Movies Books

This book is awesome! John Little's interview with Jackie Chan is worth the price alone. The photographs are the best, particularly the one of Jackie climbing a flag pole that looks like it has to be 50 feet off the ground! I learned so much about Jackie Chan, his martial arts training, his fitness methods and his personal philosophy. Having read all the other books on Jackie, I can easily say that this is - by far - the best! A must for everyone who loves his stunts or have been awed by his physical talent in martial art.

This volume of articles and tidbits about the great Jackie Chan is definitely worth a read if not great. There are many fine insights into the man and the legend Jackie Chan, and indeed a lot of interesting photographs, which makes it so much the more enjoyable.

The format of the book, however, does not really agree with me. I don't like the article form, it seems cheap and mean. In my opinion it would have been better to write a uniform, coherent text based on the interviews and articles instead. The information is still there, it just seems a bit disorganized (which it really is not, it just seems that way).

It is still highly recommendable for all the information in there. Sure to please any fan.

I loved this book. Anyone into the arts will love this book to. Its great and i personally like Jackie Chan.

This book is a fabulous read. I couldn't put it down until I finished it. It is not a narrative, but rather a compiled series of interviews between the author(s) and Jackie Chan that have taken place over the past ten years or so. The chapters are split up into sections on his childhood, martial arts training, philosophy, health and fitness, career and film making, stunt coordinating etc. Each chapter has an introduction and then goes straight into an indepth interview with Jackie Chan himself! There is a small overview at the beginning of the book on his life (a mini "My Life in Action"!) and at the end a filmography and a chapter containing what the author considers are Jackie's ten best stunts in a short paragraph format. There is a treasure trove of pictures from Jackie's films (all black and white unfortunately), many not before seen. I consider this book belongs on the shelf with Jackie's autobiography as it is contains personal insights and comments from "The Man" himself. My respect for Jackie Chan, already high after reading "My Life in Action", has risen even higher. The man is phenomenal and makes the so-called "Hollywood Stars" shine rather pale in comparison. If the many who dismiss Jackie as "just an action actor" could only read this book, how their eyes would be opened! Highly recommended - a must read!

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.

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!

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.

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.

I happen to collect various art and photographs of entertainment from the early 1900's to modern times and I've always been interested in others collections of art or photography.

"Japanese Movie Posters" is a book that features posters from various genres such as yakuza, sci-fi and monster, samurai, pink, horror, animation and new cinema and goes further by allowing the reader to have a chance to purchase the book.

Similar to other Cocoro Books (DHP Publishing) releases, this book can be seen as a photobook but you do get commentary for each poster and its respective genre. Also, unlike other recent releases from Cocoro Books, this book is about 8×12 and quite large, featuring large full color photos and more.

The book was written by Chuck Stephens, a contributing editor from "Film Comment" and Jinema Junpo", Masuda Tetsuya, a prdocuer and runs the cinema section at the bookstore @wonder and the final person featured is Kairakutei Black, known as a walking encyclopedia on Japanese films of all genres.

The pages feature a large image of the poster and below the image is the title of the film (in English and Japanese), the film studio and year it was made, the director and how much the poster costs. Then a brief information on the film.

So, an example would bey "Return of the Tokyo Drifter" (Zoku: Tokyo Nagaremono" which was releasd in 1966. It was great to see classic posters like this, that go back in the 60's and the same can be said for other genres featured. Especially for the Sci-Fi films such as Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera and Ultra Man films. Great to see those posters.

As much as the book features straight up movie posters, this book is not for the young as it does contain nudity.

Once you get to the chapter of "Pink" (adult films produced by indie productions), then you do get to see quite a bit of the nudity featured on the posters and it's not full frontal nudity but a lot of the movie posters featured a lot of women nude from the the torso up.

I'm sure one of the biggest attractions of this book will be those who are enamored by anime films. Posters from the 1978 "Farewell Space Battleship Yamamoto", 1979's "The Castle of Cagliostro", 1984 "Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer" and many Miyazaki film posters are featured. But unfortunately, anime posters are limited to only nine pages and I admit that I was hoping to see posters from the late 70's "Gundam" films, the 1982 "Cobra" film, a few other Miyazaki films and more.

Also, another attraction is the "samurai" posters which seem to be the most expensive in terms of collectability. But if there was one thing I was hoping was that there would be Kurosawa Akira posters featured. I know that the book features films from 1960's and up but I would have loved to see the posters for "Yojimbo" or even "Ran".

As for the category "New Cinema", you get newer films such as Kitano Takeshi films and films that I watched in Japan such as "Odoru Daisousassen" have their posters featured.

And featured at the end of the book is an index in both English and Japanese for those looking for a film poster in this book which was cool to see both featured. And as mentioned, a way for fans to purchase the posters online.

"Japanese Movie Posters" is definitely another welcomed niche book from Cocoro Books. The fact that this company continues to bring niche books that appeal to fans worldwide is great and as much as one can see many film or TV drama posters on the train stations or high above buildings, and many around the Odaiba Fuji TV area, for me, it's always cool to see artwork, photography or posters from a film, especially if it was created before I was born.

I did feel that I wish there were as equal amount of coverage for other genres, especially for the coverage of anime films and wished there were posters for Kurosawa-related films. That would have been awesome to see.

But all in all, the guys did a great job featuring the posters and giving information on the films. And as much as it serves as a visual reference for fans interested in purchasing the posters, it also works as a great entertainment book covering Japanese entertainment within the last 40 years.

Japanese Movie Posters: Yakuza, Monster, Pink And Horror is an eye-opening, full-color presentation of movie posters representational of the best and the worst of Japan's cinema. From lurid and graphic horror to yakuza movies to posters of Hayao Miyazaki's wondrous words of animation, Japanese Movie Posters offers an unforgettable slice of Japanese popular culture in the twentieth century. Brief yet erudite and scholarly commentaries by Chuck Stephens (contributing editor to "Film Comment", a columnist for "Kinema Junpo, and a freelance specialist in Asian cinema for publications worldwide), Tetsuya Masuda (vintage poster expert and head of the cinema section of wonder antiquarian books), and Kairakutei Black (a Japanese film critic and traditional "rakugo" comic storyteller) offer informed and informative insights into the psychology and media background of the individual posters round out this impressive collection. A unique compendium of cinematic poster art, Japanese Movie Posters is a welcome and highly recommended addition to any personal or academic Cinematic Studies reference collection.

I discovered this new book put out by Tokyo-based DH Publishing by accident. And am glad I did. Chock full of full-page full-color posters of the most wonderfully wackiest of Japan's classic movie posters. There's everything from Horror and Monster to Samurai and Ninja, Pink (what they call soft porn) to Anime, and even some new posters thrown in. My best is easily the Sci-Fi genre, which includes the ultimate Ultraman. Also, you gotta check out some of the Monster posters, like Godzilla and some huge Ice Man creature. I bought two of these, as I knew it would make that perfect present when you've run out of ideas what to buy someone. DH Publishing arigato! I'm going to check out their other books. I hope they're as good!

If you buy one book on Japanese cinema this year, this is it. They have done a terrific job of laying out the history of Japanese film in poster format, in correct color no less, with
a lot of useful information for the Japanese film buff, and collector since many of the posters are available to order right from this publication. My only comment is when will their next
book be issued? Enjoy!

If Ernest Hemingway had made movies, they would have looked something like John Huston's. The passion, intelligence, and joie de vivre of Huston's films are reflected in this set of articulate interviews. Pour yourself a good drink, and listen as one of Hollywood's best raconteurs spins yarn after yarn in this splendid volume of a valuable series.

Ably edited by independent scholar and freelance writer Robert Long, John Huston: Interviews is an informative and insightful compilation of interviews with the late John Huston (which took place from 1952 to 1985) in which he personally comments on his life and projects as an acclaimed filmmaker. Among the movies that are surveyed within this context are The Maltese Falcon, Key Largo, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The African Queen, The Night of the Iguana, Prizzi's Honor, and The Dead. The observations range from his approach to directing; the influence of painting upon his camera work, and his association with stellar actors, to his beginnings in Hollywood as a screenwriter, and the influences of James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway upon his movies. Replete with numerous anecdotes about writers, directors, and actors with whom he collaborated, we are presented with a body of work and a filmmaker's life that will be immensely appreciated by students of his work and a man whose personal life was as prodigious as his professional career.

This is a terrific book. It consists of interviews with John Huston from 1952-85. Not only does the reader find out about Huston's ideas on filmmaking and get some inside info on the making of classic films, but he will find out about the breadth of Huston's interests, which extended beyond filmmaking to art and philosophy. Here, truly, was an intelligent man.

The most interesting thing to me about Huston was that he started in the classic studio age and survived its downfall to make films that were fresh, interesting and important even in the Eighties. These interviews show Huston's mental flexibility. He admires "McCabe and Mrs. Miller," "Rocky," and "Taxi Driver." Huston is also quite frank about his own films. I will never be tempted to see "Roots of Heaven" or "Barbarian and the Geisha." I have to see "Moby Dick," which he considered one of his films that never got its due.

I was sorry when this book ended.

Ably edited by independent scholar and freelance writer Robert Long, John Huston: Interviews is an informative and insightful compilation of interviews with the late John Huston (which took place from 1952 to 1985) in which he personally comments on his life and projects as an acclaimed filmmaker. Among the movies that are surveyed within this context are The Maltese Falcon, Key Largo, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The African Queen, The Night of the Iguana, Prizzi's Honor, and The Dead. The observations range from his approach to directing; the influence of painting upon his camera work, and his association with stellar actors, to his beginnings in Hollywood as a screenwriter, and the influences of James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway upon his movies. Replete with numerous anecdotes about writers, directors, and actors with whom he collaborated, we are presented with a body of work and a filmmaker's life that will be immensely appreciated by students of his work and a man whose personal life was as prodigious as his professional career. John Huston: Interviews is also available in paperback ..., [price]

The Journey of August King is a novel rich in description of the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. This book very well illustrates slavery and how it was dealt with as well as the kindness of the mountain people of that time.

Being from North Carolina myself, I am fully aware of how accurate the description is. The scenery makes you feel as if you are actually there with August King.

Also, I particularly enjoyed the portrayl of August King. He is showed as a very kind man, not unlike his neighbors, just having a bit more sympathy. He is not unhuman, either. He is portrayed as a man who has known hurt, loss, and love, though he does not recognize it.

As noted, his journey is a spiritual one to finally come to terms with the death of his wife. I like the way this is done, using tears even, to help us understand how he is accomplishing this.

Ehle's descriptions are both surreal and earthy. The characters are complex entities, they are not perfect. August is a hero almost by accident, and an ambigious one at that. The struggles August experiences with his attitudes vis-a-vis race forms a major catalyst in the story.

For individuals interested in historical fiction about Appalachia this is a must read.

On a historical sidenote, I've always liked Ehle's inclusion of Germans in his stories. It is a refreshing multiethnic approach from the general Scotch-Irish dominated stereotype of Appalachia history.

John Ehle makes you remember the NC mountains like no one else can. The roads and trails seem familiar because some of them still exist and perhaps you have been there. The people haven't changed all that much even though Ehle covers the time near the civil war. Yes, the story is good and keeps you interested. Yes, his writing flows well. But Ehle has always been somewhat of a regional writer because he understands the locals. I would love to go back to the black mountains, walk the trails and talk to the people there. Reading John Ehle is a close second.

I loved this book. I've read it many times. Each time I appreciate the beauty of the prose, the skillful character development, and the suspense of the plot. I like the contrast between the main characters' thought patterns and conversation: August's thoughts and words free-flow; Annalees' are more grounded and practical. I like the subtle differences in their speech patterns: it's like listening to a conversation. I also like the way Mr. Ehle has peppered his character's words with idioms and phrases from the time in which the book takes place. The scenes unfold with drama and picture-perfect description

I wasn't disappointed in the movie and the novel didn't either! It has all the action and science- fiction bits combined in one! You might be even surprised that this was actually one of the first drafts of the script for the top-notch movie.

Judge Dredd was a great book! It's highly recommended to those who have not read it. Buy it today

The Judge Dredd book was as exciting as the movie.Although the format might be different,it is still a great book you don't want to miss!

Judge Dredd the book had everything the movie had and even a little more. Don't plan on just picking this book up and reading it for a minute, once you start reading it, you're hooked and you can't put it down.

Larry Clark books? how many are in print? 1. Tulsa 2. Teenage Lust 3. Kids 4. Heroine (Jan. 2000) 5, anything else? please help...i'm desparate! thanks. peony@compac.net

I think that this book was great.it tells about the dangers of sex and drugs....me being a teenager it really tought me a lesson.

When I saw "Kids", it really hit home. About a year later, I was clawing my way around a library, and I found the book, "Kids". I looked at work inside there, and it was great. Unlike most books made from movies, you HAVE to have seen the film to enjoy the book, because the book is the screenplay. I couldn't get enough of it. It was wonderful. I think it's a great piece of art.

When a book or a movie can both be as true as the world that we live in, than you know that it has succeeded. Such is the case with KIDS. As a teenager growing up in the rural life, you don't see very many pieces of art that reflect upon what truly is happening in society with the younger generations. While critics might say that it is too "touchy" or "sick", they don't realize that this is what is really happening in America today and must either deal with it, orchange their opinion on it because what they call this movie or book, is what they call American teenage society.

When this TV show was originally being aired on ABC back in the early 1970's I was a teenager and never watched it.

But several years later in the late '70's while at college in California, reruns were being shown on some station out there in L.A. - and I became hooked.

The flashback scenes with Masters Po and Kan are FANTASTIC, teach insightful lessons of life to live by, and really are the essence of the show.

Pilato's "Kung-Fu Book of Caine" is an absolutely tremendous supplement to the series, and with all the interesting background information he provides, one can appreciate the show even more.

Yesterday I was even inspired to purchase the recently-released DVD of the first two seasons of "Kung-Fu" here on Amazon [...]

This book has it all: a show by show guide, photographs, and more pertaining to the best television program ever. I have even more love towards the show after reading this book!

What a terrific way to re-live and reminisce about the great old days of the original Kung Fu TV show. The book gives a very interesting behind-the-scenes look at the creative and talented writers and actors who worked on the show, and follows with an episode-by-episode synopsis. The book, like the TV show, leaves you wanting more, so I can only hope that more will become available soon. In the meantime, the Book of Caine is a nice addition to any fan's collection.

The book gives a basic overview of the series without getting bogged downed with actor biographies, it sticks right to the series. Included in the book is an overview of every episode of all three seasons including a plot summary and listing of the main actors. It also explores the relationships of the characters to one another especially Caine and his teachers Master Kan and Master Po. A fantastic book that I used extensively as I rewatched the series (all three of the seasons are now available on DVD). An excellent companion to a fantastic show.

When I saw this movie, I was blown away. Now, being a kid, I didn't really get the full effect of the movie and didn't understand some of the plot, until, that is, I bought thi Screenplay. it made a lot of things clear. And also, it tells you the stage directions, which, if you want to use a piece from this a a monologue is a whole lot easier... A few complaints, though. There are some great lines in the movie that weren't included in the book and some extra ones that you don't see in the movie. For example, Captain Dudley is not Irish! Anyway, that only matters to nuts like myself. In closing, it's a great book and is worth it. I memorized the entire movie!

L.A. CONFIDENTIAL is one of the most riveting movies I have seen in years and was more than deserving of its Best Picture nomination (another one that bit the dust because of a sinking ship). The movie is really fast-paced and it is easy to miss things. Even after repeated viewings there are lines that you don't quite understand and clues here and there you don't pick up. After reading the screenplay, everything comes together and one can find the missing pieces in this murder mystery modern film noir. An excellent screenplay to compliment an superb movie.

L.A. Confidential, winner of 2 1997 Academy Awards, is a classic thriller that is completely unforgettable. The script includes characters who were portrayed by Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, Kim Basinger, (in her oscar winning performance) and Danny Devito. They all live in Los Angeles and are involved in a conspiracy in which is a mystery of who killed who? Anyhow, there are several plots to the script involving cops, reporters, and even HOOKERS THAT LOOK LIKE MOVIE STARS (Kim Basinger) I give this Academy Award winning script a superb rating that should be recommended to numerous people across the country. It's an unforgettable suspense classic you don't want to miss!

I was a Los Angeles Police Officer from 1956-62. The period of the book (film) was early 50's. The film portrays, with great accuracy, conditions and attitudes on the LAPD. The "Bloody Christmas" beating of two LAPD officers was accurately portrayed, down to the "almost" correct pronounciation of the name of the officer who received the most severe beating. The backdrop of LA, was exact. All in all, a terrific book and film.

My 5 year old son is a model and has begun auditioning for commercials. This book has been great to read together to learn terminology that is used in the business and to understand the entire process and how everything fits together and relates in the business. It's a great book for anyone new to the acting business.

This book tells you how movies are made. It is a great book to read if you are a beginning actor/actress. It is very interesting. I highly recomend this book for kids.

This book has everything you ever wanted to know about auditons, agents, filming and effects. You follow Johnny as he is cast in the movie "The Mists of Time".

While this book has a large section geared towards actors and that aspect of the industry, it also has other sections that talk about various aspects of producing a movie including script and sound effects. I was generally pleased to purchase this for my ten yr old to get a grip on what was involved in actually making a movie. It is fun and easy to follow.