Movies Books

If you're a libertarian -- or any liberty-loving person -- this book will delight you! Unique, original, very well written, overflowing with valuable information!

Jon Osborne is a wonderful reviewer and researcher. Each review is succinctly written, interesting and informative. I especially enjoy the actual quotes from the movies.

You'll enjoy seeing your opinion in print; you'll be reminded of special movies you may have forgotten about or might not have thought of in the same light as the author; AND you'll discover treasures that will surprise, intrigue and delight you.

Talk about entertainment: You'll have hours and hours of fun just reading about the movies, but then you'll have the movies themselves to look forward to!

A great reference that I refer to over and over.

No need to waste your time watching movies that end up just making you mad -- check out the movie first in this book. Don't head for the video store or switch on the TV without it!

I have just one question for the author: when's the sequel coming out?

I've been a subscriber to the Miss Liberty newsletter for three years. As a result of Osborne's reviews, I've discovered a number of difficult to find, but wonderful gems. For example, I loved the _The Man in the White Suit_ (1951), which stars a young Alec Guiness as a brilliant scientists who invents an indestructible fabric. It's a comedy that explores the obstacles innovators often face from entrenched interest groups. If it weren't for Osborne's reviews, I probably would not have found out about the movie.

Osborne writes well--dip into the book at random, and you will find insightful, witty commentary (even if the movie itself isn't particularly good.) I've already given copies to several of my libertarian/objectivist friends. Highly recommended!

When I was a young kid, somehow I always kept catching repeats of classic films on T.V. with my mom like "The Sea Hawk", "Casablanca", "The Man in the White Suit", "Johnny Tremain" and "Harvey" while reveling in catching films that I remember most and consider my favorites in the theaters, VHS or on cable like the "Star Wars" films, "Red Dawn", "Trading Places", "Moscow on the Hudson", "Ghostbusters", "1984" and "Total Recall". In some way or another, each of these films that I consider my favorites had a freedom/libertarian message to them and I guess its safe to say that their lasting impression was one of the things that contributed to my being a libertarian today. I find it interesting how Osborne is able to point out the libertarian themes of films like the ones I outlined above and have been able to go back and re-enjoy them again as well as see films I never thought of viewing. Its too bad that he didn't include films like "Independence Day" or "Braveheart" and this book was published prior to the release of other great, freedom-oriented movies like "Gladiator" as well as the "Lord of the Rings" or "Matrix" trilogies. Oh, well. There will be other editions I am sure. Until then, this book is well worth adding to anyone's library. Libertarian or otherwise.

I like the libertarian slant to this witty and inciteful guide, but really, that's just icing on the cake. The book is a great compendium of good films, fun films, and godawful films that anyone (even commies) would want to see. Each film gets a synopsis and commentary on its Libertarian content, but any guide that lists "Ghostbusters" next to "The Girl Who Spelled Freedom" has got to be good. If the Marxist Guide to the Movies were this fun, I'd buy it too. A must for any Cineaste.

Excellent book for the western enthusiast. was a little disappointed that posters were not full page but guess I'm being a bit picky.No text apart from the introduction, many memories came flooding back of favourites such as Charles Starrett, Allan Lane, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry etc.
These books will end up collectors items so strike while the iron is hot.

More Cowboy Movie Posters is a fabulous art book and truly invaluable, offering the highest quality images from good and bad westerns. As someone who collects western posters, I have used this book as an important aid to purchasing posters illustrated within. Without such a quality reference I would have needed to peruse a stack of catalogs to find the same amount of images. For the non collector movie buff, the book is equally a delight and tremendous value at the low price.

This review can easily apply to any of the books in the Bruce Hershenson edited series of film poster history. Hershenson rightly treats film graphics not just as pop culture artifacts but true works of art. His books are filled with a curator's eye for superior choice and reproduction, each poster in striking color and with a clarity of printing that rivals most any coffee table art book. Somewhere between advertising and illustration, film posters, like book jackets and record covers, inhabit that imaginative and atmospheric zone where one art reflects another. It's not just the history of film or the history of film design, it's a history of twentieth century Saturday afternoons and Saturday nights. How often we would go into the dark theatre armed only with the ideas and ideals of the posters outside, and then return to them afterward, perhaps with nodding affirmation or smirking disillusionment, but still a vision of what could be. This series of books should be subtitiled: THE FINE ART OF ANTICIPATION,for no matter if expectation was filled or emptied by the films behind them, their posters kept on shining.

All the great heroes of Hollywood westerns are represented in a book that's a delight to flip through. It's packed with the colorful, dramatic, enticing art that made movie posters even more appealing than the movies, themselves.

Susan Herbert is in fine form as she shifts into the realm of motion pictures, punny titles and all. She proves adept at both movie stars and famous movie scenes. The focus here is on the classics, and sneak peeks on the Internet indicate there will eventually be a second edition going all the way up to The Lord of the Rings. Cat lovers, rejoice!

I adore Susan Herbet, who does an amazing job painting pictures of cats and incorporating them into famous stories and works of art. In "Movie Cats," Herbert recreates scenes from some of Hollywood's most famous motion pictures. My personal favorites include Mammy and Scarlett O'Hara from "Gone with the Wind," James Bond and his "Pussies Galore" from "Goldfinger," characters from "The Wonderful Whiskers of Oz," and a portrait of "Charlie Catlin." If you're a cat lover and a movie buff, you have to have this book!

Susan Herbert's cats have appeared as characters in paintings, Victorian settings and now they are going to the movies. Another sublime book of cat paintings as characters from a dozen movies. The one of the Godfather is worth the price of the book. As usual Herbert has done a marvelous job and the characters have charm and wit and certainly are a reason to smile.

This is really the most enchanting book of cat illustrations I've seen in a very long time. Even people who don't love cats that much seem to be charmed by it. Anyone who loves movies will wish there were cat versions starring Susan Herbert's movie cats.

Saw a movie and what to know more? Planning to rent a video and what to know more? Look here. Not all movies are reviewed, but almost every important film, some sleepers, some low-budget gems, and some you may hate but are important within film history. Our 1995 edition is worn out, and I wish we had a 'cover' for this one; that's how often we refer to this. We have also use it to build our own film library, now numbering over 500. Directors, actors, Academy Awards, obscure information and the source - whether book, play or original screenplay are all included. Now, if they had only included "The Reivers" and "Sometimes a Great Notion!"

Many of the reviews in this book are actually from an earlier encyclopedia called the Motion Picture Guide, perhaps the most comprehensive and best written source for pre-1990's films ever published. TV Guide adopted the same database for their online film review database and updated editions of The Movie Guide have been published for years as The Virgin Film Guide (avail. from Amazon.uk) This guide favors quality over quantity and so you get long, detailed, informed reviews of Sunrise, Das Boot, Mala Noche, Drugstore Cowboy, Blue Velvet, The Bicycle Thief, La Dolce Vita, etc. instead of thousands of thumbnail sketches of mediocre films you will have no interest in ever seeing. This is, as a previous review noted, along with Katz' Film Encyclopedia one of the few, truly essential books that every film lover should own.

This volume, along with Katz's, The Film Encyclopedia, are the foundation of celluloid information. The two will be sufficient for most viewers. Saw a movie and what to know more? Planning to rent a video and what to know more? Look here. Not all movies are reviewed, but almost every important film, some sleepers, some low-budget gems, and some you may hate but are important within film history. Our 1995 edition is worn out, and I wish we had a 'cover' for this one; that's how often we refer to this. We have also use it to build our own film library, now numbering over 500. Directors, actors, Academy Awards, obscure information and the source - whether book, play or original screenplay are all included. Now, if they had only included "The Reivers" and "Sometimes a Great Notion!"

This is hands down the single best reference for films from the 1930s on. Detailed reviews of works that are deserving of them, with sharp analysis that puts films in their proper historical context.

Being an Insider myself, I've seen guides and addresses sold for years. Most of which are a joke. But not this one. E.J. Fleming never fails. He's one of the most prolific and talented writers of our time and this book is a must have for movie and star buffs! Thank you - thank you!

This is a terrific book to use to navigate the Hollywood area for anyone interested in the movies. We drive up and down streets with my husband calling out names and events and loved it. We are locals in the San Fernando Valley and for the LA person comenting that changes have occurred in the area and streets over the years, "duh!." Some of the addresses are 100 years old but in the odd case that a street is not there or has been moved, as far as we could tell there was a note included. We didn't check everything, but we didn't have any problem using the lists. THis is a great resource for movies and LA history and great fun for vacations. It's heavy though!

I envision E.J. Fleming huddled over a pc reviewing census information and entering data in a database and cross checking it against his formidable stacks of notebooks. E.J. is tired, tired, tired. He has worked day and night so I don't have to. Stop, I'm just kidding but this is an incredible collection of information. I am in total awe re: how someone could collect so much data, collate it, and present it in an easily accessible manner.
This directory is exactly what is implied. It is an enormous collection of addresses relating to celebrity homes, film locations, historical sites.......and here's the kicker.....the locations of scandals and crimes. That having been said, this is not a rolling narrative that relates a lot of juicy stories and histories. It presents the facts and it is up to the user to draw in the lines and reach his/her own conclusions.
So why did I drop $75 for this book. I was weary doing this type of research with only lukewarm results and a relatively miniscule database. This book has everything and I can let my fingers do the walking.
Now here is my warning. I reiterate don't buy this if you are expecting a lot of lurid stories as there really aren't any per se. However, buy this book if you want to know things like all the places Humphrey Bogart resided in LA, who cohabitated with Ramon Novarro, or where Laurel and Hardy filmed a lot of their classic shorts. Buy this book if you have a curious mind and the information provided has you asking other questions.
This is an impressive collection of information.

I am a tour guide in Hollywood - one of the very few that actually research our tours. I thought I knew a lot about Hollywood, but this book made my jaw hit the floor.

Mr. Fleming has published the BIBLE for Celebrity addresses. The most comprehensive book on stars homes I have ever poured through. I've even turned a few of my colleagues on to the book, who their own copies immediately.

You've made my job easier Mr. Fleming, and you have published a riveting and important document.

Like so many others, I got hooked on the new Mummy movie. For one thing I found the "bad guy" very appealing. I bought this book to find out further information on the characters and on the making of the movie, and found it very informative and a lot of fun. The information on the special effects was interesting and expanded the information of the subject found in the additional features of the DVD version of the film.

This book is a have to have for anyone who loved the movie "The Mummy". It is very informative not only on the storyline and characters but also on the behind the scenes and the special effects. The photographs are great. Great movie, great book!

The info and pictures on the movie is very abundant.And the pictures are very good.This is a good book.The movie is good too.Buy it.You won't regret it.

I've seen the movie "The Mummy" 3 times already and was very curious how they did the incredible special effects. This book really gives a good overview of not just the special effects but also all the cast and characters and the people behind the camera. Great movie! Great book!

WOW !!!!!!
This is the best nancy drew mystery I have ever read

I totally loved this book! It was sooooo cool to read it because I live 1 minute away from where this whole book is taking place. Also if you live in San Fransico I reccomend that you read STRANGE MEMORIES (nancy drew files) it is in Frisco.

I've read just about everyone of the Nancy Drew books and this is the best yet!

In this book Nancy, Bess, and George try to find out who's trying to get back at Nancy's dad's friend, Terry and his daughter. On the way there are dangerous dogs, destoring Terry's artwork, and then a FIRE!!!!!!!

I'm almost finished reading this book and I must say that it is one of the best books about the Kennedy assassination. It has everything from the detailed history of the Zapruder film to a 16 page color section that includes the famous photos by Mary Moorman, James Altgens and Phil Willis, to over 100 black and white photos and diagrams of Zapruder frames and rarely seen photos and still frames from other movies made that day. I took the advice of another review on this board and bought the book with the DVD 'Image of an Assassination'. When the book references frames from the Zapruder film you can view the DVD to see exactly what it is the author is talking about. What else can be said about a book that comes in it's own wrapper. Probably a lot. A treasure.

Richard Trask's objectivity must be maddening to the conspiracy nuts since he clearly doesn't give credence to their silly theories, while at the same time he doesn't openly criticize their ideas. He isn't looking for a fight. He simply researches the objective photographic history and refuses to jump on the bandwagon of insanity currently awash in the country by those claiming the Zapruder film has been altered. I was glad that he did not spend a lot of time in this arena, it would have cheapened the high quality of work Trask is known for. ALong with "Pictures of the Pain" Trask must be ranked among the great photographic historians of this case. I highly recommend this work

I whole-heartedly agree with Mr. Von Pein's extremely comprehensive review. If you are into the photographic and film record of the Kennedy Assassination, as I am, than Mr. Trask's published works will satisfy your desire for an in-depth analysis of the major photos and films taken during the November 21st-November 22nd period of time. All three of his books are worth the investment for the wealth of photos they contain and the analysis of those photos.
As to NATIONAL NIGHTMARE, I liken it to that first cup of cold water after a long run. It is satisfying and quenches the thirst. Mr. Trask approaches the history of the film and his analysis of it with no agenda. He is not out to change anyone's mind as to "who dun it," unlike David R. Wrone, who does a good job of describing the history of the film in THE ZAPRUDER FILM: REFRAMING JFK'S ASSASSINATION, but then goes off into the wacky world of Zapruder film tampering by unknown conspirators. I consider myself a historian, an as such, am much more impressed with Mr. Trask's objective approach to his subject. One gets the impression that he discounts the conspiracy theories in favor of the Warren Commission findings, but it serves as an undercurrent, not as a presumptious raison d'etre for the existence of the book. Mr. Trask simply presents the photographic record in wonderful detail, leaving the theories for the reader to muddle over.
This is really an extaordinary book, and my hope is the Mr. Trask (I hope you're reading this, sir) publishes a book of all 400+ frames of the Zapruder film in the largest, clearest, most colorful format that technology can provide and takes a page to analyze each frame of the film. One frame per page accompanied by a page of analysis would amount to a holy grail of sorts for me and no doubt for all those who understand the importance of analyzing the history of November 22, 1963 through the numerous photographs and films taken on that day.

I love reading Richard Trask's books about the JFK assassination; and this one, published in late October 2005, is certainly no exception. It's very informative and definitely a worthy addition to anyone's collection of written materials surrounding the shocking murder of President John Kennedy in November of 1963.

"National Nightmare On Six Feet Of Film: Mr. Zapruder's Home Movie And The Murder Of President Kennedy" is a softcover volume containing 392 pages packed with just about every conceivable piece of information revolving around the infamous 26-second color motion-picture film taken by Dallas dress manufacturer Abraham Zapruder on November 22, 1963, which is a film which shows, in all its morbid detail, the assassination of an American President in broad daylight on a city street in Dallas, Texas.

Mr. Trask details the full history of the film and provides a good deal of background and biographical information on Mr. Zapruder, an ordinary Dallas businessman, born in Russia, who, by pure happenstance and coincidence, turned out to be the amateur filmmaker whose name will forever be associated with the death of JFK.

But, if it weren't for the prodding of his secretary, Lillian Rogers (who encouraged Zapruder to go back home and retrieve his 8mm Bell-&-Howell movie camera shortly before the President's motorcade arrived in Dealey Plaza), that brief and awful 26 seconds in history would probably have never been captured through Mr. Zapruder's lens.

Like Richard Trask's other books on the JFK assassination which focus attention on the photographic aspect of the tragedy, the text of "National Nightmare" is ever-readable, easily-understood, and refreshingly-non-biased when it comes to taking a "Conspiracy vs. No Conspiracy" position by the author. Mr. Trask lays out the facts and leaves it at that.

This book's endnotes/footnotes are all positioned at the back of the book in one separate section, so as to not clutter up the main text of the volume. (So keeping two bookmarks handy is recommended, because a lot of interesting info can be gleaned from some of these endnotes too.)

One big surprise to this writer when perusing this book was seeing a COLOR version of the Robert Croft photograph printed on Page 67 (within a 16-page spread of mostly all-color photos and Zapruder Film frames). I had never seen the Croft picture in color previously. And it's an excellent-quality print of that famous amateur photo that I found in this volume, too. The picture is needle-sharp and the color is virtually perfect.

The Croft photo, by the way, depicts the President's limousine on Elm Street, just after the car has made its sharp left turn from Houston Street in front of the Texas School Book Depository. It was taken at a point equivalent to Zapruder frame #161 (per this book's text and captions), which is just about the time the first gunshot was being fired in Dealey Plaza.

Other highly-recommended publications authored by Richard B. Trask (centering on the photography of President Kennedy's assassination) ..... "Pictures Of The Pain" (1994) and "That Day In Dallas" (1998). The latter is a condensed version of the former, focusing attention on just three of the photographers who took pictures in Dallas on the day JFK was killed (Cecil Stoughton, James Altgens, and Jim Murray).*

* = Although condensed into a smaller number of pages than that of its predecessor "POTP", "That Day In Dallas" does contain "revised and enlarged" material throughout its limited number of chapters. And the specific photographs represented within that volume are unrivaled in their clarity and quality of physical presentation, in this writer's personal opinion.

I truly enjoyed both of those books, and was very glad to see "That Day In Dallas" come out a few years after "POTP", because "That Day" provides a larger-print format for many excellent-quality assassination-related photographs, including several pictures you're not likely to see in any other book on the subject.

As a companion piece to "National Nightmare", I would also recommend highly the MPI Home Video DVD "Image Of An Assassination: A New Look At The Zapruder Film" (released in the summer of 1998), which contains four "digital" versions of the entire 26-second Zapruder Film in various formats, including "zoomed-in" variants and a previously-unseen "Widescreen" version of the movie, which includes the imagery between the "sprocket holes" from Mr. Zapruder's "camera original" film.

That DVD also contains some valuable and collectible "bonus" video programming, including interviews with Zapruder associates, as well as the March 1975 "Good Night America" program (hosted by Geraldo Rivera), during which U.S. audiences first saw the horrifying images of Mr. Zapruder's movie. The DVD also has a crystal-clear video copy of the Live interview that Abraham Zapruder gave on WFAA-TV just hours after he had filmed the assassination.

Many of the above-mentioned items from that "Image Of An Assassination" DVD are also referenced by Mr. Trask throughout the well-written pages of "National Nightmare".

---------------

In "National Nightmare On Six Feet Of Film", Richard Trask has admirably filled in yet another in a seemingly-never-ending series of pieces of subject matter that comprise the wide and varied fabric that form the mosaic of literature covering the topic of the John F. Kennedy assassination.

Nowhere can be found a more detailed and fact-based history of Abraham Zapruder's historic film than that which resides within these 392 pages.

I first read the book because I had seen a play based on it, and it (the play) had made no sense. However, the topic of the book sounded good, so I wanted to find out more. So I picked up one of the FUNNIEST books I have ever read. If anyone is interested in WWII, or any aspect of war, and want some comedy, this is the book for you.

You WILL laugh out loud. Will Stockdale vs. the U.S. Army. Not a fair fight in this hilarious book. Naive hillbilly, reduces military to shambles. Drafted into the army and meets up with foreign-to-him culture, this story chronicles the military's efforts to round him up, put him through boot camp, test him psychologically, send him on suicide mission, etc. He lives through hazing, bureaucratic bungling, bombs and many other riotous adventures. Much, much funnier than the movie.

I read this book while serving in the Air Force and while serving a temporary duty assignment in Saudi Arabia. On more than one occasion I was amused to see an NCO's reaction to the book I was reading.

Having been a member of the only military fighting force in the world that isn't too proud to make fun of itself, this book is easily one of the most memorable pieces of literature I had the pleasure of coming across during my enlistment. Will Stockdale, backwoods redneck/draftee, is the Huckleberry Finn (with a bit of Forrest Gump mixed in) of modern military fiction. One of the funniest dialogue exchanges occurs when Will and his pal Ben - a short bespectacled gent whose chief ambition (initially) is to bust into infantry - are talking about how horrible it would be if they got selected to go into the Air Force.

"...Will, do you know what they call men in the Air Force?"
"No, I don't think I heered say."
"They call 'em...airmen. By dog, Will, don't you see? How'd you like to be called an airman?"
"By God, I just don't think I'd stand for it..."

But Will and Ben's ambitions later tend to change when considering (among other things) the many decorations one may receive in the Air Force and how easily they can be acquired. It's especially humorous when Ben points out,

"I believe you stand just about as good a chance of getting [medals] in the Air Force as any place...Why, today, you can get a medal by just not doing anything wrong..."

It was at this point that I began to wonder in the other American military branches - or those of our allies - award their brave men and women the Good Conduct Medal (the recipient earns this by not getting demoted); the Longevity Medal (serve for a minimum of four years); and other awards and honors just for showing up. NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS - written by a former officer of the U.S. Army Air Corps - made it clear that some things in our military are just downright hilarious if you can look at them from the right perspective.

Even if you don't have the military experience, this short, lighthearted, and reader-friendly book is sure to please as it brings to mind reminders of FORREST GUMP, GOMER PYLE, and...oh yeah...NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS (starring Andy Griffith as Will Stockdale).

I don't remember when I first read this book, but I do remember laughing out loud during certain parts (something I rarely ever do!) If you've seen the movie starring Andy Griffith you have the basic idea as to what it's about, but the book adds a lot of little things which I found immensely amusing. Needless to say, it's not complimentary to the military, but it's more of an attack on the bureaucracy surrounding the armed forces than it is on anything else. A very funny book!

I think that book was very interesting and I think we should get the second one. I really really enjoyed it and I think it was very fun and I think the part that was interesting was when Nancy caught the other girl from erasing her name and putting another name. In the end, the other girl was nice to Nancy.

All the girls in River Heights sure would love to be part of the big ice show! It's a chance for even a third-grade student to get her name on the list of flower girls! You can skate out on the ice and pick up all the flowers that fans throw to the champions!

But somebody has no sense of sportsmanship, erasing Nancy Drew's name from the list of girls to participate. Who can the cheater be?

It's only a matter of time, and logical investigation for America's favorite spunky girl detective to pull out her trusty blue notebook and find out who is Not Nice on Ice!

Carolyn Keene has produced yet another tantalizing mystery for young readers, with a fun and exciting setting that girls will all love!

Recommended!

I THINK THAT THIS BOOK IS AMAZINGLY WRITEN BY CARYOLN KEENE AND THERE NOT NICE ON THAT ICE BUT AT THE END ITS NICE ON ICE!!

I really liked the book .It is now my favorite book. I think this book teaches you not to cheat.I have read other books about Nancy Drew and I really like them. Also Iwant to congratulate the author for a great book.