Movies Books

The early motion picture industry didn't just entertain audiences, it enticed them into movie palaces with spectacle, sex, and (increasingly) lurid tales of sin and seduction. This combination proved so successful that, by the early 1930s, a conservative religious movement emerged with an aim to "clean up" Hollywood's excesses, led by the Catholic Church but supported by preachers, ministers, and spiritual spokesmen nationwide. The Catholic Church's League of Decency became the first cultural crusade against what was perceived as a threat to the national character. Wielding an authority of equal parts religion and politics, the League saw to it that movies were banned outright, content was snipped and clipped, and production scripts were combed over for hints of immorality. Classic novels were re-written for the screen to pass the scrutiny of the hastily-created, reactionary Hays Office. Is this a good thing? There was a backlash among Hollywood writers; Black's recounting of William Faulkner creating the story of "Sanctuary" in three weeks ("the most horrific tale" Faukner could imagine, Black writes, "a morbid tale of rape, murder, sexual impotence and perversion") certainly seems like an outright challenge to the Paramount studio writers and censors, and the rewritten, completed film ("The Story of Temple Drake") turns the story inside out for a relatively less-scandalous ending.

Over the course of years, the Legion of Decency and the Hays Office's Production Code (which functioned as a presumptive industry watchdog) ensured that onscreen crime would not pay and immorality would be punished. Realism in Hollywood films got bleached out, but as the book makes clear the industry preferered to deal with religious moralists, and to police themselves with a nebulous code, rather than face government interference. In that regard America hasn't come very far, as the religious right's contemporary battles over entertainment and the morality of content in movies, TV, and the internet make clear. Recommended.

What enabled one viciously anti-semetic Catholic, Joe Breen, to control an entire industry? This delightful scholarly tome gives a partial answer: the industry wanted to have its product go to the largest possible audience, despite local and national boards of censors. By censoring themselves, they obtained a pugnacious Irish Catholic who could browbeat bishops, state legislators, and others. The only price was to meet this one person's private moral code: to make movies that would not offend 12 year old girls in convent schools. This history of the Production Code Authority, and how it was exercised is par excellence. What gave Breen his power was a confluence of Catholic bankers, vertical integration from studio through distributor to exhibitor, coupled with mandatory booking at the exhibition level. The weakness for the studios was Catholic threats of boycotts at the midwestern exhibitor level where the studios were weakest. This book should be coupled with the author's "Catholic Crusade Against the Movies" and the pictoral "Sin in Soft Focus." An interesting footnote is the KKK response to the Roman Catholic Legion of Decency. Does the revival of Catholic horror of blasphemy, in the so-called Catholic League of the 1990s pose a similar threat? Probably not, since the Fr. Lord's Legion of Decency was focused on Jewish studio heads, and the Catholic League objects to Catholic movie makers and Catholic television writers. The PCA did more than condemn the use of angora sweaters in the finished movies, it forbade any movie that was social in comment or controversial in its politics. Somehow it even managed to offend William Randolph Hearst, a honor usually reserved to Orson Wells and "Rosebud."

Mikita Brottman has done it again! Following her charming andexquisitely detailed "Meat is Murder!", Brottman offers"Hollywood Hex", a book brimming with so much information your head will explode if you read too quickly. Intelligent, delightful, and quite simply, unsurpassable. Whether you like movies or just like to read, this book is recommended to everyone!

Hollywood Hex is fascinating reading and gives especially indepth analyses of events surrounding The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, and Twilight Zone" The Movie. The Exorcist chapters describe in detail all the strange deaths and other incidents which occurred during and after filming. Not to mention the unprecedented audience reaction which is now legend (fainting, vomiting, insanity, etc.) The only conclusion is that something is happening beyond coincidence, the question is is it a "curse" or is it the power of suggestion. This section also gives very insightful analysis into the film's theme and it's relation to the audience and human frailty. What's really troubling is the fact that in the end it's only a movie, but that fact is lost on so many in the audience, and unfortunately some in the cast and crew. Also of interest is the across the board condemnation of the film from Christians (you would think they would consider the film pro-Christian propaganda, but NOOOOO.)
Rosemary's Baby also has it's own "hex". Obviously the relation to the Manson murders, but also some deaths of cast and crew, and of course John Lennon at the Dakota entrance (where the film was set).
But the most disturbing chapter is Twilight Zone: The Movie which gives details of the negligence that killed Vic Morrow and 2 child actors. And all for a poor rip-off of a TV series.
When you read this book, you'll know show biz is dangerous biz. Onset accidents, wacko members of the public who threaten actors (whether or not they play the bad guy roles), drug ODs, crime victims, suicide. Finally any movie that seems more than just a movie should be attributed to the talent of the cast and crew...any other conclusion is irrational.

A fascinating look at how Jesus has been portrayed in the movies. I have seen (and own) several of the movies reviewed. I didn't figure I needed another "Jesus flick". However, the discussion on several of these films has caused me to go looking for them. The changes in how (and who gets to) portray Jesus over the years is intriguing - and it is easy enough to read that I wasn't intimidated. I plan on using this book as a starting point in a Lenten discussion where we will watch several of these films.

Jesus At The Movies: A Guide To The First Hundred Years by W. Barnes Tatum is a comprehensive guide to virtually all the major Hollywood films made about Jesus Christ to date. The films range from such silent era epics as Sidney Olcott's From The Manger To The Cross and D.W. Griffith's Intolerance, to Norman Jewison's Jesus Christ Superstar and David Greene's Godspell. From the seven last sayings attributed to Christ on the cross, to the story of Jesus from a Judaic as well as Christian perspective, to a comparison of plot dynamics in different films, Jesus At The Movies is a thoroughly researched, heavily annotated, broad-ranging and exhaustive guide, analysis, and review. Enhanced with a selected bibliography, filmography, and an index, Jesus At The Movies is a seminal, invaluable reference work for students of film history in general, and the movie representations of the story and person of Jesus Christ in particular.

Filled to the brim with glamour shots of some of the Western World's most beautiful women, this book shows us the man beind the mask, the incomparable Max Factor. Almost every shot is shown behind the scenes, how the look was created, etc. . .Truly a masterpiece work.

The story of Max Factor as he rose from Russian immigrant to Hollywood royalty-the man who brought glamour to the stars and regular folks alike with the invention of pancake makeup, no fade lipstick and the idea that makeup should fit a woman's coloring. (He had rooms in his store for blondes, brownettes, brunettes and redheads-all color coded and enhanced to work with the skin tones of the women in each category!) The star of this book is definitely the photographs, however. Make-up test shots, his early years in Russia, wig making contraptions, print ads of the stars endorsing his products-the pictures tell a better story than the text!

this is a nice book full of adventures of one couples goals and how they made it possible for them. congratulations aunt Hat on your achievement. little p.

Harriett Lewin writes these memories of these times in her life in the present tense. It is as she is watching "the movie" in the now.

Mrs. Lewin has lived all of the world with her husband Ted and is communicatibg her experiences as if they were happening today. She does have wonderful memories and this is a refreshing way conveying them to the reader.

I happily give this little book a "five thumbs up".

Annie Pratt

Every major film historian and scholar concurs that THE MOVIES IN THE AGE OF INNOCENCE is the greatest book ever written on silent films. None of us younger historians can ever hope to come close to the quality achieved by this great man. As far as I'm concerned, his word is law as far as movie history is concerned. Mr. Wagenknecht turns 99 this March on the 28th, and is recovering very nicely at his home from the bad spell he went through October through January. We owe a tremendous debt to this great man.

The first thing to strike the reader is the personal style of this book and the author's candid expression of opinions, made all the more valid and valuable because he grew up in `the age of innocence' and can give a firsthand or eyewitness account of those days. Published in 1962, the author reminisces his childhood days in the 1910s when cinemas large and small popped up all over the place and forever changed people's lives and way of thinking. A keen movie-goer as a young boy, he vividly recounts the films and stars which impressed him the most, at times going into detail about some of them, and always supporting his dialogue with well-researched facts. There are many footnotes with references and background information which would be quite helpful to the serious student of early cinema seeking such research material, but it is also a good introduction to silent films. Combined with personal fond memories and impressions, each page is full of film titles and names of cast and crew, from the most famous to the long-forgotten, with apologies that not all stars and movies could be mentioned. Writing in chronological order and devoting a chapter to the most influential people of the silent era, namely `the Father of Film, D.W. Griffith' and `America's Sweetheart', Mary Pickford and also Lillian Gish, the novice can already get an overview of who's who and which silent films are worth seeing - and fortunately many of those mentioned in this book are readily available on video these days. A relatively small book of 250 pages, it is both enjoyable and informative reading, although the language and style might sound a little complicated to young readers familiar with mostly contemporary writing styles. This becomes most evident in the appendix chapter of this book where the author has included his first published work of 1927, an essay on Lillian Gish and her acting style. This in itself is history in the making, namely the changing style of literature with each passing decade, just as motion pictures and music change with each decade or two, and perhaps herein lies the real value of this book: its direct link to the early 1900s through the personal memories and impressions of a keen moviegoer growing up with films as they matured through the 1920s and into the sound era. As such however, it is inevitable that the author's opinions on some films and stars are not shared by everyone, but this should not detract or confuse the reader who is seeking both general information on the silent era and who is curious to hear the author's personal reminiscences of that special era.

This book was great way to see what the early days of movie-making were like. It was a valuable tool for a history paper on which I received an A. Its richness of detail really helped me with the amount for research I needed to do for the class and it was an entirely enjoyable read to boot. I hope the publisher will reprint this book. I hate to think that people like the fabulous Miss Gish will be forgotten.

By today's standards, Lillian Gish's performances in silent film seem mannered--but during the 1910s and 1920s they were nothing short of revolutionary, for unlike most actors of the era Gish was determined to perform in as natural a manner as possible. In doing so, she literally pioneered screen acting technique as we now know it, and it would be extremely difficult to over-estimate her artistic impact.

Although Gish worked with numerous directors over the course of her extremely long career, she is most specifically remembered for her association with D.W. Griffith, whose pioneering silent films firmly established what Gish would describe as "the grammar" of modern cinema. As one might guess from its title, a good portion of THE MOVIES, MR. GRIFFITH, & ME is devoted to Griffith, and it offers a first-hand account of Griffith, the challenges he faced, and the evolution of film from extremely primitive one-reels into a sophistocated art form during the 1910s; those interested in film history will be particularly fascinated by Gish's accounts of the filming of two landmark silents, BIRTH OF A NATION and INTOLERANCE.

Other star autobiographies frequently turn into kiss and tell sagas, but Gish is extremely respectful of those she describes and discreet about her private life to a remarkable degree; consequently, THE MOVIES, MR. GRIFFITH, & ME is less the story of a life than it is the story of a career. But what a career it was! The tone of the book is at once lady-like but extremely readable, and even those who have little interest in the early days of the motion picture industry will find it fascinating stuff. This is an extremely readable book--but it is also an extremely important historical document as well, and the fact that it is out of print is appalling. If you have any interest in the history of motion pictures, you cannot afford to miss this book. Seek it out and keep it handy on the shelf, for it is strongly, strongly recommended.

Exellent & informative overview of various movies set in, around, or nearby Pearl Harbor (and of course, the infamous attack on December 7, 1941.)

However, the book does detail some movies that aren't necessarily tied into Pearl Harbor per se (such as the b-movie "Battle At Bloody Beach", which is set during the Pacific War in the Philippines, but makes no mention of the attack at Pearl.)

It also fails to detail other movies that do indeed directly deal with the attack at Pearl Harbor.

For instance, the film "Bridge To The Sun" (1961), which starred James Shigeta as a Japanese diplomat & Carol Baker as his white-American wife, who are caught up in the anger & fear following the December 7 attack, is conspicuously missing from the book! (This movie, which is very much tied into the legacy of Pearl is not detailed, while films such as "Radio Days" & "Swing Shift", which only mention Pearl in passing, are.)

Oh well...it's still a good read, with lots of information on films, tv shows (such as the Pearl Harbor episodes of "Time Tunnel", "Hawaii Five O", & "Hawaiian Eye"), and various documentaries.

There's even a mention of Elvis, and his 1961 benefit concert that helped raise funds for the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial.

I've seen "Tora Tora Tora", "How Shall We Remember Them" at the Arizona Memorial, "December 7th", and Disney's "Pearl Harbor." Still, I felt that I was missing other movies about this day in history.

By chance, I found this local book in Hawaii noticing the detail about the movies, tv series, and documentaries that were shot about or around Pearl Harbor. The book explains any errors in all movies (up to 2001's Pearl Harbor) but also including all Japanese movies since 1940. It gives intersting facts as well as information on the stars and their movie connections.

I've only read a few pages, but reading about each movies plot lines illustrates the history and stereotypes after the war. I knew this coffee table-style book is not too detailed, but a good synopsis of history through film. Included are a few side by side photos an actors pose to the historical photographs. The author briefly notes local appearing in the film and also where the film was actually shot.

Although there's a detailed account of the miniseries Pearl, there are only a few paragraphs on TV episodes of such as Hawaii 50, Baywatch, and Magunm PI. Now I did notice a cut off picture of Jane Russell and a few mislabeled captions (that's not Josh Hartnett it looks like Bay or Bruckheimer), the photos do complement the text along with behind the scenes and movie posters, although I wish there were more photos from the other less popular movies. Because of this book, I'm now interested on seeing "From Here to Eternity", "Final Countdown", and other hard-to-find movies only found on Amazon. (Yes, I too wish most of these movies in the book were on DVD.) A great guide to anyone interested on WWII (movie or military) and how directors portray their version of Pearl Harbor to fit their storyline.

Contact, Marvin's Room, Spitfire Grill, My Best Friend's Wedding, In and Out, Grease; Feature: Who Does Hollywood Say That I Am? (Jesus of Nazareth, The Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus, Godspell)

My husband and I have just recently began using the Reel to Real curriculum with our church's jr youth group and have been very impressed. The kids love wathcing the movies, and tying them to biblical characters, references, and principles heps the youth remember what you are teaching. The only thing I would change is that some of the movies are a little too mature for our group. While they might be fine for high school groups and great for college groups, our groups is younger (grades 3-8), so some of the subjects are too advanced. So I appredciate it even more when they include movies targeted to younger ages - such as Sleeping Beauty in this one.

Drags a little compared to "Sword of Samurai Cat", but still one of the funniest books to have come out in a long while. Makes fun of any and every self-important sf movie made in the last 10 years.

Samurai Cat books are not for those who desire seriousness, dignity, or good taste. But if you enjoy bizzare humor, gore & self-parody to the max, and absolutely shameless & ruthless parody of everyone else (and some darned good illustrations - the author is a painter and does his own), this book is for you. The items Mr.Rogers chooses to victimize in this installment are: The Terminator & Silence of the Lambs (The Terminationer), The Wizard of Oz (The Yellow Brick Road Warrior), The Magnificent Seven (The Magnificent Seven Samurai Cats), Alien, Star Trek, and the Predator all at once (Alienated), and a last chapter after Terminator II (Its a Terminated Life). A sample of the dialogue might suggest the general style of this book - """ "He doesn't know we can see him, Uncle-san," Shiro whispered. Tomokato nodded. He could think of no other explaination for the alien hunter's behavior. Tippytoeing in plain sight, face concealed behind a white metal mask, the creature was sneaking toward them through the jungle clearing, clawed hands clutching a huge spear. Between his swinging dreadlocks and downright comic movements, he looked rather like a Rastafarian ballet dancer from Hell. "My sword must've shorted his invisibility device," Tomokato said. "Don't let him know we can see him." "Okay," Shiro said, then added, "Should I whistle nonchalantly?" "That would be good," Tomokato said. Taking out an emery board, he commenced filing his nails, every few seconds fetching a sidelong glance at the alien. Shiro was whistling "Shiny Happy People," a tune that Tomokato knew he detested; from somewhere the kitten had produced an Ed "Big Daddy" Roth Model kit, and was painting some finishing touches on Mr.Gasser. The alien drew quite close. Pausing, he drew himself up to his full height, staring at the felines. The metallice mask bobbed as if he were laughing silently to himself. Slowly he crouched, then tweaked Tomokato's nose. Tomokato did not react. The alien scratched the side of his head, obviously puzzled by his lack of response. He pinched the cat's nose again. Tomokato continued filing his nails. "I wonder where that alien is?" he asked Shiro. "So do I, Unc," Shiro replied. The alien picked up a bit of twig, and bounced it off Shiro's head. Shiro didn't blink an eye. The alien stood, staring down at them. Leaning his spear against his chest, he clapped loudly. The felines paid no attention. "WooWooWoo!" the alien shouted. Tomokato and Shiro yawned. The alien lit a cherry bomb and tossed it behind them. When the explosion failed to produce the slightest twitch, the alien took out a large bass drum, attached cymbals to his legs, and began marching up and back, blowing on a bugle, thumping the drum, and banging the cymbals, doing the damnedest imitation of Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. Unable to restrain himself any longer, Shiro looked at Tomokato, asking "Silly, isn't he?" The alien halted, knees knocking together with a clang. "Duh....SAY!" he cried oafishly, voice muted by the metal mask. Then, cymbals banging, he turned and raced back across the clearing, still beating the drum for reasons that remain murky, even for me.""" If you like this kind of humor, you will love the rest of his books.