Movies Books

A poignant, yet unsentimental self portrait of a life created solely through a passion for movies, puppetry and the entertainment industry. A good read, especially for those who feel they might otherwise have gone further in life but for different parentage or role models. Jacoby's childhood background appears to be a modern-day Dickensian one; but to him, apparently, motivational and testament to the phrase "the child is father of the man". His story also includes some interesting, personal and amusing vignettes of some entertainment industry luminaries. Read in one sitting.

This book shows how imagination and the human spirit can overcome a tragic, mixed-up childhood. Joe Jacoby took a few early images and turned them into a successful and fascinating career. It's a good lesson for today's whiny and privileged kids who don't get the concept of paying dues.

Joe Jacoby has survived an incredible life. It's hard to believe that someone could become an orphan at seven, go through the revolving-door of foster homes and institutions, and somehow come out a normal human being. He brought tears to my eyes -- and also made me laugh a lot, especially about Joseph E. Levine and Match Game. An uplifting book.

even if you've seen the movie, you must own the book.there are slight differences in the movie version, typical of a book to movie production.it's worth it get all the info, and a little more insight into the story.

Jack of all trades Buckaroo Banzai (Scientist, rock musician, race car driver and much more) and his team of crack (or cracked) specialists, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, battles an alien invasion. The aliens, posing as military-industrial complex members, try to return to their own dimension, but their own ineptness stands even more in their way than earth's heroes. There are many parodies of science fiction larger-than-life heroes out there, but this one is made so special by its narrative perspective (one of Banzais team members) and the thoroughly believable advancement of a thorughly unbelievable plot which makes for a reality-warping mixture. One of the best books around for SF fans AND critics.

this book is overal pretty cool... it's way bigger than i thought it would be ...i really like the poster in the back 2 !

this is a great addition to a library of any Buffy the vampire slayer fan. It was a good price for a book that is hard to find elsewhere, and it was shipped really fast. Loved it. :)

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Script Book, Season Three, Volume 2" gives us episodes 7-12 from the senior year at Sunnydale High School for Buffy and the Scoobies. This is the eighth volume of scripts available to date, the rest dealing with the previous two seasons and the "Once More With Feeling" musical episode of "BtVS." The attraction here for those who are trying to carrying on now Joss Whedon's legions of fans are down to watching "Angel" and waiting for Buffy to make a guest appearance is that these are the shooting scripts for these six episodes. You can look for typos and other mistooks that they failed to corrupt, but the attraction is getting dialogue and even full scenes that were cut before the final version was broadcast on the WB (the idea of deleted scenes out there is as maddening as the smell of fresh blood would be to newly risen vamp). I used to suggest that you could read along with these scripts while you watched the episodes on DVD, but I think most of us know the episodes so well by now that we can easily pick up on what was added, omitted or alterred in the final aired version (e.g., the tree sellers in "Amends," p. 216). Still, you have to admit it is a lot easier to read the script this way than going frame by frame when one of them is available on the DVDs. But even when there are not changes you get Joss Whedon's wacky stage directions, a type of humor that has obviously rubbed off on some of the other writers as well (e.g., "Anya looks deeply perplexed," page 165).

Included in this second volume of Season Three scripts are: "Revelations" by Douglas Petrie, "Lovers Walk" by Dan Vebber, "The Wish" by Marti Noxon, "Amends" by Joss Whedon, "Gingerbread" by Jane Espenson (story by Espenson and Thania St. John), and "Helpless" (previously "18") by David Fury. These half-dozen episodes bring us up to the point where Giles is fired by the Watcher's Council, which means in Volume 3 we will see means the next volume (which should have the next five episodes) will begin Faith's slide toward becoming a rouge slayer. Interesting to note that "Amends" which was the episode submitted by Whedon for Emmy consideration from Season Three, and "Helpless," are both entirely "WHITE" shooting drafts: no revisions as in no "BLUE" pages, no "PINK" pages (I know, you cannot tell by the color of the pages in this book, but they are labeled at the top so you can see what was revised and hazard your guesses as to why). This latest volume reaffirms that "BtVS" was rich series where every script has a few choice morsels on which we can subsist while we wallow in despair that the show is now part of cult television history.

Cary Grant was such a gentleman, so gay, charming and debonair. The pictures show him at his homoerotic best, to the delight of all his hardcore fans. This book is great, with nice writing and not a juicy detail left out (and were they ever juicy...*slurp*) Cary Grant is the man! Giddy-up, dah-ling! Ride 'em cowboy!

This is a great chronological account of CG's movies and his life in between and during each one as he made them. There are lot of common pictures, and some you rarely see. All the same, though, it's a wonderful biography, one of the best I've read.

I found this book to be a wonderful insight into the glorious life of Cary Grant....many have said it before ,however the combination of wonderful photographs and truthful respectful
wording makes this a must for Cary Grant Fans ....just great!!!

I have the Broadway Vocal Selections, and that was just fabulous, but this one is by far my favorite. Kander and Ebb (Cabaret) are the kings of Broadway. And this one has my favorite Chicago song, "Cell Block Tango" which i loved on stage and loved even more on screen. These songs are the best, and I hope broadway shows get better and better, because in my opinion, these two gentlemen have set the bar...and it is high!!

You don't need to play the piano to enjoy this book. With 8 pages of picture, it's pretty enjoyable. Plus it has the lyrics, and the different stage ending for "cell Block Tango".

The script behind the smash hit broadway show "CHICAGO!". Complete with original cast list, synopsis at the beggining, characters and descriptions, and lyrics/libretto included in the text of the show. A wonderful play that wraps you in the wrath of two young women, Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, in a murder scaldal trying to escape with the help of sleezey lawyer, Billy Flynn. A great read and fantastic musical. Availabily my be difficult as it is out of print (I bought it used) so you can buy it from the publiser, Samuel French online from the website by the same name (samuelfrench.com) Thanks for reading!

Early in the summer of 2006 Turner Classic Movies ran Billy Wilder's underrated 1970 film, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. The picture was a box-office bust, Wilder himself elected to say little about it later (in part because it was recut and shortened against his wishes), and published critical reaction is scarce. Not least among the film's attributes is Christopher Lee, who is a splendidly forceful Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's officious, easily annoyed brother. I wanted to read more about Lee's performance, and more about the film. Where to look?

Ah! Tom Johnson & Mark A. Miller's exhaustive, scholarly, and compulsively readable THE CHRISTOPHER LEE FILMOGRAPHY saved the day. Nearly 2000 words from this smart, handsome book are devoted to the Wilder film, offering complete cast & credits; a plot synopsis that is concise, useful, and entertaining; and a lengthy "Commentary" section that looks at the film as a whole, thus placing the contributions of Lee and others in a helpful context that encompasses art and industry realities.

The latter portion of the authors' commentary about the Wilder film, as with every Lee film discussed, focuses on Lee's involvement in the film. Johnson & Miller's remarks comments reflect two perspectives: critical and business/ historical. So it is that, throughout the book, we get informed comment on Lee's work as an artist, as well as original research that illuminates the making of the film, and the particulars of Lee's relationships with other cast members, as well as his comments regarding director, producer, writer, and others who helped make the film a reality--or who may have impeded its success.

The U.S.-based authors spent many hours in face-to-face confabs with Mr. Lee at the actor's home in London (plus numberless follow-up phone calls and letters), asking questions, taking down the actor's marvelous anecdotes, looking through career scrapbooks that Lee graciously opened for them, and selecting rare photographs from Lee's personal collection. This is what scholars of any stripe call "original research," and its value pays off here, with insights into Lee's movies (more than 160 of them!) that simply are not available from other sources--or if they are, they may have been cribbed, without acknowledgemt, from Johnson & Miller.

A special pleasure is that nearly every essay concludes with Mr. Lee's remarks, presented verbatim, about the individual films. Over the course of these first-person recollections, Lee reveals himself as a dedicated artist, of no small ego, perhaps, and also a man of powerful and varied talents. Above all, he has wished to work in meaningful films of quality and integrity, and to stretch himself as an actor. That he has not always been able to do so says more about the inanities of the film business than it does about Mr. Lee. Given opportunities worthy of him--the early Dracula roles, Lord Summerisle, Mycroft Holmes, Count Dooku, Jinnah (the founder of Pakistan), and many others--Lee dominates the screen not merely with his physical presence and that marvelously deep and cultured voice, but with his ability to become lost in his role. Like other great film actors--all of whom are forced to perform in fits and starts--Lee BECOMES the character. Film scholars and movie fans alike are swept away; they buy the illusion.

As an incredibly detailed--and always fascinating--chronicle of the career of one of cinema's most compelling actors, THE CHRISTOPHER LEE FILMOGRAPHY is the last word on Mr. Lee's professional life. And it is that rarity: a book created by the authors AND the subject, in protracted and amiable collaboration. How unusual that is, how valuable, and what a treat.

Exhaustive without being exhausting, authors Miller and Johnson manage to transcend the trend of "lists" by not only providing the details of Christopher Lee's myriad film works, but accompanying the facts with delicious anecdotes and observations. Each and every film has an accompanying commentary - and each and every commentary is a treasure trove of information either from Lee himself or one of his collaborators, along with relevant snippets from reviews. What I particularly liked about the commentary segments is that they not only rely on Lee's memories of the films - they also frequently draw on contemporary accounts by Lee himself in the form of quotes from letters Lee wrote to his fan club president over the years. Many's the time Lee would approach a film with high hopes, only to have them dashed by any one of a number of problems that tend to beset the best of productions. It's truly fascinating to see what was running through the actor's mind prior to starting something like THE DEVIL RIDES OUT.

While they obviously have great respect and affection for their subject, Miller and Johnson are never sycophantic.

You may buy this book because you are a fan of Christopher Lee or a horror film completist. But you'll return to it again and again because it is well-written, well-researched, and just plain fun to read.

Individually, film historians Tom Johnson and Mark A. Miller already have several books and articles to their credit. Now they've pooled their talents to collaborate on what will stand as the definitive account of Christopher Lee's film career. Documenting Lee's cinematic output is a daunting challenge; he appeared in many films that were never released in the U.S.--or anywhere else--making them extremely difficult to track down, even in this wonderful age of DVD and satellite television. Fortunately, Johnson and Miller--with valuable assist from Mr. Lee himself--come through with flying colors. This is cinematic scholarship of the highest order, which is not to imply it's dry and academic. Hardly. Thanks to Johnson, Miller, Lee and many interview subjects, it's a lively, accessible, and at times fall-down-funny look at the career of someone who could be cited as the ultimate example of a "working actor."
McFarland books tend to be very high priced, and since most of them never make it to a bookstore shelf, consumers don't have the luxury of checking out the goods before hand. So you're never really sure of what you're getting until the money has left your wallet. At $55, THE CHRISTOPHER LEE FILMOGRAPHY may seem pricey, but it's well worth the investment; the book is beautifully written and McFarland has done a bang-up job of laying out the text and (rare) photos. For Lee fans, it's a must-have item.

If you haven't read these books, you are missing something very special!! I have always admired C.S. Lewis and his writing.....but, after reading the Narnia books, I have even more respect for him and awe for his genius! I LOVED these books!!

This is the third set of Chronicles of Narnia that I have bought for my daughter over the years. She is 19 now and pregnant and has reread the series until the books fell apart. Now that she is about to have a child of her own she wanted another set to read to her baby.
This series is truly a classic that will be read for generations to come.

In the first half of the twentieth century, two drinking buddies wrote vastly different fantasy series -- one a rich fantasy epic, the other a pleasant, sometimes bittersweet children's story.

Obviously, the former was the classic "Lord of the Rings," and the latter was the "Narnia" series. A close pal of J.R.R. Tolkien's and a fellow "Inkling," C.S. Lewis was one of the first widely-read fantasy writers, and "The Chronicles of Narnia" -- despite a few flaws -- is a charming, classic read.

"The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" opens as four children (Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter) are being shipped to the English countryside at the beginning of World War II. While exploring the vast house where they are staying, Lucy accidently ventures into a winter-locked world called Narnia, which is ruled over by the evil White Witch. The king Aslan is about to return -- but the Witch quickly gets a hold on Edmund's soul.

"Prince Caspian" takes place long after the events of "Lion" (though in our world, only a short time has passed). Young Prince Caspian escapes his uncle's castle when his life is threatened, and he finds refuge with the hidden races of Narnia -- dwarves, talking animals, dryads, centaurs and many others. And to help Caspian regain the throne, the two kings and two queens of Narnia are called back...

"Voyage of the Dawn Treader" begins when Edmund, Lucy and their obnoxious cousin Eustace are sucked through a painting into Narnia, where their pal Caspian is now king of Narnia (and an adult to boot). Caspian is heading toward the end of the world to find several knights who were banished, and vanished into the perilous islands along the sea.

"The Silver Chair" heads into slightly darker territory when Eustace returns to boarding school. He and outcast girl Jill Pole are drawn into Narnia, where Jill must perform a task to redeem herself for a stupid act. She must find the dying Caspian's son Rilian, who vanished many years before. The search will send the two children across Narnia with the pessimistic Puddleglum, to carnivorous Giants, creepy underground creatures, and an enemy worse than they could have imagined...

"Horse and His Boy" shoots back in time to the middle of "Lion." Shasta lives with the man he thinks to be his father in a hovel by the sea, but when a Calormene warrior purchases him, he escapes with the man's talking horse, Bree. He meets the escaping noblewoman Aravis (who also has a talking horse), and the two are planning to escape to Narnia and freedom. But in the capital city, there is a conspiracy brewing against the visiting Narnian kings and queens...

"Magician's Nephew" clears up many of the questions about Narnia, Aslan and the White Witch. Digory and Polly end up in very serious trouble when they encounter Digory's weird, slightly nutty uncle, a magician who has created magical rings that send the user to other worlds. The two kids end up in the "wood between the worlds," and venture into a dying land where they set loose the evil Queen Jadis -- who follows them to the newborn world of Narnia.

"The Last Battle" is definitely the end of the series, where Narnia decays slowly into the final battle between good and evil. Humans are destroying the trees and killing the dryads, and a false Aslan is appearing to mislead the inhabitants of Narnia. Old and new friends will band together as the true Aslan prepares to lead them to a new land.

If you don't like allegory (religious or otherwise), then steer clear of the Chronicles. While Lewis's beliefs are presented in a more complicated and subtle manner in his other fictional works, here the parallels to basic Christian beliefs are very obvious. Reportedly even Tolkien, one of Lewis's best pals, found the allegory annoying.

But if you can get past the slightly ham-handed treatment, it's a fantastic read. Lewis reshapes typical mythical elements like dwarves, nymphs, talking animals, centaurs and wicked witches into shape in his invented world. And Narnia is an inviting place -- it isn't always fun or pleasant, but there is always the feeling that the good guys will ultimately -- if not immediately -- come out on top.

Lewis's writing can become a bit precious at times, in the tradition of many British authors writing for children. But he puts plenty of detail and mystery in his stories, sprinkling them with little mysteries and questions that are explained as the story goes on. Where did the lamppost come from, for example? How did humans come to Narnia? And what is the deal with the White Witch?

There's a pretty broad range of characters, from British schoolchildren to talking animals, fishing foundlings to prepubescent kings of Narnia. But Lewis does a solid job with almost all of them (Susan is a bit of a copout -- but contrary to rumor, she does not go to hell). In fact, the entirely made-up kids are the most fascinating -- fiery Aravis Tarkeena and the young Professor are among the best he wrote.

While not quite as well known as his pal Tolkien's work, C.S. Lewis's Narnia series still a fun and dramatic fantasy story. For a bit more insight into the origins of fantasy as we know it, check out "The Chronicles of Narnia."

If you've ever had a best friend you are sure to enjoy this story. Trial and tribulations of friendship and willingness to follow your dreams and not willing to let anyone hold you back.

The book was released a few weeks before the film. It's about two young women named Connie and Carla(portrayed by Nia Vardalos and Toni Collette in the film) who run away to form a lounge act in various locations. They sing songs from various musicals including THERE ARE WORSE THINGS I COULD DO from "Grease"(both the musical and the 1978 film). Connie had a longtime dream of meeting her idol Debbie Reynolds. A short time later,BOOM! Reynolds appeared. Now Connie,Carla and Debbie are singing together. Connie and Carla were eluding mafia hitmen who are owed money from the girls and commit murder. As for the film,it got mixed reviews. It was a disappointment compared to Vardalos' previous film,MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING. Vardalos wrote or co-wrote the CONNIE & CARLA screenplay(she wrote MBFGW also).

Some movies should never be remade! Like say, "Some Like It Hot". Can you imagine how stupid it would be to try and remake that classic? Oh, wait. They did remake it. Some idiot suits thought it would be clever to update Billy Wilder's great film, this time with two women masquerading as drag queens. Oy! But, as with the pointless remake of Wilder's Sabrina, there is a bright side, namely a peachy novel of a crappy movie written by the master of the novelization, Deborah Chiel. Skip the movie, Read the book I say

What a great book. It really kept me in suspense. I enjoyed the supense and the idea of this book. Mulder believes Pusher can force people to kill and commit suicides through his will but Scully is unsure. She only gets convinced when Mulder puts her at gunpoint. Will she be able to survive Mulder's shot. See it in this great book CONTROL. Nice heading also

I loved this book so much when I first read it, it was like I was watching it on tv. I even used it in an assighnment for English thats how much I loved it. I recomend this book for everyone. Everyone out there go buy this book!!!

This was an awsomebook. I really enjoyed reading it

I loved this book! I became a little girl again with eyes wide open in awe of my heroes - Roy and Dale. Cheryl is very honest about the fun, the hectic schedules, the grief over the loss of her siblings, her rebellious nature in an innocent way, the strengths and weaknesses of her well-known parents who raised their family well, loved them dearly, lived a honorable life and had a lot of adventures in the way. Where the fans viewed Roy and Dale as super heroes ... Cheryl presents them as parents. I highly recommend this book!

who enriched our lives over five decades.

Cheryl Rogers Barnett has truly written a memoir full of Love, Respect, and Admiration for her late parents, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. She writes of the people they were, before she was born, the circumstances of her adoption - yes, Cheryl was adopted by Roy and his first wife - and growing up in the Rogers-Evans* (Roy's first wife died while Cheryl was still a young pre-adolescent child, Dale lovingly took her on as her own) household. Roy, bless his soul, was in many ways, a real cowboy who eschewed the Hollywood lifestyle and could live in the great outdoors - in fact one of their early homes out at Lake Hughes was in a wooded setting - with rattlesnakes! Knowing that this wouldn't work, Roy moved in closer to Los Angeles, but always made sure that his children were grounded and did not have airs about them.

Barnett writes about her growing-up in the Rogers-Evans household, and in reading it one kind of wishes that too were put of a family that truly lived by the Cowboy Code. Roy and Dale were among the kindest folks one could ever meet, and I sure wish I did. Both Roy and Dale were unfailing kind and considerate to most people they met. It speaks volumes that in the one instance Roy ever got angry at fans was when they chose to want to visit him on the day they were burying Cheryl's little sister, Robin, and only AFTER these uncouth and rude people insisted in visiting him, having no consideration for the grief of the family.

She writes of the wonder horse Trigger, of how George "Gabby" Hayes was as different in real life as he was in the movies. Gabby, bless him, was a trained Shakespearian actor who was more accustomed to wearing tweed suits than a bandana and chaps - still, he too made the roles his very own. There are the Hollywood stories and vignettes of growing up knowing John Wayne and so many other Western heroes and other television and movie celebs, written straightforward, (the reader will never have the feeling that this book is a gossipy read) of Nudie the Famous Rodeo Tailor whom Roy helped to get established in Hollywood, and finally of the last decades when Roy and Dale, seeing how different Hollywood had become (mid-1960s), chose to move out to Apple Valley, and live out their lives there.

Throughout it all, Roy and Dale always gave deep love to the people they knew, and encouraged their children to be the best and fine folks in their own right(after learning she was adopted, Cheryl underwent a quest to learn about her real parents, with Roy and Dale supporting her every way). With the happiness there were the tragedies, first Robin, then the young son who died serving in the U.S. Army, and the adopted daughter from Korea, killed in a senseless road accident. Throughout it all, Roy and Dale's faith in God was never unwavering and was always solid. They lived the true meaning of the Cowboy and Cowgirl Codes.*

*(on their very last record together, Roy, Dale and son Dusty recorded a song written by two great friends of mine, Chris Hillman and Steve Hill entitled: "God's Plan" ...that pretty well sums up the honest and rich meaning of the lives they lived.

A warm memoir of a time when the tinsel Cowboys were so very much real - and real people too, unlike the sad imitation that Hollywood has become these days. Thank you, Cheryl Rogers-Barnett for a heartwarming read, and for signing my Roy Rogers-Dale Evans lunchpail in Wickenburg, Arizona last April.

Cowboy Princess: Life With My Parents Roy Rogers And Dale Evans is Cheryl Rogers-Barnett's true story of growing up as the daughter of "the King of Cowboys" and "the Queen of the West", whose popular exploits on movies and TV captivated the nation. Joy, the gruelling demands of the entertainment industry, the terrible loss of three siblings, and the lively personalities of those who shared their lives with Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, and Cheryl Rogers-Barnett fill this highly readable and personal account. Highly recommended for fans of Roy Rogers and the western movies of yesteryear.