, you will cherish this book.
It is quite a tome, however. Be sure to work up your bicepts before trying to lift it.
MY HIGHEST RECOMENDATION.......2005-01-08
If ever there was a book that's a treasure trove of images and information, this is it. An incredible array of pulp, comic, paperback and other art of 20th century science fiction, horror, fantasy and the like. The production values of this mammoth book are great, with familiar and totally obscure titles shown and explicated. Buy this book!
A heavyweight vision........2003-11-02
First off I think you should know that this wonderful book's 768 pages weigh a bit over ten pounds. It is a reprint of three very popular Collectors Press 20th Century series, Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy. I bought this copy because I'm interested in visual popular culture and I was very impressed with the historical scope of the subject matter, the 1300 colored illustrations include not only book jackets but covers of magazines, comics and nicely, film posters.
With so many illustrations you can search out your favorites, I like the work of Hannes Bok, Kelly Freas and Jeff Jones and there plenty of examples of their work. Running through all the images the three authors contribute a popular history of each genre but it is the huge collection of covers that make this a knockout book for me.
***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.
BTW, I bought this big book at a huge discount and I suggest you take the trouble to check the title out on the comparison shopping book websites, you'll be surprised at price variations.
Necessary purchase for my collection of art texts.......2003-05-13
Being a professional artist, and a mondo horror fan, I was craving to get my pencil smudged paws on this book. Over 700 pages of lavishly illustrated science fiction and horror history. Art of Imagaination brings to attention the works of the great artists who have worked in this field for over a century. Anyone with even a minor interest in thsi subject would find this text a true page turner. Highly Recommended.
A Trip Through the Fantastic!.......2003-01-17
This book is a must have for anyone who is creative. If you've lost your sense of wonder, this book will bring it back. You cannot help but be inspired by this fine tribute to the illustrators and art directors of fantastic art. You will not be disappointed buying this book. No cheap black & white stroll through memory lane here. It's a full color journey spotlighting the creative talent of imaginative artists from days gone by to today. High quality paper and binding are the icing on the cake. A tip of the hat to the authors and publisher for such an authoritative volume on a thinly treated subject.
Average customer rating:
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Son of Frankenstein : Universal Filmscripts Series Classic Horror Films Volume 3 (Autographed Edition)
Manufacturer: Magicimage Filmbooks
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ASIN: 1882127110 |
Product Description
Revised and updated since its first publication in 1990, this acclaimed critical survey covers the classic chillers produced by Universal Studios during the Golden Age of Hollywood Horror, 1931 through 1946. Trekking boldly through haunts and horrors from The Frankenstein Monster, The Wolf Man, Count Dracula, and The Invisible Man, to The Mummy, Paula the Ape Woman, The Creeper, and The Inner Sanctum, the authors offer a definitive study of the 86 films produced during this era and present a general overview of the period. Coverage of the films includes complete cast lists, credits, storyline, behind-the-scenes information, production history, critical analysis, and commentary from the cast and crew (much of it drawn from interviews by Tom Weaver, whom USA Today calls "the king of the monster hunters"). Unique to this edition are a new selection of photographs and poster reproductions and an appendix listing additional films of interest.
Customer Reviews:
THE BIBLE OF UNIVERSAL HORROR.......2007-07-07
The classic horror films of the 30's and 40's have never been as popular as they are today. Baby Boomers who grew up watching the old Shock Theater packages in the 50's and 60's hold a tremendous fondness for the films that terrified them as children. The Boris Karloff Frankenstein and Bela Lugosi Dracula are still the most recognized images of those two classic monsters...so much so that their families had to move to legally trademark their images to protect them.
The Universal horror films are the subject of Universal Horrors, the second edition of this outstanding book by noted classic film historian Tom Weaver and Michael & John Brunas. Throughout the massive 608 page hardcover, the authors cover each one of the 85 horror films made by Universal from 1931 - 1946. Just do the math...that's an average of about seven pages spent on each film during this period. This is no mere listing of actors with a one-page synopsis. Rather this is a definitive guide to these 85 films with complete cast and credits, detailed storyline synopses, production history, behind-the-scenes information, critical analysis, period reviews, and commentary by cast and crewmembers. Most of the comments come from the voluminous numbers of reviews that Weaver has conducted over the years.
The films are listed chronologically beginning with Dracula in 1931 and ending with The Brute Man in 1946. It even includes the Spanish version of Dracula which was filmed on the same set as the original at the very same time! White The Lugosi version was shot during the day, the Spanish crew took over at night. In many ways, the Spanish version outshines the Tod Browning directed original.
One of my guilty favorites of the Universal Classic film era is 1932's Murder in the Rue Morgue, presenting Lugosi in truly one of his most sadistic and macabre roles. This film ended up being the bone that both Lugosi and Director Robert Florey received for NOT getting their respective parts in Frankenstein, which instead went to Karloff and Director James Whale. This rather film features Lugosi as Dr. Mirakle, who injects the blood of an ape into women he captures. When the experiments fail, he dumps the women into a river. It's a highly underrated film and one of Lugosi's best roles.
Weaver and partners don't give a short shrift to lesser-known films. While the most popular films do get more coverage, even the least well-known of the Universal Horrors gets several pages devoted to it...and there are a number of lesser known films. Unfortunately a number of these are not on DVD or even VHS for that matter meaning that the entry in this book is probably the closest you'll get to the film without actually seeing it.
Many of these lesser-known films are not true horror but often murder mysteries with horror trappings such as "old dark house-style" films. These films include Secret of the Blue Room, Secret of the Chateau, The House of Fear, and The Black Doll. The appendix goes on to list several dozen more films that were borderline exclusions...close, but just not making the cut to receive a full write-up for various reasons. Actually it's somewhat difficult to figure out while some of these were left out of the main listing since many are quite similar in plot and tone.
This book is simply fabulous. Everything that Weaver does is always meticulously researched and extraordinarily entertaining. This is THE Bible to fans of Universal's classic horror films, and one of the finest film reference books I've ever read.
REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON
Great Book, A Little Pricey.......2003-08-03
If your 'bag' is classic horror films of the thirties and forties, especially Universal films, this book is a must-have. To many baby boomers that saw these movies when they were released for television in the fifties, this book will bring back a lot of memories. The book is great, but like all McFarland books, it is pricey. But for the true fan (which is short for fanatic) the price won't matter!
Great Book, A Little Pricey.......2003-08-03
If your 'bag' is classic horror films of the thirties and forties, especially Universal films, this book is a must-have. To many baby boomers that saw these movies when they were released for television in the fifties, this book will bring back a lot of memories. The book is great, but like all McFarland books, it is pricey. But for the true fan (which is short for fanatic) the price won't matter!
A must have for any fan of vintage horror films.......1999-08-29
An amazing source of information for anyone who ever stayed up watching the late late show on a Saturday night. I am truly impressed at the thorough research that went into this book; many factoids which have escaped even the most die-hard of fans will be brought to light. I commend McFarland Press for providing fans of such an "un-hip" genre with consistently fine sources of in-depth information, especially keeping in mind that with each passing year the facts directly from those who were there are getting more and more difficult to find. This book probably does not hold a lot of interest for anyone who does not hold a special place in their heart for the studios' genre work prior to buying the book, and the authors do tend to often drift into becoming overly opinionated and putting much too much thought into subject matter that was never intended to be overanalyzed. Nonetheless, this is still an extremely fun read for any fan.
Indispensable reference!.......1999-07-12
This book has it all for the serious student of classic horror films. Choose from a wide selection of bios, cast lists, plot summaries, anectdotes and more compiled by these mavens of the genre, Messrs. Brunas and Weaver. Thrill as they explore the nooks and crannies of the House That Universal Built. This comprehensive work is obviously the result of exhaustive hands-on research and deserves an honored spot in every true horror fan's library.
Average customer rating:
- Dracula rocks
- Good Book, Atrocious Editor
- Great critical edition
- Simply the Best
- Still the best
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Dracula (Norton Critical Editions)
Bram Stoker
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
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Frankenstein (Norton Critical Editions)
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In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires
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The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Norton Critical Editions)
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Wuthering Heights (Norton Critical Editions)
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The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories
ASIN: 0393970124 |
Amazon.com
Dracula is one of the few horror books to be honored by inclusion in the Norton Critical Edition series. (The others are Frankenstein, The Turn of the Screw, Heart of Darkness, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and The Metamorphosis.) This 100th-anniversary edition includes not only the complete authoritative text of the novel with illuminating footnotes, but also four contextual essays, five reviews from the time of publication, five articles on dramatic and film variations, and seven selections from literary and academic criticism. Nina Auerbach of the University of Pennsylvania (author of Our Vampires, Ourselves) and horror scholar David J. Skal (author of Hollywood Gothic, The Monster Show, and Screams of Reason) are the editors of the volume. Especially fascinating are excerpts from materials that Bram Stoker consulted in his research for the book, and his working papers over the several years he was composing it. The selection of criticism includes essays on how Dracula deals with female sexuality, gender inversion, homoerotic elements, and Victorian fears of "reverse colonization" by politically turbulent Transylvania.
Customer Reviews:
Dracula rocks .......2007-08-26
Bram Stocker is still a classic read. It was very scary from time to time.
Good Book, Atrocious Editor.......2007-06-20
I love Norton Critical Editions, but the footnotes in this volume are maddening. I'm puzzled that no one seems to have mentioned this. Example, a passage where Dracula appears in disguise and Bram Stoker obviously doesn't mean for the reader to have this bit of information yet. The footnote? "Here we see Dracula in disguise speaking wonderful German." I'm exaggerating, but you get the point. Another example: a passage describing Dracula's map of England (footnote: Here we see that Dracula has circled the city of X, where later in the story he will....and....and....until later....). Finally, there are even footnotes that engage the reader in conversation. Something like: "What do you think Dracula meant by that, curious comment, don't you think?" As with all Norton editions, there are some wonderful footnotes, commentary, etc. included, but still I would choose a different version.
Great critical edition.......2006-11-17
If you want lots of in-depth footnotes and many critical essays, than this is your book.
Simply the Best.......2006-07-10
I've listened to Dracula from Audible.com. I downloaded it last month. It's the best of all the Dracula books I've read. Definitely worth the investment of time. It's incredibly suspenseful, full of well-drawn, unbelievably real characters. I wish the movies could capture the characters as well as the book.
I was surprised at the narrative style, which has no actual "scenes", because it's a collection of journals, letters, newspaper articles, etc. But Bram Stoker does an amazing job of pulling all of it together into one very scary, very exciting read. Don't miss this one.
Still the best.......2005-12-30
This is still the best vamp book around, bar none. I was always upset with Coppola's movie because he used Stoker's name, and made the count into this loving anti-hero. THIS is Dracula. Pure evil.
Average customer rating:
- Gems of Information at a Glance
- It really looks amazing! Great layout.
- Should be in your Barker library!
- A worthwhile coffee table book of the macabre
- As a matter of fact...
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Clive Barker's A-Z Horror
Stephen Jones
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
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ASIN: 0061053678 |
Amazon.com
This splashy, high-concept book with glossy pages (designed to accompany a BBC-TV series) is not so much an encyclopedia, as a color scrapbook of Clive Barker's horror obsessions. After an introduction in which Barker examines such questions as "What is horror?" and "Why does it fascinate us?," the book takes the form of 26 heavily illustrated historical essays about assorted topics in the genre--one for each letter of the alphabet (e.g., "B is for Beelzebub"). The pictures include numerous paintings and drawings by Barker, stills from movies, movie posters, author/director bio inserts, and photographs of all types. A partial list of the topics covered: serial killers, H. P. Lovecraft, Dennis Wheatley, John Carpenter, H. R. Giger, Grand Guignol, makeup, killer clowns, killer kids, body horror, Japanese monsters, Barbara Steele, Shirley Jackson, fairy tales, and sculptor Franz Messerschmidt. A fun toy for horror buffs!
Book Description
In this richly illustrated volume--masterfully complied from the BBC television miniseries by Stephen Jones--Clive Barker, the modern master of horror, takes you on a terrifyingly intimate tour of his personal sources and secrets. Here is the unspeakable stuff of which Barker's vision was formed: a wonderfully eclectic and wide-ranging collection of nightmares from the literature and film. Meet serial killers and serious authors, outlaw directors and rebel artists, legendary monsters and movie stars from Psycho to Silence of the Lambs. From exorcisms to zombie dances, chaos to cannibalism, Lovecraft to Elm Street, Dracula to Deuteronomy, discover the dark and grisly world of Clive Barker.
Customer Reviews:
Gems of Information at a Glance.......2007-03-12
I join the ranks of those who have given high praise to this superb, vibrant compilation of facts and other curious oddities about horror in books and film. The layout design is graphically pleasing with dozens of photos and illustrations in both black and white and color. These are attractively aired with white space on the pages and, though interesting in themselves, never compete or distract from the text. Essential bibliographic data or curious informational tidbits are smartly set in gray screen and/or block frames. All of these design elements make for a highly attractive book but, most importantly, aid in gleaning facts at quick glance. In fact, much of the book's design strategies help disguise the fact there is an abundance of information that might seem tedious or less interesting if presented less imaginatively. The book is actually quite dense with facts, dates, and quotes--all visually displayed in a palatable, readily accessible presentation. Though this reviewer has not seen the acclaimed BBC television series to which this book is the official companion, he suspects it to be equally energetic and ambitious in its presentation; and the inspirational basis for the book's high-concept, stunning design. A detailed index gives added value to this concisely written, well-organized guide to the best horrific frights in cinema and print.
It really looks amazing! Great layout........2003-10-12
This is an excellent book about all things horror, but is mostly concerned about books and movies. I got this book after flicking through the pages in the local bookstore and was taken aback by the wonderful layout and colorful images of what Clive Barker has to tell us about the world of horror. It is completely illustrated from start to finish and has lots of art work from Barker himself and there is plenty to read about in between images and pictures of all things diabolical.
Essentially the book donates a few pages to each letter of the alphabet like "M" is for "Murder" and then Barker starts ranting about that topic in as many of its different forms as he sees fit - however the book is primarily written by Stephen Jones, but there is plenty of Barker inside. There is lots and lots of references to artists, writers, actors, filmmakers, makeup artists and directors. Barker also talks about real life horror with such topics as Ed Gein the serial killer.
I would highly recommend this volume of work to anyone who wants to know more about horror. By flicking through the pages they will come across lots and lots of things that they would probably like to know more about. Whenever I am thinking about buying a horror movie or a horror novel I always turn to this guide to see what Barker or Jones recommend. As a horror writer Barker is into the whole scene and is never short of coming up with something interesting that you might like to know more about.
This is highly recommended companion guide to all things horror. The book is really well designed and you will find yourself turning to it time and time again.
Should be in your Barker library!.......2002-04-30
This book is not written by Clive Barker, but is based on the tv-series that took its que after the successful author. As far as i can see most of the text is written by Stephen Jones. But this should not scare away the Barker fans, because the book is packed with illustrations and qoutes from our favourite author. On top of that the book contains a lot of interesting essays about a lot of horrorrelated subjects(A-Z).
Great buy and beautiful book!
A worthwhile coffee table book of the macabre.......2001-07-02
Combining short but insightful text with a visually stunning layout design, _Clive Barker's A-Z of Horror_ provides a light read on some very dark subjects. It would make an excellent gift for both those making their first steps into this genre as well as for old hands looking for something to keep around for visitors to squeal about.
As a matter of fact..........2000-08-26
I would recommend this book for all passing horror fans and experts alike; Clive Barker, that well respected mentor of modern English horror, has created a fine compendium. If at times a little pretentious, particularly in the sprawling and philosophical introduction, the layout is first-class and it doesn't dwell on the statistics-for-anoraks that so many of these type of film book do. Enjoyable, perhaps even essential for your film shelf. It is at times a little lightweight; at others, snobbish and frothy.
Book Description
"Even a man who is pure of heart, as says his prayers at night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the moon is full and bright" Werewolf legend or Hollywood creation? Find the answers in this, the most thorough examination of the making of the Universal classic "The Wolfman." Forward by star Evelyn Ankers; Introduction by Screenwriter Curt Siodmak; Commentary by Lon Chaney, Jr.
Customer Reviews:
A Good Read For Lovers Of Classic Monster Movies........2006-01-24
If you love these old movies as much as I do,and are interested in the story of how they came about,script development,etc.,then this book is for you! Did you know that in the earlier drafts,the Lon Chaney character was named Larry GILL and was no relation to the Talbot family? I didn't,until I read this book. This,along with more tidbits of interest make for a very informative and great read. I would however prefer that they didn't go into such detail about the folklore of werewolves,and stayed more on the subject of the movie. They also needn't print so many of the posters advertising the film,as a few should have been sufficient. Other than that,I would definitely recommend it.
archive magic.......1999-12-07
One of the best horror films ever made and truly deserving the acolade classic.The book brings to light all the infomation any film buff would need to satisfy their thist for behind the scenes details.From the eary concepts to final shooting schedule, how the orginal makeup designs were brought about to interveiws with cast members and the man who actually wrote the script.Great behind the scences photographs from the great Jack P. Pierce's lost scrap books (when is Douglas Norwine going to publish that book about Pierce)to the orginal film score, an absolute delight to read and treasure.
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The Bride of Frankenstein (Universal Filmscripts Series: Classic Horror Films)
Philip J. Riley
Manufacturer: Magicimage Filmbooks
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ASIN: 1882127064 |
Book Description
Poverty row horror films were usually inexpensively (some would say cheaply) produced with writing that ranged from bad to atrocious. Yet these movies with their all-star horror casts (Carradine, Lugosi, Karloff, et al.) and their ape men, mad monsters, devil bats and white zombies still have a loyal audience 50 years after their release.
Essays contain full filmographic data on the 31 horror chillers made by the three studios from 1940 through 1946 and are arranged by year of release. Each entry includes the date of release, length, production credits, cast credits, interview quotes, and a plot synopsis with critical commentary. Filmographies for prominent horror actors and actresses, from John Abbott to George Zucco, are provided in the appendices.
Customer Reviews:
BRINGING LIGHT TO THESE LITTLE KNOWN FILMS.......2005-12-15
Poverty Row films make today's direct-to-video films look like "A" features. Shot on the tiniest of budgets and often completed in a matter of a few weeks, these films were the bottom of the barrel in 1940's Hollywood and yet somehow many have survived to considered cult classics in the horror genre, This is largely due to the stars of these cut-rate cheapies such as Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, George Zucco, and others.
Tom Weaver, perhaps the foremost expert on these films is the man behind this fantastic book detailing all 31 poverty row horrors produced by Republic, Monogram, and PRC studios. The 31 films are listed in order of release date beginning with "Boys of the City" in 1940 and ending with "Spookbusters" in 1946, both East Side Kids/Bowery Boys films. For each film Weaver provides complete cast and credits, run time, release date, and a lengthy plot synopsis. Weaver gives his expert analysis of each film as well as informative anecdotes. Snippets from reviews of the day are also included.
Among the films featured are: "The Ape", Boris Karloff's only true poverty row film shot in just one week. This gem must be seen to be believed. One can only imagine how the distinguished and proper Karloff must have felt parading around inside a gorilla suit.
Of course the king of poverty row was Karloff's rival Bela Lugosi. Lugosi did nine of these low-budget offerings including "The Devil Bat", "Invisible Ghost", "Black Dragons", "The Ape Man" and "The Corpse Vanishes". One can only feel for Lugosi who needed the work and always gave his fullest in every performance no matter how ridiculous the script was. In an appendix, Weaver along with other luminaries such as Forrest Ackerman, Joe Dante, and Gary Svehla of Midnight Marquee magazine rate all of Lugosi's poverty row films and give their opinions on his best...and worst!
One of my favorite films that Weaver covers is "King of the Zombies" which was intended to star Lugosi as the evil Nazi doctor but he was already committed to another film. Great black character actor, wide-eyed Mantan Moreland steals the show hands down and deservedly, is the only one in the cast who gets good mention for his comedic performance.
Other films in the book are George Zucco vehicles "Fog Island", "Dead Men Walk" and the "Mad Monster". The book also spotlights some of the truly little known poverty row horrors: "Strangler of the Swamp", "The Face of Marble", `The Girl who Dared" and more.
Weaver brings his vast knowledge and intelligent writing to this book. He never fails to surprise me with interesting notes about films and their stars.
Reviewed by Tim Janson
good read! worth waiting for a reprinting!.......2004-04-08
Great film reviews and data about these low budget horror films. Good writing, detailed plot summaries and detailed facts. These movies often had far out plots and bad acting, but Mr. Weaver gives them credit where due (original monsters, better than usual direction, or original premises). He also tells of the dizzying heights of absudity they reach . Really good write-ups and highly recommended.
Weaving Gold from Poverty.......2000-10-14
Tom Weaver does good horror history. Fifty years hence, anyone doing a history of the Horror Film will find himself resorting agan and again to the ouvre of Thomas Weaver. Besides his numerous and valuable Interview books as well as his groundbreaking work in UNIVERSAL HORRORS, Weaver has undertaken an important task in writing about the Poverty Row Horror films produced by Republic, Monogram and PRC. As usual for Weaver, the book is methodical and well written. While also an entertaining and informative read, the book will probably be the definitive research tool for the films covered and the studios discussed for the foreseeable future. As "poverty row" productions, there was some danger of these films "falling through the cracks" and vanishing into the mists of time but, through the auspices of Weaver, the films have not merely been saved but canonized. And, with Weaver, one knows that POVERTY ROW HORRORS is accurate. An excellent book with the only flaws being the brevity that Weaver handles such important films like NABONGA and WHITE PONGO.
It is the book that inspired my name!.......1999-11-10
That this book should be out of print is a travesty. Synposis of 31 "horror" films from PRC, Monogram and Republic are mixed with behind the scenes info, anectdotes and factoids that make this a true necessity for the low budget 40's horror fan. Additional appendices provide info on music, filmographies, "borderline" films and "experts" ranking of the major Monogram entries.
Amazon.com
BFI Film Classics are a treasure, featuring some of the most imaginative recent writing on movies and the film industry. In each little book of the series, an important essayist explores the planning, production, and meaning of a single classic film. We've already been treated to Laura Mulvey on Citizen Kane, David Thomson on The Big Sleep, and Salman Rushdie on The Wizard of Oz. Camille Paglia on The Birds seems like the next, natural step!
Paglia brings her characteristic blend of autobiography, psychoanalysis, kinky vampirism, 1960s radicalism, and contempt for scholarly jargon to her discussion of The Birds, Hitchcock's vision of Mother Nature's vengeance on the humans who have desecrated her. Paglia says she has loved the movie since it first flew into theaters in 1963: "Overwhelmed by the film when I saw it as an impressionable teenager, I view it as a perverse ode to women's sexual glamour, which Hitchcock shows in all its seductive phases, from brittle artifice to melting vulnerability.... In this film, as in so many others, Hitchcock finds woman captivating but dangerous. She allures by nature, but she is the chief artificer in civilization, a magic fabricator of persona whose very smile is an arc of deception."
As enthusiastic about the film as Mrs. Bundy (the movie's amateur ornithologist) is about birds, Paglia is somewhat birdlike herself in her observations. As you read the scene-by-scene analysis of the movie, you can feel her perched on your shoulder, watching it with you, chirping loquaciously--and sometimes ironically: "The birds ... soar up from behind the schoolhouse like a cloud of bats. Academe breeds nightmares." And, "After the first flash of real horror, I generally settle down to laughing and applauding the crows, whom I regard as Coleridgean emissaries vandalizing sentimental Wordsworthian notions of childhood." Of the heroine, the overly curious socialite Melanie Daniels, Paglia remarks, "She is living up to her name--a Daniels who enters the lion's den."
Paglia augments her observations with quotations from Hitchcock, his collaborators, and some of the most important essays written about the film. She also adds an appendix summarizing the film's gory plot under the heading "Melanie Daniels' Social Calendar." Full production credits and a helpful bibliography round out the volume. No fan of Hitchcock, Paglia, or The Birds will want to miss this unique and evocative discussion of a film classic. --Raphael Shargel
Book Description
The Birds (1963) was the first film Alfred Hitchcock made after Psycho. Drawn from a Daphne Du Maurier story as well as contemporary newspaper reports of bird attacks in California, The Birds featured the icy blonde Tippi Hedren in her first starring role. A film about anxiety, sexual power, and the violence of nature, it is quintessential Hitchcock. Camille Paglia, in a virtuoso study, draws together the film's aesthetic, technical and mythical qualities, and analyzes its depiction of gender and family relations. This elegant, highly readable book will delight students and fans of The Birds.
Customer Reviews:
Paglia is The Best (but she forgot something).......2006-09-13
Professor Camille Paglia guides us through this American classic with intellectual depth (religion, sex, and "isms") and pizazz. And of course, she's one of the most interesting voices in pop and academia -- you can't go wrong with any of her writings. The Birds book is especially UPbeat, as Paglia likes Tippi Hedren. (Paglia has cut down many actresses with a razor in her other writings). And as much as I hate birds, I agree with Paglia that stiff school kids getting attacked was laugh-out-loud funny. SHE's funny -- the book is like Mystery Science Theater 3000 with chops.
That said, the book omits one key argument about The Birds that I've been making for years:
The Birds has a glaring problem: Twice in the film, characters mention that Melanie Daniels once got naked and romped through a fountain in Rome. (It's how Mitch's Mom justifies her disdain for the plucky lass). Melanie's splash in the buff is hard to believe; for while she is a puckish prankster, she seems physically uptight (check her hairdo). Hitchcock shaped Melanie in his Nordic icy blonde mold, and then wants us to believe she got au naturel in the middle of Rome?! It's so unbelievable, the character and relationships seem implausible. Now, I can *imagine* the nude splashing, and often do, but it still doesn't play to character. I imagine *Tippi Hedren* frolicking in the buff -- *not* Melanie Daniels. Holding all the film's parts constant, there was just one way to suspend our disbelief and make the sprightly nude cavort (and hence character) plausible: Show it!! A simple flashback or Melanie's dream sequence would have done the trick! Or have Melanie do it again in Bodega Bay! (That would *really* get the birds going!) That Hitchcock withheld such crucial information from the audience is not just a tease -- it's a cheat! Or even contempt for the audience!! C'mon, Hitch!!!
I'm sure Professor Paglia would agree that The Birds audience has been shortchanged for over 40 years. She is more than welcome to use my argument (as is anyone else), in upcoming speeches and new editions of the book.
Captures lurid mix and crazed 'genius loci' at Bodega Bay, CA..........2006-06-29
This vividly wrought study gives back to Hitchcock some of the creativity, aesthetic politics, and lurid mix of Catholicism, apocalyptic ecology, and paganism that were crafted into this American masterpiece at Bodega Bay. Allusive yet absorbed in the subliminal quest, Camille Paglia captures the glamor, dread, and malice of "The Birds" as figured, por ejemplo, in the Darwinian adventures and subjections of Tippi Hendren.
Hitchcock must be sipping some Pacific Rim chardonnay in heaven over this BFI study and pondering how to work the tenderly cantankerous Paglia into the beatitudes of the sequel.
Paglia is brilliant and disciplined here.......2006-06-09
Paglia has many faults in her other writings but this book is wonderful. She seems to have taken this film into her subconscious, digested every scene, dreamed through every visual, and then have written brilliantly about her thoughts on this film. I love this film and believe that Paglia articulates its power so clearly and so intelligently that I regret having given her such a bad review for another of her books. She was really on a roll when she did this commentary - it is quite a page turner! If you like this film, read this book - it will make you like the movie even more. Great reading for Hitchcock buffs.
Some Good Politically Incorrect Criticism.......2005-01-11
I usually stay away from contemporary artistic criticism as literary and film criticism of the past twenty years has simply been ridiculously pretentious. Interpretations have followed strains of politically correct/leftist thought regarding gender relations, homosexuality, consumerism, and other such drivel while the critics' own arrogance prevent them from recognizing that they have not produced an original thought in years.
The BFI Film Classics series has therefore been refreshing. Although I have read a few others in the series, it was THE BIRDS that captured my attention. Hitchcock was an exciting director who was willing to use women's sexuality in ways that has gotten him trashed as a sexist today, The Birds is one of his classics and Camille Paglia is the cultural gadfly whose intellect is matched by her willingness to call things as she sees them without a concern as to what others may think.
Not surprisingly, the result is quite a bit of fun. Paglia takes us through the film bit by bit adding her own personal wit along the way. We learn that The Birds was based on a Daphne du Maurier story which itself may have been based on German airstrikes during World War II. But nature has always been more destructive than man in Paglia's viewpoint and her interpretation of the film is consistent with this view.
Paglia's strength is in her discussion of Tippi Hedren. Although never a major actress in the Hitchcock universe, Hedren holds her own in The Birds, which Paglia correctly points out. Hedren has as much sexual power as any buxom blond in any Hitchcock film. For anyone familiar with Paglia, it will come as no surprise that her analysis of Hedren exploits that to the max.
It is also worth pointing out that this book is packaged very nicely. Its color photographs and reproduction of the movie poster on its cover makes THE BIRDS a visual treat as well as a literary one. A nice job all around.
Arrows Of The Wise.......2003-11-04
Those who would like to learn to write well could hardly do better than study Camille Paglia's The Birds (1998), the author's exhilarating monograph on Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 horror masterpiece. The British Film Institute (BFI), which sponsored the book in its BFI Film Classics series, has made some highly questionable choices in its "modern" selection of "the 360 key films in the history of cinema," including such mediocre productions as John Carpenter's The Thing (1982), James Cameron's The Terminator (1984), Michael Mann's Heat (1995), and Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut (1999), but their pairing of Camille Paglia with The Birds - the choice of film was probably hers - is nothing less than inspired.
In 104 concise, robust pages, Paglia proves that depth of perception can be readily expressed without recourse to the labrinthian doublespeak that has infected American academia via the French Structuralists over the last quarter century. Paglia communicates clearly without seeming to try: the emphasis throughout is squarely on the intelligent conveyance of her ideas, and not on dreary abstractions and intellectualism. Her sentences virtually crackle with energy and verve, humor and acuity.
Readers familiar with Paglia's previous work already know her to be a walking testament to Western culture. Here, Paglia brings the same brilliant contextual ability to The Birds that she brought to the work of Spencer, Byron, Swinburne, Wilde, Hawthorne, and Dickinson in 1990's Sexual Personae. Whether discussing Hitchcock's oeuvre or psychology, Tippi Hedren's facial expressions, wardrobe or coiffure, the original Daphne du Maurier short story upon which the film was based, real episodes of bird attacks along the California coast, or the myriad technical processes involved in the making of the film, from sound and cinematography to special effects, Paglia, who seems to know everything, is in top form. If a character so much as crosses their legs, Paglia has something revealing to say about it.
Paglia carefully moves through and interprets each scene, expressing surprising and persuasive theories about the smallest of details, demonstrating in the process how absolutely nothing should be overlooked, assumed, or taken for granted in films as carefully planned and executed as Hitchcock's. Moving from episode to episode, Paglia cumulatively offers her own astute interpretation of the film's notoriously ambiguous meaning. Paglia has scrupulously researched her subject, interviewed Tippi Hedren, who she clearly reveres, and obviously enjoyed the writing of The Birds tremendously. Less hilarious than some of her other work, The Birds, film writing at its best and a cut well above most of the other titles in the BFI series, is a sheer pleasure to read. Illustrated with color and black and white photographs.
Average customer rating:
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The Horror Reader
Ken Gelder
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ASIN: 0415213568 |
Book Description
Blood-sucking vampires, serial killers, ghosts and ghouls, monsters and freaks--horror provides us with a way of imagining and classifying our world. Through 29 essays, The Horror Reader explores the questions of what is evil and what is good; what is monstrous and what is "normal"; what can be seen and what should remain hidden. Covering classic gothic literature and spanning the history of horror in literature and film, it brings together essential writings on this most spectacular and controversial of genres. The range of topics is vast-from Edgar Allan Poe to Frankenstein to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Contributors include Stephen D. Arata; Philip Brophy; Sue-Ellen Case; Terry Castle; Carol J. Clover; Joan Copjec; Barbara Creed; Teresa A. Goddu; Marie-Helene Huet; Graham Huggan; Leon Hunt; Tania Modleski; Jose Monleon; Franco Moretti; Paul O'Flinn; Fatimah Tobing Rony; Mary Russo; David Sanjek; Mark Seltzer; Elaine Showalter; Vivien Sobchack; Tzvetan Todorov; Gregory A. Waller; Patricia White; Jennifer Wicke; Elizabeth Young; Audrey Yue; and Slavoj Zizek.
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