Movies Books

This book is pricey, but it is a must-read if you are interested in early films and nickelodeon films. Lubin is best-known for duping all his competitors' films in the early 1900's, and staging "reproductions" of famous boxing matches that Edison had the exclusive rights to film. If that is all that you know about Lubin, then you really don't know him at all.

Lubin taunted Edison's patent trust early on in trade ads nearly as much as Carl Laemmle did in the early 1910's. He gleefully filed patents on (mostly) useless inventions just to keep Edison's patent lawyers at bay. Lubin was the only Jewish mogul allowed to join the patent trust when General Film was formed. After that, he was staunchly loyal to Edison.

And if not for failing health and some bad decisions, Lubin might have been the last patent trust firm still standing. Lubin was smart enough to see the handwriting on the wall, and started early producing feature films. They were not just longer short films, but planned as features. Some were planned as disaster-genre films, long before these became a staple in the 1970s. For one feature, a huge city-block set was rigged to fall apart as an earthquake scene. For another feature, two trains were actually crashed head-on.

Beside's Lubin's Philadelphia studio, he had studios in other parts of the country. The most modern one was in Betzwood, Pennsylvania. After Lubin's company went belly-up, films were still produced there for several years. The book has an extra chapter documenting these films.

Lubin's Jacksonville, Florida studio made a lot of cheap comedies. Their main claim to fame is the discovery of comedian Oliver Hardy, from Georgia. Romaine Feilding's western studio churned out lots of high quality Western films. Lubin's main studio boasted a cafeteria, and everybody on the lot got a cheap meal.

I don't want to give the whole book away, but Lubin made a few mistakes that cost him dearly. While he went into features in a big way in the early teens, he never stopped churning out one-reel potboilers for nickelodeons. While they made great money for a few years, by the mid-teens he had too many companies making one-reelers for dwindling audiences. He also ended up with too many studios, with all of their extra overhead. Like Laemmle at Universal, he gave jobs to many of his sons-in-laws and relatives, and this began to hurt when his finances were short.

The book is very well researched, will many, many footnotes. There's lots of photos, that will make you actually want to see some Lubin films. I can highly recommend it. Joe Eckhardt runs a Betzwood Film Festival every year in Pennsylvania, that spotlights films made by Lubin and others there.

Joseph P. Eckhardt should be congratulated for this wonderful biography of pioneering film-maker Siegmund Lubin. I had assumed the book to be interesting, if probably a bit technical, and was not prepared for how entertaining the text would be. Using humor, understanding and affection for his subject, Eckhardt describes Lubin's rise from poor immigrant to King of the Movies; his battles with Thomas Edison; the creating of Lubinville, the producer's plant in Philadelphia, and, later, the move to suburban Betzwood. The benevolent mogul had enough chutzpah for two Goldwyns, it appears, and although he might not have paid his actors the salaries they could claim elsewhere, many nevertheless chose to stay in the congenial atmosphere of Lubinville. Like all the other pioneers, Lubin's era was over by the late 1910s, but until then, the German immigrant had entertained millions with his little "fillums." "The King of the Movies" is of course not only a biography of Siegmund Lubin himself, but an invaluable insight into the Lubin Mfg. Co., arguably the until now least understood of the early film companies.

My interest in this book comes from my fifty years in the theatre and television industry in Australia. Firstly as a dancer/singer in musicals, and then for thirty years as a costumier. I occasionally had to make costumes for actors to be dressed as females. It was fascinating to see how Hollywood & European studios designed and made the costumes for some of the great actors of our times. I found the book fascinating as many of the photos I had never seen. I just wish this book had come along years ago, as it would have been a great reference book for me - and the staff that worked in my business. Robert J. Murphy

I just got this book the other day, and it is really amazing. Its a big and glossy book filled with great images of Male Crossdressing in the cinema from the most familer to the most obscure. If a chap put a frock on, on celuloid, this book has it covered. Each of the images have film synopsis to go with them. It is really a great book just for the pictures, but is made even better by the movie guide that goes along with them. It has the images divided in to several differnt chapters, and at the beginigng there is a great intro by John Lithgow and the author of the book. All and all it is an absolutle pleasure to have this book in my collection.

Insightful and fun, perfect for anyone, best for that special kind of girl who likes to see the boys in heels and eyeliner.

Absolutely fabulous! This book really is a lot of fun for anyone who appreciates Doug Fairbanks, or just wants a nicer view on life for a change. It's totally cliche, yet completely honest, and at times you really will laught outloud reading it... which I think Fairbanks would have appreciated.

This is truly the most worthwhile book I've ever read, and anyone who thinks more deeply about things or who has had to struggle in life to overcome obstacles will understand what I mean. And anyone who fully understands what Dr Phil is all about will also appreciate this book.
Get to know yourself - then change your weak or problem areas and become a positive, self-confident and self-reliant individual! That's the message Douglas Fairbanks was giving to everyone nearly a century before Dr Phil and other counsellors began saying the same thing only in more cliched and psychological terminology. This book, in contrast to self-analysis books, gets right to the point in plain language that you will immediately understand if you've ever done any soul-searching yourself. I personally have had to do so due to a congenital heart problem and various other trials and tribulations in my life, and I came to exactly the same conclusions as Fairbanks did, and I fully agree with his opening words that everyone can CHOOSE to be happy, regardless of their circumstances.
The language of this book is pleasant and easy to read, but also hard-hitting to get the most important points across. I didn't find anything humorous in it, as another reviewer stated, but rather felt it was all most serious and written sincerely from the heart. In turn, I took it all to heart as well and found more strength and inspiration to continue my own pursuit of happiness.
One slight downside to the book is that it feels more like a photocopy than a re-print, especially seeing the dozen or so photos (some from Fairbanks's early films, others private) throughout the book which are very unclear. However, I'm giving it the full 5 stars because it's the words and message in the book that count here!

Ford and Mitchell sure do know their stuff. This book is as enjoyable as it is insightful. Anyone who is interested in the undeniably huge fad that is the "MAKEOVER" (be it "interested" as in "love it" or "interested" as in "people have lost their minds")will find Ford & Mitchell digging into the past to help explain the current phenomena. Finding the history behind the trend, Ford & Mitchell shine a new light on this obsession we have with trying to make everything "better". The deeper questions they pose are important ones for society. Buy this book, sit back and enjoy their wit and intellect (as they have both in spades). And by the way...glasses really aren't unattractive...so don't believe everything you see on the silver screen.

The Makeover in Movies: Before and After in Hollywood Films, 1941-2002, by Elizabeth A. Ford and Deborah C. Mitchell, is an interesting study of what might be called "eyebrow movies." In several of the films that Ford and Mitchell examine (Now, Voyager, The Princess Diaries, and Miss Congeniality, for instance) thick eyebrows are one of Cinderella's attributes before she gets made over, finds Prince Charming, and finally achieves self-fulfillment (usually in that order). Thick or dark eyebrows = ugly. I don't get it. As Ford and Mitchell ask, don't movie-makers realize how attractive audiences find actresses like Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz?

The book is incisive and witty, but one problem with this film genre is that just by identifying it and outlining its characteristics it's hard to avoid making negative judgments about most examples. Ford and Mitchell do point out movies with positive messages and happy endings (Amy Heckerling's Clueless, writer Nia Vardalos's My Big Fat Greek Wedding), as well as films with unhappy endings but worthwhile warnings (director Brian Forbes's 1975 version of Ira Levin's The Stepford Wives). However most makeover movies give would-be Cinderellas bad messages, especially about beauty, individuality, and women's reliance on each other.

As My Big Fat Greek Wedding and The Stepford Wives show, there's a thin line between romance and horror, and in the movies it's usually Prince Charming who crosses it. Either WASP Ian sees the beauty inside Greek-American Toula and they live happily ever after, or Walter murders his feminist, career-absorbed wife Joanna and replaces her with a perky-breasted, servile robot. There isn't much middle ground.

Sometimes books about a particular type of movie make you understand the films in a way you didn't before. This book helps you understand better why you're rooting for Cinderella to change, and makes you think a little more about whether she should.

The book was light and witty; but the best part was the obvious reference to JJ Sedelmaier as the animation producer who attempted to take credit for Beavis & Butthead. It's so true, he's messed with so many people and does nothing himself! Kudos to honesty, finally!!!!!

As a self confessed animation fanatic, Allan Neuwirth's MAKIN' TOONS is the kind of book that feels like it was written just for me! No where else have i found the kind of behind the scenes info on what went into the creation of my favortie animatd tv shows and movies from the industry's explosion over the past 15 years. This book gave me a real glimpse into how things work from the perspective of many of today's top animation professionals. Everyone from creators and directors to animators and voice talent...even producers! MAKIN' TOONS is comprehensive, well organized, filled with tons of great visuals and above all, an amusing and entertaining read. Could i say more about this book? Yeah, but JUST GET IT!!!!

I read this book, man. I mean, dude, it was killer stuff. Seriously, duuuuuuuuuuuuude. Wow man. I gave it 5 DUDES man.

Since the beginning of movie making, film makers have tried to mirror society. The counterculture has always been a favorite sticky issue, including marijuana use. As early as the 1920's, the "loco weed" has made many cameo appearances and a few starring roles. From it's early days of scare tactics in the now famous cult favorite "Reefer Madness", to the late 70's marijuana heroes, Cheech and Chong in "Up In Smoke", grass has come full circle. Although it is said that millions light up every day, Tinsletown has had a difficult time dealing with the use of marijuana on the silver screen. Nowadays, the majority of films that feature marijuana are somewhat neutral in their portrayal of this "illicit activity" and by now, many major actors and actresses have turned on! In this book, you will find over 500 movies from the past 60 years that feature references to marijuana. Whether it's a full blown pot film like, "Half Baked" or "Dazed and Confused" to a quick shot of a bong on a table or a joint in a drawer, you'll find all of marijuana's movie roles in this, The Complete Guide to the Hollywood High. Buy It!

Back in the late sixties when I was a mere youth growing up in the Bronx and a fan of Channel 9, I became fascinated by the Marx Brothers and subsequently bought the initial hardcover edition of this book (circa 1969). I even had occasion to write Mr Zimmerman with my review ( at age 14) of his book. Yes Groucho, he wrote me back & I have his letter- on Newsweek stationery. Unfortunately, word soon spread of my possession of this most valuable opus and a friend(?) named Andrew Halp..n borrowed the book. Neither the book nor Andrew have been seen since. Gee I miss that book.

If you are lucky enough to find a copy you will love it. If you happen to run into Andrew, press on the accelerator. :-)

Still have original paperback version of this great book. Each chapter covers details and behind the scenes stories of each of the films the team made, from The Coconuts to Love Happy. Very well done, with a good mix of pictures. I'd recommend it highly.

That book gave me information about Mel Gibson that I could not get anywhere else (and, as a fan, I have just read a lot about him)!! It is both bography and film description (very large description of each film!) Also very will written - I could not stop reading until I came to the last page! I think anyone will enjoy it!

Very, very good and large backround informations about Mel Gibson's life, thei history of his films and recent films of the most important costars!

This film critic's survey of eight of Hollywood's finest directors and their works uses the interview process to explore the work of American filmmakers over the last decades. Hitchcock, Capra, Cuckor and others share their achievements in a revealing set of interviews covering special challenges and observations.

For more than 20 years, I relied on Schickel for guidance when determining which films to see; also, for gaining a better understanding of the films I had seen. In this volume, he provides interviews with eight great directors: Hitchcock, Capra, Minimill, Cukor, Hawks, Wellman, Vidor, and Walsh. In recent weeks, I have also read Robert J. Emery's two The Directors (Take One and Take Two) and Bogdanovich's Who the Devil Made It which also offer interviews and conversations with various great directors. Don't worry about duplications; that is, what Cukor, Hawks, Hitchcock, Walsh, and Wellman have to say. Bogdanovich, Emery, and Schickel have different questions to ask, different nuances of film making to explore, and approach the directors from quite different perspectives. The responses they obtain from the same directors differ. For that reason, I strongly urge fellow film buffs to purchase all of these volumes. The order in which they are read is unimportant.

What differentiates Schickel from Bogdanovich and Emery is the fact that, for many years, he wrote film reviews for Time magazine and thus had an immense audience with which to share his opinions about more than a thousand films. Also, he is the author of more than 20 books about film making which include biographies of Marlon Brando, Cary Brando, and James Cagney. Over the years, he has earned and richly deserves his reputation as one of the most thoughtful and knowledgeable of film authorities. In this volume, he interacts with eight of the greatest film directors. At no time does he seem intimidated by them nor does he ever disrupt the flow of information exchanged with self-serving observations. He guides each director into subject areas which are probably of great interest to most film buffs but he also allows each director to ramble, digress, etc. when reminiscing or when sharing specific opinions about films and actors with whom they were associated. Sure, there is some delicious gossip. And yes, some insights not otherwise available. However, for the most part, Schickel sets up various subjects and then allows each director (many of them a personal friend) to proceed wherever he may wish, at whatever pace he may prefer. His brilliant orchestration of responses ensures their scope and depth. That is to say, he did not merely turn on the recorder and then let each of the eight take it from there. On his reader's behalf, Schickel remains actively involved, indeed engaged in the exchange of information but at no time is intrusive. Within its genre, this is indeed a "classic."

Alias is one of my favorite shows. I loved the prequal series but was a bit dissapointed with the APO series. This one though did not let me down. The story line was believable and the author wrote the characters well. I would definately reccomend this book to anyone whose looking for some light reading!

Mind Games (book 24 in the Alias series) is all about the drug trade, and a new drug on the market known as Sway. Sway does not get you high, in fact, when you take it you feel completely normal. However, whenever somebody tells you to do something, you must obey. Sydney and Dixon go undercover to try to find Sway and its creator. It is one of the better of the series, and an enjoyable couple of hours.