LL Cool J's Platinum Workout: Sculpt Your Best Body Ever with Hollywood's Fittest Star

LL Cool J's Platinum Workout: Sculpt Your Best Body Ever with Hollywood's Fittest Star
Average customer rating:

Emphasizes Weight Lifting

Intersting

PROMISING AT FIRST...THEN LEAVES YOU TIRED AND OVERTRAINED

Good book for the beginning and advanced!

Enjoyed the workout... saw results

LL Cool J's Platinum Workout: Sculpt Your Best Body Ever with Hollywood's Fittest Star
LL Cool J , Dave Honig , and Jeff O'Connell
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1594866082
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Book Description

LL didn't always have a diesel body--he chiseled it the old-fashioned way, with hard work and discipline. Here he shares the secrets of his transformation in a uniquely creative, yet no-nonsense regimen--enlivened with humor and sheer force of personality--that will inspire readers to enjoy working out as never before, while building a body they never thought possible. The book offers four levels of fitness, from Bronze to Platinum, including: - a 4-week beginner's program that takes inches off the waist and boosts energy - a 5-week program for intermediates that increases strength while maintaining muscular and cardiovascular endurance - an advanced 9-week program that turns the body into a muscle-building and fat-burning machinge - complete with 6-pack abs and as much energy as LL Cool J - the hardcore 3-week fat-torching program LL used for the "Control Myself" video - a new level in ripped-to-the-bone fitness and sex appeal - a special 4-week "Diamond" program for women seeking to shape up fast for the summer or upcoming event meal plans and recipes that fuel workouts while burning fat with food

Customer Reviews:

Emphasizes Weight Lifting.......2007-08-10

This is a book to help you get into better shape. While the book covers stretching and cardio exercise to varying degrees, it clearly spends most of its exercise routines having the reader lift weights. The book intends to accomplish its goal of getting you into better shape by doing it in phases, with each one having different goals (too lengthy to go into here).

Phase one is the Bronze phase (5 weeks), then the Silver phase (5 weeks), followed by a Gold phase (9 weeks) and finally ends with the Platinum phase (3 weeks), where the goal is to get a body like LL's. An additional phase, the Diamond phase, is included just for the ladies. There's a ton of info in here on just about every fitness topic and I really liked that throughout the book, there are these "rap session" sections where LL interviews experts in the fitness field and current information is shared- this is a big plus. LL fans will also like the LL trivia that is scattered throughout the book.

One of the more interesting and informative fitness books on the market, I liked it. Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a bad shoulder that keeps you from lifting weights.

Intersting.......2007-08-09

I wasn't sure what to expect when I purchased this book but I was not disappointed, L.L tells a story about a rapper who needs to keep in shape for a tour and that is where the diet and the work out come in.
He takes you step by step into the work out but he starts with your eating habits, he goes into your frig and cabinets "which made me laugh because some of the nasty things he describes have been in my frig a time or two" but that is what I like about his book he lets you know what you eat plays the most important part he doesn't take you straight to the gym.
He breaks down the work out into weeks and before he even takes you to the gym he deals with your eating habits the first week of the workout.
this is a must read and then put into practice book.
Can't wait for the realty show.

PROMISING AT FIRST...THEN LEAVES YOU TIRED AND OVERTRAINED.......2007-07-15

Dear reader,

For the past five years I have been a workout addict. For me it's workout or die. At the age of 14 I was tired of my brother calling me fat, so I took off into the Arizonan desert and ran every day. Since then my success rate of building a fitter body has quadrupled, as I read every fitness article I could get my hands on and was introduced to resistance training. I learned the rules of eating, how to workout and how to maximize recovery. I'm no expert, however, which is why I began buying fitness books from amazon to hear what the experts had to say. I have gained vast knowledge and experience from the high rated books I've purchased but trouble came when I ran into this book. In regards to the rules of working out, LL Cool J's book breaks them all.

At first, like anything else, the results were coming as I followed the program. (NOTE: Any kind of exercise regimen, depending on your level of fitness, in the beginning will give you results due to the body trying to adapt to something new.) The book starts off with good tips on what to eat and drink and basic principles such as: you need to get strong before you can build muscle and so forth. It is a very attractive book with vivid pictures and colorful backgrounds and good picture/descriptions of the exercises and stretches. The workout routines are very affective but then become prolonging. LL states that he doesn't like to workout for more than an hour (NOTE: The body begins burning protein [your muscle] as its energy source after 1 hour of vigorous weight training.)and he likes to get out of the gym in 45 minutes, but the workouts thrown at you, plus the cardio, get you out of there in 1:15 to 1:20 minutes.

Next, to begin with, the muscle groups selected in the workout were placed in an odd order. This is nothing I became upset about until this happened- Monday: Chest and Biceps; Tuesday: Back and Triceps-? Any person with common sense about weight lifting knows that the triceps are complimentary to the chest and the biceps to the back. This mishap caused my biceps and triceps to weaken on Monday and get completely thrashed and over trained on Tuesday. Another thing, I love pushups and bodyweight exercises, and LL incorporates them, except inevitable over training occurs with this book when you lifts weights one day, and then the next day you are doing a cardio circuit that includes pushups (and pushups sets of 30 seconds, for that matter). Bodyweight exercises are not p***y like some people think and still work your muscles.

At this point in the book, I am beat down, my muscles are torn (not literally) and you must understand that I am a person who needs to be in amazing shape. I love to climb buildings do gymnastics and free run. I do martial arts so my fitness has to be superb at all times. Let's just say I can run 8-10 miles at 75% MHR and I don't lose my breath. Anyway, I looked further into the book to see if there were any more workouts I could salvage that wouldn't over train me. I found this- Monday: Chest, Triceps, Back (Note: Back exercises work Biceps too.)and Hamstrings (Note: Can directly or indirectly work Quads.); Tuesday: Quads (Note: May have been worked by Hamstrings exercise on Monday.), Shoulders (Note: Weren't Triceps exercises on Monday? hmmm), Calves, and Abs.- You think that's bad? By the time you get to the featured PLATINUM WORKOUT you are doing this- Sunday: A weight workout is performed in the MORNING of upper body exercises with a 20 min cardio workout attached. EVENING: Consists of another 20 minute cardio workout.- So long to LL's getting out of the gym in 45 minutes.

The book is not a total loss, for you get to learn about LL's past and who his idols are and there is solid nutrition advice. Not to mention, the Abs circuits were very effective and well put. Although, I give this book a rating of 2 for trying so hard to impress consumers with the mega rapper's flashy colors, and pictures, and for failing to provide a workout regimen that follows the rules of recovery.

Thank you.

Good book for the beginning and advanced!.......2007-06-15

**Note**
Unlike some of the reviews here, this has nothing to do with an appreciation, or lack thereof, of his music or acting. It also doesn't have anything to do with his speaking or writing style (everyone has a style, whether it seems more educated, basic, or street... if you don't like his style, move on to another one, but don't deduct points for your own dislikes). It's also not about whether the information is regurgitated from someone else (if it's been repeated and was so important that everyone knows it, there wouldn't be a point to this book and you wouldn't be reading it, now would you?). This book is about the information provided about nutrition and working out.

That said, this book has a great deal of info. Cool J does an excellent job of breaking down the grocery store so that anyone can get the message (example - at the store, remember veggies on the left, meat in the back, milk on the right, don't eat what's in the middle). He includes a very detailed workout plan and includes illustrations for nearly every exercise recommended. He backs up all of his information with approvals and interviews with trained professionals. There is even a detailed section about the necessity of stretching, which isn't included in a lot of fitness guides.

Most complaints about this book have to do with the inclusion of information people already know and about this book starting too slowly. However, the people complaining need to realize that no fitness guide is the end-all complete fitness guide. Most fitness books and guides are made so that you can still adapt their guidelines to your lifestyle. That's part of the reason why they contain so many exercises and routines. If you work out all the time and have already applied his food tips, skip to the silver or gold workout. If you have never worked out before and eat six bags of doritos a day, start your new routine at page one. The information for everyone is in the book.

All that said, I do have a few complaints about the book - 1) the amount included in the platinum workout, 2) the charts, 3) the endpoint, and 4) the gym membership requirement.

1)If a person is to stick with the recommendations straight through the platinum workout, you will have to dedicate a significantly greater amount of time to it, which could possibly lead to a burnout, both physically and mentally. I'm not interested in being as buff as Cool J, and really don't have as much time to "complete" the workout. However, as stated earlier, I can continue with the silver and gold as long as I'd like and still be happy.
2) As far as the charts go... it would be nice to be able to copy or tear out the food charts or workout charts. The way they are written and organized are fairly confusing and make it more difficult to do that.
3) In addition, the workout has an endpoint. So, to me, that tells me that this book is less about a lifestyle change and more about getting results for a certain event. If you want to continue working out, the book is low on a continuation plan.
4) Finally, LL admitted that his best fitness came on the road with a personal trainer (i.e. not in a gym). However, he recommends that a person gets a membership to a gym. There is a lot to be said about the need for motivation from your surroundings. However, a gym membership is not practical for everyone. It would've been nice to have more information about getting pumped up at home, whether it's with a set of barbells and dumbbells in the basement or some other means.

Overall, this book is worth 3.5 stars, but Amazon won't let you give partial stars, and rounding down won't do this book justice... so it gets four stars instead. I'd definitely recommend that this book be on everyone's bookshelf who is interested in fitness - professionals, athletes, and people who are interested in getting fit for the first time. I'm still a bigger fan of the Abs Diet series (as a matter of fact, one of the writers of Platinum Workout is a writer for Men's Health, which is produced by the author of Abs Diet), but this book still contains a lot of great workout routines, recipes, and exercises that I can't wait to try.

Enjoyed the workout... saw results.......2007-06-12

I really enjoyed using this book. The cardio workouts are intense and the supersets get your body going... most of the workouts have you out in of the gym in less than an hour and have built in sufficient rest through out the week. This is not the perfect workout for someone who is skinny and looking to bulk up like LL. This is perfect for someone who is looking to lose some inches off thier waist and looking to build some lean muscle.

All in all, I thought this was a good purchase. The only thing I could have done without is all of the self promotion. My workout didnt really benifit from reading a timeline about all of his career accomplishments.

Out With the Stars: Hollywood Nightlife in the Golden Era

Average customer rating:

A Real Treasure!

Out With the Stars: Hollywood Nightlife in the Golden Era
Jim Heimann
Manufacturer: Abbeville Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0896595722

Customer Reviews:

A Real Treasure!.......2004-06-27

This is one of those books I can't recommend highly enough if you love old Hollywood or the flamboyant architecture and graphic design of Hollywood in the 20's - 50's. I picked it up on a cut-out table in New York about 10 years ago and have come to appreciate it as one of the best books in my library - in fact it's one of those books that is always getting borrowed from friends who are graphic designers or work at ad agencies looking for inspiration.

Jim Heimann deserves much praise for assembling what is obviously a huge labor of love with lots of great photos and illustrations that you will never see anywhere else - everything from cocktail napkins and matchbooks to beautiful interior photography and paparazzi pics of the stars at play.

Also I'd like to disagree with the review - I actually found the writing in the book to be pretty engaging. It's fairly straightforward and to the point., luckily since there is a lot of history to cover.

Book Description

Developed to accompany the Annenberg-funded telecourse American Cinema, and written under the aegis of The New York Center for Visual History, this text offers a fascinating look at the interplay between the movie industry and mass culture in America.

Ideal for film appreciation and film and culture courses found in Cinema Studies, English, History, American Studies, or other departments, American Cinema/American Culture first examines the industry, its narrative conventions, and its cinematographic style.

Following this introduction, students are exposed to the sweep of film history in the U.S. using five genres as the bases for discussion and focusing on the point at which each had the greatest affect on the industry, film aesthetics, and American culture.

Finally, the book concludes with a look at Hollywood post World War II, giving separate chapter coverage to the effects of the Cold War, television, the counterculture of the Sixties, directors from the film school generation, and the trends of the Eighties and Nineties.

Customer Reviews:

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

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

The different genres studied include:

Westerns
War Movies
Silent Films
Film Noire
Screwball Comedies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6 Weeks to a Hollywood Body: Look Fit and Feel Fabulous with the Secrets of the Stars
Average customer rating:

Good solid information

No B.S.-- just results! Only fitness book I've ever stuck with.

Must have the time, discipline, and patience to make this work

A Good Book From A Good Trainer

Pretty Close to Hollywood

6 Weeks to a Hollywood Body: Look Fit and Feel Fabulous with the Secrets of the Stars
Steve Zim , and Mark Laska
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Book Description

As featured in SELF and on Weekend Today

"Steve Zim's plan helped me drop my body fat more quickly than with any other program I've ever tried. I couldn't be more pleased."
--Jessica Biel, star of The Illusionist

In 6 Weeks to a Hollywood Body, the top Hollywood trainer and Weekend Today show fitness expert Steve Zim unlocks the secrets of the stars and shows you how to have a Hollywood body of your own. Want to add shape and strength to your legs? Have a great butt? Make your back and arms stronger and leaner? Develop an amazing chest or breasts? After you've completed the easy-to-follow Hollywood Body program in six short weeks, you'll be runway ready for your grand entrance and you'll look amazing and feel healthier and happier than ever before. In this book, Steve Zim reveals the three keys to his Hollywood Body system:

HOLLYWOOD NUTRITION: The easy and effective Hollywood Body way to supercharge your metabolism with protein, good carbs, and good fats

HOLLYWOOD HEART: Ramp up your cardio health and melt away fat and inches the Hollywood Body way

HOLLYWOOD SCULPT: A revolutionary set of all-new Hollywood Body exercises designed to sculpt and reshape your muscles

This proven program works no matter what your body type is. So get started--your Hollywood body awaits you!

Customer Reviews:

Good solid information.......2007-10-04

This book contains good solid diet and exercise strategies, that mirror the information given in other recent diet and exercise books such as The Abs Diet and 5 Factor Diet/Fitness. My only complaint about this book is that with the way the author structured the book you find yourself in the middle of your workout madly flipping pages to try to find out where the next exercise is! For this reason I prefer to use the above mentioned books for my regular workouts, but this is a good book for when you get bored with other routines.

No B.S.-- just results! Only fitness book I've ever stuck with........2007-06-12

I used to hate exercise, but I hit 35, and I knew I needed to do something. I couldn't afford a personal trainer, but this book is almost like having one (minus the cheerleading). Ok, so I was a little leary of the title, but once I started reading, I was hooked. This isn't just a book of exercises. Rational, realistic approach to good overall health, not just weight loss (though his fat-reduction program showed results within just a few days).Idiot-proof once you get the exercises down. Workouts are planned for you (by body type, by day) so there's no guess work. Shows you where to start regardless of your fitness level. Great combination of sculpting and stretching to ensure you get the shape you want. The program focuses on nutrition, free weights and an exercise ball plus cardio, so you can work out virtually anywhere. Thanks to this book, for the first time in my life, I look forward to working out. It's helped me better understand my body, adjust my lifestyle, and it feels terrific!

Must have the time, discipline, and patience to make this work.......2007-04-18

I had a month off of work and I started using this book. I just started week 4 and I feel better than I have in years and After 2 weeks I noticed a difference. Already I'm looking forward to the end of week 4 and then 6. If I was working full time the regiment from this book would take more discipline than I have, but if you have the time it works. In my opinion the truly best part is the workout schedule set over a 6 week period. It mixes it up and keeps your body from figuring out what's gonna happen next. A close 2nd is the nutrition guide which is not super in depth but is easily understood. I am 26 and have found great benefit in the way I feel in terms of my health after the first 2 weeks. I am also a pretty thin guy. My one gripe about the book is that there are 2 or 3 exercises for me anyway that should have been labeled advanced. I could not do them more than 3 or 4 reps at first.

A Good Book From A Good Trainer.......2007-03-15

I liked "Hot Point Fitness" and when I stuck with it, got good results. This is a lot of the same material, but organized more effectively for different body types. I think his philosophy of lots of variety, stretching, and spot-training is effective and easy to follow.

The nutrition info is definitely not as well-organized or detailed as the cardio & work-out aspects of Steve's program, and at times is downright contradictory ("forgo yogurt"...then 2 pages later..."one of your meals should consist of yogurt"). It's also pretty strict and unrealistic for most people (I suspect) who cannot be total slaves to their food intake.

Pretty Close to Hollywood.......2007-01-12

I purchased this book because I was such a fan of Steve Zim's last book "Hot Point Fitness", but was ready for a new equally intense program. What I like about this book is it keeps your workouts changing constantly. There is absolutely no way you can get bored because you are always switching up the routine. I also like that there are seperate plans to follow for not only males and females, but also for each specific body type. Unlike Zim's previous book, you could also perform each workout outside of the gym. With a set of weights, a matt, and a fitness ball, these exercises could be done just about anywhere. Please note, if you really want to see results, you must follow not only the workouts, but the very specific diet as well, which is pretty tough.

James Ulmer's Hollywood Hot List: The Complete Guide to Star Ranking

Average customer rating:

You'd have to be a stone not to like this book ...
Hot lists...hot book
Dish the Dirt
Hollywood dish

James Ulmer's Hollywood Hot List: The Complete Guide to Star Ranking
James Ulmer
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312253958

Book Description

The "little black book" that's next to every studio executive's palm pilot-the real scoop on Hollywood's top 200 stars.Who's hot? Who's not? Who can green-light any project that they want? Who's begging for scraps? For years the film industry's elite have looked to James Ulmer's Hollywood Hot List to measure who was really worth a multimillion-dollar payday and who should be pasture-bound. Ulmer's star power rankings can change a star's salary-or even whether or not he or she gets a role. An actor's star power includes:Bankability: How the actor's name alone guarantees a sale up front in today's global marketplace.Career management: How well has the actor chosen roles to maximize career potential?Willingness to travel and promote: How cooperative is the actor in promoting projects?Professionalism: How reliable is the actor to work with, both on and off the set?Inside Dirt: The truth about what it's like to work with the top 200 actors worldwide.Box office bait: Who the actor has worked for and how much the project made.Ulmer's information is culled from those who work closely with the stars-their agents, co-stars, movie producers, directors, distributors, and personal assistants. The opinions of those in the know and the dollars a star can earn measure the true value of the actors in Hollywood. Find out who owns Tinseltown, who's just renting, and who's being evicted.

Customer Reviews:

You'd have to be a stone not to like this book ..........2002-06-03

Or maybe a Sharon Stone (she is not spared in these pages). Quite simply, this book is impossible to put down. James Ulmer's clever rating system is interesting enough in itself -- but the best part of the book is his personal stamp. He makes no bones about being star-struck, yet his mission is the demystification of the gods, and he does it with gimlet-eyed clarity and intelligence. A dirt-filled riff will turn on a phrase into a sharp insight into the celebrity cult and our fascination with it. Some of his observations of actors are priceless. My image of Marlon Brando struggling up the Brooklyn waterfront ramp will now forever be juxtaposed with him struggling up the aisle of an L.A. supermarket, dressed in a muumuu and eating from an as-yet-unbought gallon of Breyers ice cream. This is a great summer (or winter) read, but don't take it to anyplace where you're self-conscious about laughing out loud. Because you will.

Hot lists...hot book.......2000-11-22

The title only tells half the story. The lists are fun to browse (the 200 top stars), especially the inside dirt on each star. But the essays are really hilarious: weird twisted perks, gossip and insecurity, naughty inside references - a pretty amazing picture of business and culture in Hollywood, where Ulmer says nothing binds people together like money, tribal membership "and the desire to see your best friend fail." Yikes. This book definitely goes on my holiday gift list.

Dish the Dirt.......2000-11-08

For anyone who enjoys following the cult of celebrity -- go backstage with James Ulmer and find all of the behind-the-scenes gossip (ok really thruths) about today's biggest stars. Ulmer has been compiling this list for industry insiders for years and this is the first time he's published his info for the general public -- can't wait for the next installment!

Hollywood dish.......2000-10-04

It's fun and funny to see how the industry perceives itself, this book is a hoot. The information they based the ratings on is already outdated, (Russell Crowe's career trajectory arrow is going sideways? Hello?) but it's still worth the $$ for the essays, especially the one on star perks, (you will not believe the story about a certain actress and a baby opposum) and the "inside dirt" remarks.

Hollywood Remains to Be Seen: A Guide to the Movie Stars' Final Homes

Average customer rating:

HOLLYWOOD REMAINS TO BE SEEN
Their last resort !
His Final Resting Place.
Hollywoof Remains To Be Seen - A Guide to Mivie Stars Final Homes
The Perfect Book For Celebrity Grave Hunters

Hollywood Remains to Be Seen: A Guide to the Movie Stars' Final Homes
Mark J. Masek
Manufacturer: Cumberland House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Hollywood Book of Death : The Bizarre, Often Sordid, Passings of More than 125 American Movie and TV Idols
Movie Star Homes: The Famous to the Forgotten
Where Are They Buried? How Did They Die? Fitting Ends and Final Resting Places of the Famous, Infamous, and Noteworthy
Where the Bodies Are: Final Visits to the Rich, Famous, & Interesting
The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book (3rd edition)

ASIN: 1581822456

Book Description

Hollywood Remains to Be Seen is a fascinating, gossipy guide to the fourteen most significant Hollywood-era cemeteries and the final resting places of the movie stars who are buried in them. Arranged as an easy-to-follow tours of the properties, the fourteen chapters-one for each cemetery-include histories of the cemeteries, directions for finding them, and a detailed listing of exactly where more than three hundred stars, and a detailed listing of exactly where more than three hundred stars are buried.

Strange as it may seem, cemeteries are becoming one of the most popular destinations for tourists to Hollywood and for film fans who want to pay their respects to the rich and famous and passed-on. Every year, millions of people from all over the world visit the graves of the legendary film stars buried in Hollywood, and the interest in these places grows from year to year.

Hollywood Remains to Be Seen highlights the legend and lore of celebrity graves, from Rudolph Valentino's mysterious "Lady In Black" to the regular delivery of one red rose to Marilyn Monroe's grave, to the strange journeys made by the body of John Barry more immediately after his death in 1942- and again thirty-eight years later. Also included are information and images of Hollywood's most lavish and majestic graves, from the huge mausoleum of Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., complete with Roman pillars and giant reflecting pool; to Liberace's flamboyant tomb, with a musical score set on white marble; to the spectacular domed monument of Al Jolson, featuring a life-sized statue of the entertainer atop a 120-foot cascadin waterfall.

Heavily illustrated with nearly one hundred photographs, Hollywood Remains to Be Seen includes photographs of the celebrities as well as photographs of the cemeteries, mausoleums, and graves, maps of the burial grounds and gravesites, and a final section fitly titled "Exit Lines" made up of celebrities' last words.

Customer Reviews:

HOLLYWOOD REMAINS TO BE SEEN .......2007-03-18

I REALLY LOVED THE BOOK I WISH THERE WAS MORE PICTURES OF THE STARS GRAVES . BUT WAS A GREAT READ IT TELLS WHERE ALL THE STARS IN HOLLYWOOD ARE BURIED THIS IS A BOOK ILL CHERISH AND KEEP FOR A VACATION TO HOLLYWOOD AND TAKE WITH ME THANKS

Their last resort !.......2007-03-14

Very well put together with an exceptional reference section.Easy to read and follow.Worth the price and I reccomend it.

His Final Resting Place........2006-08-26

He led a glorious life full of glamor and adoration for his host of fans. His ending, however, would make a movie to beat all. He was abandoned by everyone and ended up at his final resting place, the cemetery. Read about false memories and not actuality in a tome written to launch a career on the heels of:
Another Imposter on MYL : A Dutiful Daughter's Memories, August 12, 2006 I got too close to the truth for comfort and so had to find it on my web site about the shenanigans of the stars there who act like so much ____________ Now hear this: a fan's expose of what is really happening.

Dean Martin was successful in the Fifties as an actor, singer, t.v. show host and yet we young people back then though he was just a drunk. He was a member of the rat pack, not that that is saying a whole lot. Sinatra was a bigger lush than Dean could ever be, and all those wives of his! I do remember how he was fascinated with the lovely Lainie Kazan on his television music show, and perhaps that is what caused his divorce.

The author of this book has related how her 'mother's house' was next door to Rosemary Clooney. I guess Ira Gershwin lived on the other side of Rosie? I do remember that before the talented Dean died, he was living as a bum (like James Agee in New York), with a beard and same old clothes. There was no one to care for him in that condition. I ask you, where was this 'devoted' dauthter then? She is the second to make money off the deceased singer. First Jerry Lewis, after all of his tantrums and allegations, refusing to a reunion with Dean Martin. Now, the absent daughter who is using her dead father's fame as her own.

She has wormed herself into a slot on Music of Your Life, after first playing around with Les Brown, Jr. there in Branson, Missouri, getting to be top dog for two hours daily; now, she has her own weekend slot and all night on Sundays. Here is how she is described on their web site: Deana, who is an accomplished actor singer, entertainer and author, in addition to being the daughter of her famous father, has quickly become a Music of Your Life listener favorite with her great behind- the-scenes stories. Between concert and book tours, Deana produces the annual Dean Martin festival! When I was fifteen, I could sing just as well as she can. And to think that she collaborated on her CD (thanks to MYL) with Jerry Lewis, it's a sacrilege after all he did to her dad she supposedly is devoted to. With a daughter like that, who needs enemies. The writer of the book, DINO, shows how he died in virtual isolation. We all knew that. It's a sacrilege for anyone to make a fortune off a dead person who is not hear to tell the truth. Such is life today.

Hollywoof Remains To Be Seen - A Guide to Mivie Stars Final Homes.......2005-07-08

Great Book.........I am an old movie buff

The Perfect Book For Celebrity Grave Hunters.......2005-06-11

If you're interested in visiting celebrity graves you must get this book. There are detailed directions and helpful hints for visiting all the major cemeteries around Los Angeles. With this book you'll be able to spend some time with stars like Carole Landis, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, Bette Davis, and Janet Gaynor. There aren't many photos but that's because some of the cemeteries wouldn't allow them. I take this book with me every time I visit California and it's always very helpful.

A Star Is Found: Our Adventures Casting Some of Hollywood's Biggest Movies

Average customer rating:

Quick and enjoyable read about Hollywood casting
interesting read of what really goes on in....
Fascinating behind-the-scenes info!
The View from Another Angle
Any collection strong in acting guides, drama or Hollywood insights will welcome this expose.

A Star Is Found: Our Adventures Casting Some of Hollywood's Biggest Movies
Janet Hirshenson , and Jane Jenkins
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A Killer Life: How an Independent Film Producer Survives Deals and Disasters in Hollywood and Beyond
The Actor's Encyclopedia of Casting Directors: Conversations with Over 100 Casting Directors on How to Get the Job
Acting As a Business, Third Edition: Strategies for Success
An Agent Tells All
Self-Management for Actors: Getting Down to (Show) Business

ASIN: 0151012342

Book Description

For anyone who’s ever walked out of a movie and said, “That guy was all wrong for that part,” comes this first-of-its-kind look at how actors are chosen and careers are born.

Two of the top casting directors in the business, who most recently cast the new James Bond, The Da Vinci Code, and the summer blockbuster Poseidon, offer an insider’s tour of their crucial craft—spotting stars in the making—in this lively memoir, full of the kind of backroom detail loved by movie fans and aspiring actors alike. Janet and Jane share the fascinating, funny stories of discovering and casting then-unknown stars like Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Cusack, Matt Damon, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly, Brendan Fraser, Virginia Madsen, Joaquin Phoenix, Meg Ryan, Benicio Del Toro, and the Harry Potter kids. Taking us from the first casting call through head shots, auditions, meetings, and desperate searches to fill a part, they give us behind-the-scenes access to the machinery of star-making.

Films Include:
The Da Vinci Code

Friday Night Lights

Something's Gotta Give

A Beautiful Mind

Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

The Perfect Storm

Air Force One

Jurassic Park

Ghosts of Mississippi

The American President

Mrs. Doubtfire

In the Line of Fire

Last Action Hero
A Few Good Men

Home Alone

Hook

Backdraft

Misery

Ghost

When Harry Met Sally

Licence to Kill

Mystic Pizza

Beetlejuice

The Princess Bride

Stand by Me

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

The Sure Thing

Dune

Body Double

Red Dawn

The Outsiders

Customer Reviews:

Quick and enjoyable read about Hollywood casting.......2007-05-16

Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins, two of Hollywood's biggest casting directors (their credits are listed on the cover of the book, there's no need for me to list them here), discuss the inner workings of casting a major Hollywood film.

A Star Is Found is a (somewhat) candid description of the daily life of a major Hollywood casting director, recounting casting stories from several major films, citing extensively from A Beautiful Mind, Harry Potter, and The Princess Bride.

What makes the book such an interesting page-turner is the quick, almost gossipy writing style. Once you start reading, it's hard to put it down. Finding out surprising facts about how a certain person was chosen for a role is always exciting, especially for anyone with a real interest in filmmaking or the film industry in general.

There is a little bit of information and tips to smaller actors in how to behave in an audition, callback, screen test, and beyond, but mostly this book is dedicated to describing the casting adventures that have already occurred. The first few chapters mention the break down of actor categories: Wannabes, Unknowns, Working Actors, etc. The rest of the book is about casting the Stars, and how Unknowns became Stars. This has the effect of at first saying that everyone has a shot, and then saying, as long as you know someone or have been seen somewhere else.

Janet and Jane discuss their rules of auditioning, involving always treating every actor fairlt, which is refreshing to hear from such a big casting team. Anyone who is at all interested in working in film should check out this book. It offers definite insight into how you can help a casting director do their job, and end up getting yourself a job (as an actor) because of it.

interesting read of what really goes on in...........2007-05-16

Interesting insight of what really goes on behind the scenes, hiring actors, getting movies made, and how it all goes down, by 2 women who were right in the middle of it and responsible for much of the success of many actors. Who knew!

Fascinating behind-the-scenes info! .......2007-04-14

The authors took turns "talking" and giving juicy tidbits about actors and hiring them. But this is not a tell-all. This is a heartfelt book about life making movies. I couldn't put it down. It made me appreciate movies more and the people who make them. It made me see how hard everybody works to bring about the finished product to theaters. The authors really want to help people succeed in auditions and provided good advice for show biz veterans as well as introducing the process to people like me, who have nothing to do with Hollywood. This book was a sprinkle of stardust. Anyone, read it. I loved it.

The View from Another Angle.......2007-02-27

A view from the other side. There have been a lot of books on how hard it is for an actor to find that magic break that gets him into a movie or on stage. In this book, two veteran casting directors present their side of the story. It's not a how-to book, exactly, but reading between the lines you can see what turns them off and how they build a huge list of potential candidates from a want-to-be that's now waiting tables up to the superstars. For the beginner, even getting in front of Janet and Jane is a major accomplishment.

Part of the value in this book is that it explains just what it is that a casting director does. They are inbetween the actors and the film's management. They exist to take off some of the burdon from the director/producer, but they also provide an expertise of their own based on years of experience in finding actors.

The list of movies on which the authors have worked is long. The inside stories of how actors get picked is fascinating. It's quite an interesting read, even for an outsider like myself.

Any collection strong in acting guides, drama or Hollywood insights will welcome this expose........2007-02-04

A Star is Found: Our Adventures Casting Some of Hollywood's Biggest Movies is a rarity among the flood of acting and Hollywood guides on the market: a survey which examines how actors are chosen and careers made, coming from two of the top casting directors in the business. You can't get much more authoritative than this: the two review their craft, reflect on stars they helped build, and offer specific tips actors can use to catch attention and interest. Any collection strong in acting guides, drama or Hollywood insights will welcome this expose.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Hollywood Jewels: Movies, Jewelry, Stars

Average customer rating:

Hollywood Jewels: Movies, Jewelry, Stars
Penny Proddow , Debra Healy , and Marion Fasel
Manufacturer: Harry N Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Bejeweled: Great Designers, Celebrity Style
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ASIN: 0810934124

Sock Monkey Goes to Hollywood: A Star is Bathed

Average customer rating:

Accept No Monkey Substitutes
Sock Monkey Rocks
Sock Monkey Goes to Hollywood: A Star Is Bathed
Destined To Become a Classic. . .
Hip, funky and not without an important lesson!

Sock Monkey Goes to Hollywood: A Star is Bathed

Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Sock Monkey Boogie-Woogie: A Friend is Made
Sock Monkey Rides Again
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Monkey Love

ASIN: 0763619620
Release Date: 2003-08-25

Book Description

Calling all sock monkey fans! One-of-a-kind talent Cece Bell creates a quirky story like no other - a sudsy yarn about soaps and dreams, stardom, and good friends.

A star is born!

The famous toy actor, Sock Monkey, has been nominated for an Oswald Award. But to attend the ceremony, he must do something terrifying - he must take a bath. Yikes! Just the thought of bathing makes Sock Monkey dizzy with fear. Stinky soap! Icy water! Scratchy towels! Luckily, his three best pals - Miss Bunn, Froggie, and Blue Pig - know just what to do to help Sock Monkey become fresh and clean . . . and maybe win his very own Oswald! Bearing all the hallmarks of a cult classic, this heartening tale will have sock monkey stalwarts everywhere heaving a sigh of approval - and perhaps furtively jotting down recommended washing instructions.

Customer Reviews:

Accept No Monkey Substitutes.......2006-10-11

Never mind all the other sock monkey wanna be's, Cece Bell's Sock Monkey series is the best! Her stories are charming and funny, the illustrations are crisp and colorful. You notice something different every time you read it - and believe me, I've had to read these wonderful books over and over to my daughters. We love them!!

Sock Monkey Rocks.......2006-03-20

My son loves these books as do I. I only wish there were more.

Sock Monkey Goes to Hollywood: A Star Is Bathed.......2004-12-30

This book is my favorite book. It is so great. I have a Sock Monkey at home. I have 2 books of Sock Monkey's adventures.

Destined To Become a Classic. . ........2004-08-18

With the exception of Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are," "Sock Monkey Goes To Hollywood" is the most entertaining children's book we've read to our son, and, trust me, we read many books to our one-year old. This book always cracks me up, and succeeds because it entertains on several levels. Adults will appreciate the satire, and your child will enjoy the illustrations.

I think that anyone who assigns less than five stars to this book needs more sock monkeys in his/her life. Even if you don't have a child, buy this book. You'll love it.

Hip, funky and not without an important lesson!.......2004-05-23

I saw this book at a friend's house and now I've gotta get it for myself. I'm a long-time fan of Sock Monkeys, and this Sock Monkey is as adorable as they come. Parents will like this book because of the very cool illustrations and the humor. Kids will probably identify with the bath-hating Sock Monkey. The thing that really struck me about the book was that, of course we are all expecting Sock Monkey to win the award for which he's been nominated, and he actually DOESN'T.....and life goes on! He's gracious about it, kids get to see that we can't always get first prize, and whaddaya know, he ends up getting a prize, too....a nice touch. Definitely a great kids' book...with an actual sock monkey, it would make the perfect gift set!

Star Gazing: Hollywood Cinema and Female Spectatorship

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Star Gazing: Hollywood Cinema and Female Spectatorship
Jackie Stacey
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Cinema and Spectatorship (Sightlines)
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ASIN: 0415091799

Book Description

In Star Gazing, Jackie Stacey puts the female back into the spectator, or the girl back into girl-watching. Combining film theory with a rich body of ethnographic research, the book investigates how women viewews understood Hollywood stars in the 1940s and 50s. Stacey's study challenges the universality of psychoanalytic theories of female spectatorship, prevalent within film studies for the past 20 years.

Drawing on letters and questionnaires from over 300 filmgoers, the author investigates the significance of particular Holywood stars in women's memories of wartime and postwar Britain. Among the stars discussed by Stacey and her subjects are Doris Day, Joan Craford, Betty Grable, Ava Gardner, Deanna Durbin, Rita Hayworth, Ginger Rogers, Jennifer Jones and Dorothy L'Amour.

Three key processes of spectatorship--escapism, identification and consumption--are explored in terms of their multiple and changing meanings for women spectators of the time. Stacey's work demonstrates the importance of cultural and national location for the meanings of female spectatorship, redirecting questions of popular culture and female desire.

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