Mad, Bad and Dangerous?: The Scientist and the Cinema Review

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Mad, Bad and Dangerous: The Scientist and the Cinema ReviewIn this book, Mad, Bad and Dangerous? The Scientist and the Cinema, Mr. Frayling has put together a fascinating study of how public perceptions of the scientist have been molded by movies. As a long time physics and math teachers well as a movie-lover, I am familiar with much of the background material he goes through. Still, I was impressed by the wide scope of Mr. Frayling's work and the well-drawn conclusions he makes.
One of the techniques I sometimes use in my classroom is to have students identify math and science mistakes in the movies. This book opens with a classic--the Scarecrow's recitation of "the Pythagorean Theorem" in The Wizard of Oz. But this book really isn't concerned with such obvious mistakes. It is much more powerful is piecing together how mistakes and simplifications have led to a shorthand stereotype of the scientist we see in the movies: lab coat, glasses, disheveled hair, etc. This scientist may be the classic "mad" scientist, the distant pronouncer of hard to understand ideas, the nerd, as so on. And yet, this shorthand, often necessary for the success of a film, has become how people often actually view scientists.
After briefly looking back to the classics of stage and fiction that will heavily influence the earliest silent films (Faustus, Frankenstein, etc.), Frayling digs deep into one of the most influential characterizations of a scientist on film: Rotwang in Metropolis. Half alchemist, half scientist, Rotwang is the prototype of the impossible to understand, yet powerful man who made decisions that impact all those around him. This characterization and the graphic style of Metropolis had a huge impact on the movies that followed up to the present day (see Flash Gordon to Dr. Strangelove). If you've never seen the movie Metropolis, watch it (it is excellent) and then go to chapter 3 of this book. It will open your eyes.
Starting in the 1930's, there is a split. The "mad" scientist movie, which have their first peak in Frankenstein countered by the more "true" science movies like Things to Come. Both styles are still with us, though the first probably peaked with the sci-fi/horror films of the 60's while the second (a harder sell) probably peaked with the bio pics of the 40's (Madame Curie, Louis Pasteur, etc.). Frayling shows how these movie styles impacted each other and influenced our view of the scientist, particularly in the aftermath of WWII, with the arrival of the boffin movies in England and the Nazi rocket scientists in the U.S.
All of which influences we still see today, as Frayling reminds us, in movies like A Beautiful Mind, Contact, The Relic, etc. There is a ton of information and analysis in the pages of this book. Insight into a number of movies as well as, more importantly, insight into our understanding of the scientist. Anyone interested in either would be foolish to pass up this book.Mad, Bad and Dangerous: The Scientist and the Cinema Overview

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Making Movies Black: The Hollywood Message Movie from World War II to the Civil Rights Era Review

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Making Movies Black: The Hollywood Message Movie from World War II to the Civil Rights Era Reviewi liked how this book captured the time period and showed the images and spoke on how preception was. you feel the atmosphere and see a shift from the way things were. of course hollywood is and will always be color struck, however there was a certain manner at presenting actors and actress's during this time. very compelling book.Making Movies Black: The Hollywood Message Movie from World War II to the Civil Rights Era OverviewThis is the second volume of Thomas Cripps's definitive history of African-Americans in Hollywood.It covers the period from World War II through the civil rights movement of the 1960s, examining this period through the prism of popular culture.Making Movies Black shows how movies anticipated and helped form America's changing ideas about race.Cripps contends that from the liberal rhetoric of the war years--marked as it was by the propaganda catchwords brotherhood and tolerance--came movies that defined a new African-American presence both in film and in American society at large.He argues that the war years, more than any previous era, gave African-American activists access to centers of cultural influence and power in both Washington and Hollywood. Among the results were an expanded black imagery on the screen during the war--in combat movies such as Bataan, Crash Dive, and Sahara; musicals such as Stormy Weather and Cabin in the Sky; and government propaganda films such as The Negro Soldier and Wings for this Man (narrated by Ronald Reagan!).After the war, the ideologies of both black activism and integrationism persisted, resulting in the 'message movie' era of Pinky, Home of the Brave, and No Way Out, a form of racial politics that anticipated the goals of the Civil Rights Movement. Delving into previously inaccessible records of major Hollywood studios, among them Warner Bros., RKO, and 20th Century-Fox, as well as records of the Office of War Information in the National Archives, and records of the NAACP, and interviews with survivors of the era, Cripps reveals the struggle of both lesser known black filmmakers like Carlton Moss and major figures such as Sidney Poitier. More than a narrative history, Making Movies Black reaches beyond the screen itself with sixty photographs, many never before published, which illustrate the mood of the time.Revealing the social impact of the classical Hollywood film, Making Movies Black is the perfect book for those interested in the changing racial climate in post-World War II American life.

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The Playboy Interviews: The Directors Review

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The Playboy Interviews: The Directors ReviewThis isn't book about how to make films but a great book about the mind of great filmmakers. These in-depth interviews not only dissect the directors' best and worst films, but they also offer a glimpse into what makes these directors tick and how their views of the world helped shape their most memorable projects. A great read for any film fan who wants to learn more about these famous filmmakers directly from their own words. A more honest perspective on these directors then anything you may hear in the commentary and special features of any DVD.The Playboy Interviews: The Directors Overview

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Playing to the World's Biggest Audience: The Globalization of Chinese Film and TV Review

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Playing to the World's Biggest Audience: The Globalization of Chinese Film and TV ReviewI write this from Los Angeles, which has the Hollywood film industry. It has dominated world cinema since its inception. Yet in this book, Curtin suggests that the expansion of Chinese film and TV might one day make it a serious global cultural competitor.
He analyses the current geographic distribution of Chinese output. Until recently, it was mostly Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. While mainland China had been making movies for decades, the hitherto insular nature of the Chinese economy relegated its film output to mostly China itself. But the burgeoning rise of the overall economy and its opening to global trade has also expanded the scope of Chinese films. This is perhaps the most interesting part of the book. Much of the future projected growth emanates from China.
The quality of the films is also described as rapidly improving. Due to larger budgets, which in turn is a functioning of greater real spending power by Chinese audiences. It has meant that the cheesy, low budget kung fu and romance films are increasingly sidelined.
The discussions about Singapore and Taiwan are interesting, certainly. But those are largely saturated (and small) markets.
The only missing feature of the book is the minimal discussion about animation. The technology for this is now largely available to Chinese studios. While the latest animation techniques are still dominated by American studios, there might be a trend of diminishing returns. Thus, there might be good prospects for a global Chinese animation industry. Akin perhaps to Japanese anime.Playing to the World's Biggest Audience: The Globalization of Chinese Film and TV OverviewIn this provocative analysis of screen industries in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, Michael Curtin delineates the globalizing pressures and opportunities that since the 1980s have dramatically transformed the terrain of Chinese film and television, including the end of the cold war, the rise of the World Trade Organization, the escalation of democracy movements, and the emergence of an East Asian youth culture. Reaching beyond national frameworks, Curtin examines the prospect of a global Chinese audience that will include more viewers than in the United States and Europe combined. He draws on in-depth interviews with a diverse array of media executives plus a wealth of historical material to argue that this vast and increasingly wealthy market is likely to shake the very foundations of Hollywood's century-long hegemony.Playing to the World's Biggest Audience profiles the leading Chinese commercial studios and telecasters, and delves into the operations of Western conglomerates extending their reach into Asia. Advancing a dynamic and integrative theory of media capital, this innovative book explains the histories and strategies of screen enterprises that aim to become central players in the Global China market and offers an alternative perspective to recent debates about cultural globalization.

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Killer Instinct Review

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Killer Instinct ReviewI give 'Killer Instinct' this much: it was a quick and entertaining read -- a fun ride. The type of book you tear right through in a night. However, I find it difficult to take seriously Jane Hamsher's account of events. I find it curious that every single woman in this book is portrayed as a sweet, strong-willed, honest-to-goodness saint, worthy of enormous sympathy -- (not least of all, Jane Hamsher herself!) -- while almost every single man (save for one writer friend of hers) is portrayed as, more or less, an utter demon (at times, almost literally.)* Even her "partner in crime," Don Murphy is shown, at times, in a critical light -- but never Iron-Willed Jane. She is the very picture of patience and professionalism, often beset upon, but rarely (if ever) in error. It's interesting that at several points, particularly on the production of NBK, it is implied that a lot of people on the set are losing patience with her and are irritated by her presence -- but unfortunately, we don't have their side of the story, and as far as Jane is concerned, it is (always!) all miraculously due to their inability to handle the fact that she's a woman. (!!!) Don't get me wrong, I don't doubt there's plenty of sexism in Hollywood, but Hamsher's account, with its suspiciously unfailing tendency to portray every single woman as a flawless, tough-hearted angel, leads me to believe that this is not just a one-sided account, but quite possibly entirely out-of-whack, the rays of truth refracted wildly through Hamsher's "feminist fairytale" vision of her own experiences.
Additionally, I find it interesting that while initially very smitten with Tarantino's ideas and scripts, that as their professional ties go south, he magically turns into a thoroughly talentless hack, milking stolen ideas for all they're worth. But then she remembers that NBK is her dream project, and it was, of course, scripted by him -- drats! Thinking fast, she asserts that by far the best part of the script -- the TV sitcom parody -- was the work of her writer friend, not Tarantino. Well, uh ... OK.
Particularly priceless, though, is her initial (and I think only) direct encounter with Lawrence Bender, Tarantino's producer. They meet at a party, he says hello and is perfectly friendly and polite to her, and that's pretty much the extent of her experiences with him. Given that, it's pretty amazing (and terribly questionable) exactly how much hostility she has towards him and how much dirt she shovels in his direction throughout the rest of the book. Upon meeting him, she feels "queasy," shakes, and has to immediately leave the room for some air when they part! Why? Because she feels intuitively that she has just been in the presence of -- I believe she uses the term "jackal" -- but given the incredibly over-the-top way she describes it, the impression is more that of a "demon."* And why does she feel that way? Well, it's not one of those things you can explain, see, but essentially, it seems to mainly have to do with the fact that his eyes have a distant look to them. (They "recede into an emotional abyss when he speaks" according to Hamsher.)
I've never met Lawrence Bender, and I have no trouble believing that Quentin Tarantino and Oliver Stone and the host of other male Hollywood stars and hopefuls that appear in Hamsher's tale have their fair share of shortcomings and ballooned egos. Maybe a few of them really are even bad, dishonest people, through and though. Maybe. What I find more difficult to believe is that Hamsher and her coterie of oppressed agents and starlets and mother-figures are half as immaculate as they seem in the version of events she gives us here.
I also question the motivation for writing this book. A fun ride through the Hollywood system, or just an excuse to trash-talk people who've gone on to have more successful careers than she? Looking through Hamsher's filmography, I notice her unfailing tendency to grab interesting projects and turn them into mediocre films with mediocre earnings. It seems unlikely that Hamsher would ever deign to admit to an emotion as base as jealousy, but one wonders all the same.Killer Instinct Overview

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George Stevens: Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers) Review

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George Stevens: Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers) ReviewThis book employs a concise interview approach, to one of America's greatest, and most respected directors. In all his work, from "Alice Adams", to "Swing Time", "Woman of the Year", to "Vivacious Lady", to "Gunga Din"...to his work with Laurel and Hardy, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Kate Hepburn and Spencer Tracy...and to his later series of Oscar winning masterpieces, including "Shane", "Giant", "A Place in the Sun"...this little book exposes a man of great humanity and integrity. Though it does not delve deeply into most of the films, it does delve into the personalities of some of the colleagues he knew well.
The book therefore is not definitive, nor is it intended to be. However, I would say it prompts the reader towards further questioning. It's one of those readings that whet the appetite for further reading. I would have liked to have asked much more about the films already mentioned. Others, like "The Diary of Ann Frank", and his monumental film, "The Greatest Story Ever Told", are dealt with in greater depth, with special interviews.
The interviews also cover his participation in WW II, as Ike's film maker of D-Day, the liberation of Paris, the concentration camps...and how this seminal experience forever changed George Stevens, and his career, in some very profound ways. And, his story, without being an autobiography, possesses the immediacy of the great director's own words...with the personal filter of a writer, being replaced by the questions of an interviewer. As a result, it is most satisfying to learn his view of his world, and his era...directly.
I highly recommend the book, not only because of the story of this extraordinary man...but also, because the tight interview format allows the reader to learn much...and fairly quickly...and with this knowledge, to research further.George Stevens: Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers) Overview
At first glance, George Stevens (1904Ð1975) appears to be the quintessential Hollywood director. A closer look at his achievements shows him to be more than just the creator of some of the smartest melodramas and comedies of the 1930s and 1940s, including Annie Oakley, Swing Time, and Gunga Din. Several of his films--Giant, The Diary of Anne Frank, Shane, The Greatest Story Ever Told, and A Place in the Sun--are regarded as some of the most important and enduring dramas of postwar American cinema. As a leading producer and director of his era, Stevens repeatedly pushed against the Hollywood grain and clashed with censors.
George Stevens: Interviews showcases the deep moral vision of a director who is as meticulous, discerning, and contemplative in his conversations as he is as a filmmaker. Although not regarded as an auteur during his career, Stevens can now be understood as one of America's most personal and distinguished directors. Throughout this collection, his increasing concern over the control of his films is evident, and, like Alfred Hitchcock and Howard Hawks, he became a producer/director who claimed absolute control over his work. His interviews show a man committed to his chosen art and fully aware of the responsibilities that come with that choice.
Paul Cronin is a writer and filmmaker.

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Turning Points In Film History Review

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Turning Points In Film History ReviewNot bad, but a bit disappointing. At its core, it's an overview of key moments in the history of film, with major milestones covered in 4- to 10-page chapters. It reads briskly and it structured well.
Because of all that, it SHOULD be a good read. But it's ... well, just okay. The author relies too much on the words of others, brings none of his own flair to the writing. Plenty of quotes and opinions from others in the field, little in the way of new insights or viewpoints. I have read webpages with better assessments of various eras in film.
This makes this a non-essential for folks who already known their film, but that doesn't mean this doesn't have value for a film student or someone new to film. The book does offer a nice look at various periods in film history, and the chapters on key film movements were well done, inspiring me to watch some stuff I may not have otherwise seen.
Can't give it the highest recommendation possible, but you won't hate yourself for owning this.Turning Points In Film History Overview

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On Hollywood: The Place, The Industry Review

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On Hollywood: The Place, The Industry ReviewAllen Scott has produce a very original book. Any person interested in Hollywood business structure will find it valuable. Most interesting is discussion in terms of industrial districts and there relation to globalisation. Also important is connection to cultural economy and the dynamic of creative industries. Very clear. Very readable. Very informative. Bravo!On Hollywood: The Place, The Industry Overview
Why is the U.S. motion picture industry concentrated in Hollywood and why does it remain there in the age of globalization? Allen Scott uses the tools of economic geography to explore these questions and to provide a number of highly original answers. The conceptual roots of his analysis go back to Alfred Marshall's theory of industrial districts and pick up on modern ideas about business clusters as sites of efficient and innovative production.

On Hollywood builds on this work by adding major new empirical elements. By examining the history of motion-picture production from the early twentieth century to the present through this analytic lens, Scott is able to show why the industry (which was initially focused on New York) had shifted the majority of its production to Southern California by 1919. He also addresses in detail the bases of Hollywood's long-standing creative energies and competitive advantages. At the same time, the book explores the steady globalization of Hollywood's market reach as well as the cultural and political dilemmas posed by this phenomenon.

On Hollywood will appeal not only to general readers with an interest in the motion-picture industry, but also to economic geographers, business professionals, regional development practitioners, and cultural theorists as well.


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Heroes, Lovers, and Others: The Story of Latinos in Hollywood Review

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Heroes, Lovers, and Others: The Story of Latinos in Hollywood ReviewIt was that gorgeous sepia cover of Rita Hayworth that first drew me to this book. I'm not a movie buff, but that classic pose captivated me, and when I saw the numerous dramatic stills of famous screen icons from across the entire history of film, I immediately purchased four copies-for my mother, my two aunts and my niece.
Rita Hayworth was born Margarita Carmen Cansino, I quickly learned, and she had begun her career as a a Latin dancer and actor. Her's is only one of a flood of stories of Latinos stars throughout Hollywood's first century. The book is an easy and quick read, but I ended up learning a lot about how the history of Hollywood and America are intertwined. I felt that the historical context deepened and enriched the stories and provided them with a greater meaning.
One of my favorite stories is about an Austrian actor named Jacob Krantz, whose acting career was going nowhere until he changed his name to Ricardo Cortez and immediately became a big star. His brother Stanley followed him to Hollywood, also changed his name to Cortez, and won several awards as a cinematographer. And did you know that Anthony Quinn came to the US illegally, and picked crops, preached on street corners and boxed before becoming a major star?
The author writes with an accessible style and great insight. The pictures are wonderful. I'm neither Latino nor a big movie-goer, but I still loved "Heroes, Lovers and Others" because it is such a lively collage of wonderful stories about America and the rich variety of people who populate it.
Heroes, Lovers, and Others: The Story of Latinos in Hollywood Overview

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Party in a Box: The Story of the Sundance Film Festival Review

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Party in a Box: The Story of the Sundance Film Festival ReviewThe book was in excellent condition and the shipping was quick. I am very pleased with my purchase. Thank you!Party in a Box: The Story of the Sundance Film Festival Overview

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A Talent For Trouble: The Life Of Hollywood's Most Acclaimed Director, William Wyler Review

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A Talent For Trouble: The Life Of Hollywood's Most Acclaimed Director, William Wyler ReviewA thoroughly engrossing book that delves not only in Wyler the director, but Wyler the man. This books offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of this phenomenal director, from his early days as a young immigrant to becoming honored by the AFI.
Learn what went on before, during and after some of filmdom's greatest movies (Mrs. Miniver, Best Years Of Their Lives, and Ben-Hur) as well as Wylers' time in the service, shooting award winning documentaries. As well as how the HUAC hearings impacted on his professional life and those he came to rely on, and how he dealt with personal triumphs and tragedies.
Jan Herman has taken what could have been a dry retelling of movie making, and offers up a book that is both informative and entertaining.A Talent For Trouble: The Life Of Hollywood's Most Acclaimed Director, William Wyler Overview

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Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century (Cultural Exegesis) Review

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Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century (Cultural Exegesis) ReviewI wish I could summon the spirit of the late Don LaFontaine here - it would come across much more powerful, of course - but I cannot. In a world where required reading often means required time and nothing less, it's a rarity that we're able to dig through the junk to find the jewels. Into the Dark gives you nugget after nugget of the finest film gold. From Memento to Donnie Darko -- 45 of IMDb's top 250 - and page by page, movie by movie, it's a perfectly paced walk through the best aspects of cinema. Detweiler stays the course to provide a trustworthy guide and an altogether insightful interpretation, all the while providing theological insight along the way. It's like watching the movies all over again, with a different set of eyes. A little deeper, a little smarter, a little slower wins the race.
Into the Dark is the journey of films through some of the darkest hours in order to show the brightest of grace. The chapters poignantly scribe the picture of a holistic faith seen in contrast with a dynamic culture. To speak personally, the book acted as an awakening towards the movies I could not reconcile. It was my own journey through the theater in hopes of finding others - Evangelicals even - sitting next to me, ready to commence The Great Discussion with two ears, one mouth and an eternal sense of grace in sight.
Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century (Cultural Exegesis) OverviewIn this book, Craig Detweiler examines forty-five films from the twenty-first century that resonate theologically--from The Lord of the Rings trilogy to Little Miss Sunshine--offering groundbreaking insight into their scriptural connections and theological applications.Detweiler writes with the eye of a filmmaker, leads Hollywood and religion initiatives at Fuller Seminary, and even came to faith through cinema. In this book, he unpacks the "theology of everyday life," exploring the Spirit of God in creation, redemption, and "general revelation" through sometimes unlikely filmmakers. It's the first authoritative book that dissects up-to-date movies selected by the popular Internet Movie Database. This book is recommended for teachers, students, pastors, film fans, and those interested in the intersection of Christianity and culture.

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Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide Review

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Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide ReviewEver since Chris Gore's book was published, I have used it in my classes to teach both undergraduate and graduate level film courses. Students respond extremely well to the style that the book is written in and the pragmatic information that the book provides. Gore has done a terrific job at covering not only film festivals, but an insider's look into how young filmmakers and established festival directors think about the process of filmmaking. This book covers a critical area in film school curriculum to prepare students for the world of festivals. I strongly recommend this book and will continue using it for all my teaching. Steve Montal, American Film Institute.Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide Overview

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On Sunset Boulevard: The Life and Times of Billy Wilder Review

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On Sunset Boulevard: The Life and Times of Billy Wilder ReviewThis bio is very well-written and reads like a novel, as other reviews agree, and I would add that it is even better than most novels. Often one wonders whether a story in the book has really occurred and that helps to develop the fiction aspect of the book. At first I thought that a bio with more than 600 pages would be boring, but it turned out to be very engaging and informative about the golden age of Hollywood and one of the smartest and sophisticated directors ever. Although this bio has so much infomation, the author has such a fluid writing style and such a story-telling ability that makes it very interesting and entertaining. While reading this book my attention span never sagged and it made me keep reading for a longer period at a time. English being my third language, I really appreciated Mr. Sikov's wide range of vocabulary and slang that seemed to fit perfectly into his varied style of sentence construction.
I agree with Mr. Sikov that screenplay writing is a vital part of a consumate and well rounded director, which other celebrated directors, such as Hitchcock, Ford, and Spielberg lacked. For this reason I consider that the two best directors of all times are Billy Wilder and Akira Kurosawa, who besides being great visual and cinematic artists, they had more input and control of their movies by also writing the scripts. Billy Wilder's use of cynicism, sarcasm and curse words in his movies, when allowed, and in his life never came across as vulgar and lewd, but rather as an effective and witty punch line or criticism about the human condition.On Sunset Boulevard: The Life and Times of Billy Wilder Overview

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American Cinema of the 1970s: Themes and Variations (Screen Decades: American Culture/American Cinema) Review

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American Cinema of the 1970s: Themes and Variations (Screen Decades: American Culture/American Cinema) ReviewThis is not the equal of David A. Cook's "Lost Illusions," which examines 1970's American cinema for the 'History of the American Cinema' series. It is decidedly more superficial and constrained to theoretical fragmentation. The text breaks the decade up not only by year but also by concept, which is an almost impossible construct to uphold. (For example: "Jaws," which came out in 1975, is ideologically posited against Altman's "Nashville." Well, oh my. Eureka.) Despite this, the text is often illuminating about the background of the films discussed and their cultural implications. It simply tries too hard to links its narrative to the general cultural highlights of the decade. (Cinema and Hank Aaron breaking the home run record?) In all, a worthwhile text and a solid introduction to cinema in the 1970's, but not a theoretically groundbreaking work.American Cinema of the 1970s: Themes and Variations (Screen Decades: American Culture/American Cinema) OverviewA smug glance at the seventies-the so-called "Me Decade"-unveils a kaleidoscope of big hair, blaring music, and broken politics-all easy targets for satire, cynicism, and ultimately even nostalgia. American Cinema of the 1970s, however, looks beyond the strobe lights to reveal how profoundly the seventies have influenced American life and how the films of that decade represent a peak moment in cinema history.Far from a placid era, the seventies was a decade of social upheavals. Events such as the killing of students at Kent State and Jackson State universities, the Watergate investigations, the legalization of abortion, and the end of the American involvement in Vietnam are only a few among the many landmark occurrences that challenged the foundations of American culture. The director-driven movies of this era reflect this turmoil, experimenting with narrative structures, offering a gallery of scruffy antiheroes, and revising traditional genre conventions. Bringing together ten original essays, American Cinema of the 1970s examines the range of films that marked the decade, including Jaws, Rocky, Love Story, Shaft, Dirty Harry, The Godfather, Deliverance, The Exorcist, Shampoo, Taxi Driver, Star Wars, Saturday Night Fever, Kramer vs. Kramer, and Apocalypse Now.Lester D. Friedman is the Senior Scholar-in-Residence in the Media and Society Program at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and the author of numerous books on film.

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Contemporary World Cinema: Europe, the Middle East, East Asia and South Asia Review

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Contemporary World Cinema: Europe, the Middle East, East Asia and South Asia ReviewI really enjoyed the quality of the book, although it has been written used, I haven't seen any sign of used book in itContemporary World Cinema: Europe, the Middle East, East Asia and South Asia OverviewSince the start of the 1990s, despite tougher competition than ever before from Hollywood, a rebirth and flourishing of cinema has been taking place in parts of Europe, the Middle East, East Asia and South Asia. This book provides an overview of the cinemas of these regions, interpreting some of the recent developments as strategic responses to globalization. Highlighting transnational and cross-cultural structures, influences and themes, it offers:* A broad critical context for the study of contemporary world cinema, introducing key concepts and issues including modes of production and distribution.* Cultural and historical background for the cinemas of each region, with analyses of regional aesthetic styles and comparisons with Hollywood models.* Case studies of Scandinavian, Iranian, Hong Kong and Indian cinema.* Close analysis of twelve landmark films, including Thomas Vinterberg'sFesten, Samira Makhmalbaf'sThe Apple, Wong Kar-Wai'sIn the Mood For Love, and Ashutosh Gowariker'sLagaan. Contemporary World Cinema is vital for students and teachers of film, media, cultural studies and modern languages, as well as general world cinema enthusiasts.

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Past Imperfect: History According to the Movies (Henry Holt Reference Book) Review

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Past Imperfect: History According to the Movies (Henry Holt Reference Book) ReviewWhen you're both a student of history and a movie buff, as I am, it can be difficult to sit and watch a film that presumes to have an accurate historical context without fighting the urge to evaluate it and pick holes in it. And I'm not the only one. This is a collection of analytical essays, most of high quality, by experts (not all of them historians) analyzing and critiquing individual films: Stephen Jay Gould on _Jurassic Park,_ Antonia Fraser on _Anne of the Thousand Days,_ Thomas Fleming on _1776,_ Dee Brown on _Fort Apache,_ William Manchester on _Young Winston,_ and numerous others. Sticking to those films about which I have some knowledge of the historical events they claim to portray, most are right on the money. James McPherson, commenting on _Glory,_ points out that while the context and general atmosphere are very well done, and the costuming and so on are exact, there are still deliberate historical errors for the sake of drama; none of the soldiers in Col. Shaw's 54th Massachusetts were ex-slaves, for instance, all of them having been recruited from among the state's free black population. And Catherine Clinton does an excellent job taking the wind out of _Gone with the Wind_'s mythical sails. There's a great deal of good information and criticism here and it's a compliment to say that nearly any of these essays will start an argument.Past Imperfect: History According to the Movies (Henry Holt Reference Book) Overview

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Bringing Up Oscar: The Story of the Men and Women Who Founded the Academy Review

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Bringing Up Oscar: The Story of the Men and Women Who Founded the Academy ReviewI'm a Hollywood buff of sorts. I love reading about the Golden Age of Hollywood and the stars that populated Hollywood's greatest years (by this I mean the 30s and 40s). But this book takes us back to the origins of all that and does it brilliantly. The wealth of anecdote surprises. I feel when reading it as if I'm being transported to an age of innovation unmatched in mordern times. Granted, I've not read the book sequentially but enjoyed dipping here and there. Maybe it's meant to be read that way as its strength, to my mind, is incident and personality. To everyone who stays up waaay past their bedtime to take in the whole of Oscar Night I say: Kudos to the author. Let's hear more!Bringing Up Oscar: The Story of the Men and Women Who Founded the Academy Overview

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Inventing The Movies: Hollywood's Epic Battle Between Innovation And The Status Quo, From Thomas Edison To Steve Jobs Review

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Inventing The Movies: Hollywood's Epic Battle Between Innovation And The Status Quo, From Thomas Edison To Steve Jobs ReviewOver the past several years, especially since he wrote a definitive article on the topic for Esther Dyson's Release 1.0, Scott Kirsner has become to go-to guy for insight about where digital entertainment is going. He's got more contacts than a dozen beat reporters and more new ideas than a dozen thought leaders. Inventing the Movies taught this media-watcher quite a bit and even the asides are bet you didn't know there's a brand of makeup called blu_ray. Anyone who wants a firm grounding in the never-ending wars between new ideas and entrenched attitudes should read this.Inventing The Movies: Hollywood's Epic Battle Between Innovation And The Status Quo, From Thomas Edison To Steve Jobs OverviewFrom Edison to the iPod, from the Warner Brothers to George Lucas, the story of how the movies became America's favorite form of escapist entertainment - and retained their hold on our imaginations for more than a century - is a story of innovators prevailing again and again over skeptics who prefer to preserve the status quo. Inventing the Movies unspools the never-before-told story of the innovators who shaped Hollywood: how a chance meeting at the Saratoga Race Track led to the end of black-and-white movies ... how Bing Crosby brought you the VCR ... how Walt Disney tamed television ... how a shotgun blast signaled the end of hand-made models and the beginning of digital special effects ... and how even the almighty Morgan Freeman had trouble persuading theater-owners that the Internet wasn't their mortal enemy. Inventing the Movies is an important read not just for fans of Hollywood's history, but for innovators trying to make change happen in any industry.

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The Sundance Kids: How the Mavericks Took Back Hollywood Review

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The Sundance Kids: How the Mavericks Took Back Hollywood ReviewMottram's "Sundance Kids" is subtitled "How the mavericks took back Hollywood". Except, of course, in the end they didn't. And that is only the beginning to some of the problems that plague this book (which I bought for a dollar on a sale table at the local book store).
Long on history but short on style, Mottram gives the reader a 3-decade glimpse of what the "mavericks" were up to during the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. Using The Sundance Film Festival as his yardstick, he cherry-picks various directors, writers and producers to cover, showing their beginnings, their inspirations and their cumulative output to date. It's a good primer on art films, outsider films and indy productions and anyone interested in Hollywood as seen through the independent lens will enjoy what content it has to offer from an educational standpoint.
But that's where the enjoyment ends.
The tone of this 512-page encyclopedia of indy films is slanted towards popular writers and directors he obviously loves and it leaves out multitudes of others he apparently does not. Mottram waxes lovingly of Soderburg, Tarentino and the like in an apparent move to stay on the good side, possibly in order to garner future interviews. What's left out are the crass egotistical interviews, on-set tantrums, belligerent badgering and horrifying treatment of actors, set crew and others - most notably from director Russell, whose fights with actors are legendary (see: YouTube's viral video of actor Lily Tomlin tangling with him on the set of I Heart Huckabees and losing her temper after he's made so many instant changes she can't tell which end is up). It's akin to watching a loving biopic by the very directors themselves, wherein almost everything negative is left on the cutting room floor.
Mottram's writing style is pre-college-level at best. Sentence structure is poor in many places and the work does not flow well from one subject to the next. I found it difficult to get through some chapters since his knowledge of subject and predicate seem to be lacking. The absence of these basic writing tenants hurt an otherwise revealing book, but don't let that stop you from reading it. There are very few other books out there like this one - as mediocre as it is.
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