Movies Books

Nightmare U.S.A. is an extremely informative and well written book. The author keeps it fun throughout by putting a sense of love into his work. I found, as I read through this hefty tome, a true feeling of 'being there' watching the films that are presented. I'm looking forward to the next installment. All in all, a wonderful read for those interested in the study of exploitation films.

So great a book I bought two one for my business partner and one for me!

I've written a longer, more extensive review for Film Threat, but I'm going to do another one here because I believe this book belongs on the shelves of every horror/exploitation fan, film buff and film journalist. Yes, it is expensive, but it's also a 500+ page oversized hardcover with color and black and white photos (many from filmmakers' personal collections), movie reviews and interviews (many with directors who have never spoken about their films publicly before). As I said in my previous review, this is probably the best film book of the decade.

If exploitation films are your cup of tea, you need this book. Period. At some point this should become some sort of mandatory college text book, as it is not only a history in filmmaking that is rarely covered by more "serious" journalists, it's also a crash course on filmmaking.

Once you read this incredible book, which will cause you arms to fall off if you try to do it in one sitting, you'll be thrilled to know it's only the first volume (the second one, according to the author, is scheduled for 2010). And you thought things couldn't get any better.

Simply put, you aren't a fan of exploitation/horror if you don't have this book in your library.

Price:
I've talked to many people that feel the price is a bit steep and I agree the book isn't cheap. It is however 500 pages filled with interviews, pictures (everywhere), and essays. Think Arnold Schwarzenegger's The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding : The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revised size wise but about horror films. I mean the book is no joke and there could be an exploitation horror film made about a serial killer who uses this heavy book as his weapon, that's how big it is. I felt the price was well worth it as a horror fan and film lover in general.

For those of you who aren't the biggest readers:
Basically, all you have to do is read section I The Exploitation Independents which is the history of American independent exploitation films during 1970-85 and goes from page 11-48. After you start reading you'll want to keep going and after that it's basically a reference book with essays and reviews, so you could read up on a particular film. What I'd do is either read up on a film I found prior to watching it or after I watched it to learn more.

THE BOOK:
Stephen Thrower appears to know film even though he made a rule to not include reviews on classics, foreign, and studio made films, he still makes tons of compare and contrast references to classics and mentions great directors such as Bergman and Fellini. I highly recommend this book to horror and film fans, my friends in everyday life not so much but I think my horror Amazon friends will love it, specifically reviewer Clint Bronson. Clint has crazy knowledge on horror and from my readings of his reviews 1970s imparticular which, after much thought, is the best decade for horror hands down. Be sure to check out Clint's reviews as well.

Section I- As I mentioned details the history of the exploitation film from 1970-85
Here is how Thrower breaks down section I and the history, this was a great read.
The roots and the Godfather of gore H.G Lewis.
Romero and the Modern Horror Pantheon
Critical Responses to Exploitation Cinema
Drive in Massacres
42nd Street Monsters
Serial Killers
Psycho-Killer, Qu'est-ce que c'est?
Slashers- J'adore
When Blood Is Not Enough
Torture
R ape
It Came from the Stars/Swamp/Bushes/Caves
Things That Go Bump in the Night - One of my favorite avenues of horror being the ghost story. Thrower is honest in this area saying a bigger budget with good acting helps this area of horror.
Art of Perversity-Horror and Incoherence
Decline-Carpenter, Hooper, Romero, Craven
Hollywood Trash

Section II
Essays on Films and Filmmakers
This goes from 73-373 and like I said at this point it's a reference book. You can skip around read films that interest you and as you see others go back to the book and read up.

Section III
Reviews
118 Additional reviews. These are done in a shorter format then the essays above.

Section IV
Appendices and Index
Including an exploitation independent checklist Horror, 1970-85
A Bibliography
Index

I actually learned about this book in a non horror magazine Film Comment which gave it very high praise as well.

If anyone wants to know if a particular director or film they like is talked about in the book feel free to ask.

Being somewhat obsessed with the period and films covered in this mammoth tome I can unreservedly say that reading this was a religious experience for me. The amount of research gone into this project is extraordinary and the enthusiasm author Thrower has for forgotten gems like THE CANDY SNATCHERS, DEATH BED, BOARDING HOUSE and others is truly infectious. Not since Mike Weldon's original PSYCHOTRONIC came out in the early 80s have I been this giddy about a movie book.

Part 2 is announced in the back of the book which means the good times keep coming.

Glatzer has an exceptional talent. She has writing experience that smacks you in the face with its authenticity. She says, "Writers block is really more a case of opportunity knocking and you having your radio tuned up too loudly to hear it." (p. 10) and then goes on to explain how you might benefit from the big WB.

Glatzers's book sets an example for writers because it is fresh, carefully crafted, and entertaining. There are, to be sure, other books that address writer's block but this one is far more fun and less dogmatic than most. These are the fraternal twins that let this volume fill a much-needed niche in advice books for writers.
----------------------------
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson. ...

If you've ever found yourself staring at a blank page all day, or doing mundane chores over again just to avoid that lost feeling, then you've experienced writer's block. And Jenna Glatzer says, "That's good news - it means you're a writer!" Even highly successful writers can't avoid this problem, it's like failure, it happens and we learn from it. What's more important, is that you learn how to manage it.

I believe all writers should now celebrate, because Jenna has written a humorous and practical guide that is chock full of tricks of the trade, versatile tools, and writer's block busting exercises that tackle this problem from all angles.

It's worth more than a quick read, I plan to keep my copy close by so I can refer to it when those 'moments' happen, and more importantly, I consider most of her strategies to be a proactive way to increase my creativity and amount that I write.

I interviewed Jenna Glatzer on "The Inside Success Show" and was captivated by her charm and wit. She's dedicated and a great example of how to proactively manage problems, not just hide from them.

Here's some other things I learned from Jenna:
** How Jenna Glatzer went from art to acting, and then finally found her creative outlet in a professional writing career!
** What determines when an idea isn't going to work (in advance)
** Why you need to rid yourself of myths and rules to write well.
** How to apply relaxation techniques to get back into "the flow"

** What 3 things you can do optimize your performance as a writer
** And much, much more ...

Whether you're a professional writer needing to jump-start your creativity, a college student needing to meet your deadlines, or a business person who needs to increase output, I believe you will find this book rewarding.

Randy (Dr. Proactive) Gilbert, Host of The Inside Success Show (TheInsideSuccessShow.com) and best-selling author of "Success Bound"

I'm buying a copy for each of my clients for Christmas. It helped me break out of the block, so I know first hand that this is a gem to share! Editors: I suggest you do the same for your clients!

The heroine waits for you to guide her through the perilous, emotionally charged journey upon which you have started her. Nothing! Absolutely nothing comes to mind. You are as blank as the page that stares back at you. Deadlines loom overhead and time just keeps on ticking by. Crossing your fingers, you begin to pick up where you left off. It's just that simple, right? Wrong - you stop as suddenly as you start. Nothing! Perhaps you should do something else to take your mind off of everything for a few minutes. Suddenly you remember the last time you took "a little break" but it took you weeks to get started again. Where is she? Where is the muse that helped you get this far? Abandoned now, alone with the blank pages, panic sets in as you realize that you have it. You have caught that dreaded writer's disease. You have writer's block. What do you do now?

Just grab a copy of Jenna Glatzer's OUTWITTING WRITER' S BLOCK AND OTHER PROBLEMS OF THE PEN. As an experienced, published writer, Glatzer understands the frustration of having a blank page glare at you. Not only does she understand the frustrations that plague a writer, she has developed a comprehensive and easy to follow guide that offers a multitude of ways to combat the enemies of the creative process.

Glazter wants the writer to understand that a block is nothing to panic about. She considers it an occupational hazard that even the greats have to conquer. Glatzer lets the writer know that hope is not lost when the page continues to remain blank because there are many effective ways of slaying the beast. In each chapter the writer is encouraged to stay one step ahead of the game by examining reasons why writer's block may rear its ugly head. Exploring the psychological causes of a block such as anxiety, self-doubt, along with unreasonable expectations, Glatzer engages the writer to battle the enemy within first. Included with each chapter are creative writing prompts to help get the creative juices flowing once more.

OUTWITTING WRITER'S BLOCK AND OTHER PROBLEMS OF THE PEN is a witty and inspiring way of tackling troublesome roadblocks writers are sure to encounter. From exposing the psychological reasons behind roadblocks to effective ways of eradicating these problems, Glatzer offers encouraging and motivating words to help the writer to write. So whether you are just a novice looking to get that first manuscript completed or an established veteran who needs a little encouragement this is one book no writer should be without.

Reviewed by L. Raven James
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Glatzer's entertaining writing style not only pokes fun at the dreaded "writer's block," but offers advice on other writing topics such as: how to find ideas, how to handle self-doubt and deadlines. Through her clever use of humor and seasoned with personal and other writing anecdotes, she demystifies and offers excellent advice on how to outwit this bane of writers everywhere.

For example, under a section entitled "Where to Get Ideas," Glatzer writes: "Another myth is that great ideas are supposed to just come to writers. Like we're all just walking around, minding our own business when wham! A great idea falls out of the heavens and lands in our brains. I, on the other hand, am idea-challenged. The idea fairy rarely visits my home without my asking. I have to invite her, cajole her, and then sometimes bang her over the head with a stick and drag her unconscious body into my abode without my neighbors calling the police. My muse is my mortgage."

Her book, her advice and her writing style will inspire writers everywhere not to give up -- no matter what. Her book is also one that writers will return to again and again if not for advice and support then for a great pick-me-up when the writing gets tough.

I am an in-house attorney for a film production company. This book is a great resource to point you in the right direction in many respects: reminders of what terms various contracts/agreements should contain, the different types of agreements common to the film industry, copyright information ... just to name a few items. Money well spent for a very focused look at legal aspects to the film industry.

This book helps anyone who wants to do or is doing anything in entertainment be on top of their game. I carry this book with me, along with my bible (that says a lot about the book right there!) I read it every chance I get and learn so much more as a Writer/Producer, about the legalities and expectations of each member of a production team. This book is necessary for a business minded person. Crowell educates the readers in the basics of entertainment law, however he does not use language that only an attorney or judge can comprehend. He breaks concepts down in bite size pieces. I have gained a better understanding of what needs to happen in pre, pro. and post production of a film and will make sure that the many areas in film making get the attention and documentation that it needs because of this book.

This book is so useful, I don't know where to begin. It's well-structured, well-researched, and I don't know where I'd be without it. The author has so much useful information, and puts it in a way a filmmaker, who doesn't speak legalese, can understand. This book gets a very high recommendation from me for sure.

Having the hindsight of producing several movies, I wish I had read this book much earlier. ANY filmmaker would benefit from reading this book as early in their career as possible and then keeping it on their shelf as an invaluable reference tool to return to again and again.

This review is specifically directed to aspiring professional screenwriters: GET THIS BOOK.

(Note I did not say "buy" this book, since, if you truly are an aspiring professional screenwriter, you're probably sucking your own body lint for food and live under a bush overlooking the Santa Monica pier.)

Yes, do whatever you have to do. Beg, borrow, steal...pawn...get this book. You've already read your Sun Tzu:

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt."

Hollywood was built on exploiting talent, and specifically exploiting writers. It's time we (YOU!) writers start preparing for the business side of things because gosh knows the other guys are plenty prepared already. Reading this book will make you realize three things.

1. Actually getting your great little/big screenplay made will be incredibly complicated, even if you're just selling it to someone who already knows what they're doing.

2. There are ways to make your script more attractive for producers/distributers and more lucrative for you.

3. Thom Crowell is an informative and entertaining scribe.

I had a friend of mine in negotiations with a major studio executive. True story. Wrote a little script called "Balls, No Balls II." Guy tried to get my buddy to sign a contract without an NDA. My buddy stood up, whipped out his Pocket Lawyer and KA-BLAW! Smacked that suit right in the mouth! "You want my high concept? I WILL be signing that NDA!"

Hmmm, actually this never happened. But at least I know what an NDA is now. Do you? Oh, you don't? GET THIS BOOK!

And yes, AMAZON, you do offer a very reasonable price. I suppose buying it isn't out of the question.

Sabrinas Aunts apply her for a Summer camp consellor job. They put her down as having many other jobs alike elsewhere which is a lie. So welcome the highest consellor theyve ever had. So shes put in charge of cabin 13- the troublemakers cabin. But when they get too much she puts them under an obedience spell. Can she keep it up though when they are losing every competition?

Sabrina's lonely. Harvey's away to Europe with his Mum + Dad and Libby's flanting it in France.So her aunts zap a counselor résumé that makes her sound brilliant. So Sabrina and stowaway Salem are off 2 Camp Bearclaw.Then there's the bad news. She get cabin 13. the trouble-maker cabin.So food fights and running aways are a daily occurous.But so Sabrina finally loses her temper and cast a spell to make her camper act like angels. But her campers are 2 good. Can Sabrina win the Tug of War competition? And can she remove the spell? Read and find out!

This was definetly one of the best Sabrina books. It wascreative and funny. I really liked it a lot, and if you read it, youshould like it too.

ive read about 15 of the sabrina books and this is my favorite it even beats showdown at the mall. Its so good like all of john vornholt's books, as my favorite buffy the vampire slayer book is 'coyote moon' also written by john vornholt hes a great orthor. i think what makes the book good is it has comedy,romance,fun ect all in one book also its easy to relate to if you have been to summer camp. This is definatley my favorite and ive read many.

This is THE best Sabrina book of them all. Sabrina uses herwit, diplomacy and just a little magic to tame the wildest bunch ofkids at her summer camp. If you like Sabrina, read this book first.

I REALLY LIKED THE PROFILE OF THE BOOK AS A WHOLE. HOW THE TWO CHARACTERS QUINN AND NIKITA CAME TOGETHER FROM DIFFRENT WORLDS. BUT, I DID NOT LIKE HOW HE MADE LOVE TO HERE THAT LAST NIGHT AND RAN OFF WITH MAXINE. THAT PART I DID NOT GET AT ALL. PLUS NIKITA WAITED FOR TWO YEARS TO HEAR HIM SAY THAT HE LOVES HER AND WHEN HE DID, HE WENT TO LIVE WITH MAX AND SHE WAS WITH GRANT. I JUST THINK THAT MAXINE COULD HAVE STAYED WITH DRE AND LET QUINN AND NIKKI SEE IF TWO DIFFERENT WORLD COULD COME TOGETHER AND BECOME ONE. SO I REALLY DID NOT LIKE HOW MS. HILL LET QUINN AND MAX END UP TOGETHER.

This book is the bomb as my son would say . I loved It ! I was so excited to see Quinn choose Nikita they were made for each other in this novel. I was reading this book every chance I got to see if Nikita and Quinn was going to live happy ever after. Iv'e been waiting for this book to be brought to life on the silver screen. I recommend Nia Long as Nikita and of course my man Leon as Quinn, I'm not sure who would be a good character for Max perhaps Jada Pinkette Smith. Anyway the book was full of electricity.

This has to be the one book that has really touched my heart of all the 150 plus books I have read in the last three years! Hill has put (as my grandma would say) her ten toes into this book. "A Private Affair" has everything a romance reader could ever want in romance novel, of course that's my opinion. Truly it was a great novel that I recommend everyone should read, at least once! There is a sequeal to this novel and it is called " Pieces of Dreams." Get that one too you will not be disappointed. Much, much, much love Hill!!

I must admit that I was a bit disappointed that Quinn did not pick Max over Nikita. I guess maybe because I am that special friend to my first love. But I enjoyed the storyline all the more. Nikita earned Quinn. She proved that they came from two different worlds and could still be HERE (like Martin would say "We Here"). I am going out to buy the sequel to this book to see if Quinn made the right decision. Keep up the good work.

DONNA HILL, NEWEST DIVA AT ARABESQUE!!

THIS BOOK GRABBS YOUR INTEREST FROM BEGINNING TO END. SHOULD RATE MORE THAN FIVE STARS. THE MAIN CHARACTERS QUIN, MAX AND NIKITTA WERE SUPERBLY DEVELOPED. THE LANGUAGE OF QUIN FLOWS IN SUCH A WAY THAT BRINGS US HOME TO OUR ROOTS. HIS FEELINGS HAD ME IN AN EMOTINAL UPHEAVAL. MS. HILL GRABS YOUR HEART AND PUTS A KILLER CHOKE ON IT WITH THIS BOOK. PERSONALLY, I WAS ROOTING FOR MAX TO WIN OUT IN QUIN'S LIFE. I GUESS I'M JUST A ROUND THE WAY GAL. BUT I LIKE THE WAY QUIN DIDN'T JUST LEAVE MAX HANGING AND PROVED HIMSELF TO BE THE MAN OF THE HOUR, EVEN THOUGH I HURT TO THE BONE FOR MY GIRL MAX.

I CAN'T SEE WHY THERE WAS ANY CONFUSION ON THE PART OF READERS AS TO WHO QUIN WOUND UP WITH. IT WAS VERY CLEAR BECAUSE WHEN HE WENT BACK TO MAX AND HELD HER IN HIS ARMS HE SAID A FRIEND WAS ALL SHE COULD BE. YOU JUST KNEW HE WAS GOING TO WIND UP WITH NIKITA WHEN YOU GO TO THE CHAPER THAT HEADED "AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN". YOU KNOW THE REST OF THAT SONG, SO THAT LET YOU KNOW THAT NOTHING WOULD KEEP HIM AWAY FROM NIKITTA.

EVEN THOUGH I WAS SAD OVER THE ENDING (NIKITTA WINNING OUT OVER MAX), I STILL LOVED THE STORY. IT IS A GREAT ROMANCE NOVEL AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY COPY OF "PIECES OF A DREAM", WHICH IS THE SEQUEL.

THANKS MS HILL FOR YOUR GREAT WRITINGS, KEEP IT UP!!

A FAN

I just finished reading Science of Survival, cover to cover and really got my wits around it's content. I had some familiarity with it over the last thirty years (being a student of both Dianetics and Scientology) but I never really grasped it the way I did this time.
I've noticed that some people have an almost magical quality to make things happen, while others, no matter how well founded the intent or how great the intellect, seem to struggle. This book not only addresses this issue but also provides insight into what is behind this and what can be done to improve one's journey through life, especially in dealing with both the good and the bad intentioned individuals that we all can come across.
Give it a shot. I hope you get as much out of it as I did.
By the way, after reading it I suggest you listen to the Science of Survival lectures that were delivered by Mr. Hubbard. They further strengthen the understanding of the material.

Ever wonder why people do the things they do? Or say the thing they say? Did you ever go into partnership with someone only to find out that they were unable to fill their end of the bargain? Would you like to learn how to predict someone's likelihood for success? How about honesty, responsibly, productivity, or even state of health? This book contains the information and technique necessary to answer this question accurately, without guessing.
It also has all the information and techniques necessary to increase anyone's potential and quality of life.
It is important to note that this is book #2 after "Dianetics" - The Modern Science of Mental Health. Although after reading both books I think one can jump right into this one. It is also important to note that this reads like a manual. If you are looking for something entertaining, there are better choices out there, but if what you are looking for are answers to life's basic questions and workable technology on improving one's existence than this is a must!

This book is your guide thru life. This book for me taught me more about people and how to recognize my friends from my enemies. And that is INVALUEABLE. I can't place enough praise upon this book.

Buy it, read it, USE it! It will be a life saver, a time saver and enlighten you in ways you can't imagine. Without this data I would not be the success I am today.

Until the "Power Vs Force" series from Dr. David R Hawkins this was my favorite book of all time. Prior to this book I envisioned science and religion as diametrically opposed with "irreconcilable differences". This book actually moved me off the atheist viewpoint by logically illustrating that spirituality can exist and the most obvious and demonstrable place to "prove" this to oneself is by observing one's fellow man.

I'm a very visual person and to have a scale to plot out various areas of human behavior in order to predict behavior in other areas is extremely appealing, whether or not it's true - the idea simply rocks! This book is spot on and 100% accurate. I have seen it demonstrated as true time and time again even when I was blinding myself because of emotional attachment to people and situations - the information contained in this book, if followed, will definately prevent much heartache and upset!!

This author, whether devil or saint; maligned or benefactor, has the observational geniuse of Galileo, et al. To be able to observe life and the very things that all of us are exposed to for our entire sentient lives and then be able to make sense of things with utter clarity leaves me in awe. How many times have people observed an apple falling and it took Newton to actually make sense of things or Galileo timing pendulum swings with his pulse when all I would see is a swinging chandelier - that is the type of clarity of vision that this book brings to interpersonal relationships.

After this book I started to rethink my studies in theology, philosophy, psychology, etc. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts!! Very uplifting and revealing - you'll definately leave this work less confused and with clarity instead of with a furrowed brow.

This is a great way to predict how someone will behave. It's a must when looking to hire someone or start a relationship of any kind. There is an easy to understand chart of human behavior that makes this so easy to apply to real life situations!

No spoilers here! you'll have to read it for yourself, (you'll be glad you did.) I absolutely loved this book. Great first effort by Ms. Wood. the characters' speech and personality felt true. This would have been great on TV. personally, i think it was enough book to do almost an episode per world, could have easily been a multi-part story like the Merlin episodes or Valla & Daniel's arm bracelet dilemma. For me, the only sour note was that Ms. Wood's book set the bar so high, i'm somewhat reluctant to read someone else's book for fear of comparing it to this one and being disappointed, (and then mad at money wasted). Great read and looking forward to another by this author.---TY

From the first page on, I didn't want to put it down.
Very well written, excellent story. Can't wait for her to do another one

I wish they'd make this book into a movie. It was a great SG-1 adventure. The best one I've read so far.

Without a doubt, this is one of the best Stargate SG-1 novels that I've read.

It's a structured "quest" story, where SG-1 is inadvertently drawn into a challenge set out by Ra. Under a strict time limit, they must find clues on each world to lead them to the next world . . . and not all of the worlds are uninhabited. Each world has a unique challenge to face, many of which can only be overcome by working together. The whole novel underscores the essence of SG-1, the loyalty and faith they place in each other, and the lengths they'll go to help each other out. It has a fast-paced plot that jumps from one element to another without losing the excitement or going overboard.

The writer does an excellent job of telling the story, showing the team dynamics, and characterizing SG-1. If it is her first novel, it certainly doesn't show!

This is a fan-tastic book! The characters (O'Neill, Carter, Jackson, Teal'c) are practically perfect, the storyline is unique and fun, and it's a real page turner. I can easily see this one as a great movie. The book takes place in season 3, following the episode "Deadman's Switch" where SG-1 encounters bountyhunter Aris Boch. Here, SG-1 is lead into a trap to endure the "Trial of Moons" designed by the Goa'uld Ra, in which they must travel across 12 planets (surviving the environments and other trials) to find the next stargate address and a spoken password before the timer runs out. The goal of the trial is to arrive at the Barque of Heaven, where Ra would appoint the survivors of the trial to positions of trust in his court. The party who wanted SG-1 lead into this trap shows up near the end to gloat and make sure they die. SG-1 has many clever escapes throughout the book, which is a fun treasure hunt adventure. There are a few references to TV episodes before the time where this book is set, but if you have a passing understanding of Stargate SG-1, then this book can stand very well on its own. Highly recommended!

I found the history of the drive-in very interesting in this publication. It would make a great gift for any friend or family member interested in this type of history.

Although the drive-in theater didn't start in Hawaii, it may be that the outdoor movie did.
In "The American Drive-in Movie Theatre," Texas drive-in buffs Don and Susan Sanders have a photograph of a sizable crowd watching films projected against the outside wall of a building next to Sacred Hearts Convent School in Honolulu in 1906 -- about a year after the silent movie came to America.
It took a surprisingly long time to marry the outdoor movie and the automobile. In 1933, Richard Hollingshead Jr., the "father of the drive-in theater," opened the Camden Drive-In in New Jersey.
Although cars and movies seem as natural a combination as milk and cookies, it wasn't so easy for the pioneers. The Sanderses say the studios never liked "ozoners" and refused to make first-run, or even good second-run, films available.
And getting sound to the customers was a problem that took years to solve. When the problem eventually was put in the hands of a professional engineer, at RCA in 1941, a workable solution was simple.
But drive-in entrepreneurs were not engineers, nor were they the kind of people who turned to engineers for help.
They tinkered. The results were weird and wonderful -- and likely to annoy the neighbors. One solution was a giant speaker that broadcast the sound over the lot, and much farther.
Cold nights cut into business, too, but every problem was an opportunity to the drive-in operator: In Anchorage, the Billiken Drive-In offered 18-hour, seven-feature admissions in the wintertime.
The 1945-55 decade was the peak for drive-ins. The nation had more than 5,000 of them, though they never caught on much overseas.
From 1955 on, the Sanderses say, television and other changes started to suck the family trade away, leaving the field to teen-agers and Samuel Z. Arkoff's American International Pictures for another half decade or so.
Since then, drive-ins have steadily declined. There are about 500 left, mostly in rural areas. They require too much land to be affordable in cities.
Some individual theaters are doing well, and drive-in societies seek to preserve and protect them.
The Sanderses have traveled to more than 40 states to interview drive-in people and take pictures, and they have ransacked archives for illustrations.
They came up with enough material not only for this charming bit of nostalgia, but for another volume, "Drive-In Movie Memories."

The best book of its kind, bar none. Photos are excellent, and it is obvious that the authors really know and love their subject. Anyone who has ever spent an evening at the drive-in would love the memories this book evokes. Anyone who never had the opportunity to participate in the golden age of drive-in movies can experience it vicariously through The American Drive-In Movie Theatre. I've given several copies as gifts -- Everyone loves a Drive-In !

Being a huge fan of drive-ins, I really looked forward to reading this book. The only criticism I have is the sequence of the actual chapter text of the book, and the information inserts that the author has throughout. It is very "chopped" up. Reading the chapter, then turning the page to find there is information pertaining to something else on the next page. The chapter text starts a couple of pages later in some cases, breaking up the continuity. Other than this, it makes for a very interesting read for those who enjoy nostalgia and want to be transported back to a more simpler and fun time.

Don and Susan Sanders have captured the essence of the drive-in movie theatre and packed all of the magic into a really great book. I flipped hamburgers at the now defunct Belknap Drive-in when I was in high school and turning the pages of this time-machine brought back many memories. Forget about multiplex cinemas and theater complexes at the mall. The American Drive-In movie theatre lives!

I'm a fan of the wonderful Brady Bunch sitcom and some of the made for television reunion movies so I bought Elizabeth Moran's Bradymania book and I liked it and thought it was interesting and fun. I loved the episode guide which was actually the main reason I bought it but I loved all the rest of it too including the cast biographies and I highly recommend this book and also Growing Up Brady which was written by Barry Williams who played Greg Brady.

After reading Bradymania, I bought the book for friends that I knew would get a kick out of it! I even played a trivia game with friends and family, utilizing the Bradymania book as my source of questions about the show!

In terms of spinoff coverage, this is the best I've seen so far. While they're not the focus of the book, Moran does talk about each one in more detail than anyone else so far. There's no episode guide for the spinoffs, but I suspect the problem there is availability. I bet a lot of us would do our own episode guides if we could just see the shows again, uncut!

Moran's book also talks about the stage show, and speculates about the "upcoming" (at the time!) theatrical film, the first Brady Bunch movie from 1995. Moran was shooed away from the ultra-high-security movie set in her quest for tidbits!

I have yet to find the true ultimate Brady book. Like the rest of the Brady books, the episode guide in this one could be a lot plumper. But Moran's book is a good balance of character trivia, actor trivia, producer trivia, episode trivia, etc. Read every word, and you just might pass the trivia challenges at the end of the book!

You can find more in-depth actor trivia in "Growing Up Brady," and good "outside-world" trivia in the "TV Treasures" book. However, if you are looking for a little of everything, "Bradymania" will do the trick.

I know this book is much more reliable than Barry Williams' often untrustworthy Growing Up Brady book. The GUB book has in it's original edition about 32 careless mistakes! In it's revised edition it has about 15! Buy this book by Moran instead!

Elizabeth Moran did her homework. The famous TV show which first aired October 3, 1969 accumulated a lot of trivia, and Moran found most of it,

It is as if she read every Brady Bunch fan site and spoke at length with every Brady contact.

I'm not a Brady collector, and found "Bradymania!: Everything You Always Wanted to Know" to be an entertaining book about a show I grew up with.

Learn about every episode, the careers before and since the show (including Oliver and Sam, and even 'Tiger the Dog' and 'Fluffy the Cat'). Incidentally, there were as many as 36 cats (all named Rhubarb) that may have played Fluffy.

There are sections on how the actors became Brady kids, how they were schooled on the set, how they relaxed, and why the show was eventually canceled.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

This was probably one of the rare cases when the movie was as good as the book. Too many times, the movie leaves out a lot of important details.

We used this book for an Englsh and a Second Language class, works well, but there is a lot of dialect that is difficult for ESL people

Thirty years after its initial publication, Walt Disney Pictures spat out a sanitized version of Paterson's powerful novel, stripping it of almost everything that made Bridge to Terabithia one of the defining childhood experiences of my generation. Issues of class, gender nonconformity, religious blasphemy, and defiance of American patriotism (all made deftly pint-sized by Paterson's incisive pen) are scrubbed from the Disney film, transforming it from a story about the social upheaval of the `60s reaching rural America into a smarmy tale of kiddie friendship and removing the significance of the fantasy world the children create as an empowering sanctuary from their real-world fears.

Its Jess's first day back at school, and he is ready to run. He had practiced every day all summer for this, races every recess between all the boys in his grade. Every thing seems to be going well, until a new girl at school out-runs all the boys. After this, running just wasn't fun anymore. Although Leslie (the new girl) and Jess are almost completely different, and Jess has "disliked" Leslie for ruining the fun of racing, the two of them seem to become good friends, best friends. And then there was Terabithia. A magical land that Jess and Leslie created, with good and bad creatures. When tragics occur, Jess remembers what Leslie has taught him about imagination.

This is not a book I would read over and over agian. It is a well written story but sad, very sad. My husband read it in 4th grade and didn't care for it and I just recently at the age of 29 read it, I cried. I couldn't believe the ending, I wish I had stopped in the middle of the book. If you want a true touching tear jerker, you've got it in this book. Do not read if you want a happy childrens book.