Movies Books

This is the kind of bio that should be written about every important film director. Simmons is just detached enough to be objective, but not cold and removed so as to miss the color and flavor of this remarkable man. Highly reccommended for all interested in films - not just Peckinpah geeks.

Someone should get this guy to do a series of books on directors.

This is one of the first and best Peckinpah's biographies. Written a few years before his death but with a new preface and postscript it is a superb account about the life and films of Sam Peckinpah. Garner Simmons talked to many friends, family, actors and producers to make this a wonderful readable experience.If you are in the films of Sam Peckinpah get this book!

Peckinpah, written by Garner Simmons and published by the Universtity of Texas Press in 1982,is a no-nonsense, non-opinionated look at the life and work of director Sam Peckinpah. The first few chapters are devoted to his early life: parents, childhood, growing up, early TV work, etc. The rest of the book is presented in a movie-by-movie format, with one chapter being devoted to each film. The chronological discussion of each film pays great attention to detail form pre to post production. Lots of good insight from cast and crew members help make this book really special! There is little info on Peckinpah's final film, "The Osterman Weekend", as it had not been released at the time of this book's publication. The book is dedicated to the memory of Jerry Fielding, the extremely talented composer who worked with Peckinpah on several films.

I love Jack Sparrow, probably more than my ten year old son (but don't tell him that!).
In Dance of the Hours, I was once again on the edge of my seat (or the edge of my son's bed as I read it to him at bedtime) ! Jack is in possession of the time piece that is responsible (with his help, of course)for the world turning upside-down, literally and now he and Fitzwilliam have to fix it or Jack (and everyone else for that matter) will cease to exist.
Great read with pre-historic animals and twists and turns a long the way. I love being transported into Jack's world and I love being able to share it with my son.

Reading this series to the kids, blew right through this one, left us hanging for the next one.

I bought these books for my 12yr old daughter. She's a huge POTC fan & has gobbled these books down. Now she has the whole set (9 in all). She enjoyed them immensely & wishes more were available.

A diabolical murderer has been at work in the Victorian precincts of the manor known as Socrates Close. The formidable Great Aunt Caroline has all her wits about her, but her family does not and they have been dropping like flies. The police are naturally baffled. Only Albert Campion, faintly redolent of the early Lord Peter Wimsey with his fatuous smile and episcopal connections, stands between the criminal and a particularly nasty victory. This is Golden Age crime in full glory: an extremely ingenious puzzle, very well drawn period characters (Great Aunt Caroline is unforgettable), the usual understated English humour and a villain who is memorable in more than the usual ways. I'm not sure if Margery Allingham ever wrote a better book than this, so sit back, relax, make yourself comfortable and get ready to enjoy a mystery the likes of which they seldom write these days. If it's raining outside, so much the better!

Coincidence and madness are the twin themes of "Police at the Funeral." The book starts out when a planned meeting between Campion and Joyce Blount turns into an accidental meeting with Inspector Stanislaus Oates and a peculiarly unpleasant fellow who takes one look at Joyce and flees. From there the tale follows a twisted path.

Joyce is the fiancée of Marcus Featherstone, one of Campion's oldest friends. She lives with her great aunt Caroline, a pair of unpleasant uncles and an equally depressing brace of aunts. Uncle Andrew, a singularly miserable fellow, has vanished and Joyce has come to Campion for help. In short order Andrew is found murdered in such a fashion as to implicate his heavy drinking brother William. Campion's presence is commanded by Great Aunt Caroline and he is settled into Socrates Close, their Cambridge home, to act as detective, defender and general factotum.

Yes, I said commanded. Great Aunt Caroline Faraday is a true Victorian 'grand dame.' For most of her life she has ruled Socrates Close and much of Cambridge's social life. Even now, in her 90's she is a force to be reckoned with. She has no patience with her dependents, who share little of her and her departed husband's brilliance. She sees no alternative to the ministrations of Campion, with whose mysterious but illustrious family she is well acquainted.

It will take the death of one of Joyce's aunts and yet another fatality before Campion is able to meet her expectations. In doing so he will brush with evil at its most petty and spiteful. The lightheartedness that Campion uses to cover his true feeling entertains and delights us, but is never completely able to dispel the pall that lies upon the great house until the very last, when he once again finds a way through.

I believe this is the first time Allingham puts aside her Chinese fire drill device and settles in to write true detective fiction. Her talent reveals itself as quite capable of handling the slower pace, which allows here more time to develop a remarkable cast of characters. These are never guilty of tediousness despite any other flaws they chose to reveal.

It is a shame that Allingham's books are often allowed to go in and out of print. Too often, Campion aficionados are condemned to rummaging in used bookstalls to fill a gap in their collection. Luckily, most of us like to rummage. Police at the Funeral is a wonderful tale that is reminiscent of Marsh's "Death of a Peer," although the Faradays are nowhere as near as appealing as Marsh's Lampreys. Except for Great Aunt Caroline, of course, who is a perfect treat. I can only tell you this tale is well worth digging for.

This 1932 novel is the 3rd in the Campion series. 'Albert Campion' (one of his aliases) has been contacted by an old school friend who has asked Albert to look into a matter for his fiancee's family - the Faradays, it seems that one of his future in-laws is missing. As the young lady is filling in Albert on her uncle's disappearance word arrives that the missing man has been found, unfortunately dead.

Upon arriving at the Faraday household Albert discovers that his grandmother and the matriarch of clan, Aunt Caroline, are old friends. With this entree into the family Campion begins to unearth old family secrets and scandals. Ultimately the truth comes out but not before the body count rises.

Albert Campion has been compared to Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey especially in the earlier novels. The similarities are noticeable in this one but less so than the previous novel, MYSTERY MILE. Campion is still traveling in the close world of upper class old English families and still playing the effete fool. The setting here is Cambridge (as opposed to Wimsey's Oxford) and Campion's police contact Oats, is reminiscent to Wimsey's Parker. Campion though is beginning to remerge from Wimsey's shadow here and developing more of his own style.

The mysteries are intriguing, the clues are all present and challenging enough to keep the reader guessing. This is a great entry into the series, one that fans will not want to miss. It would also be a good place to begin if the earlier books are not available.

I bought this for and at the request of my 17 year old daughter. She rares asks for anything but did request this. She has enjoyed it very much. Very good purchase! Highly recommend to affectinados of the movie especially.

Thank you so much for finally releasing a biblical book. I just can't thank you enough. I thought this was wonderful. The Prince of Egypt was awesome. thanks again.

The Prince of Egypt Movie Scrapbook by Thomasine Lewis is an excellent account of the inspiring behind the scenes account for young and old alike about the classic story of Moses as revealed in the Old Testament. The targeted audience in this book is ages 9 to 12 however all ages will enjoy its richly illustrated pages and accompanying text. If the forthcoming (December 1998) animated movie by DreamWorks is as good as this scrapbook indicates then it shall certainly be a truly classic animated movie.

Some of the topics covered in this book include the story of how the film was conceived and developed, the voice cast for the movie, the music (which appears to be excellent), creating the design for the movie, the animators, special effects and how all of this was orchestrated into a completed animated movie.

Of paraticular interests to those interested in history is the apparent attention to detail the animators have given to the cultures of both ancient Egyptians and the ancient Hebrews. The story appears to closely parallel the account in the Old Testament and also includes some of the best creative conceptulizations of the the other classic Hollywood produced movies based upon the story of Moses and The Ten Commandments.

This book will serve as an excellent companion to both the movie, associated printed material and most certianly the forthcoming soundtracks which are scheduled for release in mid-November.

Reviewed by Michael C. Turner

This handbook is fantastic! It's packed with information, well-paced to read AND absorb the information, clearly organized (which also helps with actually remembering what to do as a just-starting PA!!). I'd recommend this to any student or aspiring PA out there in the world.

I work as a Production Manager, Coordinator, and Assistant Director and also teach an intro production class to undergraduate film students at a state university. This book is by far the best introduction I have encountered to starting out as a production assistant. From the basics of set etiquette to tools of the trade, from terminology to tips for getting your first job, this book could save thousands of future production assistants the sometimes embarrassing hard lessons most of us had to learn by screwing up publicly.

Caleb here, the author. I just wanted to comment that the book is in print and I'm working on getting Amazon to update their records. In the meantime it is available as a downloadable PDF and printed pocket book, with a free basics version, at: http://www.noendpress.com/caleb/edtech/index.php

Rarely, does one novel 'play' well to so many genres. "The Protege" encompasses mystery, thriller, horror, espionage, history, and to a degree, almost a 'spirituality'. It's at once, entertaining, provacative, and downright scary in its 'reality'. Yes, the book is graphic, but 'life' in these circles is graphic. To make it less so would leave it unbelievable.
Given the recent success of 'graphic' films for the sake of only the shock value, I would say the film producers should be looking at this story where 'graphics' are so frighteningly tickling 'truth'.
I commend Mr. Ross' ability to weave so many plot twists and such enticing characters without one instance of lost consistency. As a writer myself, an enviable gift.

Susan Haley, Author
RAINY DAY PEOPLE
FIBERS IN THE WEB

The Protégé -By Sam Ross


Movie executives where are you?

This is a must read book for those who enjoy a grisly police who-done-it. Even though the book has gruesome content, Sam Ross knows how to suck in his readers and take them for an International roller coaster ride. The twists and turns of "The Protégé" make it hard for one to lay the book down.

Emotions are on the rise as a reader feels they are part of incredible hunt for justice. Sam Ross has the making of a best selling author. I truly hope that his books become movies.

So watch out CSI, and Homicide Investigation shows, Sam Ross is on the loose and the man knows how to write.

I picked up this book not sure whether or not I would like it due to the graphic nature involved. AM I GLAD I GOT IT! This book has so many twists and turns that it is impossible to figure out the end before getting to it. I grew so attached to two of the characters that I even wrote to the author asking him to continue a storyline involving them!!! The dialogue is so realistic that I felt like I was part of a real murder/mystery plot. I can't really put into words how I feel about this book. Before reading it, Da Vinci Code was my favorite book but now having read The Protege I can't believe I thought Da Vinci Code was good because this book is absolutely fantastic! Enjoy it because I definitely did!

I read, Q & A: The Working Screenwriter, in one sitting (and that's rare for me--I start a book, get bored, return or sometimes not) and then a few hours later I read it through again. Both reads were enjoyable experiences (and I've booked marked several pages for future reference). I especially like that fact that the writers interviewed were not of the Shane Black or Joe Eszterhas fame level. It's important to represent Hollywood for what it is: a town of working stiffs. Sure, the "names" get the ink, but it's the working screenwriter who slugs it out, makes a tolerable living, and has a solid career. The lessons from Q & A: The Working Screenwriter, are valuable and practical and underscore what it really takes to have a career in this business. Aspiring and established writers alike will pull something useful from this book.

The Working Screenwriter delivers answers to some of the questions that wander in the minds of hopeful screenwriters. As an aspiring screenwriter myself, I found this book enlightening, and entertaining as well. The diversity of perspectives from the panel of screenwriters is more valuable than most people realize. Jim Vines does know this value, and shares it with us, in this must read book for the novice and the professional as well.

This book really does answer all the questions that a young (and even an experienced) writer has about the nuts & bolts experience of writing and selling a movie today. As a story analyist, the information about the writing process and how it differs from person to person was very useful to me and the mechanics of selling as well. I now feel more sympathy for the screenwriters' whose scripts I read. I highly recommend this book.

I bought these books for my 12yr old daughter. She's a huge POTC fan & has gobbled these books down. Now she has the whole set (9 in all). She enjoyed them immensely & wishes more were available.

My Son is 10 years old. I have been pushing him to read for a long time. He started out reading one, and ask me to buy the rest for him. he reads every night for 1hr. Just the other day I heard him say maybe he will read 2 hrs a night. I was so happy to hear that. I thought I could never break him away from all his Video games.

I am writing this review for my 7 year old son who has just finished reading the entire published set of the Jack Sparrow books. Here is what he has to say...They were all really cool. They had great endings, too. There are lots of creatures in each book like the evil mermaids in book two, mutated lizards in book four and the Krakan that is also in book two. They are really neat books and people should buy them.

What fascinates us about Reese Witherspoon? Is it what biographer Lauren Brown claims, that she's private in her dealings with the press and doesn't comport herself like the low rent Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan? I don't know. Is it that she's more quality than her competition and throws herself into roles like a modern-day Kim Stanley? Maybe. Brown's straightforward account of her work on learning the autoharp to play June Carter in I WALK THE LINE impresses the reader, and also I liked the way Mira Nair told Ryan to get Reese pregnant again so she would look more womanly and bosomy when Nair cast Reese as Becky Sharp in the ill-fated VANITY FAIR.

Brown structures her book as though nothing important happened in the world besides the ascent of Reese Witherspoon, and her research involves countless interviews with COSMO GIRL and TEEN PEOPLE, so the book suffers from not enough context perhaps. We learn that Reese's career was at a low ebb after she made ELECTION, she couldn't even get a part as the main character's best friend, and that's what forced her into accepting the part in LEGALLY BLONDE. Brown says that playing 'Elle' in LEGALLY BLONDE made everyone love Reese, but not me. She holds Reese above other actresses for her refusal to play in "teen movies," but what on earth is the sensationally awful CRUEL INTENTIONS if not the teen movie to end all teen movies? Well, it spawned GOSSIP GIRL, I suppose, but Reese, let's not pretend you took the part without realizing it was a teen movie? A novice director, Robert Luketic, sounded off to the press after the completion of LEGALLY BLONDE and said he was astounded at Reese's haughty and unpleasant manner throughout the shooting of the picture. "Movies are supposed to be fun," he complained, and Reese killed that practice stone cold dead. Maybe it's because she's so tiny, she's like a tempest in a teapot. Whatever it is, she's got something that makes all the little stars (Mark Wahlberg, Ryan Philippe, Jake Gyllenhall) go wild about her.

Brown compares her career to that of her no-good brother, the one who used to be her chauffeur and later was charged with sexual battery. In the family, she was "little Miss Type A," and he was "Little Misdemeanor." It is tough on an overachiever to have a brother who isn't as perfect as you are, but she's overcoming her shame and learning that there's more to life than just smelling the roses. Lauren Brown's other biographies are not as good as this one, but maybe that's because Emma Roberts and Lindsay Lohan are too young to make a good book. Whereas did you know that, after 9/11, it was to Reese Witherspoon that the nation turned when we wanted to have a little bit of fun in the wake of the Twin Towers disaster, so she was the first guest host of Saturday Night Live and she slayed us, as the comics say, with her improv bits.

Reading this well-researched bio made me want to watch all the Reese movies I missed, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for her career and character. I recommend it to anyone who's enjoyed her work.

Great book on Reese. Alot of chapters and information. If you're a fan of Reese, this book is highly recommended.

This is a great tool for therapy with individuals, groups, families, or to expand your own thinking when watching videos. I have used this book with clients of all ages and in parenting classes. Almost all my clients gained insight and were able to view their own issues more rationally after watching the suggested films. The Setting The Scene and Scripting For Therapy sections are particularly useful if you do not have a chance to view the film prior to recommending it. I am anxiously awaiting the sequel.

great source for counselors to use with clients......was recommended by a facilator at a conference on personality disorders. i would advise therapists to make use of it for self and clients....

Although intended for therapists, this insightful book about using movies to illuminate our own experiences, motives, and choices is very worthwhile for families. The descriptions of movies like "Field of Dreams," "Breaking Away," and "Dead Poet's Society" provide us with thoughtful and perceptive ways to apply what we see to our own lives. The stories of the patients who were able to understand, identify, and change old patterns after seeing them reflected in the films are exceptionally well presented, and the suggestions for aproaches to using the films are sensitive and illuminating. Any parent will benefit from reading this book to gain a better way of thinking about what we show our children and how we can use what we do show them to improve family understanding and communication.