Television Books

This book is absolutely essential if you want to understand what television has done to Western Civilization. It is not a rant against shabby programming but a brilliant analysis of what the medium itself does to us, regardless of content. Marc is a compassionate and witty writer and his book deserves to be widely known and discussed.

The main point of Bonfire of the Humanities is that there isn't a difference any more between what used to be called High and Low Culture. These categories might have been hard to define, but at least academics used to know where to put Titus Andronicus and where to put Star Trek.

The Low Culture David Marc is most interested in is television, which he points out controls us by delivering pleasure, not pain, as dystopian literature sometimes predicted.

But there were artists who foresaw how we would get hooked on TV. (Even the expression "hooked on" reduces the viewer to just another plug-in.) I remember a scene in Francois Truffaut's film Fahrenheit 451, where the fireman's wife is is watching/participating in a TV soap opera. The characters stop and address her by name, asking what they should do about the latest plot complication.

What's worse is I don't remember if the scene is in Ray Bradbury's novel, which I read, or not. But I still remember the image from the movie. I've been educated out of the reading culture and into the viewing culture just like the character in Truffaut's film.

What makes Marc's essays so informative (and a lot funnier to read in places than most university press books) is that he isn't a partisan of one culture over the other. He criticizes teachers who have allowed their students to graduate without developing a love for reading and writing as well as the professional curmudgeons who want to limit "education" to some cannon they've decided on.

Did you know that reading Madame Bovary and watching Beavis and Butthead might drive you to the same kind of antisocial behavior? Huh huh huh.

The film critic David Thomson said that there have been two terrible threats to humankind in the second half of the twentieth century - - nuclear weapons and television, and that the way it turned out television was the more insidious, beamed into our brains every day.

I am a doctoral student in English and I teach multiple sections of Freshman Composition. This is the first book this presents a recognizable picture of the contemporary classroom: a place where literacy is taught as a specialist's skill to students immersed in television culture. If you are interested in the future of reading and writing, I recommend this book highly. It is also hilariously funny.

To his credit, Marc, an erstwhile literary scholar, doesn't delve into the pseudo-academic question of whether television is or isn't a cornerstone of contemporary American culture. Instead, he examines what actually has transpired in the US -- the wholesale acceptance (and enjoyment) of the medium -- and describes its impact on the ever changing landscape of the Republic. With an oftentimes acerbic wit, Marc, lifts the curtain on the great Oz, allowing us to see who we are and what we've become, intellectually and culturally, whether we want to admit it or not. Ample notes let the reader discover further musings on the effects of this commonplace appliance. Overall, a brilliant -- if not disquieting -- social critique of Americans and our often reviled, often beloved boob tube.

Have been thumbing through the book this past evening. I dig it deep.

Darkness abates in THE BOOK OF LISTS: HORROR ... and creative light shines. Beyond the editors' sublime choice picks, the deft contributors rise, both placing this volume above ephemera and rendering a needful and quirky historical pop-document for an oft maligned genre.

Required reading for the horror buff ... and a walking-like-it's-talking checklist tour of sharp minds and multimedia curios for the horror curious.

THE BOOK OF LISTS: HORROR scents blood, and begs a second volume.

Get some.

This book is the best Ive read for movie information. Its has a large selcetion of lists ranging from the best deaths in a horror movie to what are Stephen Kings favorite horror stories. The number of horror stars is amazing. There are writers, mucians, directors and actors. I highly reccomend this book to any fan of horror or just movie information.

I am a huge fan of the horror genre and lists so i knew i would love this book. It is interesting on many levels. Many familiar faces of the genre created lists in the book that are both entertaining and informative. I guarantee you will be making lists of your own after reading this book with movies, books, or music that sound appealing to you. It is also great to hear what people involved with the genre think. All the lists are given generous description so even the most diehard genre fans will learn something new. I highly recommend this book, whether you are a fan of the horror genre itself, a lover of lists, or you simply enjoy entertainment related trivia. Just trust me this book is for YOU!

The Book of Lists: Horror is the latest addition to the Book of Lists series that has spanned four decades. This time Amy Wallace, Book of Lists veteran and daughter of the legendary Irving Wallace, receives a strong assist from Scott Bradley and Del Howison, two experts in all things horror. The result is very special!

If you love lists, you will not be disappointed. If you love horror in films, books, music, poetry and art, you will not be disappointed. If you want to celebrate your love of the macabre, then look no further. If you want to expand your list of movies to watch and books to read, then you will find this book to be an amazing resource.

The book is filled with fun facts, great lists (be sure to check out James Gunn's NINETEEN FAVORITE REASONS GOD MADE HUMANS SO SQUISHY on page 38), great style (I love that Chapter 2: The Literature of Dread, starts with 20 great openings in horror fiction and closes with 20 great endings in horror fiction) and a fantastic fan section (do not miss Jim Gerlach's list on page 405). This tome does a wonderful job of expanding the scope of horror, particularly with Jack Ketchum's TEN BEST HORROR NOVELS THAT DON'T CALL THEMSELVES HORROR NOVELS and Ramsey Campbell's THIRTEEN NOVELS ON THE EDGE OF HORROR. Bentley Little has a great list dealing with one hit wonders although I would disagree with his contention that MAGIC was William Goldman's only horror novel. But that's part of the greatness of this book - it offers so many viewpoints, that it is likely to start some arguments!

The quality of contributors is amazing, particularly in the field of literature. The book is creative, fun-loving, well organized, informative and well written. Add this one to your shelves today!

I'm going to enter the author's studio first chance I get. Excellent, excellent book. Full curriculum for acting workshop. Hugely different from most classes. Big idea: dancers don't learn to dance by sitting and watching people do prepared dances. Actors should learn to act by acting. Improv games, not comedy improv, more like, emotion shift is a game, convey the subtext is a game. Play by conveying twenty different subtexts, learn the skill of conveying subtext by playing the game, then when you have to do it as part of actual work, you've got the skill ready. This book is innovative, original, daring, disciplined, and brilliant.

Book On Acting: Improvisation Technique by acting coach, teacher, and directory Stephen Book (long-time faculty member of The Juilliard School and the University of Southern California) is a "user friendly" handbook written especially anyone who serious aspires to becoming professional actors in film, theater, and television. Offering ways to improve one's performance with both scripted and memorized lines, and covering everything from using improvisation to liven one's monologues or improving one's chances at an audition in better displaying conflict, agreement, etc. on camera, Book On Acting: Improvisation Technique is an excellent and confidently recommended single volume instructional resource.

Stephen Book's "Book On Acting" is a great achievement! With a clarity and thoroughness rarely found in books of this sort, this author/acting-coach lays out every how, why, what & where needed to learn this brilliant technique. Book explains how to learn the tools of improv and then take them to a new level by using them for the WRITTEN word. The technique gets an actor out of their head & into their body, increases their "stage" presence and allows them to deliver a fresh performance every time the camera rolls or the curtain rises. Whether you're an actor who wants to learn this technique or a coach who wants to teach it - this book will fulfill all of your needs. I can't recommend it enough!

I'm an actor and I've studied and practiced the "Improvisation Technique" outlined in this book and I can't recommend it more. Stephen Book has created a way for performers to create a workshop for themselves without the need for a "teacher" (or tuition!). The costs of acting classes can be very prohibitive; but now, with this book, a group of actors can commit to doing the curriculum at little or no cost and learn a very effective and reliable new technique.

Book's "Improvisation Technique" is different than other "traditional" methods:
1) It's a doable and reliable methodology that can be used solely or in conjunction with other techniques.
2) The learning is layered; it's a step-by-step, logical process. In every class, something new is added to what was previously learned.
3) Participants learn "acting focuses" independent of scripted work. Once an "acting focus" is learned and mastered, the participants then learn how to apply it to scripted work.

4) The "teaching" is never personal or critical so those learning are never put in a place of being judged.
5) The learning is experiential - participants learn by doing, not watching or analyzing. Every class, every participant works on their feet.

I graduated from one of the top theatre schools in the country. When I graduated and moved to Los Angeles, I took an ongoing class in Uta Hagen's approach as well as participated in a several general scene study classes. I had a mixed bag of different ways of working, but I didn't have firm grasp of a single reliable approach. Then, I was introduced to "Improvisation Technique."

Compared to other acting training I've had, I'd say the biggest difference is that my other training was mostly an exercise in being directed (which does have some limited value), while "Improvisation Technique" is much more about self-sufficiency.

And actors absolutely must be 100% self-sufficient in the professional world. On the sets of television and film production, there is often only time for a blocking rehearsal, and the director is often more concerned with the shot than the performance. My theater and scene study training did not prepare me for this reality.

I never had a reliable way to quickly and efficiently break down a script and make choices. Now I do.

I used to read scripts from "my character's" point of view and make choices based on "How would I respond if I were this person under these circumstances?" Now I read scripts from the writer's point of view and make choices based on facilitating the writer's vision of what is being dramatized, and my callback/booking rates have increased dramatically.

Used to be, intellectually, I had an idea of what my character wanted and what I wanted the performance to be, but I had no way of getting that into my body in any sort of consistent/reliable fashion. Now I do.

My acting used to be very reactive, very "in the moment." And if I was reading/acting opposite someone who wasn't very good, I wasn't very good either. I relied on external forces to create my performance. Now I can create spontaneous performances, nailing all the beats, whether I'm acting opposite a tired casting director or an award-winning actor.

Reaching high levels of certain emotions used to be very intimidating for me. But Book's technique allowed me to relax, do A, B, and C, and presto! they came easy and simply. Now I approach an emotionally charged scene with confidence.

And it's all because of this technique.

WARNING! This book is not meant to be read and considered. It's meant to be put on its feet! And Book takes participants through the curriculum one step at a time.

Book takes the fundamental improvisation principles of Viola Spolin ("Improvisation for the Theater") and extends them into dealing with scripted and memorized material.

The exercises in this book are presented in logical sequence. Each exercise picks up where the last one ended; so, I guess you could say that each exercise gets progressively harder. But, because they are learned one at a time, in sequence, participants only notice the current one they are learning as being difficult.

It's kind of like juggling. You first learn to keep one ball in the air. Then two. Then three. Then four. Then four with fire, etc. When you were learning how to keep two balls in the air, THAT was the hardest exercise. But when you move on to juggling three balls, two has suddenly become ridiculously simple.

The beauty of this kind of learning is that the goals are constantly being pushed higher, just out of reach. Participants are constantly engaged because there is always another challenge and it's only in retrospect that they realize how much they've learned.

All you need is some empty space, some dedicated friends, and this book, and you'll have everything you need to learn a new acting method that will get you out of your head and into a spontaneous improvisational state while you say your lines on cue.

Will it make a difference in your professional career? It has in mine.

oh god! you people have to read this book...i seriously hate reading books...but this got me on hold forever...i read it in 2 sittings...gr8 book!you wanna know boyzone down to the speck...just listen to me and read the book...gr8 pics...! and BOYZONE RULES! what can i say just read the book!

I read the book not long ago from my school library and i could not put it down i was reading it in my lessons! It's all about each members childhood to how they got into boyzone. It includes some really good pictures and a picture of the original Boyzone! You must read this book!!!

It is really a good book. When I first read it, I couldn't put it down. You will really learn to love 'em more because you can experience their hardships before and during Boyzone through this book. You will learn that they are not a typical boyband who just likes fame and fortune, they are Boyzone because they choose to be Boyzone, having a good laugh and making their fans really happy at the expense of an opportunity to win a gold medal in the Olympics, finishing college with honors, free time to car race, and others. You will also learn to appreciate their effort of giving color to our lives. Did you know that Steve used to live in a not so friendly place? And Ronan, with that confidence in his charming personality, used to be bullied in his school and was called an "outsider". Shane and Keith had a near-death experince. And did you know that they were six before, excluding Mikey? All these and more in one of their best-selling books, Boyzone: the true story.

This book tells the true story of boyzone, from the early chilhood of the boys untill last year. It includes information about their families and their hobbies (did you know that Ronan Keating was a runner champion? and he's not the only one that could made it to the olimpics!!!). It also includes information about the two original Boyzone members that dropped out (If you want to know why read the book!)and the story of Boyzone from the right begining (you really would be surprised who thought about the idea...). Comperetly to other Boyzone Books it doesn't have many pictures, but it has pics with original members. The book makes you think about the changes in their lives and how far they have come. So, This is defently THE TRUE STORY!

It is amazing how much fun information that the author has packed in this book!

This book is great! It's a perfect book for parties, car trips, etc. There are questions for everyone at all levels of Brady knowledge. It's so much fun watching others in angst as they desperately try to remember the answer to a question, and even more fun watching someone rushing to answer a question when they swear they don't remember much about the show! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Hilarious - I haven't watched the "Brady Bunch" in years, but I was a bit startled by the way it all came back after reading a few questions. Why do I remember this stuff? Why does the author? As absurd as it is, the memories of such a dumb TV show are great fun.

When I got this book I figured I knew every trivia question there was for the Brady's. I was wrong. Where did she come up with this stuff? There is so much detail in this book and it's organized in a way that makes it something you can browse or pass around for trivia questions. I was also impressed with how everything tied back to the episode with all the details from each show. A cool book for any Brady fan.

This book is a great read for people of all ages. Whether your interested in learning more about "The Rock" or need some background information on it, this is the one book for you.

From the colorful pictures scattered throughout the pages to the easy to read layout, you will find yourself immersed in the horrific atmosphere that is Alacatraz.

Few books manage to capture so many elements that make a book sucessful like Breakout! Escape From Alcatraz does. I guarantee you will feel as if you've actually walked through Alacatraz and know exactly why they call it, "The Rock".

I was previewing this book for my 2nd grade classroom and became completely enthralled in it! It's a great adventure/mystery story sure to capture the attention of any child who likes action and suspense! It creates great imagery of Alcatraz and leaves the reader with an eerie feeling of not knowing whether these men made it or drowned in the bay. It's definitely one of my students' favorites in the classroom.

This book outlines in vivid historical detail the legendary escape of three men from the most inescapable prison in U.S. history. The book also explains a brief history of the island of Alcatraz in addition to a brief account of its final days. One of the major themes of this book is that not everyone will be shut up. Out of every prison, or every situation, there is a way out, and there is an escape if one is only willing to take the risks.

Along with colorful illustrations which tell a story by themselves and photographs which provide historically accurate detail, the book also tells an exciting though quite short, true story about the legendary island of Alcatraz. The text is not overrun with needless detail nor is it too general. What I liked best is that by the end of the book, the reader feels as if he or she has just been given a tour of the island prison.

I think Escape From Alcatraz Island was a great book because it had alot of adventure,and I could picture in mind what was going on.also I think it must have been really hard getting chased by a gang through san fransisco near the dwarfs pier,I could probably imagine what it was like locked up in a cell at night in Alcatraz, having to find away to get back home during the morning.

Mel Odom presents the reader with an action packed Thriller. Angel: Bruja is an excellent addition to the Angel series. The plot is complex. A gang of vampires is running a 'Meals on Wheels' operation. Stolen game software leads Angel and Doyle to an underground dot.com company complete with demon telemarketers. Cordelia tracks a missing wife. Doyle has a brain draining vision of a young mother in trouble. Kate is searching for a weeping woman in black who is killing cops and children. Mr. Odom weaves them all together into an excellent story, which explores guilt and insecurities. Angel is reminded that while you cannot forget your past you should not live in it. It is not only the lesson he must learn but also teach another if he is to succeed. The book also has a strong sense of family.

I recommend this to all fans of the series as well as readers who enjoy good horror fantasy

I loved this book. So much that I read it in one day. These "Angel" novels keep getting better and better. The way all the separate cases came together in this novel was great. Can't wait to read the next. Highly recommend this novel, especially if you're a fan of "Angel".

A priest is attacked in the cellar of a church and suddenly a new horror walks the streets of Los Angeles. Appearing as a beautiful woman, weeping for her children, she is drawn to scenes of conflict. There, equipped with both incredible strength and magical power, she takes lives with impunity. Especially if those victims are children. On the other side of town, Angel is cleaning up a demonic Internet pornography site when he discovers that a group of L.A. vampires are running a fresh blood delivery service complete with people on tap.

Cordelia finds a paying case for Angel Investigations when she is approached by Adrian Heath, a well known TV producer. His wife has disappeared without a trace and he desperately wants help. And finally, Doyle is suddenly struck with a vision of great danger for a mother and her young son. As all these threads come together Angel finds himself constantly reminded of his own guilt over the murder of his family. To resolve this case he must learn how to make peace with himself.

It is characteristic of the writing of the Angel series and many of the Buffy stories that there be many layered plots. The challenge for the author is to keep all these threads moving without losing control of characterization. No doubt it helps that the main characters are well established, but even so the believability of the novel hinges on how well the other characters are developed as well as the successful management of the plot. "Bruja," benefiting from a very fine author, is a classic example of what a good Angel story should be.

Mel Odom, the author of 4 books in the Angel and Buffy series, several in the Shadowrun series and many others has established himself again as a respectable writer of science fiction and fantasy. He has a natural skill with his characters, an ear for dialog and builds his stories almost effortlessly. In "Brujah" as in many others he manages to sustain a complex plot and completely involve the reader. While the book does make reference to previous Buffy and Angel adventures, there is nothing here that would prevent a newcomer from thoroughly enjoying the tale.

After the funeral of a young boy a priest is attacked by a woman who confesses to having murdered her own son. Meanwhile, Angel Investigations is hired to look into the disappearance of the wife of a big-shot Hollywood producer, Doyle has a vision of a young mother and her son in danger, and Angel stumbles across some enterprising folk who delivery blood to your door (please specify type desired).

"Bruja" is one of those novels where most of the plot threads come together but not all of them are part of the fun filled climax so you are left guessing which one is going to end up being the only legitimate subplot. This works much better than you might think, because the way Mel Odom ends up putting all the pieces together is never obvious. Consequently, "Bruja" is one of the few Angel stories where Angel Investigations ends up doing some good old fashion investigating even if it means the laconic one has to speak in complete sentences for an extended period of time.

Plotting and pacing are two of Odom's main strengths as a writer, at least as revealed in his "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" original novels. "Bruja" presents a fairly complex plot and the novel moves from scene to scene and plot thread to plot thread without losing momentum. This time around I especially liked how each of the scenes without the main trio (Angel, Cordelia and Doyle) were fleshed out. There are really no nameless corpses in this book, because vampires leave tiny dust mounds behind rather than corpses and Odom take pains to invest each human life lost along the way with some individuality and significance.

Odom also does a nice job with characterization and in this story he manages to work in some significant reflections from each of the main characters on their families without it becoming formulaic, mainly because the self-examinations come in the context of the developing story. However, some readers might consider the amount of dialogue in this novel to be too much given the main character.

There are some pretty horrific moments in this story and I can legitimately say that Odom pushes it as far as he is willing to go simply because there is a scene where he stops short of something that he clearly thinks would have been going over the line. Odom seems to have done some research on his titular villain, which is a way of saying that if he made all of this stuff up from scratch he sure has fooled me. "Bruja" is a solid "Angel" story and while it does not involve moments of epic significance for the soul laden vampire and his compadres, it does tell a tale that has some special meaning for all of the characters.

Dr. Bruno Walter (1876-1962) was born to an upper middle class home in Berlin. He was a child prodigy composing and conducting with such ensembles as the Berlin Symphony. Walter became the assistant to the genius Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) winning the admiration of the prickly man of music.
Walter's music room was all of Europe and the great concert halls and recording studios heard his majestic music making in operas, symphonies and chamber music. He composed until 1910
forsaking creative compositon to become a peerless conductor of
works by Mahler; Beethoven;Brahms; Bruckner; Wagner; Verdi and
the other gods in music's pantheon.
Walter had seen and experienced tragedy. His younger daughter
Greta was murdered by her husband; he lost his homeland as the
Nazis conquered Austria and expelled him and other Jewish geniuses from the Reich; he had extramarital affairs but was a
decent, honorable and serious man. Walter loved literature becoming friendly with Thomas Mann the great novelists; he enjoyed reading, writing on music and was a strong but understanding conductor. He and Toscanini were friends.
This is a book for those who are familiar with classical music .
The book is very detailed and one almost feels like he/she
has seen a review of every concert conducted by Walter!
While this can become tedious to the general reader the overall
effect is one of respect for Walter.
In a time when classical music is a minority taste
the co-authors have done their homework producing a well written
and researched biograpy of Dr. Walter.

To say that the book "Bruno Walter: A World Elsewhere" is both a godsend and a delight would be an understatement-I cannot say enough good about this work. "A World Elsewhere" is a detailed and concise look at the conductors' life and career from birth until death-and in English.(My definite language of choice) It offers a style that is smooth and a pleasure to read and obviously involved alot of meticulous research. I have been an admirer of Bruno Walter for many years, and this biography is the perfect companion to my collection of Walters'recordings.It is an even-handed, multi-faceted depiction of the conductors' experiences. In reading "A World Elsewhere", I have learned much about the man that has enabled me to understand his life better; although the book does not go into alot of detail about Bruno Walters' connection with Anthroposophy, it has still inspired me to investigate this movement further. "A World Elsewhere" is a definite "must read" for anyone who admired Bruno Walter- a great conductor whose involvement with music touched and enriched many people's lives, and still does today.

Doug Rea

Finally, a full-length biography of Bruno Walter in English that devotees of his work can savor. Walter was widely recognized in his time as one of the master conductors, but his lack of flashiness, and sometimes fake air of saintliness, are off-putting to our star-obsessed age, so he hasn't received the recognition he deserves. SONY is sitting on a large back-catalog of important mono recordings by him that may never see the light of digital distribution -- or perhaps the imminent changes in music distribution wrought by the internet will eventually make it all available. Meanwhile, this very well-done, comprehensive biography will have to do. My biggest complaint is the lack of a complete discography as an appendix to the book - referring people to websites won't cut it yet, as too many folks still don't have regular internet access. Apart from that failing, this is a model of what an arts biography should be, a well-researched life, a serious consideration of issues of personal performing style, and decent pictures.

I probably qualify as a representative of the tribe of general readers, being mostly an interested amateur in what this book covers. As such, I found "Bruno Walter: a World Elsewhere" a very satisfying window into an era of music (and my childhood) that I was heretofore only vaguely aware of. In other words, it helped me fit together and fill out a picture of the musical and political and social history of the twentieth century, and that alone made it worthwhile.

But aside from that, it was simply great fun to read personal vignettes about so many eminent musicians, composers, conductors, and others. I found the book entertaining reading too, I mean to say--a dandy thing, in the summer (or any other time as well)!

While I may be an amateur as far as the contents of the biography go, I am also a professor and teacher of writing, and it was gratifying to find a biography written so smoothly that reading it was a pleasure, which is by no means the rule in scholarly biographies. There are notes and indeces aplenty for the scholars, but these should not dissuade the general reader--they do not get in the way in the least.

Add to this the fact that the volume is a handsomely designed one, with splendid pictures and an attractive typeface, and you have a book truly worth owning--or giving, for that matter.

The Bud Wilson Dream Book was one of those novels you can't put down! The characters were lively and all-too human; their flaws were familiar as well as being engaging. I particularly loved the way that each character grew and matured through the story, coming to crises, revelations, changes, and then subsequent challenges in a realistic way. I already bought all the copies at my local bookstore and I hope this book stays in print for ages! It was the mainstay of my shopping list for Christmas!

The Bud Wilson Dream Book is a must read for anyone who has, and almost everyone has, watched the network night time TV talk show host (whether Jack, Johnny, Dave or Jay) and wondered....

An engaging "could happen" tale compellingly woven from the threads of the modern American "stay up late" television viewing experience.

I stayed up late 'cause I couldn't put it down. A great read. A must read!

There have been additional revews of this book in Maine, the Maine Times, etc. There is praise from all the reviewers for the good prose style and the sheer fun of the plot. Although the central figures are mature women, there is the ever outrageous Bud Wilson, the host of the most popular nighttime television show. An enjoyable encounter between the host and the central figure, a mature woman recently widowed who becomes independent and spunky. There are many suprises and personalities that will stay with the reader long after the book ends.

I found that I was unable to put this book down. The characters seemed real although the situation is somewhat fantastic. I found the hypothesis that dreams are the poetry of ordinary people fascinating. The prose was enjoyable. Give me more books by this author!

Unlike some of the reviewers I can't identify each episode presented in this calendar (they're probably right about them)but I do think you get a good set of pictures for your money. I noticed that Ms. Gellar does seem to be the center of attention, she is after all the star of the show, but each of the main cast members does make an appearance several times. Some calendars don't give you much space to write notes on each date, this one does. My only real complaint is with the background or border colors used with the pictures, the colors can be very distracting and sometimes make the month hard to read.

Twelve Months of Buffy in all her Glory!

Each month, this Buffy calendar has three beautiful colored images in collage form from the hit series Buffy the Vampire slayer... My favorite all-time month is May, which has a gorgeous picture of Michelle Geller and boyfriend Riley, and two smaller images in either corner. September has another great picture of the ENTIRE Buffy gang overlaid on a dark amber background.

This calendar is a must for fans of the hit series Buffy the Vampire slayer. Or, for those looking for a perfect gift for a fellow fan, (like I was !) My only disappointment, is that there weren't more close ups of other characters such as Spike, Willow or Xander.

The new (and official) Buffy the Vampire Slayer calendar for 2003 is without a doubt the best one there has ever been. Cedco (makers of the Buffy calendars) must be fully aware that Sarah Michelle Gellar's contract expires at the end of Season 7, as every month has a main photo of her. The calendar has followed the evolution of the show and taken out all the main bits such as Buffy's battle with the Master, Buffy and Angel's relationship, Sunnydale High School graduation, Buffy's first years at college, Buffy's state when her mum dies, Buffy's battle with Glory, Buffy's revival from the dead and many more. Out of all the Buffy calendars, this one is the most thorough and presentable with its screen shots from certain episodes from all six seasons, along with characters who are now long gone making appearances.

The calendar begins with January. The presentation for this month has an attractive blue and purple background and features a picture of a lovely-looking Buffy in a posh lilac top that matches the background art work of the month January. There are also two screen captures from Season 1's finale episode Prophecy Girl. Buffy is seen with her crossbow and one scene where the Master (Season 1's "Big Bad") is behind Buffy without her knowing. In February, the main picture is of Buffy and Angel in a tight embrace. Angel wears a black shirt to complement Buffy's pale blue top. There's also screen captures of Buffy and Angel performing Tai-Chi after Angel's return from Hell at the beginning of Season 3 and Buffy and Angel's acting to trick Faith into tell them all she know about the Mayor in Enemies - also from Season 3. The background art is a bright purple that goes well with the style of lettering. March features a group shot of Season 3's main cast; Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, Angel, Oz and Cordelia along with screen shots of Buffy, Willow, Xander, Oz and Cordelia on their graduation day at the end of Season 3. There's also a screen shot of Sunnydale High School. Onto April, and we have a picture of Buffy in a see-through black dress with her hands behind her back looking to her left in a cheeky way! The two screen shots are from Season 4. The first is of Buffy and Spike cuddling as they're under a spell cast accidently by Willow in Something Blue. The second picture is of Sunday fighting Buffy in Season 4's opener, The Freshman. The background is a red/browny, but doesn't go very well with the rest of the pictures. May is another superbly presented month. Buffy is dressed in a sleevless light blue dress as the background art is also a darker blue. The first picture is of Buffy and her Season 4 and 5 lover Riley. The second picture is of Buffy and Riley as they almost kiss in Season 4's highlight episode Hush (when they can speak!)

June is probably one of the worst months as far as presentation goes; it features Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles and Oz in a cast shot with a dark blue/purple background. The first screenshot is of Spike in his vampire state, while the second is of Tara smiling - which is nice for a change. In July, the main picture of Buffy has her stood in a low-cut sleevless white top - the same as the one for December in the 2002 calendar. The screenshots are of Buffy annoyed with Dawn in the kitchen of their house from Season 5's hilarious Real Me. The second screen shot is of Glory's arrival in No Place Like Home when she interrogates a monk about the whereabouts of the Key. From August, we have the death of Buffy's mum in the classic Season 5 episode The Body. Onto September, and this is another one of the year's highlights. This is the cast shot for Season 5 which features Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, Dawn, Spike, Riley, Tara and Anya. The background art is a nice mustard yellow with dashes of brown and a fancy pattern. The screen shots are from the show's 100th episode - Season 5's finale The Gift. The first is of Dawn after she has been captured by Glory and is been annointed by a minion. The second is the Scoobie's reaction when they find Buffy dead after jumping to save Dawn and the universe at the end of The Gift. October is another great month. Buffy is seen in a dark red top - the same one from Season 6's VHS Box Sets. The background is a jade green and the first screen shot is of the Buffy Bot in Season 6's opener Bargaining Part 1; that cheesy grin is easy to distinguish Buffy from the Buffy Bot! The second screen shot is of Willow by a lake looking for the "ingredients" for the spell that will bring Buffy back from the dead. November is also an excellent month for presentation. This time we have the cast shot for Season 6; Buffy, Willow, Xander, Spike, Dawn, Tara and Anya. The screenshots are of Willow performing a spell and of Buffy clawing her way out of her grave in Bargaining Part 2. The final month, December, features a picture of Buffy again in that dark red top from the Season 6 VHS Box Sets - with a smile for once! The screen shots are from Season 6's Normal Again, in which Buffy accidently unleashes a demon onto her best friends in confusion over whether or not to believe that she is living in a different reality. This signals the end of the 2003 Buffy calendar and shows the three core characters; Buffy, Willow and Xander in a friendship embrace - a signal of their eternal love and could mark the end of what is the greatest TV programme of all-time...

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

If Joss Whedon (show creator) and Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy) decide to continue with Buffy, then this will obviously not be the last Buffy calendar - but the continuity of the show looks bleak, so make the most of this calendar! Choose this as your calendar for 2003; it may well be the last and you won't be able to get another one, once the show has finished - buy it now from Amazon!

The 2003 Buffy the Vampire Slayer calendar is a must for any Buffy fan. It includes 12 months of different pictures from the hit T.V. show. January begins with Buffy in a purple top and a smaller pic of her in her prom gown with the crossbow. February depicts Buffy and Angel. March is a group photo including Cordelia, Oz and Angel. April has Buffy in a black lace top and two smaller pics with Spike and Harmony. May has Buffy in a purple top and two pics with Riley. June shows the Scooby Gang. July include a pic of Buffy with wavy hair leaning against a door and there are two smaller pics with Dawn and Glory. September shows the gang including Spike, Riley, Tara, Dawn, and Anya. October shows Buffy in a red top with wavy hair and the pic with Willow sitting on the grass with the fawn. November shows the gang with Anya, Tara, Spike and Dawn. Also, there is a pic of Willow looking "witchy" and Buffy looking frightened. December shows Buffy in the red top and wavy hair again, but there are two really sweet pics with Xander and Willow.

This is an awesome calendar!! I only hope there is another one the next year!! It is absolutely a must!! You will definitly not be disappointed by this calendar!